Adventures from our Virtual Kitchen!
As soon as our program partners closed their doors, we began working with them to continue to serve our students. Our teaching staff has taken the lessons that are traditionally taught in our community kitchens, and turned them into online video tutorials for our students and their families.
Now more than ever, we are committed to sharing our knowledge and expertise with families and communities.
As we continue to adapt and support our communities, we are excited to share that this week marks a return to the classroom – virtually! Through our partnership with Grand Street Settlement, our community chefs and their middle school students are reunited in the kitchen, trying their hand at healthy, nourishing meals.
Although students will not be cooking directly with our chefs, they will still be making real time decisions to impact the recipe as our chefs prepare Sylvia Center signature recipes. Just in our first class, students showed real Sylvia Center spirit by demonstrating their “adventurous” palates, as one student astutely pointed out.
Additionally, in Columbia County, we will have families picking up curated Farm Fresh Meal Kits and then joining us live from their kitchen for real time family classes led by Chef Selina LaVista.
By teaching the basics of healthy cooking and eating, we are able to have important conversations with our communities about how healthy food is essential to boosting our immune systems and keeping us all well. And most of all, our recipes utilize pantry-staple, economical ingredients and are deliciously scrumptious!
Be sure to check our social media channels – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube – over the next few weeks for clips from our virtual classes and updates from the field!
Together, we can empower our communities to live healthy lives.
Activity of the Week
Looking for a fun weeknight dinner that the whole family can help with? Try making Homemade Pasta! All you need is: all purpose flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt. Make it your evening activity and get kneading!
Recipe of the Week
Still craving more pasta? Check out our Pasta with Beans and Greens recipe! Using a variety of delicious greens, boost your pasta with powerful antioxidants and vitamins that will keep you feeling full and healthy!
Investing in Our Future Health
This global pandemic has shone a light on the tremendous challenges our most vulnerable communities face when it comes to food access and healthy eating. As we have seen, a disproportionate number of COVID patients – many from the same communities the Sylvia Center serves – face more severe conditions because of underlying health issues that stem from diet-related diseases.
Eating fresh, healthy food is critical to our overall well being, and essential to boosting our immune systems.
Looking Ahead
Next week, in celebration of Mother’s Day on May 10th, our chefs will share video tutorials of their favorite family recipes – with a few special guests.
We’ll also share fun activities that families can do together to celebrate the day, as well as updates from our moms on the farm!
As a friend to the Sylvia Center, you can help us continue to support our mission by supporting our work today, and ensuring we can re-open our in-person programs stronger than ever.
