TDSB Newcomers Summer Culinary Program Wrap...

Summer holidays is almost over with a fresh new school year just around the corner. My 6-week summer culinary program class with Toronto's recently landed Nigerian refugee youths seemed to whizz by. I had the pleasure of teaching a dynamic, energetic group of 14 to 20 year-olds that enjoyed food as much as they loved arts, fitness and sports. TDSB Welcoming Communities did a fantastic job offering a fun multi-activity summer program to help foster this community and ease the transitional challenges faced by Canadian newcomers. Challenged with food preparation limitations faced while living in hotels since arriving (meals are cooked for them), the only alternative is making simple no cook foods in their hotel rooms with a cutting board and knife. My session aim was to impart real take-aways- simple, healthy food ideas they can easily replicate and within a low budget, while introducing multicultural flavours and dishes. And from the many youth's feedback, it sounds like they will try their hands on my recipes! Yess-- Success!!

Highlights from my final sessions this summer.

Refreshing, hydrating sweet watermelon has been a signature feature this summer in my culinary programs from adding it to salads to carving them into decorative punch bowls. Watermelon is 92% water, making it an extremely hydrating snack! It is free of fat, sodium and cholesterol, a good source of vitamin C and contains vitamin A.

Bright preparing Zucchini Noodles Watermelon Salad

Haha, I love it!

Real fruit carving skillz right there!

Making Hwachae Korean Watermelon and Strawberry Milk Dessert Soup to the delight of all.

Strawberry milk in one, carbonated lime water in the other.

HaPpy HaPpy! 😀

My official last class was simple ideas on toast- such as Italian fave appie bruschetta and DIY no-cook strawberry jam filled in mason jars to take home as a sweet token from our program's farewell. Since they don't have access to a fridge, jams are perfectly preserved in room temperature. The youths tell me with their families, the jams will be eaten in no time.

Serving store-bought hummus- a new flavour as many have never tried.

The simple homemade makings of strawberry jam.

Slicing and Dicing...

Mashing and Filling...

Yum... Bruschetta!

I'm looking forward to another school year and what new ventures lay ahead for me with TDSB!

My dream is to make a difference…
for our children now and tomorrow.
Equip them with solid skills, not just borrow
Food education at home, at school
Pass on how-to knowledge, that’s the tool
Important skills that must be taught
Life lessons gained that can't be bought
Too many suffer from not knowing
Cooking is the key to healthy growing
There is a better choice
Empowerment is the voice
Together we can make a difference…
for our children now and tomorrow!

-- Susan 💖