Today I presented four food demonstrations at the annual Central Union Mission health fair in DC, as part of my consulting work with the UDC Center for Nutrition, Diet, and Health.
Central Union Mission is the oldest social service agency in DC, opening in 1884 to serve the needs of homeless men. Today, the organization operates an 18-month rehabilitation program for men with life-controlling issues, a free meals program, and other community services.
I had a wonderful experience sharing vegan dishes with so many people who said they were trying them for the first time. The health fair was open to the community, so lots of people came through. I also had a Spanish translator, which was a first (and a bit humbling because I oughta be fluent by now).
I made Blueberry Smoothies (with a leaf of kale added), Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad, Spicy Kale Salad, and a no-bake Apple Crumb Pie. The dishes were a hit, especially with one little girl who kept coming back for more smoothies. A few people said they were going to buy the ingredients for the Spicy Kale Salad tonight and fix it for dinner. And some folks said they were going to make the Apple Crumb Pie for Thanksgiving. That was really gratifying. Special thanks to our team at UDC: Marshelle Hailstock, Hoora Taheri, and Paul Brown, Jr.
Here are the recipes, except for the Spicy Kale Salad, which you can find in a previous blog post. Enjoy! (You can see more photos from the health fair here.)
Blueberry Smoothie
1 cup of water
1 cup of soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk
3/4 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1-2 ripe bananas
1 apple
2 medjooj dates, pitted
1 leaf of kale
2 TB nuts (optional: walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.)
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed (or canned organic chick peas, drained, and rinsed)
3~4 cups water
1 small red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ tsp curry powder
2 TB nutritional yeast (optional; cheesy taste and a great source of B vitamins)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
5 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 TB Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise (egg- and dairy-free mayonnaise)
2-3 TB Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Place the chickpeas and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 to 3 hours until soft. Drain and transfer the chickpeas to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently. Cover and let the ingredients marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.
Apple Crumb Pie
Crumb Pie Crust:
2 cups dry almonds or pecans, unroasted and unsalted
1 tsp sea salt
8 medjool dates, pitted
Syrup:
2 medjool dates, pitted
1 orange, peeled and sliced
1 tsp of water (or more, as needed)
Filling:
4 apples, thinly sliced
1 TB cinnamon
Crust: Pulse nuts, sea salt, and dates in food processor until a crumbly mixture is formed. Set aside.
Syrup: Blend orange and dates in blender. Add water as needed.
Filling: Stir chopped apples with syrup and cinnamon. Spoon the filling into pie crust.
Sprinkle crust on top of apples and serve. Note: the Apple Crumb Pie is an adaptation of a recipe by chef Sandra Mederos (adding an orange was brilliant!) and my Fresh Peach Cobbler recipe, posted in a previous blog post.
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