Men`s Edition - Access Alliance

Transcription

Men`s Edition - Access Alliance
Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services
Newcomers Cooking Together
– Men’s Edition
Cookbook Created and Designed By
Rebecca Brown and Nadeen Taha
Introduction
“ Food is so primal, so essential a part of our
lives, often the mere sharing of recipes with
strangers turns them into good friends ”
- Jasmine Heiler
2
Newcomers Cooking Together
Newcomers Cooking Together (NCT) is a peer-led
community food skills program offered by the
Dietitians at Access Alliance Multicultural Health and
Community Services. It is run in partnership with various agencies across the city, and funded by the City
of Toronto Community Services Partnership.
Participants make new friends, share favourite
traditional dishes and learn healthy new recipes using a
variety of ingredients.
We are pleased to share this recipe book from
NCT-Men's Edition as a memory of our time together.
Dietitians
Jennifer Atkins RD, MPH
Yousra Dabbouk RD, MPH
Volunteers
Nadeen Taha
Rebecca Brown
Participants
Bariadoora Wiwa (Barry)
Isaac
Jimmy Alvarez
Julian Tangarife
Omar Alzate
Rahman Agaev
Sayed Burhan
Peer Leaders
Luis Gerardo
Momo Massaquai
Sergey Akulunts
3
Inside This Issue of NCT Men’s Edition
Poem:
Sayed’s Poem about NCT
Page 5
Week 1:
Yogurt Smoothie and Mexican
Pinwheels
Pages 6- 7
Week 2:
Chicken Nuggets with Potato Wedges
Pages 8- 9
Week 3:
Julian’s Tropical Colombian Salad,
Postre de Natas and Tuna Balls
Pages 10-12
Week 4:
Bruschetta, Momo’s Okra Soup and
Barry’s Gari
Pages 13-15
Week 5:
Luis’ Tinga a la Mexicana,
Sergey’s Armenian Salad and
Luis’ Ate Con Queso
Pages 16-19
Week 6:
Thanksgiving Dinner, Stove-Top
Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce
Pages 20-23
Week 7:
Rahman’s Lazy Man’s Dinner
Page 24
Week 8:
Isaac’s Spicy Grilled Fish and Rice with
Mixed Vegetables
Pages 25- 26
Week 9:
Sayed’s Salad and Eggplant Stew
Pages 27- 29
Week 10:
Pita Pizza
Page 30
Miscellaneous/ Special Events:
Pages 31-33
Our biographies
Pages 34- 43
Make Your Own Pizza
Thanksgiving Dinner Party
Halloween
Nutrition Activities
4
Learn How To Cook
Sayed Maqsud “Burhan”
Original poem in Dari
Come and read our recipe book
Taste our delicious food
Our delicious food
Simplicity is our way
Learn a variety of food
If you don’t want to experience grief & oldness
Burger and home-made food
Stand and jump from your place
Come and become a good cook
Taste our delicious food
learn how to cook
learn how to cook
cook every morning & evening
learn how to cook
to some extent, the best food
learn how to cook
never become equal
learn how to cook
go like a cooking guider
learn how to cook
English translation by Khaled Khoaja
5
Week 1 │Yogurt
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Smoothie
5 min
0 min
Ingredients
750 ml low-fat plain
yogurt
3 bananas
OR 2 cups of berries
OR 1/2 of a papaya
3 cups 1% milk
Did You Know?
This delicious smoothie is a fast
and easy way to get more fruit
into your diet. Using frozen fruit
2 tbsp sugar
makes this beverage extra
smooth and creamy.
Here’s How
1. Blend fruit, yogurt and milk in a blender, until texture
is smooth (30 seconds).
2. Serve in a tall glass and garnish with a slice of banana
if desired.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 33 grams Fat 3 grams
Saturated Fat 2 grams Protein 12 grams
6
Week 1 │Mexican
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Pinwheels
10 min
0 min
Ingredients
6 large whole-wheat
tortillas
1 1/2 cups lettuce
chopped
3 chopped green onions
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup low-fat canned
refried beans
1 large chopped tomato
Did You Know?
You could serve this with low
fat cottage cheese for a dip
with extra protein!
Here’s How
1. Spread a thin layer of the refried beans onto the
tortilla, followed by a layer of chopped tomatoes, lettuce
and salsa.
2. Tightly roll the tortilla and slice into 1 inch thick slices.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 53 grams Fat 4 grams
Saturated Fat 1 grams Protein 14 grams
7
Week 2│Chicken Nuggets with Potato Wedges
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
20 min
40 min
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
OR 1 package of extrafirm tofu cut into
bite-sized pieces
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups bran flakes,
crushed
6 large potatoes, sliced
into wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
Optional: 2 tsp spice
(Cajun, oregano, garlic
powder, Italian,
rosemary)
Did You Know?
Using tofu instead of chicken
makes a delicious vegetarian
version of this dish. You may
also try using low fat plain
yogurt as a dip for your
nuggets.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 35 grams Fat 4 grams
Saturated Fat 1 gram Protein 24 grams
8
Week 2│Chicken Nuggets with Potato Wedges
Here’s How
Potato wedges:
1. Slice potatoes into wedges and toss in 2 tbsp of olive oil
(season with spices if desired).
2. Lay potato wedges flat on a baking tray and cook in oven
until brown on both sides.
Chicken OR tofu nuggets:
1. Place bran flakes in a small bag and crush into small crumbs
(season with spices if desired).
2. Cut chicken breasts OR tofu into bite-size pieces.
3. Beat eggs in a bowl then pour mixture over the chicken OR
tofu.
4. Dip each egg-covered chicken OR tofu piece into the bran
flakes crumbs, until entirely covered.
5. Place the chicken OR tofu pieces on a baking tray and cook
in oven until brown.
9
Week 3│Julian’s Tropical Colombian Salad
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
20 min
0 min
Ingredients
1 mango
1 pear
1 1/2 apples
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
Did You Know?
1/8 cup raisins
This delicious and colourful salad
1 1/4 cups low fat fruit
flavoured yogurt
makes a refreshing treat on a hot
summer day!
Here’s How
1. Wash and peel mango, discard pit and julienne the mango
flesh.
2. Wash apples and pears and chop.
3. Place fruit into a bowl of ice cubes and water to prevent
browning.
4. Wash lettuce and slice it.
5. Drain water from fruit and mix with lettuce.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 30 grams Fat 1 gram
Saturated Fat 1 gram Protein 3 grams
10
Week 3│Julian’s Postre
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
de Natas
5 min
40 min
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup of 1% milk
2/3 cup of condensed
sweetened milk
6 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup raisins
Did You Know?
For extra flavour add 1/2 oz of
rum or amaretto to mixture in the
last 5 minutes of cooking.
Here’s How
1. Mix milk and condensed milk in a blender for 10 seconds.
2. Place mixture in a pot and bring to a boil on medium-high
heat.
3. Break eggs in a bowl and mix with a fork to break yolks.
4. Slowly ladle eggs into boiling milk mixture.
5. Let simmer for 25 minutes stirring constantly.
6. Add vanilla and raisins to simmering mixture in the last 5
minutes of cooking.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 26 grams Fat 8 grams
Saturated Fat 4 grams Protein 11 grams
11
Week 3 │Julian’s
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Tuna Balls
10 min
5 min
Ingredients
4 cans of tuna
2 1/2 cups bread
crumbs
3 eggs
250 ml olive oil
1/3 cup skim milk
Did You Know?
Even though this recipe provides
almost 30g of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids per serving,
we recommend baking the tuna
balls to reduce the overall amount
of oil used.
Here’s How
1. Add the tuna into a bowl with bread crumbs.
2. Mix in the 3 eggs, and add milk to soften.
3. Roll mixture into small bowls.
4. Heat oil in a small pot and carefully drop the tuna balls into
the boiling oil.
5. Remove tuna balls within 5 minutes, or until browned.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 34 grams Fat 43 grams
Saturated Fat 7 grams Protein 35 grams
12
Week 4 │Bruschetta
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
10 min
5 min
Ingredients
1 whole wheat baguette
5 large diced tomatoes
1 cup minced onions
3-4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 lime, juiced
Did You Know?
1/4 cup extra virgin
olive oil
Try sprinkling with a 1/4 cup of
4 tbsp finely chopped
basil
melted, or sprinkling with
shredded cheese and heat until
pepper, to taste
ground flax seeds.
Here’s How
1. Mix diced tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, lime juice, basil,
onions and pepper. Leave mixture in bowl to marinade.
2. Slice bread at an angle and lay on a baking tray. Lightly
toast in oven if desired.
3. Spoon mixture onto bread.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 14 grams Fat 9 grams
Saturated Fat 1 grams Protein 3 grams
13
Week 4 │Momo’s
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Okra Soup
20 min
60 min
Ingredients
1 package of okra
(about 400 grams)
1/2 cup palm oil
1 lb red snapper
1 lb beef tender loin
1 small onion
salt to taste
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 cup whole hot peppers
Did You Know?
Okra is a rich source of soluble
fiber. Eating foods high in soluble
fibre can help lower your
cholesterol.
Here’s How
1. Wash the okra and the onion, trim off ends and slice.
2. Cut beef into bite sized pieces.
3. Boil fish and beef then let simmer in palm oil for 5-10
minutes.
4. Boil the peppers, okra, and bouillon cubes.
5. Add palm oil, fish, beef and let the mixture simmer for 30
minutes.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 9 grams Fat 13 grams
Saturated Fat 6 grams Protein 21 grams
14
Week 4 │Barry’s
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Gari
0 min
10 min
Ingredients
1 bag gari
water
Did You Know?
Gari is made from cassava
and is a source of fiber. This
is a staple food in West Africa
and can be eaten as a side
dish or can be mixed with
milk and sugar for a sweet
treat.
Here’s How
1. Boil water in a large pot, then reduce heat to a minimum.
2. Add the gari and stir while it thickens.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 26 grams Fat 8 grams
Saturated Fat 4 grams Protein 11 grams
15
Week 5 │Luis’
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Tinga a la Mexicana
30 min
60 min
Ingredients
4 medium sized tomatoes
2 chicken breasts
1 clove of garlic
1 head of lettuce
8 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion
Did You Know?
1 can of refried black beans
This Mexican Tinga is a rich
1 chicken boullion cube
source of protein, which is
1 tbsp paprika
found in the chicken and the
1 can tomato paste (156 ml) beans. Using skinless chick2 packs of tostadas
en breasts makes the dish
3/4 cup sour cream
low in fat and the beans are
garlic powder, salt and
pepper to taste
a good source of fibre.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 55 grams Fat 28 grams
Saturated Fat 6 grams Protein 19 grams
16
Week 5 │Luis’
Tinga a la Mexicana
Here’s How
1. Add chicken and garlic to a pot, cover with water and boil for
30 minutes.
2. Chop the lettuce, tomatoes and onions.
3. Fry the tomatoes and onions in the olive oil until onions are
transparent.
4. Remove chicken from pot and let cool then tear into pieces.
5. Fry the refried beans.
6. Add the tomatoes, onions and chicken to a pan along with
tomato paste, paprika, black pepper, salt and garlic powder.
Stir thoroughly.
17
Week 5 │Sergey’s
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Armenian Salad
10 min
0 min
Ingredients
1 large cucumber
2 small tomatoes
1 large onion
Did You Know?
1 bunch cilantro
The dried fruit of the coriander
5 garlic cloves
plant is what’s referred to as
1 container of plain
non-fat yogurt
referred to as coriander leaves or
coriander, and the leaves are
cilantro.
Here’s How
1. Chop cucumber, tomato, onion, coriander or cilantro leaves
and garlic.
2. Mix all vegetables together in a bowl and add salt (optional).
3. Add the yogurt to the mixture.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 12 grams Fat 0 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams Protein 8 grams
18
Week 5 │Luis’
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Ate Con Queso
5 min
0 min
Ingredients
1 small block of
mozzarella cheese
1 pack of guava jelly
Did You Know?
Guava is a fruit with many names
including guave, goyave, gujawa,
goiaba, jwafa, guaba, koiyaa,
kuava, bayabas, pera, peru,
pearah, pearaley, pijuli and feyru!
Here’s How
1. Slice the cheese into thin-medium slices.
2. Slice the guava jelly into the same width slices.
3. Place jelly strips on top of cheese.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 31 grams Fat 13 grams
Saturated Fat 8 grams Protein 20 grams
19
Week 6 │Thanksgiving
Serving Size
Dinner
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
45 min
3 hrs
Ingredients
7 lbs turkey
3 large carrots
2 onions
2 zucchinis
8 potatoes
2 garlic cloves
4 rosemary sprigs
Did You Know?
Different cultures and regions may
serve other dishes instead of Turkey
as the main dish during Thanksgiving
dinner. These main dishes include
goose, duck, quail, deer or even
whale meat and beef!
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to
taste
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 7 grams Fat 9 grams
Saturated Fat 3 grams Protein 41 grams
20
Week 6 │Thanksgiving
Dinner
Here’s How
1. Defrost and wash the Turkey, then add olive oil, rosemary
and garlic powder between the skin and flesh and on the
outside of the turkey.
2. Roast at 15 min/lbs at 350 º C.
3. Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until soft.
4. Add chopped garlic cloves and a sprig of rosemary to the
water.
5. Remove all, then mash with butter.
6. Chop carrots, onions and zucchini into large pieces.
7. Add salt, pepper, olive oil, 3 sprigs of rosemary and mix
well. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes, then
turn heat back down to 375 º C for about 10- 30 minutes or
until soft.
21
Week 6 │Stove-Top
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Stuffing
10 min
5 min
Ingredients
10 slices of bread
1/2 tsp each ground
sage, thyme, rosemary
1 tsp instant vegetable
bouillon granules
1 tbsp chopped celery
2 tsp minced onion
2 tsp chopped parsley
leaves
1 cup broth
Did You Know?
Enjoy the aromatic scents of the
sage, thyme and rosemary, or
add nuts and fruit to prepare a
more gourmet dish.
Here’s How
1. Cut bread into bite-size squares.
2. Simmer onion, celery and spices on medium heat until soft.
3. Add the bread cubes and the vegetable broth- until mixture
is soft, but not mushy.
4. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the liquid is absorbed, stirring
constantly. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 39 grams Fat 6 grams
Saturated Fat 1 gram Protein 7 grams
22
Week 6 │Cranberry
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Sauce
10 min
30 min
Ingredients
6 packages of
cranberries
1 large orange
2 cups water
Did You Know?
1 cup sugar
Cranberries are a source of
antioxidants that have many
health benefits and may prevent
disease.
1 cup honey
Here’s How
1. Wash cranberries and remove the soft ones.
2. Grate the skin of the orange to obtain its zest. Bring the
water, sugar and honey to a boil.
3. Add the cranberries, the juice of the orange and its zest.
Boil for 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 7 grams Fat 9 grams
Saturated Fat 3 grams Protein 41 grams
23
Week 7 │Rahman’s
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Lazy Man’s Dinner
25 min
1 hr 40 min
Ingredients
2 onions
1 whole cabbages
3 tomatoes
1/2 parsley bunch
1 medium sized carrots
2 peppers (red, green,
yellow)
2 lbs chicken
1/8 cup olive oil
3 potatoes
Did You Know?
This lazy man’s dinner got it’s
name because it is so easy to
make and it also happens to be
very filling!
Here’s How
1. Cut the chicken into pieces then fry until brown in a pan
covered with olive oil.
2. Peel and chop the onions, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers.
3. Place the chicken pieces, with the chopped onions, cabbage,
tomatoes and peppers in a large oiled baking dish. Preheat
oven to 375 º C.
4. Add water, cover pan with foil and bake for 60 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 14 grams Fat 5 grams
Saturated Fat 1 gram Protein 26 grams
24
Week 8 │Isaac’s
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Spicy Grilled Fish
20 min
40 min
Ingredients
6 banana leaves
6 small Perch fish
8 tomatoes
4 bunches of green
onions
1-3 hot peppers
10 cloves of garlic
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped
coriander
Did You Know?
For centuries banana leaves have
been used for religious ceremonies, as a decorative element or
to serve food in. You may add the
hot peppers according to taste
preference- spicy or mild!
Here’s How
1. Mix chopped green onions, hot peppers, garlic cloves,
coriander, salt, olive oil, pepper and the fish in a large bowl.
2. Roast the tomatoes to make a tomato sauce.
3. Place each fish into a washed and dried banana leaf, fill with
mixture then fold and wrap it with foil.
4. Place on a baking tray and bake at 400 º C for 40 minutes or
until cooked.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 11 grams Fat 4 grams
Saturated Fat 1 gram Protein 31 grams
25
Week 8│Isaac’s Rice with Mixed Veggies
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
20 min
20 min
Ingredients
1/2 pineapple
4 cups rice
1/2 cup tomatoes diced
4 cups water
3 celery stalks
3 medium potatoes
1 broccoli head
1/2 cup onion diced
1 tbsp garlic chopped
1 tbsp oil
Did You Know?
Adding skinless chicken pieces will
provide a source of protein that
is also low in fat.
Here’s How
1. Finely chop the pineapple, celery, potatoes and broccoli.
2. Bring water to a boil, add the rice then reduce heat to a
minimum. Cover and leave it for 20 minutes or until soft.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic and tomatoes to
cook until soft.
4. Heat oil in a separate pan and add the potatoes, broccoli and
celery to cook until soft.
5. When all the vegetables are cooked, mix them all together
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 44 grams Fat 3 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams Protein 5 grams
26
Week 9│Sayed’s
Serving Size
Salad
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
10 min
5 min
Ingredients
1 large cucumber
3 tomatoes
1 small onion
1 cup chopped
cilantro
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Did You Know?
Enjoy this salad as a delicious
side dish to baked fish or chicken.
You could also try adding other
vegetables like red or green
peppers to try something new.
Here’s How
1. Chop cilantro, tomatoes, cucumber and onion into small
pieces.
2. Mix ingredients in a bowl and add the oil, salt, and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 5 grams Fat 2 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams Protein 1 gram
27
Week 9│Sayed’s
Serving Size
Eggplant Stew
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
20 min
1 hr
Ingredients
3 eggplants
1 large onion
2 small potatoes
2 tomatoes
1 jalapeño
Did You Know?
Jalapeno peppers are either mild
4 garlic cloves
or hot, depending on how they
1 lb lean beef
heat is caused by a compound
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup water
2 tsp salt
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
are prepared or cultivated. The
called capsaicin that is found surrounding the seeds. Jalapenos
ripen to become a rich red colour,
but may also be eaten while still
green.
Carbohydrates 33 grams Fat 15 grams
Saturated Fat 5 grams Protein 26 grams
28
Week 9│Sayed’s
Eggplant Stew
Here’s How
1. Chop the tomatoes, onion, and potatoes and slice the
eggplants into thick pieces.
2. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces, then simmer it in water
and salt on medium high heat for 40 minutes. Stir as needed.
3. Add the potatoes to the beef and let it all simmer for another
10 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, tomatoes and garlic to
cook until slightly browned.
5. Heat oil in a pan and cook the sliced eggplants until slightly
browned (30 seconds per side).
6. Place the cooked eggplant in a pot and add the cooked
vegetables and beef. Add the jalap on top and cook for 15
minutes.
29
Week 10 │Pita
Serving Size
4-6
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
Pizza
15 min
20 min
Ingredients
4-6 whole wheat pitas
1 onion
1 green pepper
4 mushrooms
1 tomato
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup beans
1 chicken breast
2 cups grated cheese
1 can tomato paste
Did You Know?
You may add basil, hot peppers or
even pineapple chunks for a more
Italian, spicy or tropical taste!
Here’s How
1. Finely chop the onion, green pepper, mushrooms, broccoli,
and tomato.
2. Boil the chicken for 20 minutes. Let it cool then cut it into
pieces.
3. Spread a layer of tomato paste onto a pita bread and top
with whatever fun toppings you choose.
4. Bake your pita pizza in the oven at 350 0C for about 10
minutes, or until the cheese melts.
Nutrition Facts
(per serving)
Carbohydrates 36 grams Fat 5 grams
Saturated Fat 2 grams Protein 12 grams
30
Make Your
Own
PIZZA
31
Thanksgiving Dinner Party
Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on
the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a
chance for people to give
thanks for a good harvest
and other fortunes in the
past year.
Many people visit family or
friends who live far away,
or receive them in their
own homes.
Many people also prepare a
special meal to eat. Traditionally, this included roast
turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin,
corn ears and pecan nuts.
This year at NCT-Men’s Edition we decided to celebrate a meal together and
talk about what we are all
thankful for.
32
33
Halloween
34
35
Nutrition Activities
Food Safety– Sanitizing Countertops
Learning about Canada’s Food Guide
Nutrition Label Reading
36
Nutrition Activities– Nutrition Toss Ball
Healthy Plate Model
Learning from each other
37
Jennifer & Yousra
Yousra and Jenn met while
studying their Masters degree at
the University of Toronto. They had
early dreams of working together
in the community setting- in
summer, 2009, the dream began!
And the dream continues as they
finish wrapping up their second
round of Newcomers Cooking
Together.
They are also pleased to report
that they have been successful in
finding a way to make the Men’s
Edition of Newcomers Cooking
Together a permanent part of the
nutrition program at Access
Alliance.
They have both enjoyed
facilitating the group and continue
to learn as much from the
participants as they hope to share.
“Newcomers Cooking Together is
an amazing program that offers a
chance to learn about culture,
food, nutrition and much more! It
never ceases to amaze us how
FOOD allows such a diverse group
of people to find so many
commonalities between us, while
respectfully celebrating our
differences!”
It never ceases to amaze us
how FOOD allows such a
diverse group of people to
find so many
commonalities between us,
while respectfully
celebrating our differences
38
Momo– Peer Leader
Momo was born in Liberia and fled to
Sierra Leone when he was young to escape from war. In Sierra Leone he
joined the national dance troop and
travelled all over Africa dancing in competitions. His dance troop even travelled
with the President of Sierra Leone to
conferences where they would be the
entertainment! Momo is working to get
a dance troop together here in Toronto.
Momo is always
having fun and is a
great addition to
NCT. He has
impressed us with all
his ideas for ways to
improve the program
and would like to
help us organize a
Talent Show for
Access Alliance.
Momo came to Toronto just last year
and is currently studying computers and
English. He enjoys both watching and
playing soccer. His favourite team is
Manchester United but he also supports
Toronto FC. As a dancer, it’s no surprise
that Momo likes music. He says he’s a
fan of Justin Bieber.
Momo is one of our peer leaders this
session and does a great job. He does
more than his fair share of dishes and
has been a great role model for the
group. He teamed up with Barry to cook
an okra and fish soup with gari in Week
4 that was very authentic. Momo is always having fun and is a great addition
to the Newcomers Cooking Together
program. He has impressed us with all
his ideas for ways to improve the program and would like to help us organize
a Talent Show for Access Alliance.
For Momo’s recipe see page 14
39
Luis– Peer Leader
Luis’s dream
job? To be the
manager of the
Mexican
embassy so that
he can help all
of the Mexican
immigrants!
Never shy in front of a camera, Luis is a natural model! He used to participate in a
monthly fashion show in his hometown of
Mexico City, and eventually modeled men’s
fashion wear in several glamorous magazines. Upon arriving to Toronto 15 years ago,
he took his talent a step further and started
to model women’s fashion wear as well. His
all –time favorite outfit is a glistening evening
gown with lots of jewelry! Luis also enjoys
performing and lip- synching to his favorite
Mexican artist: Rocio Banquells. In his free
time, he enjoys watching movies (especially
horror ones!), having a cup of coffee with
friends, and going for walks on the park or
the beach.
Luis found out about the NCT program
through a previous member (Valencia), who
encouraged him to join the fun and
educational program. He has experience working as a dishwasher and cashier in a restaurant but admits to having never cooked before. He is now inspired to learn healthy recipes to try cooking for himself for the very
first time. He loves trying out different
cultural dishes each week, although he his
mostly a fan of Italian, Japanese, Chinese,
and Mexican cuisines. He is fluent in both
English and Spanish and can understand
French and Italian. Luis’s dream job? To be
the manager of the Mexican embassy so that
he can help all of the Mexican immigrants!
Finally, Luis would like to add a special thank
you to the program especially Yousra and
Jenn for helping him learn how to cook.
For Luis’s recipe see pages 16-17 and 19
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Sergey– Peer Leader
A previous member of the NCT program, Sergey
is now the group’s Peer Leader. He took this
position since he was so grateful for his experience as a participant, and felt the need to contribute and help this time around. He also wanted to learn more about cooking healthy dishes
form a variety of cultures around the world. He
finds that being a Peer Leader is a rich experience, as he was able to meet new people,
strengthen his organizational skills and overall
had fun doing it! He is a very talented guitar
and chess player. He loves to play songs by the
Beatles, Eagles, Suzi Quatro, Stevie Wonder, as
well as Russian and Armenian songs. He has
also, proudly learned the Canadian anthem. He
would love to meet Sir Paul McCartney of the
Beatles one day! His favorite meal is Borscht.
Sergey speaks Russian, Armenian, and is proud
to say that his English is improving by attending
and interacting with others in the NCT program.
Sergey always speaks highly of this program
and has recently had a lot of opportunity to
practice his public speaking skills while doing
it!. He presented at the October opening of Access Alliance’s new satellite, AccessPoint on
Danforth. He also presented at the University of
Toronto’s Art of Public Health Conference in the
same month. He is thankful to all of the facilitators at Access Alliance and everyone involved in
the cooking program. A final quote by the
grateful Peer Leader himself: “Every cooking
session looks like a holiday. It is always fun,
somehow different, full of laughter and chatter,
singing, and is relaxing. Everyone forgets about
their problems for these 3 hours and changes…
including myself. I become much happier than
when I am at home.”
Every cooking
session looks like a
holiday. It is always
fun, somehow
different, full of
laughter and
chatter, singing,
and is relaxing.
For Sergey’s recipe see page 18
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Julian
Fancy learning how to turn carrots and tomatoes into flowers, or radishes into mice?
Look no further Julian has the answer!
Julian’s artistic ability with food was apparent early on in the program. He’s decorated our plates by carving out beautiful flowers from carrots, apples, oranges and tomatoes and even showed us how to create
little mice out of radishes.
Julian is the newest arrival to Canada in
our group. Originally from Colombia, Julian
has only been in Canada for 3 ½ months.
Prior to this he was in the United States for
9 ½ years. Julian has three sisters and his
entire family loves to cook.
In his spare time, and as a way to destress, Julian loves to shop! He finds shopping therapeutic and loves buying clothes,
shoes, kitchen supplies, chocolate and candy. He also enjoys watching movies and
T.V. shows. One of his favourite shows is
Sex and the City - he owns the entire series. He adds, “I hate horror movies but I
love vampires!” We think he would have
made a great vampire for Halloween.
Julian’s dreams? “I’d like to never have to
work and spend my time travelling to places like Spain, Paris, Germany and to go on
a Caribbean cruise, so I guess I’d like to
become rich or better yet find someone
rich!”
Julian’s artistic ability
with food was apparent
early on in the program.
He’s decorated our
plates by carving out
beautiful flowers from
carrots, apples, oranges
and tomatoes and even
showed us how to create
little mice out of
radishes.
For Julian’s recipe, see pages 10-12
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Omar
We are lucky to have Omar join us for the
second round of NCT-Men’s Edition. If you
recall from last session, Omar had mentioned that he wasn’t sure how to chop an
onion or grate cheese, so it has been
great to watch the change in his cooking
skills this time around. In fact his knife
skills have improved so much that he
carved us a beautiful pumpkin this Halloween!
In fact his knife
skills have
improved so
much that he
carved us a
beautiful
pumpkin this
Halloween!
In his spare time Omar continues to enjoy
reading and is still looking for a dance
partner to learn how to dance. However,
what he really wants is to improve his
English so that by the next round of NCT
he is able to communicate directly with us
without the need for interpretation, and
perhaps even help interpret for other
newer Spanish speaking clients. He considers himself lucky to have found Access
Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, as it has made his life in
Canada easier.
It has been 16 years since Omar left Colombia (15 years in the United States and
1 year in Canada) and he misses it terribly. He is always thinking of the day he
will go back to Colombia to meet his family and friends. Despite this, Omar maintains a positive approach to life and likes
to live in the moment living everyday as if
it were his last. He continues to remain
hopeful and is a firm believer in being receptive to the various opportunities that
the world has to offer.
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Rahman
This is Rahman’s second round
at Newcomers Cooking TogetherMen’s Edition. He thoroughly
enjoyed the program in January,
made some new friends and
learned some healthy new recipes.
Therefore, we are glad he decided
to return and share a new recipe
with the new group.
Rahman has a great
sense of humour and
taught the group how
to make his famous
‘European Dinner for
Lazy Single Men’.
This is a healthy,
fast, easy and cheap
recipe made with lots
of vegetables.
Rahman has a great sense of
humour and taught the group how
to make his famous ‘European
Dinner for Lazy Single Men’. It is a
healthy, fast, easy and cheap
recipe made with lots of
vegetables.
As you might recall from the
last cookbook (or the NCT Men’s
Edition video) Rahman enjoys a
number of martial arts. In fact he
has invited the group to attend his
upcoming fight scheduled in
February 2011. Good luck
Rahman!
Rahman also enjoyed
performing various magic tricks for
the group. He showed us some
tricks with cards, needles and
finally his ability to eat glass.
For Rahman’s recipe see page 24
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Sayed Maqsud Burhan
Sayed Maqsud is from Afghanistan
where he was a journalist. In his
spare time Sayed enjoys writing
poetry. He explains that he writes
best when he is happy and care-free
and that the words don’t flow when
he’s upset. Back in Afghanistan, a
famous singer actually made a song
out of one of his poems which made
it to TV and radio! However, Sayed’s
poems have also got him into trouble. When he was in Afghanistan he
wrote a negative poem about the
Taliban which was the reason he had
to leave the country in 1996.
We are fortunate to have a poem
dedicated especially to our program
by Sayed (see page 5)
We are fortunate to
have a poem
dedicated especially
to our program by
Mr. Burhan (see
page 5)
This is Sayed’s second Newcomers
Cooking Together session in 2010.
He attended the spring session earlier this year where he cooked Quorma and Shola, two Afghan dishes.
He came back this fall because he
said that last time “everyone was
happy and we helped each other”.
This session Sayed cooked eggplant
with meat and a salad. Sayed is a
great addition to the group and we
are glad he came back for another
session.
For Sayed’s recipe see pages 27-29
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Isaac
No stranger to cooking, Isaac’s culinary skills are
unparalleled. The moment Isaac starts to chop, he
attracts a crowd around his cutting board as we all
stand and watch in awe! We are truly lucky to
have him join our group.
So where did he gain all this cooking experience?
Isaac grew up on a farm and misses the farming
lifestyle. Cooking was very important and he began cooking at the age of 13. He lived in a large
house with around 20 – 30 family members and
everyone had a schedule reminding them when it
was their turn to cook. He insists his older brother
was the best cook in the house and was especially
skilled when it came to making sauces.
He then gained more cooking experience volunteering in an orphanage in Burma where he used
to make congee (Asian rice soup).
Isaac moved to Canada from Burma 3 years ago,
and prior to that had never even heard of Canada.
He jokes that all his family and friends had never
heard of Canada (only the United States and Europe) and that he often has to mail his grandmother various photographs of himself in Canada
(and the food we have here) as she is worried that
all there is to eat in Canada is burgers! He now
plans to take pictures of the Fall and send them to
her to prove that it doesn’t snow all the time!
The moment
Isaac starts
to chop, he
attracts a
crowd around
his cutting
board as we
all stand and
watch in awe!
Isaac has also volunteered for Mobile Medics
Healthcare and has spent time backpacking from
village to village in Burma teaching about malaria,
diarrhea etc. He has also helped organize talent
shows for the children and has danced and sang
with them. We have been fortunate to have him
sing and play the guitar for us in the group too!
For Isaac’s recipe see pages 25-26
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Jimmy
Jimmy moved to Toronto from Arauca,
Colombia in May 2005. He is a new
member to the Newcomers Cooking Together program. When asked if he
wanted to join the group, Jimmy wanted to know if he would get a certificate
saying he could cook so that he could
show his family!
Jimmy is always the life
of the party. He takes
the lead when it comes
to music and often
plays Latin music for us
while we cook our
meals.
Jimmy came to the program to build
cooking skills and learn about health
and nutrition. But more than that, he
has been most vocal about the healing
that social gatherings bring to an otherwise difficult time. He requested our
Thanksgiving meal which was a huge
hit. His favourite food is filet mignon
and he also likes strawberries. When
we asked about his favourite Canadian
food, Jimmy replied “what is Canadian
food?” which really got us all thinking.
Jimmy is always the life of the party.
He takes the lead when it comes to
music and often plays Latin music for
us while we cook our meals. His favourite type of music is called Vallenato
which is a Caribbean genre popular in
Colombia. He isn’t shy when it comes
to dancing either and has started a few
dance parties in the community kitchen. Jimmy is always making people
laugh and we are lucky to have him in
the program.
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Thanks to everyone who made NCT
Men’s Edition a great success!
Downtown Office:
340 College St., Suite 500
Toronto, ON M5T 3A9
Tel: 416-324-8677
The cook-book can be viewed online at:
http://accessalliance.ca/services/nutritionprograms
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