This past weekend Mama Africa catered at the refugee net gala and from the Instagram and facebook photos, everything looked amazing !!
Whether being a recent refugee ( 1 year or less in America), or you have been living in America for 10+ years, the culture you were raised in will always be important. Seeing many people enjoy the foods you have grown up eating and enjoying it, provides a joy that one cannot explain. You leave a country through wars or troubled times to come to a new country that is unfamiliar to you, not knowing what to expect or what is ahead. But seeing how this new world is accepting and appreciating what you left behind makes the hardships that you faced worthwhile.
Being in this beautiful melting pot of San Diego, and sharing these cultural dishes teaches about the culture AND you are also providing insight on what the dishes encompass.
Being in San Diego and sharing these cultural dishes, you may have ran into a few people who have told you that they have certain dietary restrictions that they have to follow that you may not understand.
This is where I come in, to provide nutritional information on how to still consume cultural dishes with meals that the food bank provides at St. Lukes or healthier options to use in your dishes that you were not once aware of.
Some Did you know facts:
1. Collard greens that are used in " Sukuma" and many Sudanese dishes has many benefits, like , it is a cruciferous vegetable, it is low in calories, so you can consume as much as you would like, and it is also a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Vitamin K and Iron.
2. Peanut Butter- This is used in the popular Sudanese dish "Mula Combo" or it is also known as "Mula Belet"- this means the stew of our hometown. Peanut Butter is a good source of proteins and fats, but this dish and the use of peanut butter should not be eaten daily but enjoyed once in a while because it is used in large quantities and not the serving size of two tablespoons.
3. Oil- Depending on what type of oil you use, oils have a good source of omega fats, but it does have to be the right kind. There are two different types of fats- saturated and unsaturated, and most Sudanese dishes use canola or corn oil, and one of the best types of oils that some food banks also provide, is olive oil. This type of oil is a monounsaturated fatty acid, and this helps lower cholesterol, and can control blood sugar levels
From this blog, I hope you got this information from this- eat more collard greens ( However amount you want), and use olive oil as a subsititute in most of your dishes !