NOTCH's cooking class teaches heart-healthy recipes

ENOSBURGH — A small group gathered around a table of colorful produce Wednesday at Enosburgh Public Library to cook lunch together.

From chopping to blending to whisking and flipping, there was a fun and educational, hands-on task for everyone.

All summer-long, Northern Tier Center for Health has coordinated free classes like this one across the county, teaching people to cook easy, heart-healthy meals. Jessika Goewey, NOTCH’s healthy choices coordinator, wheels her cart of kitchen tools into libraries and community centers to bring people together over nutritious food.

“The goal is to show people small changes can make a big difference,” Goewey said.

In Enosburgh on Wednesday, participants helped to cook savory Korean pancakes and a cucumber salad. A unique twist on the traditional breakfast staple, the pancakes swapped white flour and sugars for vegetables and whole grains.

100% whole wheat flour is a good source of fiber, which has many benefits, including promoting gut health and reducing risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association, from which NOTCH sources their recipes, recommends eating three or more servings of whole grains a day.

During Wednesday’s class, participants chopped bell peppers, carrots and zucchini, which were thrown in the food processor before being added to the pancake batter.

“This is a good way to sneak in vegetables for kids or adults,” Goewey said.

She recommended using whatever vegetables are seasonally available or on sale at the grocery store. The ability to adapt is a must-have trait in a good home cook.

Siblings Sam and Remy Siwko already enjoy cooking, but they’ve attended several of NOTCH’s cooking classes this summer because they like being introduced to new ingredients.

“This has definitely expanded my palette,” Remy said. “It’s been great to go home with new recipes so we’re not making the same meals all the time.”

Last week, Remy learned to make zucchini pesto pasta with Goewey, discovering another delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into their diet. Classes this summer also focused on heart-healthy tacos, using lean beef, black beans and fresh salsa.

No matter the recipe, all classes aim to teach participants how to cook with heart-healthy fats, use less sodium and add more vegetables.

Remy Siwko tosses the cucumber salad during class Sept. 3. “It’s been great to go home with new recipes so we’re not making the same meals all the time,” they said.

Bridget Higdon

At the end of each session, participants typically get to take home a few leftover ingredients so they have a hard-start on cooking the recipes again at home. On Wednesday, participants went home with a bag of whole wheat flour, vegetables and a half-dozen eggs.

NOTCH provides medical and dental care services at 10 health centers in Franklin County, but Goewey said the cooking classes encourage prevention and health-conscious thinking deeper in the community.

Sam Siwko, the assistant director at Enosburgh Public Library, said food-based programs are the library’s most-popular and there’s demand to add real kitchen space. The library’s “Spice of the Month” program introduces participants to a new spice through cooking with it, and the garden club is fast-growing in participation and new ideas.

“Food is a good way to bring together the community,” Remy said.