Newness

By Shola Oladipo, Food for Purpose CEO 

Hello friends,

As Spring is literally peeping round the corner, I am looking forward to the beauty of the new season. Of course, Easter also approaches, reminding us  of new birth and regeneration. It’s all about NEWNESS!

I am strong believer that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. In the wise words of King Solomon: each season has a way of ‘schooling us’ to live more wisely. 

One thing that is constant in life, is change. Change can be beautiful, especially when we understand why it is needed and we embrace the sometimes rigorous stages involved . Change truly requires a willingness to be teachable, and ability to pour out the old wine - because the new wine is sweeter and better!

At FFP we are in a process of spring cleaning and change, as we eagerly work towards our 2023 goal of BEING BETTER. Along the way, we’ve considered our brand identity, and perceived the need to leave the old, and bring in the new. After much deliberation, consideration and consultation  - we are delighted to share our new logo which really characterises our identity and our mission.

Well, what do you think of the new Food for Purpose logo? We would love to have your views!

Are you going through a period of much needed change? Is it time for newness? Perhaps the old is proving hard to shake off due to emotional ties? I can attest to feeling a bit clingy to the old, and admittedly realise, more than ever, that accepting the need for change requires  time and true courage. I am also convinced that this results in BEING BETTER!

Enjoy the new season, embracing the changes and newness this brings!

 Featured this Month

• CEO Says - Newness

• News

• Recipe of the Month - Caribbean Chicken Pelau

• A-Z of Soul Food - H is for Honey Beans

• Dance Aerobics Classes in South London

• Special Guest Contributor - Introducing Aditi Mudaliar - Student Dietitian 

• Miss Tea's Blog

 Food for Purpose News

• HCI in Lambeth

  • This concludes soon - if you are a church in Lambeth and wish to participate - please drop us a line on admin@foodforpurpose.org

• Dance Aerobics for Women

  • Coming soon to Lewisham and Greenwich - see details below

• May is National Walking Month

  • Watch out for more announcements

• Cooking Classes

  • We run cooking classes with a difference! Looking for sessions which embrace African and Caribbean culture and mindful of health facts? Drop us a line for more information.

• Specialist Speakers

  • Are you looking for a specialist speaker for your upcoming health seminars? Contact us for innovative, interactive, culturally tailored and evidence based modules. We cover a variety of areas such as:  Cultural humility in healthcare, Pain and Nutrition, Diabetes in Black faith communities, and Nutrition and mental health. 

• National days / weeks / months in April

  • 1st-30th - Stress Awareness Month

  • 1st-30th - Active for April (Bowel Cancer UK) - Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

  • 2nd - World Autism Awareness Day

  • 7th - World Health Day

  • 27th - On Your Feet Britain

Caribbean Chicken Pelau

This traditional one-pot dish is popularly eaten across the Caribbean, particularly in Trinidad & Tobago, St. Lucia and Grenada. It is traditionally made using a delicious combination of rice, caramelised chicken or meat, pigeon peas, coconut milk, vegetables, chillies and green seasoning.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thighs and/or drumsticks

• 1 tsp oil

• Black pepper  

• 1 tsp curry powder 

• 1 tsp thyme or mixed herbs 

• 1 tbsp green seasoning (blend of spring onions, garlic, thyme, parsley, white onion and optional chillies)

• 1/2 cup brown lentils or pigeon peas

• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

• 1 seasoning cube

• 3 cups water 

• 1 cup rice 

• 1/2 can half fat coconut milk 

• 2 scotch bonnet peppers

Method:

1. Season chicken with oil, black pepper, curry powder, mixed herbs and green seasoning blend. 

2. Mix well by hand to evenly coat the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

3. In a large Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, heat the oil.

4. Add the chicken, and brown it, turning it very frequently to prevent it from sticking, for about 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Add the lentils, water, seasoning cube and stir well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

6. Add the rice and carrots and pour in coconut milk.

7. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked and all the liquid has evaporated.

8. Remove from heat and serve hot with fresh parsley or coriander.

 A-Z of Soul Food

This month, we’re celebrating Honey Beans for the letter H

Honey Beans

Honey beans, also known as Ewa Oloyin beans (in the Yoruba language) or Oloyi beans, are a variety of beans that are popular in Nigerian cuisine. These beans are a key ingredient in many traditional Nigerian dishes such a Ewa Agoyin and are prized for their rich flavour and unique texture. Honey beans are a variety of the cowpeas with a slightly sweeter taste, and have been cultivated in West Africa for many years.

To prepare Honey beans, they first need to be sorted and washed to remove any dirt or debris. The beans are then soaked overnight in cold water to soften them, which reduces the cooking time. Once the beans have been soaked, they are cooked in a pot of water over low to medium heat for around 45 minutes to an hour or until they are tender. The beans can also be cooked in a pressure cooker for faster preparation.

Honey beans are a highly nutritious food that is high in protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals. A 100-gram serving of cooked honey beans provides around 8 grams of protein, 6 grams of fibre, and is a good source of iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also low in fat and calories, making them a great choice for those looking to maintain a healthy diet.

In the UK, honey beans can be purchased at African food stores and online retailers that specialise in African foods. Honey beans are mostly sold in the dried form and are a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different recipes. They are often used in traditional Nigerian dishes such as Moi moi, a savoury steamed bean cake, and Akara, a fried bean cake. Nigerian honey beans can also be used to make bean stews, soups, and salads, and can be added to casseroles and curries for added texture and flavour.

Cooking and eating beans can be more sustainable for several reasons:

1. Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: Beans have a lower carbon footprint compared to animal-based protein sources such as beef, pork, or chicken. This is because beans require less land, water, and energy to produce, and they do not produce methane emissions from animal manure.

2. Health benefits: Beans are a nutrient-dense food that can provide a range of health benefits. They are a good source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients, and they can help lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

3. Reduced food waste: Beans have a longer shelf life compared to many animal-based protein sources, which means they are less likely to go to waste. Additionally, beans can be purchased in bulk and stored for extended periods, reducing the need for frequent trips to the grocery store and the associated transportation emissions.

Whether you are looking to make traditional Nigerian dishes or experiment with new recipes, honey beans are a great ingredient to have in your pantry.

Picture courtesy of the Housefood Africa website:
https://housefood.africa/product/honey-beans-1kg/

 Dance Aerobics Classes in South London

By Precious Oladipo, FFP Director & Fitness Lead

This just in, Food for Purpose have received funding to run Dance Aerobics sessions in South London! We received quite a lot of interest following our physical activity questionnaire, and now it’s coming to life. The sessions are likely to be taking place in Greenwich and Lewisham following your votes, so watch this space!

Dancing is a form of physical activity and contributes to your 150 minutes of physical activity a week. You don’t necessarily have to be fit or flexible, neither do you need rhythm – all you need to do is have fun. Dance engages multiple muscle groups, so it can be classed as a full body workout.

Since it is an aerobic (activity that increases the heart rate and the body’s use of oxygen) exercise, it will improve your cardiovascular health. Research has shown that moderate intensity dancing has been linked to a lower risk of death from heart disease. Dancing can also help to maintain or build bone density which is very important as we age. Not only does it improve your heart health and bone density, but it is also great for your mobility, flexibility, and coordination. Let’s also not forget about the social element – it’s a great way to bring your friends together or even make new ones!

Always make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothing and footwear – a bottle of water close by will help too because hydration is key, but most importantly, make sure you have fun!

 Special Guest Contributor

Introducing Aditi Mudaliar - Student Dietitian 

Culture & Ethnicity

I am a South Asian, final year student dietitian passionate about food, nutrition, well-being and everything in between! I find the world of nutrition and the importance of honouring ethnic backgrounds pivotal in supporting people with their health.

As a new generation of personalised nutrition is unfolding, it raises the question of:

”If we can't acknowledge the fundamentals of our individuality, how are we meant to deliver best practice?”

To me, nutrition, and dietetics is a field where appreciation of culture, ethnicity, and background should be at the forefront. There have been many occasions where BAME individuals don't take the services we need because they haven't traditionally catered to us. 

We have the ability to make a real difference if we integrate true person-centred care! 

Hello again PY peeps!  How are you doing? 🥰 Hope all is well with you and yours and that life is being good to you 😊

This month, I'm sharing some smartphone hacks with you lovely people, which are mostly iPhone related, however, I promise to follow-up with a selection of Android phone hacks in future if enough of you would like me to 📱🤳🏾

Make sure to hit us up on our socials if you’d like to see this or indeed anything else covered here👍🏾

Make Music Louder on an iPhone

Not for all places and occasions but sometimes, you just need a bit more volume and here’s the hack to help you achieve it

From the Settings menu:

1. Scroll down to Music and select

2. Scroll down to EQ and select

3. Scroll down to Late Night and select

And there you have it! Louder music than you thought was achievable

DISCLAIMER

If you get in any trouble or work anyone’s last nerve with your loud music, I’m not responsible 😆

Save Space on an iPhone

Do you have a bunch of duplicate entries in your phone Contacts? I think most people have and it’s one of those things that you never seem to get around to putting right, so you’ve got this information taking up space unnecessarily.

There’s a simple way to deal with this quickly and easily:

1. Go to Contacts

2. Scroll right to the bottom

3. Click on the link directly underneath where it tells you the total number contacts you have stored on your device

4. Click the Merge All button to merge all the duplicates into single entries and you’re done! 🥳

Charge your SmartPhone Faster

This works on Apple and Android devices and couldn’t be simpler - just put your phone in ‘Airplane Mode’ if ever you have limited time and need to charge your phone quickly.

In this setting, your device won’t be using energy / resources keeping all the background apps running so will be able to charge much faster 👍🏾

iCloud on the Web

For those times when you’d rather do stuff from a computer rather than your phone, which can also be accessed on Windows devices as well as Macs - why not use iCloud?

Once enabled, iCloud allows you to access your mail, contacts, calendar, photos, notes, reminders, files and documents on the web at iCloud.com

To enable it:

1. From the Settings screen

2. Click on your name at the top then

3. Select iCloud

4. Scroll to the very bottom of the screen

5. Toggle the Access iCloud Data on the Web to ‘on’

   You can set your browser to remember your login credentials for 30 days so even if the worst were to happen and you lost your phone, you would still be able to access the vast majority of your data.
   
   Well worth setting up ‘just in case’ 😊

Back Tap

Last but not least - I’m bringing you the ‘back tap’ gesture which I really do love and only found out about recently! ❤️

This allows you to create shortcuts which you can access by tapping the back of your phone twice or three times.

It may take a little finessing in terms of knowing exactly where to tap and how hard, for example - my phone’s sweet spot is about an inch above the Apple logo, slightly to the right. Also, having a back case on your phone will affect the intensity of the tap, obviously.

To set it up:

1. Go to Settings

2. Type Back Tap in the search box

3. Click on the Touch option that appears

4. Scroll down to the bottom and click on Back Tap to set your preferred shortcuts

As you can see, I have a shortcut to Screenshots for a double tap and for the torch on a triple tap

Cool huh? 😎