KU’s Center for African American Health partners with the community for a holiday outreach program

As part of its mission to address chronic diseases within Black and African American communities, the Center for African American Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center partnered with Nourish KC to present Connecting Community Through Cooking, a Thanksgiving event featuring the preparation of a healthy holiday meal.

Nourish KC is a community kitchen in Kansas City, Missouri, that rescues fresh local food, prepares nutritious meals and serves as a community partner to address hunger’s core causes.

At the event, held Saturday, Nov. 23, at Nourish KC, volunteers distributed food boxes with recipes to prepare healthy meals. There also was a food preparation demonstration to help educate people with health concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes. There was a special outreach to adolescents aged 12 and older, as chronic diseases often run in families.

“This event highlighted practical cooking skills and promoted wellness through nutrition, empowering families with knowledge that supports healthier lifestyles,” said Dora Scroggins, project manager at the Center for African American Health. “Our goal was to provide an enriching experience that brings community together in a meaningful way.”

Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant, executive director and founder of The Prospect KC, a catering service and wholesale bakery within the Nourish KC community kitchen, was on hand to provide her expertise. She also is an award-winning chef who appeared on the Food Network’s competition show, “Cutthroat Kitchen.”

McAfee-Bryant provided an overview of how to incorporate healthy cooking on a budget and how to incorporate various types of produce into recipes. During the class, she also explained the process of making vegetable stock. “You can keep scraps of vegetables left over from making other meals and store them in a plastic bag in your freezer,” she said. “Then just use them when you are ready to make stock to flavor your greens or soup.”

One group in the kitchen made steamed cauliflower with garlic while McAfee-Bryant gave instructions on how to bring out the best flavor in vegetables. “Caramelization gives flavor,” she said. “Steaming or roasting brings out the natural sugars and preserves the integrity of the cauliflower, rather than boiling, where it takes on too much water.”

Using healthy and low-sodium ingredients, participants made a variety of dishes, including sweet potato casserole with pecan crust, Creole-style roasted vegetables and apple crisp with spiced oats. Following the class, they shared a meal in the dining room where more than 500 people come every day for a free meal.

KU Medical Center launched the Center for African American Health in 2023. The center focuses on service, education, research and policy as it works to build trust in the community and eliminate other barriers in health care.