We LOVE Culinary Arts and cooking-based activities on the ClubX Blog! It’s an opportunity to promote healthy habits positively, integrate cultural traditions and its something youth enjoy that often isn’t done during the school day. Read on to learn more about a recent Club event and get an easy recipe you can make with youth.
Introducing youth to their own cultural background and the cultures of others can be an enjoyable and meaningful experience!
Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the largest Native youth service provider in the nation, with more than 227 Clubs reaching over 120,000 Native youth. Native Clubs prioritize the well-being of youth, families, communities and staff through culture, life-enhancing programs and mentorship that fosters resiliency for Native young people and meets the needs of the community.
The Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation recently organized a cooking class for children in order to educate them further on the significance of food in their Native American heritage.
The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is to assist in the development and enhancement of the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of all young people in the surrounding area by providing a safe positive place to learn and grow. The Club bases its programs on membership, promoting indigenous culture, community involvement, and its recognized role as an advocate for youth.
All Potawatomi originated in the present-day Great Lakes Region. Over the course of history, the Potawatomi people were separated and now consist of nine distinct federally recognized bands. One of the nine bands migrated to Mayetta, KS and is named the Prairie Band or Shkotani “Prairie People.” Today, the Nation stewards a herd of over 300 Bison on the Potawatomi Reservation.
Power Crunch, a Boys & Girls Clubs of America partner, granted the Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation a kitchen refresh! The Club was able to purchase an industrial dishwasher and water softener, make plumbing updates, replacing the sink, garbage disposal, and chemical dispensers, and add sound absorbing to the walls. Power Crunch is proud to aid in Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s mission to celebrate the unique strengths of Native communities and work in partnership with tribes to support young people in being resilient, healthy, and successful.
In celebration of the kitchen refresh, celebrity Chef Pyet DeSpain visited the Club to teach the youth how to cook a traditional Three Sisters Salad. This salad has a rich history and is a great way to educate young people about Native American culture. The instructions are simple and easy to follow, making it the perfect recipe to replicate with your own youth.
What is the Three Sisters Salad?
The Three Sisters refer to the crops used in a salad: corn, beans, and squash. They were grown together by Native American women in large groups, earning the name Three Sisters. These crops complement each other and thrive when grown together – beans climb the cornstalks, while the squash plants spread out below to prevent weeds and retain moisture in the soil. This makes corn the older sister, beans the middle sister, and squash the little sister. According to Chef Pyet, the Three Sisters are really powerful together because together they are a perfect protein to fuel and power our bodies!
Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):
- 1/2 teaspoon sunflower seed oil
- 1/4 white onion, medium dice
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed (1 eleven-ounce can)
- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
- 15 ounces cooked black beans (or canned)
- Half of 1 lime
- Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the sunflower seed oil to fully coat the skillet, allow oil to heat.
- Add onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add the corn, zucchini, thyme, cilantro and stir to combine.
- Cook for 2 minutes, gently mix, then cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Drain the beans, add to the skillet, and gently mix again.
- Season with the salt and pepper.
- Cover with a lid and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Squeeze lime over salad and serve warm.
Helpful tips when recreating with your youth!
- Have the ingredients pre portioned into individual dishes.
- As you get to each step, also explain what the directions mean (words like sauté, translucent, gently mix, etc. may be new to them!).
- Have enough adults on hand to help make sure burners stay at correct heat and no food or fingers get burnt.
Find more ways to integrate Native traditions and history into your programming in these ClubX Blog posts:
How do you incorporate cultural programming in creative ways? What are your favorite recipes to make with youth? Let us know! Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org.
Leave a Reply