Volunteer Voices

Jamie, originally from Malaysia, moved to the Houston area about 15 years ago. Always interested in nutrition and health, Jamie has had a wide range of working and volunteer experience, from a nutritional representative for infant formula for four years in Malayasia to an internship in an internal medicine in Georgia to volunteer work in nutritional counseling and dietary analysis right here in Houston.

A recent graduate of University of Houston Science and Nutrition Degree Program, Jamie felt that volunteer work with Recipe for Success Foundation (RFS) was a natural next step for her career in health and nutrition. "The mission statement of RFS is a precursor to what health and nutrition is all about." Jamie is new to the RFS volunteer scene, but she has already noticed big changes in the students and classes she works with. "You think these kids will never touch the healthy food on their plate, but by the end of the program, they are very receptive."

Jamie and her family are very involved in the Houston art scene. Always interested in the newest exhibits at one of the many Houston museums, Jamie's family also has traveled extensively, from Japan to Australia to China to Indonesia, just to name a few exotic adventures.

Already known in the classrooms at many of RFS's program schools, including MacGregor, Briscoe and Rodriguez, Jamie plans to continue volunteering and immersing herself in the healthy food scene.

Thank you, Jamie! We look forward to your continued hard work!

Leslie grew up in California cooking, but had no gardening experience.   She later moved to New York, where she worked as a caterer, then made her way to Houston. While she is very busy now studying to get her masters in Nutrition, she enjoys taking some time away from her studies to work with the kids at Briscoe Elementary, where she has been a volunteer for over a year now.  She really enjoys exploring recipes with the kids-and is very excited about all she has learned about gardening. 

 

"In every nutrition class I have taken we discuss the growing problem of childhood obesity. I relish the opportunity to take action against the epidemic by working with Recipe for Success. It is such a terrific organization and I feel privileged to be a part of it."- Leslie Yen

Leslie, Thank you for all of your hard work!

Wasabina, Daikon and More! Cooking With the Kids from Recipe for Success
by BETTINA ELIAS SIEGEL on FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Last week I volunteered, as I do every month, with Recipe for Success - a comprehensive "seed to plate" instructional program that brings gardens, cooking, nutrition education and celebrity chefs into local schools.  I don't always post about my experiences with R4S, but last week's class was so fun I wanted to share.

Instead of meeting my assigned fourth grade class at its elementary school, as we usually do, we all gathered at t'afia, an innovative Houston restaurant which uses only local foods.  T'afia is the brainchild of Monica Pope, a much-lauded chef (James Beard nominee, Top Chef Masters contestant, etc.), R4S Board Member and classroom volunteer.  Our assignment was to make Monica's Winter Vegetable Slaw which we would then enjoy along with a full meal prepared by the t'afia kitchen.

One of the things I like best about volunteering with R4S is sharing information with kids about food -- exposing them to new produce and herbs, exploring new flavors and then talking about what they like and don't like.  But this time around the kids weren't the only ones learning:  I encountered a vegetable I'd never even heard of before,"wasabina," a leafy, peppery green with a slight wasabi taste.  I also learned how to properly sprout my own grains and seeds, something I've been interested in trying.
Read the rest of Bettina's story on Lunch Tray.

This story from Adrienne Ryherd, who volunteers at MacGregor Elementary:

"Think it's improbable (or impossible) for young students to get energized about cooking and eating healthy foods? I thought so too.  Think again.

I recently heard about the RFS Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ Program (S2P)- designed to involve children in the entire process of healthy eating and targeting under-served schools where nutrition education is needed most.  It began in 2006 as a pilot program in Houston schools such as MacGregor Elementary (which now continues as one of the program's showcase schools.)  They reported earlier this year that because of overwhelming success, will soon be available nationwide to licensed S2P Affiliate Partners.   I wanted to see for myself.

Walking into the MacGregor Elementary (one of Recipe for Success Foundation's Showcase Schools) classroom is akin to walking into a proper test kitchen, only this kitchen happens to be in an elementary classroom that is tailored to fit the culinary needs of young students - in this case, 1st graders, to be exact. Mobile cooking stations outfitted with all the necessary cooking utensils are lined down the center of the room and kid-friendly diagrams (food plate, ABCs of vegetables, the five tastes) adorn the walls, making the atmosphere approachable and exciting.

As the children filed in, anticipation tangible in the air, they all knew the routine. After picking up their very own Recipe for Success apron, they proceeded to wash their hands and take their places at a cooking station of their choice.

Choices - healthy ones, that is- are exactly what the S2P program is encouraging young students to make. And what better way to approach this goal than by including the students in every step of their cooking journey, from the seeds they plant in the school gardens to the type of dishes they prepare in the classroom (a.k.a. kitchen).

Before food preparation began, the students and Alyssa, (a Recipe for Success Foundation staff chef and "Team Leader" at this school), engaged in conversation regarding the dish of the day.  It was "green eggs and ham." But this children's classic had a twist:  instead of using green food coloring, the children used different types of greens (harvested from their very own gardens on the school grounds) to create a pesto to be mixed into the eggs. After identifying and discussing all the greens they would be using (and the list was prolific, even for an adult) such as mustard greens, kale, dino kale, red Russian kale and rainbow chard, the children continued to tear and cut the greens, of course with some questions and comments along the way.

After delivering their chopped up greens and eggs (which they cracked in a bowl themselves) to Chef Alyssa, the children waited expectantly as she blended the greens with Parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic, discussing each ingredient as she added it to the blender. Between discussions of ingredients, colors, smells, health benefits and texture, the students engaged all of their senses and gained confidence in their cooking skills, ending the class with a resounding "Bon Appetit!" as they heartily dug into their freshly-made dish. 

I would have never believed it, if I hadn't seen for myself."  Adrienne Ryherd.

One word to describe my day as a volunteer: enchanting! 

 
To aptly describe my recent volunteer experience with this wonderful organization, I offer one word: enchanting!
 
As the children lined up single-file at the door of the cooking class, I was immediately taken in by the contagious innocence. The 20+ kids glowed with a wide-eyed anticipation while waiting patiently to be fit with small aprons emblazoned with "Recipe4Success."
 
The enchantment continued as grins and giggles permeated the classroom and hands were dutifully washed and even numbered children were grouped around separate work areas. As each young student explored all the large fresh-from-the garden collard and mustard greens, Swiss chard, kale, eggs and neatly displayed cooking tools, I learned you can't touch anything more than twice, what a whisk was probably for, and their firm opinions on vegetables.
 
Mouths were zipped and hands went into pockets as Alyssa efficiently captured their attention. Then the transformation began for a healthy repast of something wonderful resembling a kind of pesto, comprised of green eggs and "ham."
 
As class commenced, outstretched arms waved to proudly volunteer what they knew of healthy eating, protein, and where ham comes from and each child got to taste the bitter greens, whisk eggs and stir the vegetables, eggs and turkey together (ham substitute for nutritional value). I learned that all the vegetables were grown on the premises and quickly glanced out the window to admire neatly displayed rows of tall fresh vegetables and herbs for use in forthcoming healthy adventures.
 
I'm a cook and while I take pride in all that entails, I gained immense admiration for a wonderful program that was clearly one of the highlights of a routine elementary school day. After the hour had quickly passed, I realized that this was unquestionably one of the highlights of mine.

Cynthia Stephens.  A Good Writer

"Every time Joann visits the Culinary classroom at Rodriguez Elementary we are in luck!  She is always jumping in to help and has no fear getting her hands dirty in the garden.  Students are always excited to get to work with Joann and the positivity she brings with her each day.  Whether she's sharing her tips for tasty kohlrabi or making sure the students pick radishes ready for harvest, she is always a tremendous help to us." Kendall Moister, Rodriguez Team Leader
 
"I really enjoy volunteering for R4S at Rodriguez. The 1st and 5th graders are a lot fun. They are willing to taste unfamiliar foods, and they love seeing the seeds they planted out in the garden actually end up as something they recognize. To bring the whole project full circle, Chef Kendall then prepares the harvest in ways that can appeal to the taste buds of kids without surrendering its healthy aspects. To top it all off, I get to work with three thoroughly enjoyable professionals: Chef Kendall, Mrs. Healy, and Chef Frank." -JoAnn Sittig
 

Egg-Free/Gluten Free Macaroons   8 oz. Flaked Coconut (big flakes, dry)  5 oz. Shredded Coconut (unsweetened/dry)  1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (optional- can add other flavors as well)  1/2-3/4 C Mini chocolate chips (can use big choc, chips, just roughly chop them)  8-12oz. Sweetened condensed milk   ·Preheat oven to 325°F  ·Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  ·Slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk. The mixture should be wet enough to hold its shape when squeezed together with a hand.  ·Line cookie sheet with foil and spray a light layer on cooking spray.  ·Oil hands, and then scoop 1 T of the coconut mixture into hands. Squeeze into a tight ball and place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart.  ·Bake for 8-10min. Keep an eye on the cookies; they burn very quickly. ·Once the cookies become golden brown, remove and let cool for 5-7min. It is very important to get the cookies off after 5-7 min out of the oven. If you leave them on the cookie sheet until they cool completely, then they will be very difficult to remove. ·Enjoy!!    ** Coconut can be found in most bulk bin areas of the store**

1. What inspired you to intern with RFS?

A mixture of my mom's encouragement and my passion to teach kids healthy habits. It has been my dream to have an after school program of some kind where I could work with young kids because it has been proven that what kids learn from birth to age 10 is what shapes their patterns the rest of their lives.  That is why it is so important to teach kids how to understand and appreciate healthy eating habits so that they carry those habits with them into adulthood, which in turn can reduce obesity and diet related deaths.

2. How will the information that you learned here influence your next steps and/or your approach to nutrition?

While here I learned a lot about what goes on backstage and about all the little pieces that are necessary for an operation like this to run so smoothly and efficiently. So now I feel like I could take what I learned and better be prepared for when I get a chance to work with kids in a setting like this.

3. What is the most surprising thing that you learned during your time with RFS?

That you can mix vegetables into just about anything and still make it taste good! While here I had "green eggs and ham", which had green onions, green peppers, kale and Swiss chard and it tasted even better than regular scrambled eggs and was far more nutritious. By doing recipes like this and having kids experiment with different vegetables, it makes eating healthy fun and exciting so that they want to actually eat like this everyday.

4. What will you take away from your time at RFS?

That the best way to overcome something as massive as childhood obesity or any worldwide epidemic is to start small, and with time, patience and hard work you can slowly overcome the giant you set out to defeat.

5. What was your favorite thing you participated in while at RFS?

My favorite thing was going to a Houston Food Policy Work group, with fellow staff member Alyssa Dole. Not only did I feel grown up getting to participate in a meeting but also it was exciting being surrounded by people who were all fighting to make a change. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people complain about a problem and do nothing to change it, so I loved getting to see this work group in action trying to make a difference.

6. Why would you encourage others to get involved with RFS?

I would encourage others to get involved because not only is it such an important organization, but it's fun! They don't have kids focus on the negatives, like their weight and appearance, instead they focus on the positives like how to live healthier lives in general. Something like this is so hard to find in the society we live in today because all too often people think to be healthy you have to be model skinny, but that is far from the truth and to get to participate in a company that believes that too is unbelievably rewarding.

     I am fortunate to have the dual job of being a volunteer and a classroom teacher.  Being on the front lines educating children in science can be a daunting task, but using innovative approaches like those offered by Recipe For Success makes the job so much more engaging and fun.   Having the support of RFS Team Leader, Chef Nicole Livezey is an added bonus.  Chef Nicole teaches our students the value of good nutrition and healthy eating, while at the same time reinforcing important science objectives found in the kitchen and garden.  Students learn without even realizing it, because food growing and preparation offers an abundance of resources to teach science. 

The garden is my favorite.  Spending time in the garden weeding, planting and harvesting offers so many opportunities for learning the importance of our earth's materials like soil and plants.  My PreK students have become expert weeders.  They learn to identify different plants and weeds.  We make a game of finding and pulling weeds by the roots.  One class of 4 year-olds was very diligent in getting to the roots, holding them up and shouting "las raíces, las raíces."  Kindergarten and 1st graders learn to sort and classify types of seeds for planting, while older students do the more difficult jobs of turning soil and preparing for planting. And of course everyone enjoys the harvesting.
 
Because our school is in an economically disadvantaged area, some of our students aren't normally exposed to such a variety of fresh vegetables.  Chef Nicole introduces them to many new vegetables they have never even seen, much less tasted.  All students are able to sample the bounty of our garden and they thoroughly enjoy it. Though the new tastes aren't always to their liking, they are willing to try everything.  Often they end up enjoying foods they did not like at first or didn't expect to like.

With the help of Recipe For Success and Chef Nicole, learning has never been so delicious and fun!! 

It makes me terribly sad to see overweight youngsters and to see people making poor food choices.  I worry about the future of our youth regarding obesity, diabetes and  so many other health issues.  And, as with everything, it has a  "trickle-down" effect.  No doubt, it will affect us all.

However, I am encouraged by the Recipe For Success programs.  This Seed-to-Plate education gives me great hope that children will be taught to make better choices and to take charge of their own health and well-being.  No matter our age, we should all take responsibility for ensuring our body and spirit are the  very best that we can be for ourselves and our loved ones.  Naturally, genetics play a large role for each of us. But, wouldn't it be great to reach a ripe, old age and be able to say "at least I took care of myself as best I could"?

Whether I am volunteering for RFS at a special event, having a pizza party,  spreading the word or thinking of new avenues for community outreach and awareness, I feel that in my own way I am helping encourage and support our youth, friends and families to strive to be fit and healthy.

Hopefully my part as a volunteer, outside of the garden or school, can positively impact the lives of children by directing them toward the path of wellness and the mission of RFS.