The 5th Annual SNAP Challenge is Just One Week Away! Register Now!

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Join Maryland Hunger Solutions and take the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Challenge (Sept 28 - Oct 2, 2015) to highlight the struggles faced by too many throughout our region who can’t afford the food they need. 

SNAP is an essential lifeline that helps millions of Americans keep food on the table, but the current benefit level is far too low. Currently, the average benefit is about $22 for five days – or about $1.47 per person, per meal. By taking the SNAP Challenge, participants can see the difficult choices that low-income families are forced to make while food shopping on a limited budget, realizing how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy with few resources.

SNAP Challenge Week Events (September 28 - October 2)

Sunday September 27th: Join Maryland Hunger Solutions and Share our Strength Cooking Matters for a grocery shopping tour at the Howard Park Shop Rite (4601 Liberty Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21207). The tour begins at 10:30am and will provide Challenge participants with an opportunity to shop for their week's groceries with resources and recipes to help stretch their dollar. 

Wednesday September 30th: Maryland Hunger Solutions will be hosting a Twitter chat from 1:00 - 1:30 pm with SNAP Challenge participants and partners to discuss the importance of SNAP, highlight the struggles that low-income Marylanders face and examine actions that we can take to defend vital safety net programs. Join the conversation and use the hashtag #SNAPChallenge to participate.

Friday October 2nd: Please join us for lunch at Our Daily Bread (725 Fallsway Baltimore, MD) at 11:45am. Our Daily Bread serves more than a quarter million meals to people struggling with hunger in Baltimore City every year. This meal is in addition to your $22, and highlights how SNAP benefits are often not enough to cover a month's worth of food, requiring people to use emergency food resources. If you plan on attending the lunch, you must be in line before 12 pm.

Monday October 5th: Join us for a post SNAP Challenge dinner and discussion at 5:30pm at Maryland Hunger Solutions (2002 Clipper Park Road, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD). Will we provide pizza and have a group discussion about the SNAP Challenge and areas for future action.

Join us and take the Challenge - Follow this link to SNAP Challenge rules and registration.

To RSVP for any of the events listed above, contact Rachel Tucker at rtucker@mdhungersolutions.org.


Are you up for the Challenge?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

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Technicolor Dining News September 2015

Welcome to September!

In the United States today is Labor Day, a public holiday celebrated the first Monday in September. While many think of Labor Day as a shopping day and the unofficial end of Summer, the holiday honors the American labor movement and the contributions of  workers.  A heartfelt  thanks to all to all the  food and beverage industry who make it  possible to enjoy food and beverage in our residence and in public; from the farmer to the server to the dishwasher.

My acupuncturist, Dr. Brad, recently reminded me that according to his training tradition, in the Northern Hemisphere we have transitioned to Late Summer - the time of gathering the crops before Fall.  For many, the produce is stores is  fresh and colorful and accessible, but for those living on a very limited budget access to that produce may not be a feasible reality.

I invite you to join me as I explore:

• Chef Alexander of Art and Soul Restaurant and Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (a Virginia brewery) reuniting to delight guests at a dinner
• Participating in 2015 SNAP Challenge with Maryland Hunger Solutions -hint: there's an added complexity to this year's SNAP Challenge. 
• A visit to a Maryland based whiskey distillery 
• An invitation to have dinner with a very special guest
• Portraits of local women chefs and cooking demos by the local women chefs at Strathmore Music Center
• And several surprises a long the way!

Even better- register to attend or participate in these activities along with me.

Are you ready? Let's go!
 
Be well,

Technicolor girl

2015 Eat Local All Year Long! - Montgomery County

One evening while assisting in a class I noticed a  flyer on the news/information board in the classroom.

I contacted the person listed on the flyer, introduced myself and  asked if I could attend the event. The response was quick and an enthusiastic "yes". I would attend the event as an observer.

The day of the event I nervously entered the room. Chefs and growers sat at round tables chatting. I sat a nearby table observing. A student facilitator encouraged me to join a table and listen. The first group I joined was  represented primarily by growers. They grew apples, squash, berries (strawberries, blueberries), vegetables of all kinds. As a small grower the primary concern was finding buyers of the product.

The second table I joined was represented primarily by chefs. The chefs discussed the importance of  quality standards in the ingredients they selected for their restaurants. Small growers were encouraged to work with local produce delivery companies to move their products.

A couple of attendees asked about my background. When I disclosed I was blogger and talked about the access to food and participating in the SNAP Challenge (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) the chefs began to share more about their efforts to find fresh and local food for their clientele.  Several chefs and growers agreed to grant me interviews. They will appear in upcoming blog posts.

I followed the chefs and growers into the kitchen to watch them begin using local produce to create meals for everyone to eat. The owner of Comus Market, David,  shared  with me that he planned to prepare a kabocha squash stew for the group. He asked a student if he knew how to cut vegetables. The student replied that he didn't. I replied that I did, took my jacket off, and washed my hands. I assisted David with cutting kabocha squash, peppers, and other ingredients. One of the chefs I sat with earlier and walked by and asked, "you're a blogger and a cook? Wow!" The knife skills training at L'Academie de Cuisine was paying off !

Sadly, I had to depart before the meals were presented and consumed .The kitchen smelled fantastic, chefs were approachable and answered questions and worked together well. Want to see more pictures? Visit the Universities at Shady Grove page.

Many thanks to the Universities at Shady Grove, Chef Callahan, and the Students from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (UMES) Hospitality and Tourism Management program for allowing me to attend the Chefs Summit.

The first recipe Challenge has been issued. Recipes are due 1 May 2015. I encourage you to participate.


Be well,
Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

SNAP Challenge - Dénouement

Why use the word  dénouement in the blog heading? According to Merriam-Webster  dénouement is the final part of something (such as a book, a  play, or a series of events). It  seems appropriate to chronicle the final part of  my  2014 SNAP Challenge journey.

Day 7 was surprisingly smooth. I filled two bottles with water to ensure I would be hydrated  while attending the seminar. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal with raisins. I had chili and the remaining apple for lunch. After the seminar concluded I ran errands and then returned home for dinner. Since this was the last meal I cooked the remaining spinach and splurged and had dessert (1/2 a grapefruit, broiled with a swirl of Dutch Gold's buckwheat blossom honey.  A fitting way to end the Challenge.

Day 7 dinner

Lessons Learned

sautéing remaining spinach

• The groceries I purchased carried me through the week.
• The day without access to water was surreal and could have been avoided. 
• The hummus was a great idea.
• The  package of carrots was definitely more cost effective than the baby carrots I wanted to purchase. I still have carrots
• I 'd give myself a "B" on meeting my stated goals for the week:
• be aware of meal portion/serving size
• pack meals ahead of time
• drink lots of water

An associate asked me if I was concerned about a drop in blog readers or subscribers. I was aware that it was a possibility and took the risk anyway. I've always been clear that the blog is about my experience in all things dining related- exceptional to difficult. I also believe that participating in the 2014 SNAP Challenge gave readers a glimpse of part of the journey that led me to where I am today. For me it was it was humbling to exercise creativity and resourcefulness in order to ensure that I had food and enough to eat.

If a SNAP Challenge were offered in your community, would you participate?

Thank you for joining me on the 2014 SNAP Challenge journey.
 

Be well,

Technicolor girl

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SNAP Challenge Day 7 - Twist and Homestretch

Mezcal maragritas for cooking class students

Day 6 began smoothly. I ate oatmeal before heading out the door for the seminar. Lunch (soup) was packed along with a small container of oatmeal,  an orange, a package of raisins, the remaining hummus, and a few carrots. On the first break during the seminar I realized I had no water.  Yikes! I couldn't buy water and I couldn't accept water from others. I was  35 minutes away from home - too far to 'run home' and get a water bottle. I left the seminar to go to my volunteer assistant gig. Before entering the building I consumed the oatmeal and orange. I was finally in a location where I could access to water  without paying for it, but I had already been without water for several hours and being an assistant means you are active preparing the recipes  and clearing the cooking area.

The class topic was "Brian P's Smoke House" and featured smoked po'boys, beef brisket, and  The highlight of my evening was learning to make sausage using a Kitchen Aid mixer and one of its specialized attachments. It was a fun class, but very labor intensive. I came home and went to bed. No chili. No spinach. No brown rice.

Lessons Learned:

• Not having access to water for hours  was painful.
• Eating the oatmeal as an afternoon snack helped me stay full.
• Working with the other classroom assistants took my mind off the lack of water.

Maple bacon pecan pralines for cooking class attendees

 Questions posed to me on Day 6 and my answers:

• Q: Have you lost weight?
• A: Perhaps. I haven't gotten on a scale to find out.

• Q: Are there any foods you wish you hadn't purchased week?
• A: No. I tried to plan to my meals ahead.

Day 7 marks the homestretch to the end of the SNAP Challenge. The seminar concludes today and I have a water bottle with me. Since I didn't eat dinner on Day 6 I will have chili for lunch and dinner. I have a sufficient amount of food to end the SNAP Challenge consuming all three meals.

I hope you will return tomorrow to see how Day7 actually unfolded and the final round of lessons learned and questions posed.


Be well,

Technicolor girl

SNAP Challenge Day 6 - Creativity

On Day 5 I ran out the door to work without eating breakfast. Was I tired of eating my oatmeal and raisins? Or was I subconsciously trying to stretch my food until the end of the week? I'm not certain. The day began with a meeting that ran much longer than planned, but somehow managed to have lunch at 1pm - the earliest I've eaten lunch all week. Instead of hummus for an afternoon snack, I had a banana. Before work concluded a few emails shifted what would be a quiet long weekend  into a semi-working weekend. Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables, but I didn't want spinach salad for dinner. I discovered the second package of turkey I purchased had not been opened yet; I cubed some of the turkey meat and sautéed it and the spinach with olive oil and a few spices.

Day 5 dinner



sautéing the spinach for dinner

Lessons Learned

• I am trying to strike a balance between being worried about the amount of food on hand and nourishing myself so I can function throughout the day.
• Preparing the spinach differently was a good idea. 
• I'm glad I remembered the bananas. I was going to only consume 1/2 a banana. Eating a whole banana was a treat!
• The soup will be gone on Day6 after lunch. I checked after dinner - I have plenty of oatmeal on hand. I may use it as a replacement for the soup on Day 7.

Questions posed to me on Day 5 and my answers:

• Q: Have you done any cooking during the SNAP Challenge?



boiling brown rice for dinner

• A: Not really because I prepared my meal at the start of the week. I primarily reheat the entrée, boil rice and prepare salad and/or veggies.

• Q: Are you getting enough to eat? 
• A: Actually, I am, but I think it is because of the food I chose to prepare and the portions I am consuming.

• Q: How is your energy level?
• A: My energy is pretty good during the day. At the end of the day I am tired, but I don't think it is a result of the food that I'm eating this week. It's more due to my schedule and the tasks on my to do list.

Day 6 will be a full day including running errands, attending a training class and volunteering in another cooking class. I will also need to apply a bit more creativity to my meals moving forward. Day 6 will be the end of my tasty hummus and raisin packages. I'll have to sort out what will  be snacks on Day 7.  Perhaps grapefruit sections?


Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by InkPlus LLC








SNAP Challenge 2014 - Day 5: Lobster and deserts

snack time

Day 4 got off to a late start - I overslept after staying up very late to complete a deadline driven task for work. I attempted to run out the door to my first appointment, but stopped and took the time to eat breakfast. I'm glad I did because I didn't have lunch until 330pm.  I looked at the clock again and it was almost 430pm. I needed to leave soon for the volunteer event and hadn't eaten a snack, much less dinner. I  ate a few pieces of carrot  before heading out the door to the volunteer event.

arugula salad with lobster and quail egg

I should clarify, the volunteer event was being a volunteer assistant in a cooking class. I signed up for the class long before I knew the dates of the SNAP Challenge. The topic of this particular class was "Everything You Ever  Wanted to Know About Lobster". This was also a participation class; students would prepare their own dishes and the chef/instructor prepares a sample dish for the students to see that is served to the volunteer assistants.  Chef Bernard did a wonderful job demonstrating how to use every part of a lobster in a meal. When he finished preparing the arugula salad with lobster and quail egg  and began to create mini plates for the assistants he passed a plate to me. When I declined the plate he asked if I liked lobster. I replied that I was fasting in preparation for a procedure. He apologized and I offered my plate to another assistant. For the remainder of the evening when food was bring distributed I would disappear to the back and work with a member of the staff to dry dishes. The other assistants heard my reply to the instructor and told me they didn't know how they could volunteer in a cooking class and not eat. After class we cleaned up and I got home as quickly as I could. I was terribly hungry and tired. And while I didn't eat the food prepared in class, my best made plans had gone awry.  At 1118pm dinner was served.

Day 4 dinner

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley, [often go awry]

- Robert Burns, To A Mouse

Lessons learned on Day 4:

• More snacks may have been an option than trying to carry my dinner with me.
• While I did fast - it was last week for labwork. Is there a better way I could've answered the offer of food from the chef? I need to think about that because I'm assisting in another class very soon.
•  While I may have been tired, my will power to stay on track with the SNAP Challenge remained steady.
•  As I prepared my lunch for Day 5 I realized I have enough soup for Saturday, but will need to be creative with my option for lunch on Sunday. 

clean cooking classroom!

 Questions posed to me on Day 4 and my answers:

• Q: Did you comparison shop for your food?
• A: I did comparison shop (see Day 1) and I also consider myself fortunate because I have my own transportation and drive to a store with access to fresh fruits and vegetables. I know there are food deserts - places without ready access to fresh, healthy, affordable food. 

Cooking Class Volunteer

• Q: When you were unemployed did you consider emergency food services?
• A: I didn't. 

• Q: How did your friends and family respond to your change in circumstances?
• A: My immediate family was supportive as they could be, but they have commitments in their own lives that they have responsibility for. As for friends, this change in circumstances was an opportunity to experience my support network in action. And yes, there were those who distanced themselves because I couldn't go to happy hours and other events.

• Q: what's in your hummus?
• A: chick peas (ceci, channa), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, peanut butter and sriracha. See budget bytes for the recipe.

Day 5 marks the beginning of the final stretch of the SNAP Challenge for me. I have enough split pea soup for Days 5 and 6. I will need to think creatively about what to eat for lunch on  Day 7. Perhaps a fruit medley for lunch on a bed of spinach?  Any suggestions?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

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SNAP Challenge 2014 - Day 4: Be Prepared

Day 3 dinner

I began Day 3 thinking of pancakes. Had I grown tired of the oatmeal and raisins? It really doesn't matter because this is the option for breakfast. I had plenty of water on hand and was cognizant of the amount of time between breakfast and lunch. After lunch the smooth flow of day was gone. Before I knew it I was rushing out the door for my evening meeting. I munched on the carrots in my snack bag  before arriving.  As I reached entrance to the building where the meeting was held I mentally prepared to tell the meeting organizer I was not hungry  (which was not true) rather than the explain what was going on. I also knew that if I was truly in need of food that the meeting organizer would feed me without question and would feel obligated to do so. After the meeting I rushed home to have dinner; the amount of time elapsed between the snack and dinner was too long, I was hungry. Very hungry.

Lessons learned on Day 3:

• I need to eat dinner earlier to avoid being very hungry
• It appears my food may last through the week. I will know for certain by the end of Day 4.
• I miss having juice to drink, but remind myself that water is good for me.

preparing meals to take to work

 Questions posed to me on Day 3 and my answers:

• Q: Did you purchase any dairy, soft drinks or juice?
• A: No, those items weren't on my list. In general, I don't drink soft drinks.

• Q: Isn't the county you in live in considered one of the most affluent in Maryland and the United States?
• A: Yes, but that doesn't mean people don't need assistance for any number of reasons. The two largest SNAP recipient groups are the elderly and children.

• Q:When you were eating $5 to $10 a week in food did you get sick?
• A: The human body is amazingly resilient. After being unemployed for months, I had to move out of the place I was living and moved to a temporary location. After six months I was becoming concerned because my unemployment benefit was running out. Shortly thereafter I secured a job. I was on the job for about two months when my hairdresser began to notice that my hair was coming out in patches. A month later the only option was to cut the remaining hair. I was puzzled, frustrated, and upset. After several weeks of searching, I found a dermatologist who asked me a few questions and then explained that the stress of being unemployed and limited food options had taxed my system greatly. Once the stressors had been addressed my entire system "sighed" and the hair fell out. The medical term is Alopecia areata. The hair has since grown back in and I am grateful for that.

Day 4 will be full and long. I have a task that I  have to address at 7:30am. After a full workday I am scheduled to volunteer at an event until 10:30pm. Food will be available. SNAP Challenge Rule 4: Avoid receiving free food from friends, family, etc.  I am prepared; I  will be carrying my meal with me.

 I hope you will return to see how being prepared helps me successfully navigate Day 4.

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by InkPlus LLC

SNAP Challenge 2014 - Day 3: Stride and Stress

lunchtime

Day 2  was a lot easier to navigate because I planned ahead. I had oatmeal for breakfast relatively early and the morning.  I ended up eating lunch later than  planned,  because I was focused on completing a task at work. when I did eat lunch I literally stopped working and enjoyed my split pea soup, apple and water. I drank more water today as well.  Later in the day I when I felt hungry the carrot slices and homemade hummus were just what I needed.  To add some variety to the dinner salad I added shredded carrot to the spinach and cucumber. I also used a Katz's late Harvest Viognier Honey vinegar from All Things Olive hat I had on hand to enhance the salad flavors (look for an upcoming blog post about All Things Olive).



Using honey vinegar to enhance the salad flavors

 Day2 Lessons Learned:

• Planning ahead kept me steady through the day.
• While I'm consuming 1/2 cup of  prepared oat meal for breakfast , 1 cup of soup for lunch and  2/3  cup to 1 cup chili for dinner with brown rice I am closely watching to see if I will have enough of soup and chili for the remainder of the week.
• Cutting the cucumbers and carrots into different shapes and sizes with the mandolin and grater helps create variety with the meals
• I continue to have a healthy respect for my mandolin and use it with great care- the blades are razor sharp.



mandolin

Questions posted to me on  Day 2 and my answers:

• Q: Are you hungry?
• A: No. I try to space the timing of my meals and snack so I am not hungry. I think the food selections have helped me feel full as well.

• Q: Do you make oatmeal every morning? Is the oatmeal plain?
• A: I made a pot of oatmeal Sunday evening  ( I used the 'old-fashioned' oats versus the quick oats) and two boxes from a six-pack of raisins. Each morning I take a portion from the pot and reheat it in the microwave.

• Q: How long were you unemployed and what did you purchase to eat on $5 to $10 per week?
• A: I was not gainfully employed for about a year. There's very little in the way of fresh fruits or vegetables that you can purchase on a budget that low. I consumed rice, oatmeal, ramen noodles, applesauce, canned meats. During this time I learned about the 'markdown' produce in the store. I often ate once a day.

photo by TEP

• Q: Why didn't you qualify for assistance when you were unemployed?
• A:  The State of Maryland requires completing an application to participate in the program. After completing the application I was contacted by Montgomery County Health and Human Services for an interview. The interviewer asked a series of questions about assets, sources of income and expenses. About 10 days later I received a letter in the mail stating my application was denied because I had car insurance and I had money in a savings account (at the time about $2,000) - should I exhaust my savings and cancel the car insurance I might be reconsidered. I couldn't cancel the car insurance because I sometimes used the car to drive to my then part-time job and the State of Maryland requires registered vehicles to have insurance.   

Day 3 will be a busy day at work. I am curious to see how the rush to meet deadlines and juggling tasks will impact the time I have to eat lunch and a afternoon snack.  I am  also scheduled to attend an evening meeting where a light dinner will be served. I am a bit anxious about the event as I know the event organizers try to make sure everyone eats - it is a matter of culture and hospitality.

I hope you will return to see how the day unfolds and I make strides to navigate the stressful moments of Day3.

Be well,

Technicolor girl


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SNAP Challenge 2014 - Day 2: Lessons and Questions

I felt as if I plodded through Day1. My friend Bebe's words about the presentation of the food is just as important as the taste resonated with me as I prepared dinner. I made a point to serve dinner on cheerful looking dinnerware. Dinner was turkey chili (I used the kidney beans and black beans I purchased in the chili) with brown rice served with spinach and cucumber salad. I made a vinaigrette using balsamic vinegar, peanut oil and a few spices.

photo by TEP

 A few lessons I learned on Day 1 :

preparing to make hummus

• Having a snack is important for me. I ate my oatmeal at 7am. I ate the soup at 130pm . I ate 1/2 an apple at 3pm. I had a 715pm meeting at a restaurant. I didn't eat anything, but as I felt  more hungry my concentration slipped and I secretly hoped the meeting would end sooner than scheduled so I could go home and eat. After dinner I made hummus and sliced and packaged carrots to take with me as a snack for the remainder of the week. The hummus recipe from budget bytes was a great help.
• I should not wait too long to eat. I was cranky and scattered when I got hungry. Not good for anyone.
• I didn't drink as much water as I would have liked, especially while at work. I have a Britta water pitcher at my desk. No excuse. 

homemade hummus

I wanted to share and address questions that were posed to me on Day1:

photo by TEP

• Q: What kind of fruit did you purchase?
• A: Two apples, 2 bananas, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange

• Q: Did you really spend $33?
• A: I spent $33.32 before deductions Here's receipt:

photo by TEP

• Q: Did you decline attending any events this week?
• A: Yes, I declined attending a couple of wine dinners. There will be other events.

• Q: Why are you participating?
• A: I'm participating because not too long ago this scenario was me. Unfortunately, I wasn't eligible for assistance and I subsisted on a meal allowance of $5 to $10 a week.

My goals for today:

• Drink plenty of water
• Bring  carrots and hummus to snack on.
• Watch portion sizes to ensure my food is available all week.

Day 2 is going to be a busy day.  Are you ready follow today's adventure?  What questions do you have for me?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image by InkPlus LLC