Workshop facilitator and herbalist Hunter Cubitt-Cooke has been a collective member of Le Frigo Vert for eight years. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian
On Nov 2. 2022, Le Frigo Vert hosted a mushroom workshop where participants can learn about how to use mushrooms in a variety of ways.
Workshop attendees learned to make their own mushroom tinctures from red belted conk, birch polypore, chaga, and reishi mushrooms. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian
Different mushroom tinctures. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian
Different herbs, spices, and mushrooms that participants can choose from. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian
The participant is seen putting mushroom tincture into their container. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian
Budget and time-friendly meal ideas to get you through student life
As students, it’s easy to get swept up in studying, socializing, or lying around on your laptop for so long that you forget to feed yourself. Now, despite how common this practice is, we all know it isn’t all that healthy. One of the best ways to prepare yourself for success this semester is to make a balanced diet a priority. Now, that in no way means sad diet foods and avoiding Tim’s on the way to class. Instead, making sure your arsenal is stocked with nutritious and budget-friendly recipes is a great way to make sure you aren’t surviving on instant ramen alone. Here are some fast and easy recipes to help you nail this school year.
Summer Rolls
Vietnamese summer rolls sustained my withered body during this summer’s heat wave, but this cool, refreshing dish is also a fast and simple lunch or dinner all year round. All you need are: rice paper sheets, vermicelli noodles, a protein of your choice (I use baked tofu, but shrimp is most authentic), and any veggies you have lying around your fridge chopped into thin sticks (I like a bed of lettuce with carrots, cucumbers and peppers). Wet your rice paper sheets in warm water until they reach a pliable and gummy texture, fill with whatever your heart desires, and then roll into a burrito-like shape. A few shakes of fish sauce inside the roll really makes it, if you have a bottle lying around (which you definitely should). This is the perfect dish for cleaning out your fridge, so don’t be too precious with it. Make sure to dip your rolls in a peanut sauce for a well-rounded but light meal.
Oven Fajitas
One great way to save time cooking as a student is a “set it and forget it” meal, where you throw everything in the oven in one swoop and just wait. My go-to is Budget Bytes’ chicken fajitas. Throw some oiled and seasoned sliced chicken breast, peppers, onions (and whatever else you’d like) into an oven at 400 F for 35-40 minutes and then boom — dinner. You can eat it over rice on the go, or my preference, in a tortilla with some salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. These one pan recipes are perfect for students living in packed apartments, where too many dishes clogging up the sink can lead to some unsavoury altercations. I’d also recommend Budget Bytes in general as a great resource for other simple, cash-saving recipes — I know I’ve relied on them for the past four years.
Veggie-Packed Quiche
Now, I can imagine many reading this are perplexed at the concept of making a quiche as being an easy, student-friendly recipe, but I promise it’s simpler than you think. Quiche is truly the perfect meal-prepping food, as it works for lunch or dinner with just the accompaniment of maybe a side salad or soup. One recipe I love to batch-prep on weekends is a veggie quiche, packed full of whatever produce is in season. The mix of fibre from the veggies, protein from the eggs, and carbs from the cheese and crust (premade of course, we’re not Nigella Lawson here) makes quiche a super nutritious quick meal idea that will last in the fridge and keep you energized throughout the school day.
Big Boy Salad
I am of the firm belief that salad can be fun if you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort. And the salads I make are not diet-y, basically-just-eating-water bowls of sadness. The key to a salad (or “bowl” as bougie establishments have begun to dub them) is balancing the ratio of grains to vegetables to fun add-ons. So, as the weather turns, I like to make a fall salad with kale as the base, adding in farro, and topping with roasted sweet potato, thinly sliced apples, a bit of goat cheese, and some nuts like walnuts or pecans. Now, while I think that sounds delish, this formula can be adapted to any taste. Just keep in mind: base (kale, spinach, lettuce, arugula…), grain (rice, farro, quinoa, couscous…), and protein-filled add ons (meat/tofu, nuts, seeds, cheeses, hemp/flax/chia seeds…).
Sweep the Fridge Shakshuka
Shakshuka is another recipe that can be simple or made fancier depending on your time and the ingredients you have on hand. In its most basic form, Shakshuka is a stewy tomato dish with eggs poached inside. Start by frying up some onions and garlic. Once fragrant, dump in a can of diced tomatoes (obviously fresh chopped tomatoes are ideal, but we live in Quebec so we make do). Season with salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, and other spices to your liking. Once the sauce is reduced and the flavours have melded nicely, create divots in the sauce with a spoon and crack in a few eggs and cover until cooked through, but with a nice, jammy yolk. Top with herbs and/or feta to your liking. This dish can be made entirely out of inexpensive pantry staples, and is a warm, comforting and filling dish easily paired with some nice crusty bread for dipping.
HomeCooked Concordia strives to be a community for CU students through food and learning
In March 2020, the world went into lockdown and classes went online; people were encouraged to order food, support local businesses and take a chill pill — all was (relatively) well. A year later we see that this lifestyle wasn’t short-term, and we are now living in an age of isolation.
Not to mention, we are all feeding ourselves in our kitchens versus the once typical lifestyle of dining out.
Aida Setbel, a Sociology student at Concordia University, was a keen user of Concordia’s food organizations, such as the People’s Potato and the Hive Cafe. But, when they were confined to their home, they started to wonder how the absence of these organizations would impact students, “because it was also impacting me,” they explained.
The reach of these organizations was just not far enough for their liking.
“I realized that there’s not a lot of Concordia organizations that help people to prepare the food at home. It’s mostly, like, giving people meals. But I was wondering, how sustainable is that in the long term?”
And then the idea of HomeCooked Concordia started to stew in their mind.
The idea of HomeCooked Concordia is to support students and help them learn how to cook their own meals, and to educate them on their food, where it comes from, and when it is in season. The organization teaches its followers how to eat not only more sustainably, but also healthier. And that doesn’t mean the food is less tasty!
It’s a relatively new project, and has been in the works all year. However, Setbel expressed that there have been some hardships along the way. They addressed these by asking themselves lots of questions to ensure the impact of this project would be meaningful.
I don’t want to rush into creating things that are not going to be relevant for students or just for the community at the moment,” said Setbel.
But the club isn’t your typical food blog. In fact, it rejects the idea of individualism and concentrates on the ‘community’ aspect of home cooking.
Aida Setbel, founder of HomeCooked Concordia
“I think it’s important for me to put it as a Concordia-based initiative, because it’s a community organization that I’m interested in fostering. I don’t want it to be like, my personal brand, like my blog [where] I’m gonna have affiliate links to Amazon. That’s not the vibe,” said Setbel.
In order to get this organization the support it needs to make a meaningful impact, Setbel would need more community involvement.
“I’m looking into partnering up with other student organizations who either worked in something related or who are giving out funding for this type of project.”
From graphic artists to amateur student cooks, there is an abundance of need.
Setbel’s relationship with food has been a growing one, and, through the pandemic, one that has become increasingly important to them. They realized that their budget did not include the ‘ordering food’ premium, and it seemed there were no good food options. With that, it became increasingly important to become independent with food.
That’s why I got into home cooking, personally, because I can’t afford to go to a restaurant, […], and yeah, just like home cooking for me was a way for me to make my life affordable,” they said.
Young people’s relationship to food tends to be more disconnected, and leans towards processed, pre-made options thanks to the microwave cooking time advertised on the box. HomeCooked Concordia hopes to bring the knowledge and love of food back to our students.
Setbel said, “The things that always come to mind for me when I think of cooking are the social, environmental and individual impacts.” Through these three facets, food and cooking can have different effects.
Typically, we think of the social impact of food being how it brings us together. However, Setbel is also referring to the food we can have thanks to the destruction of father countries, such as any chocolate bar containing palm oil.
“[It’s thinking] about monocultures that are destroying the autonomy and the food sovereignty of certain places that now … only grow wheat to make bread or like, cattle feed or whatever else, and then they have to import [food],” said Setbel. In other words, it is important for us to know where our food comes from in order to be aware of the impacts it can have.
As Setbel indicates, how far our food has to travel can result in major environmental impact. They explain, “The industrial system that is there right now is benefiting from the lack of knowledge on food to sell people the cheapest option available and make it seem like a good thing for them.”
Finally, the individual impact of food is what directly relates to us, our health and the benefits of eating whole foods and homemade dishes.
“There’s something for me about being able to cook a meal that has the nutrients and the energy to keep your growth going through your week.”
Graphic and photo courtesy of HomeCooked Concordia
Why a class on basic personal finance and cooking might be a good idea
Tax-free savings account. RRSPs. Writing a cheque. Credit score. Credit debt. Cooking. Buying. Saving. Being healthy. Is five dollars for a pint of strawberries pricey or a steal? As students in our 20s, these are things we should know about, but many of us don’t.
While the “live and learn” philosophy is all well and good, I believe there is an underrated beauty in learning before living… for certain situations, that is. I feel that burning a few shepherd’s pies before learning what “broil” means is a live and learn lesson, but I’m sure many young adults would have preferred to learn how to use a credit card before living a life ridden with debt. I think certain passages into adulthood we laugh about should perhaps be taken more seriously.
The title “Home Economics” may transport many to an outdated, sexist concept that no longer has a place in 2017. This is where I disagree. I myself have been quick to snub home ec. A class to learn how to make a grocery list? C’mon.
But it’s only as outdated as we deem it. Do we snub it because of the stigma attached to it? Is it the word “home” in the title that reminds us all too much of the home-maker penchant the class once had? Eventually, we will all need to take care of ourselves, to “adult,” as it has commonly become known amongst millennials. So, is home economics actually outdated? Or has our country just pushed basic life skills down too many notches on our societal list of priorities?
Burnouts have become normal. People hate Mondays. “Not having it together,” or being “a hot mess” are trends. Sites and blogs like Buzzfeed and Elite Daily curate humoristic, relatable lists to make us feel better about our binge drinking, spending and bad eating habits, cajoling us in our laziness and indulgent habits.
I’m not saying I’m above those lists—I love those lists. Ever seen the meme of The Office’s Kevin Malone spilling a big pot of chili with the caption, “Me trying to get my life together”? Hilarious. Relatable. But isn’t it kind of worrying just how relatable it is?
According to Credit Cards Canada’s website, in 2016, the average credit card debt per Canadian was $3,954. According to the Canadian Federation of Students, the collective student loan debt in Canada is estimated at $15 billion. Credit card companies and banks can start soliciting customers as soon as they turn 18 in all provinces except New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where the minimum age is 19.
According to a 2016 survey conducted by Manulife Financial, “31 per cent of millennial respondents feel it’s not a ‘big deal’ if they carry a balance on their credit cards.” Additionally, the survey found that millennial homeowners are least prepared in terms of emergency funds.
In addition to debts and financial stresses that young adults are increasingly being faced with, studies show that millennials are increasingly stressed and miserable. According to the 2015 Global News Ipsos Reid poll, which surveyed 2,010 Canadians between April 16 and 20, 2015, more than half of Canadian millennials have a high risk of developing mental health issues. “Wright pointed to societal issues, such as a low employment rate and rising living costs, as pressures that weigh on millennials,” wrote Global News journalist Carmen Chai, citing senior vice-president of Ipsos, John Wright. Ipsos is a Canadian market research company.
While these findings are worrying, things are changing, and a public conversation is happening in Canada. Quebec’s education minister, Sébastien Proulx, plans to introduce mandatory economics classes in Quebec high schools as of September 2017, according to CBC News. Additionally, the conversation on the topic is becoming more widespread. Publications like the Globe and Mail and The Huffington Post have featured opinion pieces on the importance of home economics and financial literacy for teenagers and young adults in Canada.
I moved out at 17. I had some money saved up, I was always independent—I felt ready. I grew up in a household where I had to be responsible. I would clean and cook. I knew how to do laundry. But when you actually get your own place, when you become financially independent, you’re alone. There’s a shift, and it’s hard. Learning to pay rent, finding roommates, being a good neighbour, being a good tenant, writing a cheque, managing my finances, knowing my rights as an employee, feeding myself correctly… all while turning 18 and trying to have fun, go to school and come into my own as an adult—it’s tough. When you’re not prepared, it can bring you down.
Now, at 21, I feel confident in my adulthood, but it took a burnout to get there. While I know I have a lot to learn, I know how to manage my personal finances and I am not scared to stand up for my tenant, student and employee rights. I know what a pint of strawberries on sale should cost. I am not sharing my experience to complain about natural adjustments to adult life, but rather to shed light on the fact that a lot of emotional turmoil I faced in my transition to adulthood could have been prevented had I had some kind of “adulting” training.
This film is not a travel journal nor is it another film about cooking. It is a romantic comedy about the importance of family life. It is also about the exquisite pleasure of enjoying and sharing the joy that good food can produce in any single person. Since eating is one of those little things that we all have to do, it is safe to say that a good meal could be described as a universal pleasure.
The Hundred-Foot Journey starts in Mumbai, where we meet a family that has operated restaurants serving native food for several generations. Tragedy strikes, and the family decides to relocate.
Their next stop is London, England where they open a new restaurant, but ultimately they find themselves in a third location in a village in the south of France. There they open Maison Mumbai, which offers Indian cuisine.
Not only is this move innovative, it is also extremely bold given that its location is a mere one hundred feet from Le Saule Pleureur. You can imagine how having a five-star restaurant that has served classic French food for generations as a neighbor can be a little annoying for a new, exotic and little known restaurant. Naturally, the two restaurant owners lock horns, but ultimately they learn that both establishments, like their different cultures, can co-exist in peaceful harmony.
One similarity between the Maison Mumbai and Le Saule Pleureur is that both restaurants consider their staff as family, regardless of whether they share the same blood or not. Both experience the ups and downs of running their respective restaurants together, as a group. The beautiful yet quaint geography of each location is skillfully captured in a way that evokes nostalgia to those familiar with them. Directed by Lasse Hallström, who also brought us Chocolate, and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, this film will, at the very least, make you leave the theatre smiling.
Fondation Amal will be hosting an event entitled “Délices au Pays des Merveilles” at New City Gas Oct. 23.
Fondation Amal, a non-profit organization founded by Concordia University graduates, is helping the Children’s Wish Foundation’s Quebec West Chapter make the dreams of two kids affected by a life-threatening disease come true. Jade, a 6-year-old battling against a rare cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma, dreams of going to Disneyland and Miguel, 7, is fighting acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and wishes to swim with dolphins. To help make these dreams a reality, Fondation Amal will be hosting an event entitled “Délices au Pays des Merveilles” at New City Gas on Oct. 23, where five Montreal chefs will face off in a cooking competition.
Fondation Amal will be hosting an event entitled “Délices au Pays des Merveilles” at New City Gas Oct. 23.
The chefs will each create their own original dish which will be tasted and compared by guests who will ultimately select a winner. Restaurant owners and chefs Adam Aspelund of Ludger Buvette Gourmand, Fisun Ercan of Restaurant Su, Sergio Mattoscio of Macaroni Bar, Antonio Park of Park Restaurant, and Alexandre Gosselin of Chez Victoire will be the highly-skilled professionals competing at the event. All based in Montreal they are also covering the cost of the ingredients for the event.
The goal for the night is $20,000, or $10,000 for each child’s wish. This is twice the amount of their June 2012 fundraising event, Sorbet et Pétales, which surpassed its $10,000 goal for the Leucan-CSN Summer Camp charity that provides holidays for families of children suffering from cancer.
Fondation Amal has given itself a mandate to raise money each year for a different charity focusing on children with illness or disabilities. The foundation was originally the brain-child of Sherin Al-Safadi, a former MBA student at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business and current PhD candidate in the university’s neuroscience department. After writing up the business plan for the foundation while on a plane to Dubai in early 2012, she pitched the idea to three of her former classmates in the MBA program who became her co-founders.
Most board members and volunteers range in age from 21 to 32 years old, many of whom have studied at the John Molson School of Business, and each bring their own expertise to the foundation. For many on the board, their involvement allows them to put a different, less capitalist spin on their business skills.
“Not-for-profits, charities and very small entrepreneurial startups are not things I see often at work, in which I occupy a spot within the capitalist mechanism,” said treasurer June Svetlovsky, who works as an accountant at KPMG. “I wanted to use my accounting knowledge for a positive reason.”
Tickets for their fundraiser, “Délices au Pays des Merveilles” at New City Gas on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m., can be found online at www.fondationamal.ca. Tickets cost $90 of which $75 is tax deductible.
Aloha Oatmeal (Serves 1) INGREDIENTS • 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats • ¾ cup coconut water (sold in individual cans or cartons) • ¼ cup chopped mango, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, thaw first) • ¼ cup chopped pineapple, fresh or canned (if canned, drain & rinse) • 1 tbsp. shredded unsweetened coconut (sold in baking section) • 12 whole almonds INSTRUCTIONS 1) Heat oats and coconut water in a small saucepan on high heat. Once water is boiled, reduce heat to simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until oats have reached desired consistency 2) Serve oats in bowl, and top with the chopped mango and pineapple. 3) Sprinkle shredded coconut over top along with the almonds. Close your eyes and imagine you are on the beach. Bon voyage!
With less than a month before we Concordians return to our routines of daily rush-hour transit, long nights in the library, and hours upon hours of readings and lectures, many of us find ourselves aching for a tropical getaway to ease the approach of the school year to come.
It’s too bad that our student budgets usually fail to account for our wants! The nearing of September finds us scrounging our pennies to prepare for the financial blow of textbooks and tuition, forcing many of us to accept that we simply cannot afford that last-minute retreat.
However, all hope is not lost- I bring you a simple, delicious way to bring the tropics to you! How? With a satisfying bowl of oatmeal of course! Now for many, the very idea of oatmeal may seem boring, flavorless, and just overall un-appealing. This bowl of oats on the other-hand is loaded with delicious tropical flavors, and packed with fantastic health benefits to start your mornings off on the right foot. One thing I can promise you-this ain’t your grandmother’s bowl of oatmeal!
The key to a killer bowl of oatmeal is not only about the add-ins, but also about the actual type of oats you choose. The packaged and pre-flavored quick oatmeal may seem easy and inexpensive, however is packed with unnecessary sugars and artificial ingredients, and due to the reduced cooking time is lacking in texture and volume. Buying “oats” rather than “oatmeal” is a smarter step, health and budget wise. Bulk food stores offer a variety of minimally processed oats, priced by the pound-and you’ll be surprised at the value you’ll receive!
Steel cut oats are the ideal choice, being the least processed out of the pack, however take around 30 minutes to cook. Another great choice is old-fashioned large flake oats, which take half the time and provide an excellent source of fiber and vitamins.
Cooking these oats in coconut water will add a kick of flavor, along with a boost of energy to fuel the day ahead. Coconut water can be called “nature’s energy drink”, boasting as much potassium and electrolytes as many artificial sports beverages.
So before you write off oatmeal, give this recipe a try! Hawaii can wait, but your health shouldn’t!
