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!