Food Revival

Alright folks, I need to update you on my life. A lot has changed since the end of last year and even when I try to piece together how I got here, I'm still absolutely amazed at my incredible journey. As many of you know, Food Revival started off as a resource for the "eat local" movement in Birmingham, Alabama and when I lost my job at Cooking Light magazine back in December 2008, Food Revival became a creative outlet, my connection to the outside world, and where I would eventually uncover and rediscover some hidden passions. If you are just finding me, you can read about my journey by reading a piece I recently submitted to Pavo Magazine: "My Kitchen, My Sanctuary."

After a year of volunteering, learning, and freelancing last year, I began to see my journey move less in the direction of delicious recipes, but more in the direction of food for change. School Gardens, Childhood Obesity, Urban Farms, Farmers Markets, and southern culture seemed to keep rising to the top.

Here's what I knew last year: a group of super talented folks in Birmingham applied for a grant funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called "Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities." And I knew that at some point– if Jefferson County was awarded the grant– they'd need someone to coordinate the grant. Well, the good news is Jefferson County did get the grant and I got the job. How CRAZY is that?

So here's what I'm doing:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is investing $500 million with the hopes of reversing this country's childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. One of their many projects is the "Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities" grant that I mentioned earlier. There are 50 cities/sites that received the grant and all will be targeting improvements in local policies and our community environment—changes that research indicates could have the greatest impact on healthier eating, more active living and obesity prevention. Make sense? Okay, let's move on.

Why Jefferson County?

71% of Jefferson County Alabamians are either overweight or obese (7% higher than national average)

Percentage of overweight 3rd graders has increased from 12.8% in 2002-2003, 21.2% in 2006-2007, to 22.1% in 2008-2009.

There are 691 fast food restaurants compared to 345 grocery stores.

Rate of heart disease mortality is higher in Jefferson County compared to national average.

Mortality rate for diabetes is 33.8 deaths per 100,000 population.

I know, I know. Look, we got the grant for a reason, so we might as well face the facts. But as we face the facts, we can look ahead to the amazing possiblities ahead of us.

The United Way of Central Alabama will serve as the lead agency alongside an amazing network of partners: Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Jefferson County Department of Health, Jones Valley Urban Farm, YMCA, Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, and Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners.  Over the next four years, we will receive close to $500,000 to accomplish our goals: $360,000 from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and $80,000 from Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, and $20,000 from the Jefferson County Department of Health.

Each partner and individual agency will be responsible for certain aspects of the grant, which will include: implementing policy changes and changes to the built environment that lead to better nutrition and more physical activity.

We've identified three communities to focus our efforts: East Lake, Homewood, and West End. We will conduct Community Healthy Living Index assessments in each community and then develop a four-year plan for making a change as determined by community residents.

In addition to all of this, we will also focus our efforts on creating an active and working FOOD POLICY group, conduct a FOOD ACCESS STUDY in Birmingham, assess and create ten thriving COMMUNITY GARDENS, create a BIKE TASK FORCE and host a bike summit, assess the need for "COMPLETE STREETS," and develop standards to incorporate nutritional snacks and meals as well as physical activity in our CHILD CARE CENTERS.

Sure, it is a lot and there will be many challenges, but I am here to tell you that having been in the thick of this project over the last month, I am absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of activity already happening across this county. Our universities, non-profits, and concerned community members are actively working on this county's childhood obesity epidemic. Moms, churches, and corporate folks are already asking how they can help. I'm here to tell you that MAJOR things are going to happen in Jefferson County and I am so thrilled that my Food Revival journey led me to this amazing opportunity. I will continue to write about food on this site, but I also hope to write about my work so that we can start sharing a healthy dialogue. Alabamians can access the information while many of the folks I follow on twitter and/or folks interested in this journey can chime in on best practices, things that have worked in your community, and just be a support for me as I get started.

I'm so proud to share all of this with each of you. Now, let's get to work!

Boy howdy, I'm behind. We are half way through January and I haven't even posted my Christmas dinner entries. I guess getting a new job and starting my 5K training program might have had something to do with it (more on that later).

Christmas 2009 needed to be extra good because we would be toasting to many things: a year of self-discovery for me, our totally successful wedding, a new job, Mama's unwavering support and help during the wedding planning, and love love love all around.

On my way out of town, I stopped at V Richards for some Nueske Bacon, truffle butter, and their multi-grain bread. Then I made my way to Whole Foods Market and picked up some essentials: delicious cheeses, olives, and my fresh, farm-raised, free-roaming, and antibiotic-free turkey.

Once in Columbus, we were bombarded with meals. Mike half-way jokes that he has to fast before going to  Mama's because he knows he has to make room for what is sure to come! Hysterical and totally true. We love to eat. And we do it very well, thank you very much.

So our turkey recipe was a Barefoot Contessa creation: lathered with truffle butter (this was my first experience with truffle butter and between you and me I'm definitely revisiting as soon as I can), chopped thyme, and stuffed with aromatics like onion and garlic. This turkey didn't have a chance. And if you do just like Ina says, I promise you will have a tender, juicy bird just like we did. No cooking in a a bag required. Just look at the photos and see for yourself.  You can check out the recipe by visiting her page on Food Network's website.

Accompanying dishes included a cranberry relish made with apples and fresh cranberries. Totally delicious. Roasted Brussels Sprouts tossed with Nueske Bacon and toasted walnuts. Delicious. Green Beans and Mama's Dressing, which might have been the best dressing she has ever made. Good dressing will make your head spin. And y'all, I made some gravy that will go down in the history books. It was so so good.

We finished it all off with Mike's MeMaw's Sour Cream Pound Cake (recipe will be posted later when we expand little 'ol Food Revival). We toasted each other: Mike's unwavering support and awesome husbandness and Mama's continued support and love for us. We are so blessed and the best part is that we absolutely know it, appreciate it, and honor it every single day.

Next year, I plan to do an all local Thanksgiving dinner here in Birmingham, so watch out!