Fresh From the Community Garden: SE Raleigh Promise Hosts Live Cooking Demo

We’re cooking up wellness in Southeast Raleigh!

We were excited to sponsor our very first live cooking demonstration this summer at the Black Farmers’ Market at the Beacon Site! The event was another example of how we bring one of our core pillars to life: Health and Wellness.

Jasmine Westbrooks-Figaro, a registered dietitian and co-founder of Raleigh-based EatWell Exchange, led the Cooking Demo. She prepared a flavorful Spicy Cabbage Stir Fry and shared samples with a crowd of dozens who stopped by to watch her cook and get healthy nutrition tips along the way. Jasmine ended the Live Cooking Demo with a cool, watermelon salad that featured both dried and fresh sprigs of mint, and lime juice.

Jasmine’s work focuses on bridging health disparities through culturally relevant recipes and nutrition education, making her the perfect community partner for this event. Thank you, Jasmine!

The vegetables and herbs used in the stir fry and watermelon salad came straight from the Beacon Site Community Garden, a project led by Southeast Raleigh Promise and supported this year by funding from Duke University’s CTSI. We are grateful their generous support helps maintain the garden and fund healthy cooking classes that use fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs harvested at the Beacon Site Community Garden on our campus. We are also appreciative for an extended member of our team, master gardener Shemecka McNeil of SLICE 325, who maintains the garden. The garden is expected to produce over 1,000 pounds of food this year.

We’re proud to grow food and boost our neighbors’ and our health knowledge right here along Rock Quarry Road in Southeast Raleigh.

Please stay tuned for information about more cooking classes and wellness events rooted in our community and culture.