Traci Anello

The Power in Food

Tag Archives: nutrition


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Food insecurity and how we are helping

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I’ve been invited to my sister Kim’s home in New Jersey.

I love visiting her because coffee is always served outside on her porch overlooking her beautiful gardens. We catch up on our families and then we plan our meals based on what is ready in her garden. The herbs are always plentiful and as we reach the end of the season, her root vegetables will play a big part in our menu. Kim loves to entertain and shares with me that she will be hosting a brunch before Thanksgiving. I love this! Cooking food for friends, especially new people is always a community experience.

After coffee I explore her refrigerator to work on a brunch menu. I see that she has a meal kit from Blue Apron. I take the box out and unload its contents to see what I’ll have to work with. This kit is wonderful! Everything you need to make a dinner is in there. This kit is a great way to teach someone how to cook basic sauces, proteins and vegetables. Immediately the menu comes together. We make mini quiche, garden fritattas, roasted potatoes with fresh herbs, roasted root vegetables with fresh thyme and crushed garlic, curried chickpea salad served with homemade crackers, homemade muffins bursting with Maine blueberries and a hint of lemon zest, fresh fruit with Kim’s garden mint and a host of fresh juices and coffees.

Pasta Kit

As I was preparing the dishes, I thought “Why can’t everyone have access to meal kits like this”. These kits are a great way to teach basic cooking skills. Since COVID19, it’s been almost impossible to arrange cooking classes so I thought maybe we can create meal kits like these for everyone to teach them in their homes. My main focus was people who are experiencing food insecurity. I have volunteered at food pantries and local farmers and grocery stores donate pounds of fresh produce. But watching people walk past the produce table was upsetting for me. The food they are given is great. Don’t get me wrong. But to walk past the produce table and lose the opportunity to add nutritional value to their meals was something I couldn’t ignore. Through no fault of their own, food insecurity is generally passed down. If you’re not taught how to cook basic meals, you can’t teach your children how to cook them either. The pantries do an amazing job of sourcing the staple pantry items. Volunteers work tirelessly to make sure everyone that is present gets as much as they can give. It’s a beautiful program. The teaching piece is missing. Not because they won’t offer it but because they have so much to do in a day to coordinate these bags of food. This where we come in.

We are The Community Gourmet. We are based out of Kennebunk, Maine.My name is Traci Anello and I’m the Founder. I went out and bought basic staple food pantry items and lined them on my counter. I made a menu based on what I had available and what I knew the pantries could offer. The first kit I made was the Pasta Kit. It contained two ponds of pasta, a 20oz can of tomato sauce, an 8oz container of parmesan cheese, a 10oz container of mayonnaise, three recipes, a handcrafted greeting card using the photos I’ve taken at farmers markets, a self stamped survey post card (a way for recipients to be heard) and eventually we started to add essential kitchen equipment like measuring cups, spoons, calendars, cutting boards, pot holders, ladels, etc.. It’s important that if we supply the recipes, we also provide the basic equipment to follow the recipes. Our three recipes show how to use a staple like pasta three different ways. For our pasta kit, our recipes are Pasta with Meatballs, Pasta Primavera and Pasta salad. It shows the versatility of pasta used both hot and cold and a great way to get those nutritious vegetables in there.

I talked with my co-worker Debbie Hall and we decided to give this a go. As a chef, I knew I could tap into my resources and get some of the foods from restaurants ordered and donated. Most of the food we bought through our fundraiser accepting donations from our homemade Raspberry linzer cookies. We packaged them by the dozen and asked for a suggested donation of $15.00. We had no idea how popular these would be. We go on to make over 100 dozen through the summer during various fundraisers. The local Chamber of Commerce (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel) has been wonderful and very supportive. We have our cookie fundraisers there and could not be more thrilled at all of the people we get to meet who support our mission. Our mission which is: Teaching, Caring and Nourishing. Our kits are at no cost to the people who receive them. As a matter of fact, we concentrate on the people who don’t qualify for government assistance. The thought of asking for help and being told that they do not qualify breaks my heart. We have decided to have our kits available to everyone. There are no questions asked. If yo need help and reach out, we will direct you to where you can pick up a kit.

Our first pantry was The Little Pantry in Kennebunk at the Chamber of Commerce. t’s a 24/7 emergency pantry and they do a tremendous job working with the community to keep it stocked. Laura Dolce, the director, has such a big heart. She’s been very supportive along with her team at the Chamber. The Chamber is a valuable resource and we appreciate everything they do for the communities. Kennebunk is a giving community. The residents do not hesitate to step up and support their neighbors. Other places we supply kits to is the York County Shelter Pantry in Alfred, Maine. This is our largest pantry and covers many towns. They do over 300 people a week here. Mike Oulette is the pantry manager and along with Jim, his assistant, and their volunteers, they run a tight ship and supply many people with the necessary foods and even food for their pets! Saint Mary’s church in Wells, Maine is also a wonderful supporter of ours. Paul Goyette and his volunteers welcome our kits and pass them out to the people who come to their weekly food pantry. I love their set up. Paul is a wonderful resource of information for us as well. Our newest pantry is a self made pantry by a mom who wanted to help her community. Big Love One Community in North Berwick, Maine is so cute! Sara Dutch along with her husband built a pantry on a trailer. The inside looks like a grocery store. It’s painted with bright cheerful colors and it gives you the privacy to shop and maintain your dignity. She has a flower plant hanging outside and a big heart on the side of her building. I absolutely love what she does! We have additional pantries that we would like to supply but we are in need of a larger space. We have outgrown our current location and are in search for a larger space about 500 sqft. Once we accomplish that, we can accommodate more pantries.

Our focus right now is to have kits made available to senior citizens as well as the pantries. we are in the process of creating a kit that provides seniors with meals. Recently I was told that Meals on Wheels which is a wonderful program can not accommodate all of the seniors who request their meals. Again, the “do not qualify”. That’s the worst answer anyone can hear. we understand resources are tight. That’s why we would like to pick up that burden if we can. We would like to have these kits available at the agencies that seniors have to visit so they have something to walk out with that will provide meals for them for a period of time. These seniors have been a valuable resource for younger people not to mention the programs they have probably been a part of and the taxes that they have paid into all of these years. It’s time to give back.

We are still new to the game. Our first kits rolled out in March of this year. Ofcourse we sent out sample kits earlier but officially our first kits went to the Little Pantry in Kennebunk in March. Food insecurity is everywhere. We would like to be everywhere. Right now we are in York County Maine with a vision to supply every county in Maine eventually. From there, regional, national and so on. If we can teach people the basic cooking skills using pantry items and produce from our farmers, we on track to putiing a dent in food insecurity. “Give a man to fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime”.

💚

Visit our website: http://www.thecommunitygourmet.org


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Cooking in Healthcare, the Double Edge Sword

Being a cook in a healthcare setting is a double edge sword for most chefs. So many of us have traded the upscale hotels and restaurants to experience a real vacation and occasional weekends off. Not to mention the benefits package which in itself feels like an amazing bonus.

There are so many benefits to cooking in a hospital setting. I think the most important is knowing that the food you are cooking actually plays a big part in the healing process. This happens in a couple of ways. The one thing a patient has to look forward to is their meal. In most cases, they get to choose what they want from an “a la carte” menu. They may not be able to choose their medication or their length of stay but they can have control over what they order (based on the diet assigned by their physician). Second, if we prepare their food correctly and with absolute care, the food can aid in the healing process. I’m talking about cooking their vegetables and legumes perfectly. We also make sure they have the best crisp lettuce and vegetables on their salad. These are things we CAN control. You have to want to though. You have to cook every meal like you’re making it for your family. If you wouldn’t eat it, neither should they. It’s all about the patient. We have to do our best to fulfill their requests and make the best meals every time. When it comes to the patient, there’s no room for error.

When I think about how we do meals now, it’s very much like a restaurant. The patient has a menu they get to order from. So they call down to the “Diet office” where trained individuals take their order. Hopefully the system is set up so that it understands the patient’s diet. Most systems are set up this way so that if a patient tries to order something they can’t have, the system will not allow the operator in the diet office to add that option. So the operator is like a waitress in a sense. They take the order and it’s sent to the cooks and room service staff through a ticket very much like a restaurant kitchen uses. The printer prints out every detail to make sure they’re are no mistakes. The cook creates the meal and sends it to an expeditor to check over the ticket and place it on the appropriate cart or truck for the hostess to deliver. The hostess brings the meals to the floors as a waitress would do to a restaurant table. They ask the patient to identify themselves by giving their name and date of birth. It’s essential to deliver the correct tray with so many different diets. Once identified, the hostess places the tray in front of the patient and lifts the lids off of the main plate. If we have all done our jobs correctly up to that point, the patients should be pleasantly surprised and look forward to their meal just like in the restaurant. It’s imperative that the hostess smile and ask the patient if there is anything else they can get them. Ofcourse that has to go through the diet office if they want anything additional but the point here is establish a positive relationship with the patient so they realize we do care about them. Like a restaurant, there’s a waitress, a cook, an expeditor and a hostess. It’s all the same concept. There’s no room for error. The meal must be cooked to perfection and followed through with the same service when delivered.

The other part of cooking in the hospital is for the staff. This is an honor in itself just like the patients. These people work hard. They have to be on their feet most of their shift and time is rarely on their side. When they come into the cafe, they want their meals quick and it’s the least we could do. It’s so important to give them the very best as quickly as possible. A great meal can sustain someone for the remainder of their shift. It can also help in the decision process. These people have to be on their toes and make split decisions at any moment. If we can provide a delicious meal, it can only make someone feel so much better. When you feel better, you make better decisions. If we don’t deliver, then these workers could feel sluggish and incomplete. At my hospital, we have the best fresh produce and local seafood to work with. The hospital provides us with the canvas and the best supplies so it’s not rocket science to create healthy delicious meals for the staff. Now, not every meal is the healthiest but it is fulfilling. We do offer fresh vegetables every meal that are steamed or roasted. I’m very happy to be able to provide homemade desserts. I’m a pastry chef by trade so that fills my soul to make homemade strawberry shortcake and my favorite linzor cookies. Every time it’s like packaging a little hug. I feel it’s an honor each and every time I cook for the staff. They give you their precious time by giving us the opportunity to serve them. The least we can do is give them the absolute best, every time. We do also provide the same meals for visitors. It’s just as important to make sure friends and families of patients have a great tasting meal. They’re providing the support to the patients and like the staff, they need to be able to make decisions at any time or just feel good about the care the patient is getting. A good meal will always aid in an important decision or impression of patient care.

Cooking in the cafe and for the cafe also gives us the opportunity to meet our co-workers. I love these people. I may not know them all by name but I do know what they like to eat. I love our interactions. It’s a nice way to show them how much we care and value what they do everyday. The kitchen is separate from the rest of the hospital so we don’t see what these people are involved with and the trauma they have to deal with. That’s why it’s an honor to have their time. I wish more people saw it this way. It’s truly team work. I’m talking about everyone from the doctors and surgeons to the nurses, admin staff and environmental services. From the maintenance crew to the security staff to our own nutritional co-workers. Every one plays an important role in patient care. The food should always reflect that.

Being a chef in a hospital setting has its benefits. Like I said, It’s a double edge sword. You also have to abide by Human Resources and their protocols which is something most restaurants don’t have. But you do get health insurance, some weekends off which is unheard of in restaurants and also vacation time. The perks definitely out weigh the lack of. Hospitals have incentive programs that are pretty lucrative. The work is year round employment as opposed to seasonal in a tourist community. Hospitals make sure you have all of your up to date shots and immunizations where most restaurants are a tetanus trap. Restaurants give you the opportunity to be very creative and make spectacular entrees. It’s such a give and take. I have to say hospitals offer security, job security. Overall, I prefer working in the hospital. I’m fortunate to be woking with a chef manager that’s an amazing cook. I’ve learned from him and we work great together. That’s a real win. That doesn’t always happen. Most times you have to deal with an ego that is not productive. Do the best you can with that. It’s not easy. I’ve been there and the stress alone with send you back to a seasonal restaurant. This time I’m very fortunate.

If you are a chef or a line cook and you have the opportunity to try a healthcare setting, you owe it to yourself. There’s a lot of give and take but the rewards are worth it. You deserve a weekend off and a paid vacation. I will admit, I do miss working at hotels on the beaches and doing the weekly lobster bakes and catering weddings. That’s a feat in itself. To balance the best of both worlds, find a way to still participate in the catering and special events. We all know someone so the best balance is to live in both worlds. There’s plenty of support out there.

I’m very happy where I am. I love cooking for the patients and the staff. I’ve learned to balance the double edge sword. You can too and I’m happy to help. Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or critiques.


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This was no coincidence…

Today completes day 7 in my food intolerance journey! I couldn’t be more excited for a few reasons. One, I actually completed something I started. Two, My body has been pampered for 7 straight days. I’m sure my major organs and my gut are celebrating their first vacation from horrible intruders. It’s amazing how I actually look at food now.

Today is my day off from the hospital so I knew I wanted to spend it researching more about inflammation, which I have dubbed the new buzz word. I decided a trip to the book store would be a treat. This is my reward for completing 7 full days. My daughter and I drive to Portland (about a 30 minute ride) so I thought it would be a good time to talk to her about what I have learned. She listened and was actually interested so I was pretty happy and relieved. There are so many things we could have talked about but I knew this was important. We have a very close relationship so if she had told me that she wasn’t exactly interested in this subject, I would have probably changed it. But…she was all ears! I found myself saying things like “I feel really good” and “I’m sleeping better than I ever have” and so on. it was saying affirmations. After our conversation, she was very interested in creating a plan that could work for her.I couldn’t ask for anything more. she already knows that gluten is a poison. When she was in college, she took gluten out for almost a month and realized she wasn’t getting her usual migraines. I was fixing her meals for her then and she was also shopping at Trader Joes which was very helpful. But as college went on, the gluten was reintroduced and the problems started all over again.So knowing that it has worked in the past is good reason enough to give this a try.

We get to the book store and head to the magazine section. I notice she is looking at outdoor magazines and canning and self sustainable living magazines. Ah ha! She was listening. I head over to the natural food and health section to see who else is chatting about inflammation. I pick up a couple and flip through them but nothing really catches me. Then I see a Dr. Andrew Weil magazine and the top says “The Anti-inflammatory Pyramid in-depth”. I looked over at my daughter and said,”Is this the new buzz word? Is this that word I’m going to see everywhere now? How weird is this?”.I pick up his magazine and flip through it and every article is about inflammation. This was exactly what I was looking for. This was no coincidence. There are hundreds of magazines to choose from and this one catches my eye. It’s wonderful too! It’s very in-depth. I include a picture copy of the magazine below so when you look for it, you’ll recognize it.

I’m convinced that I’ll be reading some of his books now. As a chef, I will also be creating new recipes to share. This is what I do. I find foods that people feel they no longer can enjoy and recreate them to their specific allergy so they can enjoy them. After all of these years, why wasn’t I ever doing this for myself? Why did I not feel I deserved to treat my body with the utmost respect? I’m ashamed. But I’m also happy that I have finally woken up to realize this is about me too. This is self-care. So why not take the gift I was given and share what I know with everyone.

I decided to share my first recipe with you. It’s full of flavor, gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, sugar-free and corn free. I use this mediterranean dressing on everything. It’s wonderful on chicken and fish or just over rice and lentils.

Mediterranean dressing

In a medium bowl, chop and combine:
1 Vine ripened tomato
1/2 Vidalia onion (or red onion)
1 can artichoke hearts
1 small green pepper
12 kalamata pitted olives cut in half

Combine and add:
1 tablespoons of the olive juice (for the salt)
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/4 cup of good olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

Mix in with the bowl of pure goodness. let sit overnight.
It’s wonderful!! Add fresh herbs if you want too. I chopped a few chives in there because I had them. I also cut up an avocado for the salad.
You can also spoon this over flatbread and add goat cheese (For those people who can tolerate goat cheese) and broil until the cheese melts.

This such a nice recipe. The colors are beautiful. In season, chop fresh parsley and maybe even a red and yellow pepper for more color.

So as my journey continues, I have two more weeks to go to complete the 21 days. As I said before though, I’m in no hurry to put any of these foods back into my body. They just don’t belong there. The fact that I saw Dr. Weil’s magazine was simply re-enforcement that I’m on the right track. It was no coincidence. Here’s to whole foods and positive cooking.

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