Inside the Demonstration Kitchen at the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail Area

The new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area is more than just a health clinic. It’s a hub designed to connect the dots for healthy living, strong families and thriving communities. And nothing says community quite like gathering in the kitchen and whipping up a meal together.

That’s the idea behind the health center’s Demonstration Kitchen. Outfitted with commercial-grade appliances, the kitchen is designed to welcome Las Vegas Trail residents to the table for cooking classes and nutrition counseling and education. It will be an interactive space, where guests can engage with one another while learning how to choose and prepare healthy meals on a budget.

“The first thing you see when you walk in is the large kitchen island, and that’s where I foresee myself and the other instructors having everybody gathered around,” said Maya Rashad, MPH, RDN, LD, Cook Children’s dietitian and Nutrition Program coordinator at the center. “It’s an intimate setting and designed to be a community space that fosters conversation and getting to know your neighbor. We want the community to feel comfortable talking and interacting with each other during the classes.”

Nutrition education will be peppered throughout each class as guests dice, slice and whisk their way to a delicious meal.

“I think that’s important because a lot of people are given nutrition knowledge, but my teachers always told me that teaching about nutrition without involving cooking is like teaching someone math without the textbook.”

While the Demonstration Kitchen has all of the capabilities of a restaurant kitchen, many of the recipes taught will be adaptable to whatever cooking tool a guest has access to at home, be it a microwave, crock pot, hot plate or full range and oven.

Just steps away from the demonstration kitchen is the West Aid Food Pantry—a perfect pairing that connects the dots of turning a bag full of groceries into a nutritious family meal. With 32% of Las Vegas Trail residents living below the poverty level, many rely on food assistance from West Aid just to get by.

“We do have classes planned that will teach how to eat healthy when needing to be resourceful, whether that’s having limited cooking supplies or relying on food pantries for the majority of your monthly meal needs,” Rashad says.

Rashad hopes what is learned in the Demonstration Kitchen will be carried into the home—like cherished family recipes—nurturing generations of healthy choices and lifestyles.

Cook Children’s website has a full calendar of classes, which will be led by several trusted community partners. The first class is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 20. Led by Mother’s Milk Bank, it will focus on the benefits of breastfeeding and nutrition for breastfeeding mothers. Just like the availability of fresh ingredients changes with the season, the Demonstration Kitchen will tailor its menu according to feedback from the community.

“We really do want to honor the Las Vegas Trail community in the planning and selection of classes,” Rashad said. We are going to continuously get feedback and provide new class options. This concept is all new, so we’ll be learning right along with the community.”

Visit the Demonstration Kitchen’s website for a complete list of classes.

Rashad’s tips for cooking on a budget:

• Shop the season. Choose fruits and vegetables that are naturally ripe and harvested during the current time of year. They’re often less expensive and will be bursting with flavor and nutrients.
• Load up on plant-based proteins. Dried or canned beans, lentils, and grains are often more affordable than meat and go a long way in meals.
• Cooking in bulk is both a cost and time saver. Freeze leftovers for a quick and easy meal another day.

Need help getting started? Here’s a simple one-skillet recipe from eatright.org using budget-friendly ingredients for a quick weeknight dinner.

Savory Penne with Lentils and Kale

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking Time: 27 minutes
• Ingredients
  • ½ cup brown lentils
  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) light olive oil
  • ½ cup onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 2 cups dry whole-wheat penne pasta
  • 1½ cups (360 milliliters) canned crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup frozen kale, chopped
  • ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse lentils in a fine mesh strainer and remove any debris.
2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onions and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. To the pan, add lentils, pasta, crushed tomatoes, 2½ cups (600 milliliters) water, salt, black pepper, oregano and basil. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Set a timer for 18 minutes.
4. After the timer goes off, lift the lid and place the frozen kale on top of the mixture. Replace the lid and cook for another 4 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
5. Serve in bowls and top evenly with chopped walnuts and parsley.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1¼ cups (291 grams). Serves 6
• Calories: 217; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 212mg; Total Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 9g; Potassium: 442mg; Phosphorus: 188mg.

This recipe originally appeared in Food & Nutrition Magazine^®, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.