Category Archives: Food and Nutrition

Welcome New Master Food Volunteers!

Posted on April 26, 2016 by jabel

On April 22 a group of thirteen new Master Food Volunteers completed their training and will soon begin serving the community by helping to lead cooking and nutrition classes.

The spring 2016 class of Master Food Volunteers completed their training last Friday.

The volunteers come from Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William Counties. The training was led collaboratively by Jennifer Abel, Nancy Stegon, and Katie Strong, Family and Consumer Sciences agents who cover the above mentioned city and counties. Van Do and Katrida Williams, new SNAP Ed FCS agents who serve Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, and Spotsylvania Counties, also helped lead the training.

Volunteers will help to lead nutrition education and cooking classes for groups throughout Northern Virginia. Examples of programs in which they will be involved include: Cooking Matters for Kids classes, SNAP outreach at farmers markets, Chefs Clubs for middle schoolers, healthy cooking classes for senior citizens, food preservation classes, Balanced Living with Diabetes for Spanish speakers, nutrition education at food pantries, and many more.

Trainees offered several comments about what they liked most in the training: “The amazing education as well as educators!” “The ability to participate through hands-on activities, group work, and discussion.” “How science-based it was.”

The new volunteers will join 93 current Master Food Volunteers who have been trained at some point since 2012 when the program began. We welcome the Spring 2016 cohort and look forward to working with them!

Taste of Extension Showcases 2015 Successes of VCE

Posted on December 7, 2015 by jabel

On December 4 more than 76 people attended VCE-Arlington and Alexandria’s annual breakfast event for local, state, and federal elected officials and community leaders. Each year we showcase the recent successes of our programs and this year we focused on new developments at VCE in 2015. There was a lot of new information to share: Energy Masters is expanding into Alexandria thanks to a grant from the city; our full-time financial coach started in March and will be with us for more than two years through special arrangement with the CFPB; our new 4-H agent, Caitlin Verdu, started in October; a new SNAP FCS agent, Van Do also started in October and will be providing nutrition education to SNAP clients in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties; and Paula Kaufman joined VCE in June as our new Master Gardener Coordinator.

Another new feature of this year’s event was that the Master Food Volunteers prepared the breakfast that was served to attendees. In past years the breakfast has been catered, but after Master Food Volunteers saw how unhealthy and tasteless last year’s breakfast was they volunteered to prepare the meal. Dishes included a leek and feta cheese frittata, chard, red pepper, and sweet potato frittata, homemade preserves, and parfaits made with yogurt, granola, and cranberry chutney. The fresh and healthy food was much appreciated by the guests.

Also at this year’s event we had the opportunity to honor Toby Smith, a long-time 4-H volunteer who received a Connect with Kids award from the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth, and Family. Toby runs a Junior Master Naturalist club and has served as chair of both the Arlington and state Extension Leadership Councils.

Every year this event is attended by Arlington county board members, state delegates and senators, aides of federal legislators, and community leaders such as the heads of Arlington and Alexandria departments of parks and recreation. They get to talk with volunteers and staff as they visit stations set up around the room highlighting all of VCE’s programs. This is an important event to help spread the word about the exciting work that Extension is doing and we look forward to having an even bigger and better event in 2016.

Family Nutrition Program Assistant Haregowoin Tecklu demonstrated how coffee is roasted and prepared in her home country of Ethiopia.

4-H club members Aziza Hasen, Areli Ibarra, and Rebecca Nance joined 4-H volunteer Maria Jechoutek (center) and Alexandria 4-H agent Reggie Morris to represent local 4-H programs.

Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation Deputy Director (DPR) Jennifer Fioretti, Emergency Services Director Debbie Powers, and DPR Director Jane Rudolph were among the guests who attended the breakfast event.

Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Deputy Director Jennifer Fioretti, Emergency Services Director Debbie Powers, and DPR Director Jane Rudolph were among the guests who attended the breakfast event.

Celebrate National Dine In Day, December 3!

Posted on December 3, 2015 by jabel

Today is national Dine In Day, a nationwide campaign started by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences that is intended to encourage families to eat a healthy meal together at home. Many families are so busy these days that they rarely have the chance to sit down to dinner together. Eating family meals at home has several benefits:

Cooking at home is typically less expensive than eating out, thus helping families save money.
When you prepare meals at home, you can control how much salt and sugar go into your food and so home-cooked meals can be healthier than those you eat in restaurants.
When families eat a meal together they get the chance to re-connect, talk about their days, and enjoy each other’s company.

You can commit to dining in today by taking the pledge at this web site: http://www.aafcs.org/FCSday/commitment.html. If you need healthy recipe ideas, contact staff at the Arlington Virginia Cooperative Extension office: http://offices.ext.vt.edu/arlington.

AAFCS Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Jackson promotes Dine In Day at the Arlington Farmers Market

What’s Cooking at the Old Town Farmers’ Market?

Posted on April 30, 2015 by maraea

MFV Rosa Lee Ford

Spring has sprung at Virginia Cooperative Extension and many of our programs are gearing up for a busy season. Master Food Volunteers began the market demonstration season at the Old Town Alexandria Farmers’ Market this past weekend. Fun fact: Did you know that the Old Town Farmers’ Market is the oldest in nation? It has been held in the same location for the past 260 years!

MFV and event organizer Kim Frey, MFV Anne Augusterfer and one of our newest Alexandria MFVs Rosa Lee Ford dished up servings of raw beet salad. You can find Master Food Volunteers preparing healthy recipes from fresh, in season produce on the last Saturday of every month through November. If you missed the demonstration, don’t worry. Just get some fresh beets on your next grocery or market trip and try out the recipe. It’s a healthy and delicious side dish for any barbecue or picnic.

Raw Beet Salad Recipe (courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients (yield: 4 servings)

1 pound beets
1 large shallot
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or other good strong vinegar
About 1 tablespoon minced parsley, dill, or chervil; or about 1 teaspoon minced rosemary or tarragon

Directions
Peel the beets and the shallot. Combine them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and pulse carefully until the beets are shredded; do not puree. (Or grate the beets by hand and mince the shallots; combine.) Scrape into a bowl.

Toss with the salt, pepper, mustard, oil, and vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss in the herbs and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Mark Bittman’s THE MINIMALIST COOKS DINNER (Broadway, 2001) and Food Network

Sign up for VCE’s home food preservation workshops

Posted on March 26, 2015 by kstrong

Learn the basics of home food preservation with hands-on experiences and demonstrations. Science-based methods focus on food safety and quality. Workshops are perfect for beginners and those looking to brush up on their skills.

Find more information and registration instructions by visiting our Home Food Preservation Workshop.

3 workshops are available in 2015:

Boiling Water Canning

Overview of canning basics and drying foods. Hands-on workshop for jams, jellies, and pickled products.

April 15, 5 to 8 pm, Pennino Kitchen, Fairfax
July 7, noon to 3 pm, Pennino Kitchen, Fairfax
August 27, noon to 3 pm, Fairlington Kitchen, Arlington

Pressure Canning

Overview of canning basics and freezing food. Hands-on workshop for canning low-acid foods, such as vegetables, beans, and meats.

May 13, noon to 3 pm, Pennino Kitchen, Fairfax
June 10, 5 to 8 pm, Pennino Kitchen, Fairfax
September 17, noon to 3 pm, Fairlington Kitchen, Arlington

Food Fermentation

Overview of concepts and equipment for fermenting food (beer and wine not covered). Hands-on workshop for fermenting fruits and vegetables.

July 16, 5 to 8 pm, Fairlington Kitchen, Arlington
August 12, 5 to 8 pm, Pennino Kitchen, Fairfax
September 16, noon to 3 pm, Pennino Kitchen, Fairfax

Download the 2015 Food Preservation brochure.

Warm Up with Winter Soups and Stews

Posted on February 20, 2015 by kstrong

Arlington residents are keeping warm and learning to cook healthy soups and stews at Langston-Brown Senior Center. You can, too! Load your homemade soups with winter vegetables–especially bright red and orange–and reheat leftovers for quick meals throughout the week. Sure, canned soups are convenient. But, they can be high in salt and hard on your heart. By making soups yourself, you can lower the salt to a healthy amount without sacrificing flavor.

Here are some tips for boosting flavor without salt.

1. Start with a flavorful vegetable base. Heat a small amount of oil and cook diced onion, carrots, and celery over medium-low heat until soft.

2. Intensify with spices. Add spices to the hot oil and cook until fragrant. Try cumin, curry, garlic, or smoked paprika. Fresh herbs and garlic cloves will have a bolder taste than powdered.

3. Use a low sodium broth. Check the nutrition facts label and choose the broth or stock with the lowest sodium. Or, make the stock yourself without using salt.

4. Finish with a splash of acidic flavor. A few tablespoons of vinegar or citrus juice at the end will brighten the flavor and round out the taste. If using cooking wine as the acid, add this to the vegetable base before the broth and allow it to cook for a few minutes. Try this healthy Root Vegetable Stew recipe tonight for a meal your whole family will love!

Find more VCE senior nutrition and cooking classes in the Arlington 55+ guide.

By Laurie Van Dyk, Virginia Tech Dietetic Intern 2014-2015

From Russia to South Arlington

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Megan Kuhn

Extension has received a $7,500 grant from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to teach Russian city and nonprofit leaders about our volunteer program modules. We will be sharing best practices for volunteer-driven nonprofit work.

The grant is through the Embassy’s U.S.-Russia Peer-to-Peer Dialogue Program, which supports projects focused on peer-to-peer collaboration. Extension partnered with the nonprofit WSOS Community Action in Freemont, Ohio, on the grant application. The total grant is worth $95,000. In addition to visiting with us, the Russian delegation will meet with nonprofits in Ohio and Utah.

Virginia Cooperative Extension celebrates 100 years, showcases Arlington and Alexandria programs

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Megan Kuhn

Volunteers Bill Guey-Lee and Desiree Kaul manage the Master Financial Education display at Virginia Cooperative Extension’s breakfast showcase at Fairlington Community Center.

Virginia Cooperative Extension‘s breakfast showcase, highlighting Arlington and City of Alexandria programs, made the news.

A few 2014 highlights:

Staff and Master Financial Education volunteers started Money Smarts Pay, which combines money management classes with financial coaching to help participants adopt positive financial habits. Extension partnered with Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing and The Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless to offer Money Smarts Pay to affordable housing tenants.
Staff and Master Food Volunteers addressed childhood obesity by organizing healthy cooking classes for teens in foster care and low-income teens, and 4-H Food Challenge events.
VCE–Arlington, with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, won the national Extension Housing Outreach Award.

Read the full story here.

Emergency Services Staff Learn about Healthy Eating

Posted on November 19, 2014 by jabel

On November 14 VCE staff and Master Food Volunteers completed a series of six cooking demonstrations for Arlington County 911 dispatchers. Their supervisors requested these classes in order to provide the emergency services staff with ideas for quick and easy-to-prepare recipes that were full of healthy ingredients.

Master Food Volunteer Angela Braga chops cilantro for breakfast buritos.

Master Food Volunteer Angela Braga chops cilantro for breakfast burritos.

Master Food Volunteers Angela Braga, Nancy Broff, Brigitte Coulton, Andrea Durkin, Maiko Diaizen, Thao Nguyen, Aisha Salazar, Katie Savarese, and Sharon Simkin helped Extension Agent Jennifer Abel make a series of breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes chock full of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, and high fiber foods. Among the favorite recipes were the breakfast burrito, breakfast parfait, apple-tuna sandwiches, spinach salad, Party Time Pasta with ground turkey, and green bean and mushroom sauté. Staff received packets with all of the recipes that were prepared, along with many others for them to consider making at home.

A staff member serves up a portion of the breakfast parfait.

“I think everyone really appreciated the effort put forth on their behalf to help them with healthier habits,” said Debbie Powers, Deputy Coordinator of the Office of Emergency Management. This is a new partnership for VCE and we hope to do many more cooking demonstrations for emergency services staff in the future.

A staff member helps herself to Homemade Fruity Oatmeal.

Teens in Foster Care Learn Nutrition and Cooking Skills

Posted on November 17, 2014 by jabel

On November 12 a group of twelve teens completed the six-week Cooking Matters for Teens program. The group met every Wednesday for six weeks to learn about making nutritious meal choices and how to prepare healthy recipes. All of the participants were teens who are in foster care and who will soon be aging out of the system. Their case managers were eager for them to learn skills to help them make healthy choices once they are living on their own.

Each session of the course included an hour-long nutrition lesson followed by an hour-long cooking lesson in which the participants worked together to prepare 3-4 recipes. At the end of the course participants received a certificate, a book with nutrition information and recipes, and prizes like oven mitts and aprons.

Teens check a recipe while making chocolate cake

Credit for the success of this course goes to Master Food Volunteer Nancy Broff. Nancy heard about a similar course that we did two years ago and wanted to repeat it. She contacted the woman in charge of educational programs for foster care teens at Arlington County’s Department of Human Services and told her that she was interested in organizing this course. After learning that there was no money available through either the county or Extension to purchase food for the classes she solicited donations from six different grocery stores so that there would be enough food for each class. Nancy approached the stores on her own and drove to them each week to pick up the ingredients. She organized the lesson plans, led the instruction, selected recipes to prepare, and arranged all the details for the course. The course would not have happened without Nancy’s dedication and commitment.

Participants indicated that the course taught them a great deal. One teen commented: “I learned to be more healthy in my eating habits and I learned a lot of information that was useful.” Another said “This class has taught me basics about cooking and what to know about food. I learned how to cook some foods and how to make healthier meals.”

Chopping garlic for a sauteed green bean recipe

Many other Master Food Volunteers came out to help with the cooking and instruction each week. Thanks to Brigitte Coulton, Maiko Daizen, Andrea Durkin, Barbara Gomez, Jeanne Lewis, Katie Potestio, Aisha Salazar, and Sharon Simkin for all of their support. Thanks also to Share Our Strength, creator of the Cooking Matters program and provider of the books used in the course.