Learning healthy cooking habits

Healthy eating habits can be difficult to maintain while balancing a busy schedule, but the Drury University Campus Wellness and Fitness Department is working to teach DU community members easy recipes through monthly cooking classes.

For the last semester, Drury students, faculty and staff have had the opportunity to attend these healthy cooking classes once a month as part of the newly developed Five to Thrive program sponsored by Campus Wellness.

Each class teaches attendees how to prepare two dishes while focusing on a larger health issue.

The last cooking class of the semester was held Monday, Nov. 28. The topic of discussion was Diabetes, and the menu was comprised of zucchini fritters and Moroccan-style chicken.

The instructor is a registered dietitian employed by St. John's Hospital. He works alongside Amy Blansit, the director of wellness and fitness, to create an open and relaxed learning environment. Attendees ask questions freely while listening to the recipes being narrated step by step.

Each attendee goes home with a handout complete with recipes and nutritional information, giving them a little food for thought, if you will.

For those that did not get the chance to attend a class this semester, the program will resume in late January.

Blansit hopes to increase the number of attendees by hosting two classes a month; one around noon and another in the evening. The same recipes will be taught at both sessions.

"We are planning some fun nights," says Blansit. "We want to do a ramen noodle night where you pitch the flavor packet and use the noodles in salads and other healthy options."