Neighbourhood Table- Session Two: Under The Mediterranean Sun...

St.Philip's Church and their partner The Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT)'s Neighbourhood Table at its second instalment Under The Mediterranean Sun is really an extension of herbs from our first session's theme on Fresh Herbs and of course a variety of vegetables. The church works with the Good Food Market offering fresh healthy produce at affordable pricing every Wednesday at a nearby park. 

The colourful lunch menu consist of Italian favourite bruschetta (with basil), mixed mushroom with garlic and thyme, Greek Quinoa Salad (with Dill), a Niçoise Platter adapted from the classic French Nice salad (with tarragon), and pitchers of real fruit-infused water (with mint). For the story on how this program came about check out my Post.

Recipes at a glance...

 Fresh produce and herbs at a glance...

Returning youths and kids eager to help cook...

My sidekick Michelle and I over the stove simultaneously cooking up mushrooms.

All prep, and set for assembly demo time...

Tada.... My audience's view of me...

Nicely chopped tomatoes for bruschetta

And my view of the audience...

These are two great party or appetizer ideas served over toasted baguette slices.

Easy Crowd Bruschetta
Makes 5 cups

10 firm ripe tomatoes, quartered with core and seeds removed
¼ medium red onion, finely chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
10-12 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup (EVOO) extra virgin olive oil (your best)
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (your best)-- if too acidic dissolve a little brown sugar in it
Sea or kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
French baguette, sliced on an angle and baked/toasted

Place all your fresh ingredients into a large bowl. Drizzle with EVOO and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper; toss. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over toasted baguette slices.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice bread into 1/4 inch thick slices on a slight diagonal. Place bread slices on baking pan or sheet. Brush tops lightly with olive oil-if you do not have a pastry brush, you can pour some olive oil into a bowl and simply dip the slices in it. Bake 10-12 minutes or until slices are lightly browned.

TIP: Remove some excess liquid from bruschetta if serving later, as tomatoes continue to emit juice.

Mixed Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme
Makes 6 cups

Oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 lbs. cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 lbs. white mushrooms, sliced
8 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh thyme, leaves plucked from stems
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with chopped parsley or dill

Heat oil in skillet on medium-high heat. Cook onions for two minutes, then add garlic and mushrooms, and cook for five minutes. Do not stir too often to allow for searing. Sprinkle in thyme and toss for one minute. Transfer to a plate to cool. Serve over toasted baguette slices.

Greek Quinoa Salad is the perfect crowd-pleaser salad to make with it's healthful ingredients and tasty flavours! I teach this all the time in my classes to the old and young...  and they all love it. A large fresh bed of both romaine and mixed greens topped with textured nutty grains of quinoa and a medley of crunchy colourful vegetables you'd find in a Greek salad dressed with garlicky lemony dill. Mmmm....

Greek Dill Quinoa Salad

The original Niçoise salad has tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, anchovies, and  dressed with olive oil. It has certainly evolved to include green beans, potatoes and tuna instead. Tarragon has a distinctive bittersweet flavour with notes of anise, lending itself well in this make-your-own lemon vinaigrette to serve over fish, tomatoes and eggs.

Niçoise Platter
Makes 8 servings

8 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
3 cans (170 g) tuna chunks, drained
6 cups green beans (preferably haricots verts), trimmed and steamed
2 cucumbers, seeded and cut into small pieces
6 cups cherry tomatoes, halved and lightly sprinkled with sea salt
6 cups small white potatoes, boiled in salted water
1 cup niçoise or pitted black olives
12 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. raw honey or maple syrup
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, minced
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
pinches of sea salt
dashes of freshly ground black pepper

On a large platter, arrange a row of each: tuna, eggs, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes. (If you’re serving a group, it’s probably better to put the eggs and tuna on one end in case someone on a vegan diet wants part of the salad). Scatter olives and radish slices evenly around the salad. Combine all dressing ingredients well in a clean jam and shake well. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Simply colourful and gorgeously presented!

Looking forward to sharing you details from session three that happened today: Breakfast for Lunch.

Neighbourhood Table- Session One: Fresh Herbs Theme...

Cooking up something something good... I am talking about the Neighbourhood Table. This was envisioned by the pastor Tuula, Eunice and other members of the St.Philip's Lutheran Church in the west end. They were successful in getting funding from the City of Toronto Neighbour grants to organize a series of four family-friendly food events over the summer in partnership with The Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT) to invite newcomer families and also neighbouring families from low income housing. They were looking for a consultant to help develop the program around healthy eating and that's where I happily came in :D.  The objectives in the grant application were to build neighbourhoods through learning and community engagement- increase food security in the learning and preparation of nutritious food and strengthen community in the sharing of food, culture and conversation. What an AmaZing opportunity St.Philip's Church and ACCT has given their community for kids and families to learn to cook, eat together and make new friends! Thank you team for sharing your photos with me to use here :)

The programming gap for 6-12 year olds was identified with their immediate neighbourhood being home to 50-70 recent newcomer families with an average of four children under 12. All were looking for children’s programming and community events. Food insecurity is something they address by working with the Good Food Market offering fresh healthy produce at affordable pricing every Wednesday at a nearby park. This fosters an established ongoing relationship with newcomers in the neighbouring communities. By offering our culinary program on Thursdays, we are able to order in what we need from Food Share to highlight those very produce on our weekly lunch menu, and make it accessible for the families at the market should they want to make the recipes at home. Which we hope they will :).

For our very first session, what better way than to really welcome in our guests and "break bread" over a menu featuring a variety of fresh, aromatic herbs! Aside from cooking, we also have fun activities that include physical outdoor activities, arts and crafts and science education. Since our theme was around herbs we created a garden theme for the fun stations.

Dressing up the communal tables with a variety of fresh lovely garden herbs!

BEFORE...

AFTER...

Simply Incredible! 

Lovely Raija was one of my sidekicks for the day

From left to right: With Sara, Pastor Tuula and Anne

A pretty basket of herbs to showcase our lunch menu!

So What's Cooking? Every week we will have an appetizer, salad, main and beverage. This post is about last week's session on FRESH HERBS. We prepared a Lemony Dill yogurt Dip with an assortment of vegetable crudites (with chives and dill), a Zucchini Noodle Watermelon Salad (with mint or basil), Chicken, Tomatoes and Spinach Pasta Toss (with basil and parsley) and a refreshing hydrating mint and cucumber-infused water.

The action begins at the chopping stations.... 

Kids can cook and want to given the chance... Cooking together with the family is one of the most important factors to healthy eating. Making the change from cooking for your kids to cooking with your kids can feel like a leap but it's all about taking one small step at a time. Gradually your kids will be more proficient, independent, their confidence will grow and you will reap the rewards of building a stronger family connection and eating more healthily just by cooking together. Yes, it's easier, less messy if you just do it yourself, but if you allow your children to take part in some of the preparations, it will give them a sense of ownership and pride in the final results. And they are more likely to eat it. 😁

Some creativity going on over in the dining area with the arts and craft stations...

Some physical activities happening outdoors (a beautiful day it was)...

Getting busy busy in the kitchen with every kid wanting to get hands on...

Some gorgeous shots with kids and the fruits of their labour...

These awesome brothers tell me they are chopping for the first time. At the end they were like pros...

These cuties worked the muscles with those spiralizers to get oodles and oodles of zucchini noodles...

Prep work all done, now it's time for my demo to assemble it all and dole out the bit of magic... 

An introduction of my heritage background and Professional Credentials, then putting it altogether with a wham bam! Such an incredible feeling for me- I've always been a nervous presenter, but when you let passion be your voice, it just flows. All eyes on me and I owned it :D.  

We've got some very attentive and engaging participants really wanting to learn something new!

This is such a delicious healthy dip made with three parts yogurt and one part mayo. Toss in some fresh dill, chives, garlic and a splash of lemon and it's a creamy welcoming dip at any party. I make this often as an after school snack for my kids with a variety of fresh vegetable dippers. And at every class I taught this at, it has never been short of rave reviews!

Lemony Dill Yogurt Dip
Makes 2 cups dip

1-1/2 cups plain natural yogurt (Balkan-style)
1/2 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh dill, chopped
green onions or fresh chives, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
splash of fresh lemon juice
Garnish: ground paprika and extra virgin olive oil
Assorted veggies to dip (try snap peas and radishes)

Mix everything together in a bowl and refrigerate for one hour to let the flavours meld.

TIP: To create a viscous run-free dip, extract extra water from the yogurt by scooping the amount you need into a paper lined coffee filter and let it drip away for 15 minutes.

Love those zucchini noodle spirals from a hand gadget called the spiralizer! The one I use is from brand OXO. Tossed with watermelon, grape tomatoes and simply dressed with lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper with a touch of fresh basil or mint, you've got an impressive picnic-worthy delicious salad! The sweetness of watermelon nicely balances the tart of the lime juice. See the recipe here- Zucchini Noodle Watermelon Salad.

Chicken, Tomatoes and Spinach Pasta Toss
Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 500 g package of short pasta (penne, fusilli, farfalle)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cups grape tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach or spinach (chopped)
2 cups fresh summer peas
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry seasoned or regular bread crumbs (optional)
Chopped parsley and/or basil for garnish

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and then add 1 Tbsp. salt. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until it’s just under al dente. Reserve one cup of cooking liquid before draining pasta. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.

In a skillet on medium-high heat, add oil, then onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are slightly translucent and add the chicken pieces. Cook until done and transfer to a plate. In same skillet, add 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and add tomatoes, cooking until blistered in spots, about three minutes. Lightly crush tomatoes, and continue cooking until soft. Toss in the spinach/fresh peas and add back the chicken and its juices.

Add the one cup reserved cooking liquid. Let simmer for two minutes. Toss, adding more liquid if necessary until sauce coats pasta, about one minute. Finish pasta with bread crumbs and fresh herbs and cheese.

We used farfalle bowtie pasta.

The Good Food Market Display along with the mint cucumber-infused water pitchers.

Our Neighbour Table Flyer in Arabic.

Eating time... Come and Get It!

This is exactly what the Neighbourhood Table is about-- "Breaking Bread together" with the neighbours!

How much do I love these communal eating photos-- warms my heart inside out!

As we said our so long until-next-week from our first very successful session, moms were expressing their gratitude and adamant about staying behind to help with anything they can to clean up. Dishes, wiping, sweeping.... it was such a beautiful collaborative feeling like one big happy community family! It was hard for us all not to be awe-struck with what just happened in this space. Magic I say... (ﾉ>ω<)ﾉ :｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:♪･ﾟ’☆

This really says it all... 💗

This series of inter-cultural and inter-generational family events building on fresh food and nutritional eating will lead to both stronger community bonds and better skills around produce. Sharing food and conversation or ‘breaking bread together’ will provide Arab newcomer and local non Arab low income families an opportunity to better understand each other. The approach builds on St.Philip's Church strengths working with newcomers and  connections within the community. They recently sponsored and supported an Iraq refugee family, and they collaborate weekly with Madbakh in offering a homework club and of course, their connections with the neighbours through their Good Food Market. 

I am so proud and honoured to be working with such lovely dedicated people- a great team of community builders. Looking forward to sharing you details from session two that happened today: Under the Mediterranean Sun 🌞.

TDSB Newcomer Services Community BBQ at Centennial College...

Last week was probably the busiest for me this summer, but certainly not short of exciting and rewarding! BIG back-to-back events over two days that not only involved a lot of logistics planning but the first-- a Community BBQ venue to promote our TDSB refugee summer program for youths (predominantly to newcomer Nigerians who are currently living in hotels) also entailed arranging for food product donations and their pick up. Held at Centennial College in the east end, the hovering and threatening grey clouds cleared right before guests arrived and we all ended up sweltering under the hot sun and over the hot grill. And what a turn out indeed (~ 130+)!

With Bobby, TDSB Welcoming Communities Orientation Assistant

My friends over at Black River Juice kindly donated cases of their bottled real juices made with locally pressed fruit-- Classic Lemonade, Pure Red Grapefruit Juice and Sweet Apple Cider. Thank you to the lovely Laura Aziz! My favourites of their extensive product line are pure blueberry juice, apple mango juice blend, pure tart cherry juice and classic lemonade with a hint of lime. 

Past Demo of Black River Juice products for LiveWell Marketing

The main attraction was the thrills on the grill with chicken breasts and veggie patties that turned into burgers between buns. That huge THANK U goes to my man- the Godfather of the Grill, and friend Chef Ted Reader @tedgrills for his generosity as well for the cases of each three flavour burger line he developed for Wholly Veggie- Southwest beet, sweet curry carrot and herby garlic greens!

At Chef Ted Reader's BBQ stomping grounds- his backyard!

Well over 60+ BBQs, Grills, Smokers and whatever else you can fire up, Chef Ted tells me he has lost count lol. When asked which one is his favourite-- he says without hesitation his fire pits, old school-style! I absolutely agree after attending with my fam his over-the-top delish BBQ event in the country.  If you want to see the real deal and what we're talking about, you have to check out my recent post Q-ing Fun with Chef Ted Reader.

Yes, it was A LOT of chicken breasts (halal), about 100 if you count me splitting up the super large ones. Marinated in Cajun spices, dried thyme, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, onions, fresh parsley, lime juice and olive oil overnight, then grilled over the hot BBQ until done and slathered in BBQ sauce to finish. 

The combined ingredients created a heavenly slight sweet and savoury aroma with garlic and hints of spices. Marinated overnight or even two days, the breasts cooked up super tender-moist and flavourful! Believe me, good-bye, good riddance to hard and dry chicken breasts...never ever again!

Over at Centennial College on Markham/Progress getting registration set up!

This occasion made me remember when I first started working at food events. As a student volunteer, I would often pause to admire the chefs heading and organizing them. I don't think I imagined then that I would one day be doing the same-- leading a brigade of student volunteers and assistants, and holding my own as the head. It was an incredible feeling!

Prepping for salads with student volunteers.

Gorgeous fresh colours and textures!

Gorgeous bright shirts and smiles!

I had just taught a class on BBQ and picnic food safety, highlighting using citrus or vinegar-based dressings vs. mayonnaise-based salads for longer storage in summer outdoor weather. This simple coleslaw vinaigrette uses acidic apple cider vinegar, honey for sweetness, Dijon mustard for body and piquancy, celery salt, and ground black pepper. 

Here's our King of the Grill for the day!

Chickens' looking mighty plump and succulent!

Burger condiments and toppings, along with coleslaw in vinaigrette, and garden salad.

Yes, we had refreshing slices of watermelon too!

Families joined us in intervals over the two hours until the burgers ran out.

Too bad I didn't get any shots of me slicing chicken and serving the burgers. It was pretty much all hands on deck the entire time and there was no one to spare for being camera happy. I was just glad to slip out near the end to walk around and talk to families and pass out Black River Juice bottles to the eager kids. I love those engaging moments!

What started as a grey day turned out to be a super hot one!

Back home that night, I served some odds and ends marinated chicken breast pieces (reserved enough to try) and Chef Ted Reader's Wholly Veggies Herby Garlic Greens burger. So succulent the chicken meat- my kids threw in some hickory sticks for smoky flavour and crunch-- YUM! And no one missed the meat with those scrumptious veggie patties-- loved the garlic flavour and hearty texture! Can't wait to try the other two flavours! 

Check out Wholly Veggies for a store near you!

Up next, my first of four weeks culinary series- The Neighbourhood Table family cooking program (for kids 6-12 years old) with the Arab Community in partnerships with St.Philip's Lutheran Church and the Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT). It was simply incredible, successful and heart-warming! 

Can't wait to share all the wonderful details and photos...