Exciting Nutrition Study Funded by Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States

By: Nick Halasz, RD

  Recently, I was hired by Food & Friends to spearhead a one of a kind study measuring the impact of their nutrition services. When I arrived, I learned that Food & Friends became the recipient of a $200,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States to fund our popular Groceries-to-Go (GTG) program and a nutrition outcomes research study. GTG is our program designed for clients and their families who are healthy enough to prepare their own meals, or who have a caregiver to do so.

This study will be used to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of our services on our clients by measuring changes in nutrition knowledge and behavior. That’s where I come in. As one of the newest members of Food & Friends, I’m excited to be a part of the first ever study of its kind for our organization. Our team has been working hard to recruit clients receiving GTG to take part in the study. I will be hosting cooking classes, leading grocery store tours and conducting tele-seminars for clients to call in and discuss a variety of nutrition topics. We hope to not only increase the nutrition knowledge of our clients, but to identify areas of improvement within the Food & Friends nutrition education program to strengthen services for future clients.

We are excited to begin sending out our initial survey to clients who have kindly agreed to participate. This unique data collected will help set Food & Friends apart among those organizations in the Washington, DC area providing meals and nutrition services for those in need. Most importantly, the study will allow Food & Friends to better serve those we come to work for everyday; our clients. Having solid research and data to back-up this mission will allow us to continue to receive funding to serve clients healthy, nutritious meals, as well as the highest quality nutritional services.           

Victory Deferred

By: John-Manuel Andriote

  One of the most touching songs about AIDS over the epidemic"s three-decade history so far) never mentions the word AIDS. "Is it someone you know, or only a stranger?" sings Patti Austin. "If we have to ask, then we’re all in danger," she continues. "We're all in this together."

When Food & Friends, back in 2000, explored the idea of offering its meal delivery services to people with life-challenging illnesses besides AIDS, the agency was exploring unknown territory. Would clients feel stigmatized by receiving nutritional support from an "AIDS" organization? Would donors restrict their contributions only to serve clients whose particular diagnosis fit their own commitments or mission?

Eleven years later, Food & Friends has proved that when it comes to caring for and serving the nutritional needs of people with serious illness, the lines blur between who has what. What is most important is to provide nutritional support for those in the community who need it. Period. Making the agency's services more widely available has proved a fantastic thing for the community and for Food & Friends.

In conducting dozens of new interviews across the country for the new edition of my book Victory Deferred: How AIDS Changed Gay Life in America, I’ve observed many AIDS service organizations struggling to remain relevant as funding tightens and effective medical treatment means there are far fewer seriously ill HIV-positive people who require such services as home-delivered meals.

I've come to appreciate more than ever the foresight and generosity of spirit with which Food & Friends has been able to maintain its vital role in the D.C. community, and as a model for other organizations originally created to serve very ill people with AIDS that are now trying to sort out their role in the epidemic's changed landscape.

I’m grateful, and proud, that Food & Friends has so generously organized a special event on Thursday, September 22, to launch the "updated and expanded" edition of Victory Deferred.  I can't think of any place I’d rather be than with these good folks whose work every day attests to their belief, which I share, that "we're all in this together."

Fudgy Peanut Butter Caramel Brownies

By: Brandon Nichols

  Hello fellow food aficionados! Over the past couple of weeks Tropical Storms “I” through “L” have dumped buckets of rain on the area, leaving many to scramble for cover. I don’t know about you but I love rainy days. To me, rainy days are the perfect baking weather! Mostly, because no one wants to step outside. Also, rainy days can be a little dreary, so we all need a little pick me up!

Ever since I was a kid, my favorite pick me up has been a brownie. The warm, fudgy goodness of a fresh brownie is unparalleled! Now, there are a lot of brownie variations out there and below is my personal favorite. I belong to the school of thought that the chocolate in brownies should not be overwhelmed by the other ingredients; subtle flavoring makes for a superb brownie.

This recipe was adapted from the Boudin Bakery Brownie recipe found in the LA Times Food section. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Try it and tell me what you think!  I would love to hear from you and would also love to know what your favorite brownie recipe is.

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter
8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
5 eggs
21 ounces of sugar (3 cups)
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
6.38 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups)
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 ounces of caramel candy (I used Werther’s Original Chewy Caramels)
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cups of crunchy all-natural peanut butter (feel free to use more or less depending on your preference!)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with wax paper. You can butter the pan; however, wax paper makes for much easier clean up! 
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. 
3. In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the melted chocolate, then the salt and flour just until combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips 
4. Spread about half of the mixture into the pan. 
5. To make the caramel filling, combine the caramel candies and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.  Stir in peanut butter.  Immediately spread the caramel mixture over the bottom brownie layer.  Pour the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer, taking care to pour and spread it evenly otherwise it will be difficult to spread evenly over the caramel layer. 
6. Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and almost set, about 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.