Hunger Awareness Month - Tomato Tortellini Soup

Here we are in the final week of the month of September where I have been discussing hunger awareness.  September is Hunger Awareness Month.  Where does the time go?  Where did summer go?  It is starting to cool down and the days are rapidly getting shorter.  If you are a shelterless/homeless person, perhaps you find yourself in a desperate situation, not knowing how you will survive this winter.  If you are living at or below the poverty line, perhaps your funds have run out for the month and you don't know how you will provide food for your family and/or yourself.  If this has never been an issue for you, if you have never been hungry, not knowing where your next meal will come from - if you have never worried about having a roof over your head, worried about where you will spend each night, perhaps it is difficult to understand the panic, fear, dread, anger and hopelessness that may fill your life on a daily basis.

There are agencies and churches that are doing all they can to help alleviate these desperate situations, but there is not always enough to go around.  Feeding America/Second Harvest is the biggest organization in the United States to assist in alleviating hunger.  Here is how they work.

How Our Network Works

    

HOW OUR NETWORK WORKS

Feeding America food bank members help provide low - income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors.

How We Work Together

Feeding America benefits from the unique relationship between our 202 local member food banks at the front lines of hunger relief and the central efforts of our national office.

Securing Food
Local Role: Secure food from local manufacturers, retailers, farmers and government sources.	National Role:  Secure food from large corporate manufacturers and retailers through nationwide initiatives and facilitate the acquisition of government-supplied food.
Raising Funds
Local Role:  Acquire funding from local corporate, foundation and individual donors, and utilize those funds efficiently to maximize service to people in need.	National Role:  Acquire funding from corporate, foundation and individual donors, and provide those funds as seed money to spur local innovation.
Distributing Food
Local Role:  Distribute food received from Feeding America and local sources to people in need, via a local system of agencies.	National Role:  Through a robust logistics system, distribute food donations received nationally to the food banks that need them the most.
Sharing Best Practices
Local Role:  Share wisdom with other network members and uphold the highest standards for food safety, fiscal responsibility and efficiency.	National Role:  Inspire members to implement proven programs and uphold the highest standards for food safety, fiscal responsibility and efficiency.
Advocating and Inspiring
Local Role:  Create a local movement and a sense of compassionate urgency, encouraging better government programs and inspiring individuals to take action.	National Role:  Create a national movement and a sense of compassionate urgency, encouraging better government programs and inspiring individuals to take action.

But, Feeding America/Second Harvest cannot do the job alone.  We must all become aware of the desperate need that many in our country live with day to day, week to week, month to month.  We are the wealthiest country in the world and it is time that we do more to help with this situation.  As the recession drags on and jobs are few, there are more and more families facing a future of hunger and homelessness.  Many are literally a day away from not knowing where they will go when they can no longer pay their rent.  It is a frightening situation, especially for children.  Families face loosing their children and so they hide them so that authorities will not know their situation.  Can you imagine?

Today, we had a huge crowd for lunch because it is the end of the month and funds are gone.  Many, many families came to get food boxes to help them make it through the week.  Remember, they can only come 3 times in a 6 month period.  That is not a lot of assistance, but it does help when times are desperate.  We fed more people at noon today than I have seen in a while.  Today we had Tomato Tortellini Soup, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, and bananas.  We received a huge shipment of bananas from Second Harvest and everyone was thrilled to have a whole banana.  Ever thought you would be thrilled to have a whole banana?  Think about it.

Here is the recipe for today's soup.  It is so good, nutritious and filling.  We have one huge pot that we make soup in.  Today, we could have used several more huge pots of soup.   There were no seconds because of the large number of people eating.  But, that's okay - everyone had one helping of everything.  It always makes me think of Jesus feeding the 5,000.  Somehow, we manage to make it go around.  I am always truly amazed and it makes my heart joyful to see everyone leaving with their hunger alleviated one more time, with a grateful heart and a smiling face.

Tomato Tortellini Soup (with vegetables)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1 box chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you are vegetarian)

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1/2 large can tomato juice (or use it all if you want to extend the soup)

1 9 oz. package cheese tortellini (we used Buitoni 3 cheese tortellini)

2 tsp. basil

salt and pepper to taste

Put the stock, basil, tomatoes, tomato juice, zucchini, onions, and carrots in a soup pot.  Bring to a low boil.  Cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften.  Add the tortellini and return soup to a low boil.  Cook until the tortellini is done, about 8 - 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

 This is such a wonderful tomato based soup.  Give it a try and when you are eating it, think about all those who would love to have a bowl too.  Do what you can.  Winter is coming.  Blankets, sleeping bags, tents, scarves, gloves, hats and coats will all be needed soon.  Make a donation to your favorite clothing bank.  We all have clothes in our closets we don't wear.   And if you can, make a financial donation or food donation to your local food bank.  There are many, many people who will benefit from it, including yourself by knowing you have helped someone in need.  I have never experienced so much joy from helping others.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Matthew 14:13-21

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Sauerkraut and Sausage - One Of My Childhood Favorites

Sauerkraut.  Like it?  Hate it?  Sauerkraut is somewhat like cilantro, no one is ambivalent about it.  No one says I can take it or leave it.  It seems that you either like it or hate it.  I am a great lover of sauerkraut.  You would have to be my age to remember when they cooked real food in school cafeterias.  Sometimes, we had smoked sausage, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.  This is one of my all time favorite childhood meals.  (Sometimes the sauerkraut would be served with hot dogs, which is good too).

I was the one child in the cafeteria who ate their sauerkraut and sausage.  There might have been more, but I never seemed to be sitting by anyone else who enjoyed this meal.  Oh well.  I liked it because we ate it at home.  We had sauerkraut at least once a week and that was okay by me.  Now Dan, on the other hand, would not put it in his mouth if his life depended upon it.  I keep telling him he doesn't know what he's missing, but he's not buying it for any reason.

It seems he has memories of his grandmother and aunts making sauerkraut in the summers when he spent time with the on their farm in Logan County, Kentucky.  He said he would stay outside all day because he could not stand the smell of it.  To me, that is very sad because it is sooooooooo good.  I'm not sure he's every tasted it.

Now, they know that sauerkraut has many health benefits because it is a fermented food and has lots of natural probiotics.  It also helps fight cancer.  Many people pay money to add probiotics to their diet when all they have to do is eat some sauerkraut on a regular basis.  You can add it to a grilled hot dog, bratwurst, smoked sausage or polish sausage sandwich.  Add some onions and mustard and you have one fantastic sandwich.  Serve it as a side dish or main dish.  It's very versatile.  Experts feel one of the reasons there are so many digestive problems in our country is because we don't eat enough fermented food.   It's time to bring back sauerkraut!  I'm in.

A week ago, I made ribs in the oven for our clients at the East Nashville CoOp Ministry.  With that, we had sauerkraut with polish sausage added for flavor and extra protein, mashed potatoes and waldorf salad.  It was delicious, nutritious and a major hit with everyone.  One of my fellow volunteers had bet me that no one would eat sauerkraut because he didn't like it and never had.  I told him I thought otherwise.  Who was the winner?  Ding, ding, ding.  Me!  There was not one shred of sauerkraut left.  Woohoo!  Another win for healthier eating which is one of our goals.

Sauerkraut is made by shredding cabbage and preserving it with salt which causes the fermentation process to happen.  The one down side to sauerkraut is that it is high in sodium.  That is why it is important to rinse it thoroughly before preparation.  The upside benefits are there are only 27 calories in a 1 cup serving with only .2 grams of fat.  There are 6.1 grams of carbohydrates and it is almost all fiber.  Sauerkraut contains vitamins C, K, and A1 plus lots of iron and all those good natural probiotics that are good for your immune and digestive system.

After preparing sauerkraut for lunch at the CoOp, I had it on my mind - actually I was craving it.  When it was time to make Sunday dinner (I invited the family over) guess what the menu was?   I made ribs, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, and waldorf salad.  If I'm driving the bus, everyone is going where I go.  hahaha

Here is how I made my sauerkraut.  It is delicious made this way.

2 pound bags of sauerkraut (in the refrigerated section at the grocery store)
2 big hands full of light brown sugar
2 pounds of polish or smoked sausage, cut into 2/3 inch pieces
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
black pepper
NO SALT NEEDED

First, put the sauerkraut in a colander and thoroughly rinse three or four times, letting it drain after each rinsing.  Place the rinsed and drained sauerkraut in a 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle the sauerkraut with 2 big hands full of light brown sugar and 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce.  Mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper.  Cut the sausage into 2-3 inch sections and lay on top of the sauerkraut.

Place the pan in a 350 degree oven and bake until the sausage is brown on top and serve.  This is so yummy that it is making my mouth water writing about it.

Now that cooler weather is approaching, this is really good autumn fare.  Served with some mashed potatoes, you have an excellent meal that includes some really great health benefits and fantastic flavors.  Don't overlook sauerkraut in your diet, it tastes so good and is good for you.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Sauerkraut is tolerant, for it seems to be a well of contradictions. Not that it would preach a gastronomic neutrality that would endure all heresies. It rejects dogmatism and approves of individual tastes. It forms a marvelous combination with numerous spices, odors, or spirits: juniper berries, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cranberries, Reinette apples, stock, and wine; it even welcomes flakes of yeast or leftover Gruyère since it accepts being prepared au gratin. Its flavor sustains various potato dishes: boiled in their skins, crisps (potato chips), braised, sautéed, grilled, or simply cooked in water. It adopts many sorts of fat, including lard, butter, goose fat, or roast dripping. The variety of meats to which it consents is infinite: sausages of all kinds, such as knackwurst, white sausage, Lorraine, Montbeliard, chipolata, black pudding, hams, smoked or salted bacon, quenelles, pickled and smoked pork, goose, pheasant, etc. It makes excuses for red wine, although it has a weakness for beer and lets itself be spoilt by white wine. Each stomach may find its own happiness in it."Julien Freund, Director of the Institute of Sociology in Strasbourg, (Les Saisons d'Alsace)

Waldorf Salad With a Twist

One of my childhood favorite salads is Waldorf Salad.  You know, apples, celery, walnuts and mayonnaise.  Simple.  Easy.  Delicious.  Sweet.  Fresh.  Crisp.  Mom didn't make it often, but I was so happy when she did.  It's such a nice change from lettuce salads, or jello salad, or broccoli salad or cole slaw (what we always referred to as the Indiana state vegetable).  It's super good in the fall when beautiful, crisp, fresh apples start coming in - Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honey Crisp, Jonathan - just to name a few varieties.

Here is a little history on Waldorf Salad.

The salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (the precursor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which came into being with the merger of the Waldorf with the adjacent Astoria Hotel, opened in 1897).^[1]

Oscar Tschirky, who was the Waldorf's maître d'hôtel and developed or inspired many of its signature dishes, is widely credited with creating the recipe. In 1896, Waldorf Salad appeared in The Cook Book by 'Oscar of the Waldorf'; the original recipe did not contain nuts, but they had been added by the time the recipe appeared in the Rector Cook Book in 1928. The salad became popular enough that Cole Porter featured it in his 1934 song "You're the Top".  Wikipedia

As you can see, Waldorf Salad has been around for a long, long time.  Thank you Oscar Tschirky for a recipe I have loved since childhood.

I add a few extras to my Waldorf Salad to make it even crisper and crunchier.  I add grapes and raw broccoli.  YUMMMM.  It is so good, I could eat an entire bowl at one sitting.  Here is what you need.

3 large crisp apples (Dan and I are Golden Delicious fans)
3 ribs celery, diced
1 cup walnut pieces
as many grapes as you like (I used several hands full, cut in half - we have little ones eating and don't want them getting choked on whole grapes)
1 cup broccoli florettes
a pinch of salt
3 Tbsp Mayonnaise (I like the kind with olive oil)

After washing and drying the apples, put the apple bottom on a cutting board and cut the apple away from the core on 4 sides.  Lay the apple pieces flat side down, cut long ways about 1/2 inch apart and then crossways to form bite sized pieces.

Wash the celery ribs.  Cut each rib in half longways, then cut crossways into 1/4 inch pieces.

Add the apple pieces and celery pieces to a salad bowl.  Add the walnut pieces.

Wash grapes and cut in half long ways.  Use as many as you like.  Add to the bowl.

Separate the broccoli florettes into small pieces and add to bowl.

Add a pinch of salt and mix.  Add 3 Tbsp. mayo to the bowl and mix, making sure all pieces are coated.  If you like more mayonnaise, feel free to add as much as you want.

Traditionally, Waldorf Salad is served on a bed of salad greens, but is not necessary.  That is your choice.

I made a huge pan of Waldorf Salad at the CoOp last week using a 1/2 bushel of apples plus all the other ingredients.  All of our clients LOVED it.  It makes an excellent side dish for fall recipes because it's a nice contrast to the heavier food items we start to serve after summer grilling and lighter fare.  There is nothing like the sweet/tart/crunchiness of fresh Waldorf Salad.  You can keep it for several days if it is covered tightly.

If you've never tried Waldorf Salad, now is your chance.  It is super delicious and kids love it.  You might even convince them to eat some broccoli.  If no one in your house likes broccoli, simply leave it out and add all the other yummy ingredients.  Since Dan doesn't like mayonnaise, I take his out of the bowl before adding the mayonnaise.  He loves it with just a little salt.  Now, you have options.

Maybe it's time to go apple picking if you have an orchard near where you live.  Me, I like to get my apples in a basket at the Farmer's Market.  It's just easier that way.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Mr. Hamilton: Would you make me a Waldorf Salad? 
Basil Fawlty: [having never heard of it] I beg your pardon? 
Mr. Hamilton: Get me a Waldorf Salad. 
Basil Fawlty: Well, I think we just ran out of Waldorfs! 
Fawlty Towers, Movie, 1975

September - Hunger Awareness Month - Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Happy Monday all.  This is a continuation of a series on hunger awareness in the United States.  Since the onset of the Great Recession as it is called, need for assistance in obtaining food has risen drastically.  Here are some statistics from FeedingAmerican/Second Harvest concerning the SNAP program, or Food Stamps as many call it.

SNAP (Food Stamps): Facts, Myths and Realities

    

SNAP: PROGRAM FACTS

SNAP is targeted at the most vulnerable.

• 76% of SNAP households included a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person. These vulnerable households receive 84% of all SNAP benefits.^[i]
• SNAP eligibility is limited to households with gross income of no more than 130% of the federal poverty guideline, but the majority of SNAP households have income well below the maximum: 85% of SNAP households have gross income at or below 100% of the poverty guideline ($22,350 for a family of four), and 62% of SNAP households have gross income at or below 75% of the poverty guideline ($16,762 for a family of four).^[ii]
• The average SNAP household has a gross monthly income of $731, net monthly income of $336, and countable resources of $333.^[iii]

SNAP is responsive to changes in need, providing needed food assistance as families fall into economic hardship and then transitioning away as their financial situation stabilizes.

• Because SNAP participation closely follows unemployment, SNAP responded quickly and effectively to the recession. As the number of unemployed people increased by 110% from 2007 to 2010, SNAP mirrored that growth with a 53% increase in participation over the same period.^[iv]
• The average length of time a participant stays on the program is 9 months.^[v]
• As the economy slowly recovers and unemployment begins to fall, SNAP participation and costs too can be expected to decline. The Congressional Budget Office projects that SNAP will shrink nearly to pre-recession levels as the economy recovers and need abates.^[vi]

SNAP has a strong record of program integrity.

• SNAP error rates declined by 61% from FY1999 to FY2010, from 9.86% to a record low of 3.81%.^[vii] The accuracy rate of 96.19% (FY2010) is now at an all-time program high and is considerably higher than other major benefit programs, for example Supplemental Security Income (90%), Medicare fee-for-service (89.5%), and Medicare Advantage Part C (85.9%).^[viii] [ix]
• Two-thirds of all SNAP payment errors are a result of caseworker error.^[x] Nearly one-fifth are underpayments, which occur when eligible participants receive less in benefits than they are eligible to receive.^[xi]
• The national rate of food stamp trafficking declined from about 3.8 cents per dollar of benefits redeemed in 1993 to about 1.0 cent per dollar during the years 2006 to 2008. As you may have read in local news, USDA is aggressively enforcing individual cases of trafficking, but while there are individual cases of program abuse, for every one allegation of fraud, there are hundreds of stories of heartbreaking need.^[xii] 

The need for food assistance is already greater than SNAP can fill.

• SNAP benefits don’t last most participants the whole month. 90% of SNAP benefits are redeemed by the third week of the month, and 58% of food bank clients currently receiving SNAP benefits turn to food banks for assistance at least 6 months out of the year.^[xiii]
• The average monthly SNAP benefit per person is $130, or less than $1.50 per person, per meal. ^[xiv]
• Only 55% of food insecure individuals are income-eligible for SNAP, and 29% are not income-eligible for any federal food assistance.^[xv]

SNAP: MYTHS & REALITIES

Categorical Eligibility

 Categorical eligibility allows many people to automatically enroll in SNAP who wouldn’t otherwise qualify for the program.

• Categorical eligibility does not allow households to enroll automatically; they must still apply through the regular SNAP application process, which has rigorous procedures for documenting applicants’ income, citizenship, work status, and other circumstances.
• Categorical eligibility allows states the option of aligning SNAP eligibility rules for gross income and assets with TANF to reduce administrative costs and simplify the eligibility determination process. While three-fourths of SNAP households were categorically eligible, almost all would also have been eligible for SNAP under standard rules.
• While a small number of households would not have met gross income and asset eligibility rules without categorical eligibility, SNAP families are still among the poorest households:
• SNAP rules limit eligibility to households with gross income under 130% of poverty and net income at or below 100% of poverty. The average SNAP household has a gross monthly income of $731 and net monthly income of $336. Only 1% of SNAP households in 2009 had monthly net income above 100% of the poverty line.
• SNAP rules limit eligibility to households with assets of no more than $2000. The average SNAP household still has assets of only $333. ^[xvi] Additionally, the SNAP asset limit of $2,000 has not been adjusted for inflation in 25 years and has fallen by 48% in real terms since 1986.  
• FeedingAmerica.org

Food insecurity is a real and serious problem, especially for America's children.  Do what you can to help food pantries in your area.  By donating to FeedingAmerica/SecondHarvest, you can increase your buying power 4 fold due to arrangements they have for purchasing food and distributing it to pantries and those in need.

The East Nashville CoOp Ministry, where I volunteer preparing healthy and nutritious meals, receives food from Second Harvest for food boxes.  We feed anywhere from 50 to 100 people a day on a budget of only $50.00.  That is a true challenge when it comes to feeding that many people.  

Today was a rainy Monday and it makes for a hard day for shelterless people.  They come to the CoOp to get in out of the rain and enjoy a healthy dinner prepared by a staff of volunteers.  We make our menus in advance and little did we know when we decided to make delicious home made chicken noodle soup that it would be a really great day for enjoying a bowl of steaming, delicious soup.  We also served jicama lime tuna salad sandwiches with lettuce and tomato garnish and fruit salad.  I make every effort to incorporate fruit and greens in our clients diets several times a week so that they receive proper nutrition and fiber.  

To make our soup, we cooked 4 whole chickens in a gigantic pot and used LOTS of ingredients that you would not use for making soup at home (same ingredients, different portions).  I like to make at least one "marrow" soup a week so that everyone receives the added benefits of the marrow which aids digestion and adds lots of muscle and bone building nutrients.  Besides that, it tastes wonderful.  This is how you can make a nice pot of delicious home made chicken noodle soup to enjoy.

1 whole chicken (innards removed)

1 large onion, halved and cut into thin sliced "moons"

4 carrots cut into "coins"

2 ribs celery, halved and diced

salt and pepper to taste

1 bag egg noodles (I like Aldi's)

Place the chicken in a large soup pot and cover with water.  Boil until the chicken starts to come off the bone, or leg and thigh separate from the chicken body.  This should take 30-45 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pot.  Add the vegetables to the broth (don't skim the "foam" that is the marrow).  While the vegetables cook, let the chicken cool down and remove the skin and discard.  Pick all the meat from the bones and set aside.  Cook until the carrots are getting soft.  Add about 8 cups of water to the broth, or enough to make sure the noodles will be covered.  Add the noodles to the broth when it begins to boil.  This keeps the noodles from sinking to the bottom and sticking to the pan.  Let the noodles cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once just to keep them from sticking.  Add all the chicken meat to the pot.  Stir to incorporate all the chicken.  (too much stirring will cause the noodles to disintigrate).  Let the noodles finish cooking, add salt and black pepper to taste.  If you want, add 4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme which has been removed from the stems or 2 tsps. dried thyme.  Your soup is ready to serve.  

This soup is soul and body satisfyingly delicious.  Serve with a sandwich or nice crusty bread and you have a complete meal.  Personally, I like the soup all by itself.  

Remember to think of all the shelterless people there are including children.  Remember all who may have a roof over their head but live a life of food insecurity.  Do what you can to make a difference.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

When you have a good stock, you can make a good soup.
Martin Yan