IN PLANNING THE DOWNTOWN WOMEN’S CENTER,
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS FOOD.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to offer wholesome, attractive, well prepared food to the women of skid row! food says so many positive things: I care about you, I want to nurture you, I want to please you with my creativity, I think you deserve this feast. Mealtime is a time of socialization, a tie to talk over the day’s or the world’s events, to get to know the person next to or across from you. Yes, there would definitely be food—good food—at the Downtown Women’s Center.” —JIll Halverson, founding Director, Downtown Women’s Center

DWC serves over 200 nutritious and delicious lunches each day to the women of Skid Row. Below are some of our favorite recipes.

SHARING MEALS—A VITAL PART of BUILDING COMMUNITY
Meals have always been at the heart of the Center, and we serve 75,000 meals a year! Those who have visited DWC notice that the kitchen is in the middle of the Day Center, much like the hearth of the home. Staff, volunteers, and the Ladies make and enjoy meals together. With that spirit in mind, we would like to share one of our favorite recipes below. If you are interested in joining a Community Cooking Club and help cook a meal in our Day Center, contact KatieE@DWCweb.org.
 

HOLIDAY RECIPE FROM THE DWC KITCHEN
“My family loves soups and stews and this one is especially tasty, aromatic, and healthy. Whenever I visit home, this stew is always waiting for me. It reminds me of home, so what better dish to make at DWC!” Katie Escudero

Quinoa Vegetable Stew
Recipe from Katie Escudero, Volunteer Coordinator
½ cup of quinoa
1 large yellow onion, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
2 diced carrots
2 garlic cloves
1, 14.5-ounce can of whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 diced red bell pepper
1 cubed zucchini
1 cups each of frozen peas and corn
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon of chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook quinoa according to instructions in a separate saucepan. In a large pot, sauté onion in oil until the onion softens. Add carrot and garlic, and cook until tender. Add tomatoes with juice; add broth or water, peppers, zucchini, corn, and peas. Add the spices and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. When vegetables are soft, add in the quinoa, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Serves 6
 

DWC SUMMER SALAD RECIPE

Mango Salad with Homemade Dressing
by Carrie, DWC Participant
“I like the idea of fruits and salad mixed together. The original recipe came from a magazine, I just put my own spin to it.”

1/2 head of lettuce
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 handful of mushrooms, sliced
1 small handful of croutons
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 mango, julienned

Dressing:
½ Cup olive oil
1 Cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Teaspoons salt

Wash lettuce and cut into bite-sized pieces. Wash and slice all vegetables as indicated above. Mound lettuce on plate and arrange vegetables around lettuce. Place mango slices on top of lettuce and garnish with cilantro. For dressing, combine all ingredients with a whisk or fork. Drizzle dressing over plate or serve on the side. Serves 2-3 as a side dish.
 

MEET CARRIE: Carrie began exploring her culinary talents through DWC’s Workforce Development Program and the Culinary Arts training . Through these programs, she realized her passion for cooking and enrolled in L.A. Trade Tech’s Culinary Arts program and hopes to one day open up her own restaurant!