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.