2017 Was a Memorable Year...

Kitchen Angels' 25th year certainly was a memorable one! A Gala event at the Santa Fe Opera, a renovated kitchen and delivery room, and a new staff member were only a few of the accomplishments. The year had many hurdles that we've proudly cleared. Click here for 17 Reasons Why We're Proud of 2017.

Through it all, we've managed to increase our volunteer numbers! We love to assess how we're doing over the years, and continually improve our organization. Click here to view our 2017 Volunteer Report. Come see Lauren or Tony if you'd like a copy.

Say hello to the newest members of Kitchen Angels' Board of Directors. We welcome Gerry Cerf (seated, 3rd from left) and Liz Montoya (front in blue dress). We trust in the guidance of our board of directors, to steer our outstanding organization into the future. Thanks to each of you for your generous contributions of time and funds. Farewell to exiting board members Jim Brack & Haila Harvey. Here's to a job well done!

Kitchen Angels' Board of Directors (from left):         Elva Busch, president, Linda Dressman, Gerry Cerf, Maureen Vosburgh, Martha Gandert-Romero, Ben Alaimo-Monson, vice-president, Liz Montoya, Donna Ruscavage, secretary, Karen Wolfe-Mattison, Ginny Selvin, treasurer, OJ Niswonger,  not pictured, Carmen Gonzales

February 13th is Mardi Gras, so here's a tidbit of history...

Also called Shrove , Mardi Gras (which is French for "Fat Tuesday"), was named after the practice of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lent. The Carnival celebrations begin on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminate on the day before Ash Wednesday . Not only is Mardi Gras celebrated in New Orleans, but elsewhere all over the world. Versions of Carnival take place in various cities in Belgium, Brazil, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Ukraine & Sweden. If you've never been to a Mardi Gras celebration, put it on your bucket list!

 

Even though we're over a thousand miles from New Orleans, it can't hurt to have yet another excuse to throw a party and eat great food! We love this list of 32 New Orleans Classics for Mardi Gras from Southern Living. Laissez les bons temps roule!

Joe's been cooking up some delicious food in the kitchen (with the help of our dedicated volunteers). Our clients are loving the variety and we've gotten quite a few calls letting us know that they love the new dishes. 

In honor of Meatless Monday, try Joe's Spinach Pie recipe. We love spoiling our vegetarian clients with these delectably savory treats.

We always welcome new volunteers! Here are our current opportunities:

Delivery Drivers (4:30pm - 6:30pm)

• Thursday, Route 13 (Rufina St.) 
• Friday, Route 6 (Miguel Chavez Rd.)

• Every day - Monday through Friday

• Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays

• Substitutes for every day - Monday through Friday

Who wouldn't like spinach pie instead of meat?!

 

Kitchen Angels not only cares about the health of our clients, but also the health of the entire planet. That's why we've initiated "Meatless Mondays" for our clients. By going meatless at least once each week, you can reduce your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It also limits one's carbon footprint and helps save resources such as fresh water and fossil fuel. To learn more about the Meatless Monday movement and why it's such a great idea, click here.

People often site several reasons for not wanting to omit meat from their diet. Some think they will be protein deprived if they skip eating meat. On average, Americans consume 45% more

	A very tasty meat alternative

than the USDA recommendation for dietary protein. That's not to mention how much protein one can take in through plant and legume sources. Flavor is no longer a good reason for not setting meat aside for a day. There are plenty of delicious ways to eat a filling meal while still avoiding meat. Legumes and vegetables are a good source of protein, provided you consume adequate calories. Plus, there have been great strides in the development of meat substitutes. If you haven't tried Beyond Meat yet, you might want to. It's soy and gluten-free, has a good, meaty "tooth," has more protein than a comparable amount of animal meat, and tastes pretty good. You can purchase it at all of the health food stores in town. 

We love our volunteers. We hope you all know that by now! Our volunteers tend to go above and beyond the call of duty. You're a hard-working, reliable, flexible, good-natured bunch of folks. You are the reason why Kitchen Angels is such a well-respected part of the Santa Fe community. We could thank you from now until the end of time and it still wouldn't be enough.

It's fun, from time to time, to find out what our volunteers love most about volunteering at Kitchen Angels. Here's what some of you said...

Tuesday AM kitchen crew - known for being very dependable, and humble!

 

	Thursday AM kitchen crew - known for talking turkey & getting the job done with very little guidance!

"It's nice to peel and chop and shut your brain off for a while. Repetitive, metronomic work is very satisfying." - Dan, Tuesday AM kitchen

"It's nice to work as a team to make good, quality food. Good food is joyful medicine." - Joni, Tuesday AM kitchen

"We love doing something we enjoy while helping others, meeting people from all walks of life, and learning about cooking & nutrition. The fringe benefits are good too - love the unlimited vacation time!" - Wednesday AM kitchen ladies

"It's engaging to be part of the community as a whole, the people are fun and so different, and Thursday volunteers bring sweets!" - Thursday AM kitchen

"It's my therapy - and it costs less!" - Michael,Thursday kitchen

Kitchen Angels is grateful for the generosity of various grocery stores in the Santa Fe area. Every other month,

Paper Bag Angel - Susan K.

volunteer angels Tim & Susan Kilkenny make the rounds to local grocery stores, asking for paper bag donations. If it weren't for the generosity of these stores, Kitchen Angels would have to purchase paper bags at ten cents a bag. Next time you find yourself in one of the following store s, please thank them for donating paper bags:  Albertson's (Guadalupe, Zafarano, St. Francis Dr.), Smith's (Cerrillos, Pacheco), Sprout's Farmers Market (Zafarano, Paseo De Peralta). Many thanks to Tim & Susan for establishing the relationships with these stores and rounding up bags for our                                                          program.