Top 10 Skills from Camp Delicious!

by Leslie Bonci, Co-Director, Camp Delicious!

Nothing tastes better than a home-made meal, unless of course you can make it yourself. At Camp Delicious! young chefs, age 12 to 17, will gain hands-on experience with simple yet sophisticated recipes that they’ll be able to repeat at home. In this five-day camp, teens will explore essential cooking techniques, while developing important life-skills from professional chefs that are sure to have a long-lasting impact. Is your teen ready for the challenge? We've compiled a list of our top 10 reasons why your teen will love to create his/her own culinary masterpieces, make new friends and maybe even discover a new career path!

10:

All campers will learn knife skills to help them perfect their slice and dice.

9:

All campers will learn what it is like to be an active participant in the kitchen through chopping, stirring, mixing, rolling, kneading and NO sitting. Chefs are on their feet all day.

8:

The three T’s of food can put us in an eating mood. The world of taste is a cool one to discover. Not only the ones we know: sweet, salty, sour and bitter, but also the opportunity to do taste pairings and sharing. In addition, temperature and texture increase or decrease our preferences for certain foods.

7:

Being a conscious consumer is more than reading labels, it is also learning how to curb food waste. We will learn about how to minimize waste, what to do with what we don’t use and why it is so important to do so.

6:

Since 94% of the US population falls short of getting the recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies, Camp Delicious focuses on ways to increase and optimize produce consumption through what we pour, what we put on the plate, and how we snack.

5:

Hands on, hands in is the motto for Camp Delicious! We want our campers to be in the know about what grows, so into the garden we go. We will be literally from ground to table as we cultivate and appreciate the goodness of the garden into our recipes.

4:

Since cooking occurs with many different types of equipment, our campers will be proficient in using burners, blenders, electric skillets and cooking in a food truck. It is the skill that provides the thrill and an opportunity to educate that the way food is prepared to get to the plate can be a traditional stove, or a wok, or grill.

3:

Just as we all wear what we like and feels comfortable to us, the same is true with food. We need to customize the look, the taste and the combination of foods to fit our bodies, our palate and our wallet.

2:

Learning how to cook is a gift that keeps on giving. When we can prepare a meal for ourselves, we can also prepare for family members, friends and know how to nourish ourselves through college and as adults.

1:

Culinary aptitude can be turned into a career. Chefs can work all over the world, at restaurants, spas, for sports teams, for catering companies, for industry, at the White House, as private chefs, for supermarkets, universities, and sometimes on TV!

To learn more about Camp Delicious! or any of our other exciting, fun and unique Summer Camps for Teens, visit luminari.org, email us at luminari@luminari.org or call us at (412) 877 -1888.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy our newsletter. Receive each new post delivered right to your inbox, plus some can’t-miss news and program updates from Luminari. Sign up here.

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Leslie is the Owner of Active Eating Advice: be fit, fed and fearless. She works with individual clients, Carnegie Mellon University athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She strives to help her clients, viewers and readers cultivate a love for food, appreciate what fueling well does for the body, and communicate the message of being a foodie instead of a feudie.

From Feudies to Foodies

by Leslie Bonci, Director, Camp Delicious!

Although nutrition is a hot topic, it as an area fraught with confusion, crowding and confrontation. Food blaming, body shaming, and food phobia have created an environment of feud over food resulting in consumer distrust and mistrust.

As a registered dietitian, I spend a great deal of time translating nutrition recommendations and science into communicable, easily digestible bites. Credibility is key, but empathy, reality and practicality are all important as well.

What are some of the issues?

• There is too much easily accessible nutrition information available 24/7
• Just because we eat, it doesn’t mean that we are all experts in nutrition
• What is trendy in food is not always the most nutritious nor is it always necessary
• Good vs bad food mentality: Some people may have food allergies, intolerance and sensitivities so particular foods may not be good for them, but the only “bad” foods are foods that are spoiled
• Self diagnosed nutrition concerns without medical justification
• Too much emphasis placed on external look vs internal health
• Culinary incompetency: we like to watch cooking shows, but the skills involved making a shopping list, going to the supermarket, and preparing food is becoming a lost art. Knowing how to shop and cook are survival skills
• Sensationalism over science
• Highlighting individual micro, phyto or macro-nutrients rather than entire food emphasis
• Desire for immediate results with minimal effort
• Shift away from shopping and meal preparation in favor of dining out, prepared meals or ready to eat/heat
• Elimination without discrimination: there is NO need to cut foods out of your diet unless there is medical justification. Going dairy-free, gluten-free or fat-free may result in nutritional deficiencies over the long term
• Focus on what to take off the plate rather than what is on the plate
• Not thinking beyond the food to the eating environment and food habits

Let me offer some suggestions to create a better attitude about what we eat, and gratitude for our bodies:

• Foods that provide the good for you: palate, physical benefits
• Affordability and accessibility
• Minimize waste
• Get in the kitchen with food
• Focus on what your body allows you to do
• Don’t be a slave to the scale or a clothing size

Challenge yourself to be kind to your body, be mindful of what you choose to eat and find what gives you happiness, enjoyment and fun!

- Leslie

***

Leslie is the Owner of Active Eating Advice: be fit, fed and fearless. She works with individual clients, Carnegie Mellon University athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She strives to help her clients, viewers and readers cultivate a love for food, appreciate what fueling well does for the body, and communicate the message of being a foodie instead of a feudie.

Top 5 Reasons to be a Teen Foodie!

Luminari's Camp Delicious! 2016 begins July 11. So we're counting down the TOP 5 Reasons Your Teen should SIGN UP....

WHO? TEENS AGE 12 – 17
When? JULY 11 – 15, 2016 (9 am – 3 pm)
Where? It is a week of many venues – not unlike a recipe with many ingredients! Campers will take field trips to other kitchens, farms, markets and places including GrowPittsburgh.
How much? $295.00

Learn more or register today for one of our fun and unique summer camps for teens at www.luminari.org or call at 412-877-1888.

Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Prune Puree, Harissa and Walnuts

by Leslie Bonci, Enjoy!

QUIT POUTING, GET SPROUTING!

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PRUNE PUREE, HARISSA AND WALNUTS

1 pound Brussel sprouts, washed, stems cut off,  outer leaves removed  and cut tin half

2 Tablespoons olive oil

¾ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon harissa paste

1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons plum puree*

½ teaspoon honey

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. In a bowl, combine Brussel sprout halves, olive oil, salt, pepper and Harissa paste. Mix until blended. Place Brussel sprouts on the cookie sheet and roast about 20 minutes. Check halfway through to flip them to ensure even cooking.

Remove from heat and add in Balsamic, plum puree, honey and walnuts.

Dried plum puree

1-1/3 cups dried plums

6 Tablespoons hot water

Blend in a blender or food processor until pureed. Keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Servings: 4 ½ cup servings

Per serving:

Calories: 170

Total Fat: 13.6 grams

Total Carbohydrate: 11.5 grams

Fiber: 4.95 grams

Sugar: 2.75 grams

Protein: 5.3 grams

TAKE 2: ACTIVE EATING ADVICE with Leslie Bonci

by Leslie Bonci, Director, Camp Delicious!

For 25 years, I had the opportunity to work at UPMC, both at Falk Clinic and then at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine as the director of Sports Nutrition. The job was demanding, time consuming but incredibly rewarding. This summer, I decided that it was time for something new. Working with athletes, especially those in the pros can be glamorous, but not necessarily impactful.

As I try to define the next phase of my career, it is about legacy. Give to, give back and give on. So what have I decided to do?

I started my own company: Active Eating Advice: Be Fit, Fed and Fearless! I took office space in Squirrel Hill near my home.

I am doing a lot of consulting with industry, developing recipes, doing speaking engagements and also working to design new products. I have also been busy with TV and radio and creating videos.

And I still work with athletes, at Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Chiefs, and of course the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.

Writing is my passion, and I have signed on with Wiley to write the next “ For Dummies” book on Gut Health. I am also writing a monthly blog for US News and World Report Eat + Run column, and articles for magazines and commodity boards.

Agriculture and food waste are key areas of concern for all of us, and learning more about farms, food production, and environmental concerns helps me to be a better nutrition professional.

However, my most exciting endeavor has been with Come Ready Nutrition. I am the Chief Nutrition Officer and have been able to hire a staff of dietitians to provide programming at our Come Ready Kitchen. Classes range from Appliance Boot Camp to Conquering your fear of food and the classes take place in our gorgeous new kitchen housed in a 150 year old barn in Wexford, how cool is that!

The space is comfortable, inviting and safe and we will be offering cooking classes, exercise classes, seminars and hosting events, retreats, pre game meals and perhaps sleepovers with cook-ins! The next phase will be to build the greenhouse with step down gardens so we can grow outside and bring what we cultivate into the pots to create in the kitchen.

And I have the opportunity to join forces with Chef Lisa Silberg who was the co-director of Camp Delicious! in 2014. She and I will partner again for the 2016 Camp Delicious!

I am also doing recipe creation for the California Dried Plum Board. I have included one of the recipes I created that is based on a dish I had at a Lebanese restaurant in New York City. It is made from Brussel Sprouts, dried plum puree and walnuts. Delicious!

Enjoy!

QUIT POUTING, GET SPROUTING!

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PRUNE PUREE, HARISSA AND WALNUTS

1 pound Brussel sprouts, washed, stems cut off,  outer leaves removed  and cut tin half

2 Tablespoons olive oil

¾ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon harissa paste

1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons plum puree*

½ teaspoon honey

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. In a bowl, combine Brussel sprout halves, olive oil, salt, pepper and Harissa paste. Mix until blended. Place Brussel sprouts on the cookie sheet and roast about 20 minutes. Check halfway through to flip them to ensure even cooking.

Remove from heat and add in Balsamic, plum puree, honey and walnuts.

Dried plum puree

1-1/3 cups dried plums

6 Tablespoons hot water

Blend in a blender or food processor until pureed. Keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Servings: 4 ½ cup servings

Per serving:

Calories: 170

Total Fat: 13.6 grams

Total Carbohydrate: 11.5 grams

Fiber: 4.95 grams

Sugar: 2.75 grams

Protein: 5.3 grams