THOMPSON — What can you get with eight roasted chickens? Quite a lot, actually.

That was the message conveyed in the latest community outreach initiative of Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, Inc. (NOW). The “Healthy Cooking With NOW” kick-off event was held recently at Marianapolis Preparatory School in Thompson and saw over two dozen community members gather for a free interactive healthy cooking demonstration from Jason and Amy St. Onge of the G Seven Catering Company.

Thanks to a generous grant from Jewett City Savings Bank, NOW was able to provide the ingredients for five delicious and nutritious entrees, all of which featured roasted chicken as their main ingredient.

“We wanted to show everyone, especially families, how to make affordable and nutritious meals using every day roasted chickens,” Jason St. Onge said.

St. Onge began the demonstration by showing the crowd the proper method for deboning a chicken and removing the wings, legs, thighs, and breasts. By using all of the roasted chicken, St. Onge said families will save money by avoiding the higher cost of individually packaged breasts and thighs at the grocery store.

The dishes prepared and demonstrated for the community audience included chicken scaloppini, sticky honey soy habanero wings, Arroz con pollo, chicken rice soup, and Tuscan soup. Each recipe utilized different portions of the roasted chicken and called for an array of vegetables, including artichoke, peppers, mushrooms, and carrots. Upon completing each dish, St. Onge and a team of volunteers served samples to audience members, along with copies of each recipe to take home and try out in their own kitchens. By following the recipes, St. Onge told audience members that they could make five meals for a family of four at a cost of only $169.72.

In addition to the cooking demonstration, participants discussed the importance of a low sodium diet with registered dietician Sarah Desjardin and brainstormed ways for parents to fit exercise into their busy schedules with Marianapolis Athletic Trainer Richard “Buddy” Drew.

With a successful first event under their belts and more grant funding from Jewett City Savings Bank to put to good use, talks are already underway between NOW and Marianapolis to host a second “Healthy Cooking With NOW” event in June.

“I am so impressed with NOW’s mission of promoting health and wellness in our community,” said Marianapolis Head of School Joe Hanrahan. “This was a wonderful opportunity for us to open our doors and lend a hand. We look forward to an ongoing partnership with NOW.” 

 

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