The following post was written by intern Maggie Su to update APIFM supporters on current initiatives.
On Tuesday evening, I got to watch a group of Korean women test a handful of traditional recipes. They prepared dishes such as chapchae (stir-fried noodles) and bibimbap (a spicy mixed rice bowl), both of which were delicious. Health Education Coordinator Esther Lee was present to translate, while Monica Bhagwan, program manager for Leah’s Pantry, observed and asked questions about the cooking process.
This session was part of an effort to develop Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese recipes for Eatfresh.org, one of multiple databases of healthy recipes for low-income individuals and families eligible for CalFresh/SNAP. In the past, these databases have not included many culturally relevant dishes; APIFM in partnership with Leah’s Pantry hopes to change that one recipe at a time, gradually increasing the number of recipes from Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander cultures.
APIFM staff enlisted the help of community members to brainstorm recipes and prepare the dishes in collaboration with Leah’s Pantry staff. The recipes were developed to align with dietary guidelines suggesting low sodium, low sugar and less fat. For example, the chapchae was prepared with less soy sauce.
The Korean recipe development group was comprised of participants from APIFM’s Healthy Eating & Active Living (HEAL) workshop series at Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC)‘s affordable housing, the Menlo Family Apartments in Koreatown.
The Koreatown HEAL participants will also be offering a free class, How to Make Kimchi, 4:30 p.m. June 17 at Doulos Mission Church, so come by and learn from the experts!
