T'is The Season...

After three heavenly months away from the stark reality of poverty, the frustrations of working in the industry known as charity and from the political impotance that tends to overwhelm the agency--and system-- I am sometimes begrudgingly  a part of (though I am very much aware of the fact that it is this very system that has allowed me the privilege to "escape" for my leave), I am in better spirits this year to face the do-gooders, their band aid generosity and the lack of agency my "agency" seems to express by thwarting its full political potential out of fear of alienating "donors" during this giving season.

My good humour will not last long as donations pile up, citizens hopped up on Jesus or the desire to treat poverty as a fleeting "learning experience" for their children (at best) or as a feel good corporate wank (at worst), bring armies of folks to the DTES where their christmas kindness is expected and yes, appreciated, but where socks, deodorant, candy, and even money surprisingly don't seem to make a dent in systemic poverty (why else need they come back each year and myself each day?)

My post-vacation bliss will perhaps last a bit longer than I expected as it seems some (I should mention way less established agencies) are cluing in and promoting--gasp!---political change! 

The Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood House has the balls to name to problem by promoting the BC poverty reduction coalition's brazen initiative to educate children about the root causes of social injustice and to urge them--through a more mindful canned food drive--to ask the public to demand the government step up and do its job!

We can all agree that the community does come together to try to address poverty with what limited means we have as mere citizens at our disposal, but nothing is going to change fundamentally if the political climate remains the same. Charity is effective in an emergency situation, but the widening divide between rich and poor in this country is systemic: now woven, just like food banks and shelters which are maxed out, into the very fabric of our lives.

so why are we doing this again?

Not just for kids, check out the "keep your coins and make change" innitiative:  http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2013_prc-food-bank_lesson-plan-complete.pdf

Now if only other agencies could promote this message...

Oh Canada (what next?)

Despite the sadness of the spectacle the political arena has presented in the last while here in Canada (i.e cracked out buffoons running the show, espionage scandals, fiscal snafu's, not to mention the continual funnelling of our ecological wealth at bargain basement prices), I am shocked and disgusted by the news this week of mass cuts and layoffs in our rapidly dwindling public sector, specifically the termination over the next two years of thousands of postal workers, ostensibly due to the "obsolescence" of paper mail and the alleged decrease in revenues. (Though of course the crown corporation's executives get to stick around and collect three figure incomes). 

College instructors who teach technical English to recent immigrants were also delivered a fatal blow this week because the Federal government deems that private and non-profit agencies will do a better (aka less expensive, but at what cost?) job at helping newcomers assimilate to our proud multicultural (equal opportunity?) society. Our immigration policies have always been a bit dubious, but come on! Are we really going to be taking this many steps back? 

It seems that every where you turn Unions are being busted with little support from the public as it seems most people fail to see the bigger picture: that unions protect the rights of workers and strive to maintain a quality of life that every body--not just specific workers-- should have access to. People fail to recognize that with every busted union (hello Ikea and it's 7 month lock out of employees), a minimal  quality of life (key word is QUALITY) is threatened for every one in society, not just the workers of a particular corporation, establishment, or government sector. 

The rhetoric of the "lazy" union worker is easy to buy into when most people do not have access in this day in age to the protections that unionised workers still (though decreasingly) have access to. And while its true that there are issues inherent to unions (I know, I am part of one, yes there are a few who atrophy from a lack of competition and rest on their seniority while passionate workaholics need to do their time and often lose their spark by the time they reach the ranks that afford security), these are always far less problematic and costly to taxpayers than the crimes committed by politicians and others of the white collar persuasion. 

Hey who needs mail when we have the Internet (look around at the ageing population)? Who needs unions when basic human rights are also outmoded? I guess I'm just a left wing nut case to still harbour the crazy ideal that the government should be working for the people. My bad. I imagine that it actually will make more sense for immigrants to take less specialized courses seeing as though their likelihood of getting meaningful work will be even less (we all know what "chances" a nurse from the Philippines has of actually practising in this country) as every one else's opportunities are increasingly limited and we will all be scrambling for the privilege to do shit service work at tiny wages with no protection or rights. 

There is nothing to fight for in a world where we are all dispensable. 

Cerbere, Forgotten City

One of the most memorable places I visited in France was the town of Cerbere, which is kind of like a French Detroit in so far as it was once a booming destination, the epi centre of a vibrant economy, that is now a forgotten town whose population has gradually dwindled and whose once lavish relics stand      vacant and decrepit, though some still quite majestic in a haunting sort of way.

Before the European union erased borders, the mechanization of the railway system, and the development of vast automobile and air plane travel, Cerbere was a place of trade and leisure as it is the last French town before Spain, which is only 4 kilometers away. The train is what built Cerbere. Because the Spanish rail system was different than the french, imported and exported goods had to be moved through manually, which created many jobs for people on both sides of the border. Since it took a while for people to get through the paperwork to cross into Spain, Cerbere became a tourism Mecca as developers saw the opportunity to make the waits appealing. Most notably the ship-shaped Art Deco palace (now a faded beauty), le Belevere Du Rayon Vert Hotel, became a destination in its own right with its high class rooms, roof top tennis court, impressive theatre, and luxurious banquet halls overlooking the Mediterranean sea that appealed to the 1930s glitterati. Josephine Baker even performed there. But now the place is empty despite the owner's painstaking efforts to foster a revival,  save for a few legend seeking tourists (like me) who come for a guided tour or to rent a "revamped" apartment there for a weekend. 

Cerbere feels kind of like a ghost town. The mechanized voice of the National Train Corporation (SNCF) still reverberates through the entire town every hour announcing the incoming trains, but now this is just a pit stop for most travellers. Though if you hang out long enough you can witness some beautiful snippets of Cerbere's present life, for example I listened to a group of old timers sitting on a bench in small renovated concrete covered park and was struck by the beauty of their sing song accent, an interesting mix of Spanish and french, which made more of an impact on me than anything else I saw on this incredible field trip to "la ville au bout du monde."*

*city at the end of the earth, as it's sometimes also called. 

Blindly Lead Me

The other day my boss called me into his office and I just knew it was going to be one of those conversations where I would have steam coming out of my ears.Apparently the "health and safety committee" (one of many committees) of our organization determined that serving expired food to our clients is a health hazard. Really? That never crossed my mind day in day out when I personally hand out two-day old ham sandwiches, five day old yogurt, stale bread and dubious looking hamburger to those we are meant to "help."  So the powers that be have noticed a problem and have given the orders that all food that is past due shall be thrown out.

OK so it seems we are on the same page, at least on the surface, though the inconsistencies of the charity food system are hardly a new discovery. One of the biggest issues or "hazards" from my perspective is that the organization refuses to turn down anything out of fear of offending donors. This means that a larger percentage of what we get is crap, which we spend money (and resources) on sorting and disposing of in the name of PR. This goes for food too, though often we are forced to salvage and serve what we can--without expired food we would not have a meal program; an obscene catch 22 that we are forced to be complicit with, allowing individuals and corporations the opportunity to feel good by dumping garbage (literally sometimes) or non-perishables (same thing) with ignorance and good intention (though you know what they say about those.)

I once got in trouble for saying that I rather have the clients starve to death than to serve them pastries first thing in the morning. Is this not the same attitude on a broader level, served without indignation?

Those at the top have of this inevitably hierarchized system have more power than I do, yet the buck is passed off silently.  Alas the organization is not really getting with the times, they are only repackaging the inadequacy of the system as a shortcoming front line workers need to fix. By framing this issue as a "health and safety" concern limited to the workers of the organization, management is grossly simplifying a complex, systemic issue thereby precluding any meaningful solution to the food situation.

 The conversation really should go beyond whether food is expired or not in an immediate sense. What we should really be speaking about at an organizational level is food insecurity: the degree to which a sizable proportion of the population of this supposedly affluent nation do not have the means with which to access adequate food through acceptable--aka non-soup kitchen--channels. These are the people we are meant to assist. Food insecurity (malnourishment, not simplistically defined hunger) is part of the same issue as housing insecurity, which is the niche the organization I work for ostensibly concerns itself with most. These issues should not be considered separately, they are part and parcel and linked to the economy--the same economy that allows for the overproduction of goods which leads to waste (that gets tossed into the charitable landfill.) As long as the organization refuses to systematically acknowledge and verbalize the short comings of the system we work within we will continue to buy into and perpetuate the worst aspects of charity. Without meaningfully reflecting and dialoguing about our position in the charitable "economy" we will keep simplifying social justice issues as logistical concerns and never move beyond the band aid.

The layers and layers of management aren't coming up with a solution, such as a food policy, an interim donor education program,  a budget for an adequate food program (we all know that it is the more controversial, and infinitely sexier aspects of the "harm reduction" continuum that foster cash flow these days--yet we refuse to talk about this.) As a result it is up to the lowliest cogs in the machine to "innovate" with their few resources and cultural capital.So who looks at the bigger picture?

Community Kitchen: Feast of Falafel

This week, I did my first Community Kitchen in over a month. A hiatus was nice as it gave other staff a chance to run the program and to expose the participants to different styles and flavours--in other words, it gave these gents (and the occasional lady) a break from cilantro and kale. On my end it was nice to replenish a bit.  Community kitchens can be a bit taxing, and there are few things worse than an exhausted and therefore uninspired facilitator ( my long stint taking university courses delivered by lack luster profs taught me at least that).



Our humble spread offsetting the institutional space a bit...

Some time away really helped me realize how much I love this program. In honour of the CK and all the people who have been regulars for almost two years we made an awesome falafel feast! This spread was such a hit that nobody asked for ice cream (one of my coworkers got them used to the good--and not so healthy--stuff in my absence.) And nobody asked "wheres the meat?" or even the cheese! Yes this meal is basically vegan (save for some homemade tzaziki,which can be replaced with tahini, hot sauce, baba ghanouj, hummus or anything at all) and nobody noticed! This version of the falafel is baked so it is also healthier in that respect. We ate ours in a whole wheat pita, but the falafel patties could easily be wrapped in collard or lettuce leaves, or served on top of a salad....I chose the bread option mainly because I didn't want to push it too much with my loyal crew.

Falafel: Makes 12 (cut recipe in half if serving a smaller group, or freeze patties)

2 cans or 1 cup of dry garbanzo beans (with 1/2 cup of water reserved)
1/2 cup of flour of your choice (i used chickpea)
1 tablespoon of baking powder
5 cloves of garlic
a few mint leaves (optional)
1/2 of a cup parsley
1 teaspoon of cumin
dash of cayenne
salt and pepper

Directions:

Turn over on to 350 degrees. Throw everything in a food processor or pound everything in a bowl with the back of a wooden spoon (if moisture is needed add a bit of water or reserved chickpea water.) Roll into ping pong-sized balls. Place balls on a baking sheet greased with coconut oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes (rotate mid-way) and put on broil for the last 5 minutes to achieve crispiness.

Tzaziki-ish:

2 cup Greek yogurt
1 small cucumber-shredded
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 clove of garlic-minced
1/4 cup of dill-minced
1 small shallot sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Throw everything in a bowl and take out your aggressions with your spoon by making circular gestures until everything is combined.

Sandwich assembly:

In wrap of your choice place shredded lettuce or greens of your choice, diced cucumbers, tomatoes and minced parsley. Top with two falafel balls and sauce. Bon appetit!

We also made a killer tabbouleh (I'll be sure to post the recipe soon), and some simple yet very tasty roasted vegetables...

Going Nuts Over DIY Almond Milk (gross pun, awesome recipe)

Most of us know the evils of dairy: the inhumane treatment of cows, the loads of toxic substances they are given to raise their [re] productive value, the fact that milk products actually strip our bones of calcium, and that cow dairy is not    easy to digest (morally and physically.) Many, myself included, avoid dairy (though I could never say a decisive adios to cheese) or opt for dairy free milks. But dairy alternatives aren't all that desirable either. Unfermented soy is increasingly known to be a problematic substance causing hormonal imbalances and certain cancers. And I would much rather eat raw organic cheese from a humanely (relatively speaking) raised cow (or a goat, preferably) than ingest the uber-processed, vegan alternative.

Rarely criticized is commercial almond milk, which has never sat well with me despite it often being recommended as the "healthiest" alternative to dairy.  Take one quick glance at the ingredient list and you can see why! Cane sugar (table sugar's cousin in disguise)? Carrageenan (allegedly a cancer causing compound derived from seaweeds)? Synthetic vitamins? Most commercial brands are pumped with these and a whole whack load of other additives that don't sound like anything I want to put in my body. Also, not all nuts are created equal. I doubt that the companies that put out these products go the extra route of sourcing the best almonds and soaking these to avoid rancidity and toxicity. I also doubt the actual quantity of almonds used. There are no exact ratios printed on the typical cartons we find in the shop, though the low fiber content on most labels is a good indication. 

Thankfully it is super easy to make pure, delicious, healthy almond milk at home. Intrigued for a while by DIY nut milk, it is my most recent trip to Café Bliss in Victoria BC (which I reviewed a few posts ago) that finally compelled me to hit "blend," because I am addicted to their Matcha Latte and live too far to have it everyday. I know that what elevates their drinks to godly levels of awesomeness is that they make their own nut milks. Well now I do too, and so can you!

Almond Milk Recipe (or any nut recipe if you want to mix it up!): 

1 cup of raw organic almonds soaked overnight

3 cups of water

1 spoon full of raw honey or a few dates (optional) for sweetness

1/2 spoon of coconut oil (optional) for added richness

Directions: 

Drain soaked almonds and rinse well. Place soaked almonds and water in a blender or food processor and blend on high. Once mixture is creamy and milky pass through a cheese cloth, fine mesh strainer, or a nut milk bag. Once strained keep the milk as is in a jar (that's how I like it, au naturel) or blend once more with sweetener of your choice and/or coconut oil.

Yields: 

This will yield about four cups of product that will stay fresh for about 4 days. It is not the cheapest addiction as quality almonds are a bit expensive, but will work out to about 10-15 dollars a month for someone like me who uses almond milk only in my morning, water-based matchas. For a cheaper option consider making milk out of oat groats, which is also delicious, healthy, just as easy (same recipe!) and insanely cheap!

PS. Nut bags are in my opinion an awesome investment as they are made of organic and natural fibres, are virtually indestructible, will also generate more product for you, and can be used to make sprouts. The one I use is made locally in Vancouver out of organic hemp and can be ordered online or, if you are lucky to live in Van, at Homesteaders Emporium, a great shop for everything DIY and food related.

Check out this great nut sack (sorry, bad joke) here: 

http://www.grassrootgreens.ca/nut-milk---sprouting-bags.php

PPS. Don't throw out the almond meal! It is super nutritious and can be frozen and used for pancakes, cookies, cakes, as a topping, or (once dehydrated or roasted) as an ingredient in granola and a whack load of other recipes you can come up with...

Community Kitchen: Detox-Slaw and Black Bean Cocoa Chile

As I've mentioned a few times on this blog, I run a community kitchen at my work each week. The food we make is so awesome (and healthy!) that I've decided it's too much

of a shame not to share the recipes here, so I will try to consistently do so from now on.

Since I spent the weekend in Victoria eating decadent foods at some of the many terrific eateries there (that I will write about very soon), I felt, perhaps more so than usual, like making healthy and detoxifying foods for this week's CK.

So we threw together an awesome organic "slaw" consisting of a bevy of ingredients that detoxify the body and facilitate digestion. No mayo here! A simple, tasty combination of shredded beets, carrots, julienned apple and fennel, tossed with a dressing of alkalizing apple-cider vinegar, fresh squeezed OJ, and olive oil. Of course it doesn't hurt to throw in some immune boosting (and tasty) spices like  cayenne, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric, along with a ton of fresh garlic. Abundant fresh parsley tied it all together and added even more colour and antioxidant punch to the mix!

I wanted something tasty and grounding as well. Enter my dad's black bean chili. This is the one vegetarian dish in his repertoire so he makes it for me each time I visit, which might explain why my visits are becoming more frequent as of late ;) This dish consists of a combination of refreshing cilantro, crunchy red peppers and sweet black beans and is deceivingly simple as it harbours complex flavours that will rock your taste buds like nobody's business. On top of the cayenne, chili powder and a generous amount of of garlic,  I added cocoa to mine for extra depth of flavour (feel free to switch with raw cacao at the end for a nutritional boost), as well as smoked paprika for a bit of kick--though the traditional cumin alone is more than decent.

Black beans are magic as they naturally regulate blood sugar levels, making them appropriate for my diabetic participants ( and for a mega sweet-tooth like yours truly!) We served the chili on a bed of red rice, a nutty flavoured, whole grain that is as delicious as it is grounding. We topped the whole affair with shredded organic sharp cheddar, green onion and a dollop of natural Balkan yogurt.

This simple but explosive meal had even the most stubbornly carnivorous CK participant reaching for thirds.

Proportions for 8 people:

Detox Slaw: Ready in 15 minutes including prep (with a food processor)

In a large Bowl Combine:

3 large Beets- shredded

3 medium carrots-shredded

1 medium fennel bulb-julienned

2 apples of your choice-julienned

1 bunch of parsley -chopped

3 cloves of garlic-minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 chunk of ginger root minced

Handful of unsulfured raisins (optional)

Handful of hemp or pumpkin seeds (optional)

In a separate Bowl whisk:

3 large oranges-juiced

1/4 cup of Olive Oil

1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of Cayenne

1 teaspoon of turmeric

Toss everything together and voila!

Black Bean Cocoa Chile: ready in half and hour including prep/longer if you have time!

1 large sweet onion-diced

4 standard-sized cans of black beans-drained and rinsed (or use dry)

4 medium red peppers-diced

2 jars of organic strained tomatoes

5-6 cloves of garlic-minced

1/2 bunch of cilantro-finely chopped with some stems

1 lime-juiced

1 tablespoon of cocoa-levelled

Cayenne-to your taste

Chile Pepper-to your taste

1 jalapeno- sliced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 dash of coconut oil (or olive)

Directions:

In a pot, brown your onions in the coconut oil. Once these become translucent, add your peppers until they are softened. Add the strained tomatoes and all the spices except for the cocoa. Let simmer for 10 minutes or more to develop flavours, then add beans and 2/3rds of the cilantro as well as the garlic and jalapeno. Let simmer for a while remaining mindful of not letting the beans soften too much (dry will remain toothsome for much longer). Turn element off and stir in cocoa, the  rest of the cilantro, along with the lime juice. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve!