Culinary Medicine hosted a teaching kitchen for the Arkansas Medical, Dentist, and Pharmaceutical Association (AMDPA) on Saturday, June 3. Eight Participants integrated nutrition education and clinical application while splitting into pairs and working together to prepare recipes chosen to highlight modules used in the Culinary Medicine curriculum. Participants learned how food prepared using culinary techniques can be used as medicine for specific disease states, such as reducing saturated fat and adding fruit in the creamy chicken salad with apple recipe for heart health, building flavor without adding sodium in the shrimp fra diavolo, and a roasted asparagus recipe to manage hypertension. After the cooking was finished, everyone had the opportunity to try everything while participating in a discussion led by Alyssa Frisby, one of Culinary Medicine’s registered dietitians 

The AMDPA is an organization established in 1893 of Black health professionals with a rich history. Members practice and serve primarily underserved communities throughout the state. AMDPA was a forerunner to the American Medical Association (which Black physicians could not join at the time) and the National Medical Association.

Dr. Rhonda Mattox, the president of the AMDPA was overwhelmingly complimentary about her experience. “For our team building exercise, we joined with Culinary Medicine to make a wonderful array of foods. It exceeded my expectations, and there are some foods that I would’ve never ever tried under any circumstances! Case in point, tofu scromblet… oh my gosh, it looks good and tastes good. Also, I have never been a fan of apples in chicken salad, but boy oh boy was it good! I’m the kind of person who makes fun of people that put apples in chicken salad. And I cannot wait to dive into what I made!” Dr. Mattox chose to create the Shrimp Fra Diavolo, a tomato-based pasta dish. “We learned so much about how to dice, how to use the knives properly, and about new utensils like the bench scraper.” 

The recipes were a huge hit, and the communal aspect of the program was widely appreciated. The discussion consisted of a talk about what Food as Medicine means, and how what we eat can prevent and manage certain chronic health issues. Physicians, pharmacists, and dentists can all benefit by incorporating culinary medicine into their consultations with patients. The Culinary Medicine Program is thrilled to have had this opportunity to share its mission.

The Culinary Medicine Kitchen was filled with the comforting scent of delicious, simmering lentil soup being prepared on Friday, May 19. But soup was not the only thing on the menu. Southwestern chicken salad with avocado crema, hummus, and egg salad sandwiches were all a part of an irresistible feast. Although the class may have appeared to be a normal teaching kitchen, it was no ordinary experience. 

This class was specifically designed for patients who live with Parkinson’s disease, and we had a full kitchen. We had the joy of cooking with 24 delightful participants. The Culinary Medicine Program has been offering these classes throughout the year with the mission to empower these patients in their own kitchens and help them feel more comfortable handling cooking equipment. 

The session was led by Alyssa Frisby, one of Culinary Medicine’s registered dieticians. “The quarterly Cooking with Parkinsonism classes are always so much fun to host in the Culinary Medicine Teaching Kitchen. It’s a great way to share nutrition information with participants while also demonstrating how to safely adapt kitchen tools to meet the needs of patients. When we gather around the table to enjoy the different dishes we’ve prepared, we share so much more than just a few bites together,” Alyssa said. Jasmine Verser, our chef, joined Alyssa for this class and prepared the food in a “mis en place” fashion. She also set the kitchen up for the patients. 

This class included a helpful discussion about kitchen safety and tips on cooking with Parkinson’s. Jessica Holton, a UAMS occupational therapist, gave an in depth talk about the various tools that are available to assist Parkinson’s patients in the kitchen. She also took the time to answer any related questions. 

Once all the cooking was finished, the participants got the opportunity to sit down and have a communal lunch with each other. To top it off, the patients also enjoyed a dessert of blueberries and strawberries with shortcake. The patients gave positive feedback about the class. They enjoyed the simplicity and ease of the recipes and especially enjoyed chatting afterwards over their mouthwatering meals.

War Memorial Stadium was bustling with activity early on Saturday morning, May 6, 2023. Excited participants were gearing up for a fun-fueled day at the Be a Part of the Cure Walk hosted by the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. The Walk is all about fundraising for cancer research and building community awareness about cancer prevention. So naturally, we wanted to be part of it.

The Culinary Medicine booth was one of many vendors set up on the stadium lawn. The booth was complete with literature for handout purposes on a variety of topics including everything from our virtual teaching kitchens to what a nutrient-dense meal looks like on a plate. We tried to express the importance of a nutritious diet when it comes to cancer prevention.

The team handed out delicious and nutritious peanut butter protein bites, and they were a huge hit! The tasty treats helped to lure in many interested community members. Three dietetic interns from UAMS joined the CM team to make the experience an even better one for the public. They answered questions and had informative conversations with people that stopped by the booth. The Walk had more than 1,000 participants this year, so there were a lot of conversations!

Awareness of the Culinary Medicine Program grew, and that was our mission. Suffice it to say, we will be back next year.

Want to try out those peanut butter protein bites? Check out: https://chefsavvy.com/5-ingredient-peanut-butter-energy-bites/

The Culinary Medicine Team had the recent opportunity to visit the UAMS Women’s Center to bring a teaching kitchen experience to the public. We were able to share helpful nutritional information with the community in an intimate setting. The goal was to focus specifically on women’s health both during pregnancy and throughout life. 

The visit consisted of a cooking demonstration, an educational talk, a question-and-answer session, amazing recipes, and free food. These activities were led by our own Melissa Fenton, a registered dietitian with the Culinary Medicine department, and assisted by Tess Bentley, our resident Americorps VISTA member. They worked together to create two nutrient dense dishes all while explaining the benefits of every ingredient.

The first course of the demonstration was a massaged kale, feta, and strawberry salad. Kale is an excellent source of necessary nutrients and has all kinds of health benefits. In addition to kale, the salad provided a fermented ingredient, feta cheese. Fermented foods also have all kinds of benefits, and one of those is that they are anti-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation can lead to some serious health risks including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. That is why having a long-term diet that includes anti-inflammatories is key. 

The main course featured an aromatic lemongrass noodle bowl with the choice of either chicken or tofu. While Melissa prepared the dish on a portable induction burner, she shared the importance of eating enough protein with each meal. The recommended daily amount of protein is 30g for each meal (on a three meal-a-day basis). Proteins are considered the building blocks of life; all human cells contain them. Getting enough protein daily ensures that all parts of the body are functioning properly.

The attendees were encouraged to dine and give feedback about the meal. Everybody had different tastes, and it was fun to discuss and celebrate that fact. The women that attended this event were enthusiastic and contributed to an important conversation we will continue to have with community members in the future.

On March 11, 2023, UAMS Culinary Medicine participated in a community health fair hosted by Little Rock Chapter of Links, Inc and Longley Baptist Church. Healthcare professionals emphasized the need to increase awareness in Black communities about Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). A whopping 33% of dialysis patients are African American! This percentage is huge considering that African Americans account for only 13% of the general population.

The health fair was a full day of educational information focused on living a healthy lifestyle, how to manage high blood pressure, and how to eat nutritiously. Culinary Medicine’s Dr. Richard-Davis gave a talk on the implementation of culinary medicine into one’s lifestyle and the many health benefits that result. She specifically talked about how the use of culinary medicine can prevent certain conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Other healthcare professionals also touched on the importance of early detection when it comes to Chronic Kidney Disease. They provided ideas about how to reduce daily stress that contributes to CKD, along with how to prevent certain conditions that lead to CKD (picture below).

The event was a huge success, and made possible by The Black Kidney Awareness Education and Research (Black KARE) Grant from Baxter Pharmaceutical through the Central Area Links, Inc.