Food Preservation Workshop, Blacksburg

Canning season is upon us, and I’m pleased to announce that Master Food Volunteer Diane Blust and I are officially trained to lead canning classes!

Diane and I left for Blacksburg at the crack of dawn and spent the afternoon training on safe canning methods. Fellow Master Food Volunteers, Master Gardeners, and Extension staff attended the training, which was part of the 2012 Master Garden College. Extension Specialists Renee Boyer, PhD, and Melissa Chase, PhD, demonstrated boiling water and pressure canning methods for preserving fresh tomatoes.

I’m really excited for our canning classes this summer and fall! So far, we have classes scheduled in two community centers in Reston, Whole Foods Market in Vienna, and at the Fairlington Center in Arlington. Please check the schedule and let me know if you’re interested.

We are looking for help from novices and experts alike! Stay tuned for opportunities to teach and learn about fermenting and other food preservation methods, too. 

VCE has wonderful food preservation resources available! Check them out if you haven't seen them. 

Hummus was a huge hit at the Health Fair in Pentagon City!

Fellow nutrition advocates, I’ve dreamed for years to write the words, “hummus was a huge hit.” Thanks to help from Maritza Castro, Arlington VCE’s summer intern; Latesha Olliston, Master Food Volunteer; and our partners at the TSA Health Unit; my dreams are coming true!

VCE Family & Consumer Sciences hosted a table at a health fair for federal employees by Pentagon City Mall on Wednesday. Maritza and I spent the afternoon educating attendees on healthy protein choices and the important work VCE FCS is doing for the local community. Latesha helped with the event planning and was so sad to be pulled away for work at the last minute. We missed you, Latesha!

We handed out nutrition education information from VCE, “Keep you and your family lean with lean protein.” I love this handout because it includes easy instructions on cooking dried beans. This paired perfectly with our bean dip samples.

I prepared 150 samples of homemade bean dip for employees to taste. I made three batches using bold, flavor-forward ingredients, so people could see how easy and tasty these healthful snacks can be. Since I cooked the beans from scratch and added a just touch of salt at the end, these recipes only had about 110 mg sodium (5% DV) in a ¼ cup serving.

Black Bean Hummus: Black beans, tahini, garlic, fresh lemon juice, cumin, and smoked paprika
Curry Spiced: Chickpeas, curry paste, garlic, a touch of tamarind concentrate, and roasted red pepper
Creamy Basil and Sundried Tomato: Great Northern beans, lots of fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, garlic, and fresh lemon juice

The USDA’s “10 Tips Education Series” handouts were also very well received. People are drawn to the beautiful design and practical tips.

Jennifer and I will have plenty of volunteer opportunities for future fairs, and we hope you can join us! 

Master Food Volunteers at Taste of Reston Festival

Families attending Taste of Reston found a healthful haven this year at the Family & Consumer Sciences booth. Master Food Volunteers partnered with the Reston YMCA and our friends at the Northern Virginia Association of Family & Consumer Sciences to put nutrition education in the spotlight.

We invited attendees to spin the nutrition trivia wheel to win a prize.

Kids took a break from the sun to color their own “MyPlate” with pictures of their favorite fruits, veggies, proteins, grains, and dairy.

MFVs Sue Lagon, Diane Blust, and Jin Sim engaged and educated attendees with free healthy eating resources. Next time, we’ll be sure to bring more handouts from the USDA’s 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series, especially the “kid-friendly veggies and fruits” handout!

Thank you to Marcia McDevitt and Charleen Deasy from the Fairfax County Extension Leadership Council for organizing the event! And, thank you to Janet, Sandy, et al for making this a success! 

Look out for a feature story on Master Food Volunteers in “Real Virginia,” a TV program from our friends at the VA Farm Bureau who came to film us at this event. We hope it will be part of their July 2012 broadcast.