Residents@JV

Jacob's Village Garden and Diet

Since moving into Jacob’s Village in the Fall of 2004, Mike H’s garden has provided some fresh vegetables for all to enjoy the past three Summers. The vegetables usually harvested from his garden crop are: Carrots, Radishes, Onions, Cucumbers, Cabbage, Zucchini Squash, Egg Plants, Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Banana & Bell Peppers. When there is an abundance of a certain kind of vegetable and the residents cannot eat them all or have them stored, he’ll give them away. This is where an assortment of recipes comes in handy for vegetables, say for instance Zucchini Squash, to find out how many different ways it can be prepared. One can grill it, fry it, dress it up to change its appearance in a casserole, bake it in a cake or bread, and/or even cover it up in a salad. No matter how you cut, slice it, or dice it, a Zucchini Squash is still a Zucchini Squash. The Jacob’s Village bunch has had it many ways and the Home Coordinators could write a book, 101 ways to prepare Zucchini Squash plus…a dozen casserole recipes, yeah, always looking for some new ideas. Home Coordinator Barry prepared a meal of Ratatouille one Sunday, a pasta linguini dish, to use up an assortment of vegetables from Mike’s garden. Ratatouille, by coincidence, is an animated movie by the same name now playing in theatres, bringing an old southern French recipe back to a new popularity. As odd as it is, the story line is about a young rat named Remy. He lives within the walls of a famous Paris bistro and he has dreams of becoming a chef but is hindered by his family’s skepticism and the rat-despising staff and patrons of the restaurant. Remy overcomes all the discriminating adversity and becomes a World renowned chef; a pleasant, enlightening movie. This linguini Ratatouille recipe that Barry was following, sort of, consisted of a blending mixture of: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, garlic, onions, basil, parsley, oregano, and olive oil, which made it into a vegetarian dish. Although, Italian Sausage could be added for even a heartier meal, it was a tasty dish the way it was. If you have been keeping up with the journal, activity blogs on the Jacob’s Village Internet Web-Site, you can be rest assured that the dining cuisine prepared for the residents are just as many, varied, and enlightening. Jacob’s Village is dedicated to enriching the lives of the residents by providing them with another side of life to experience. Since Wanda, Donna Kay, Debbie, Scott, Mike, and Michael have moved into the new homes, each Home Coordinator has prepared their many favorite healthy dishes for them. Not intending to leave any of the Home Coordinators out, Gloria is a down home country girl that prepares Southern style meals, Ham, Beans & Cornbread, Catfish fiddlers and for desert, Banana pudding with Vanilla Wafer cookies. Carol, accustomed to preparing meals for many boys, is a Roast-Beef meat, potato, carrot and vegetable soup kind of girl with an assortment of Jello mixtures. Janice, prepares meals for the bunches that includes all vegetables, Turkey Burgers, Meatloaf, Chicken Lasagna and for desert, easy bake cookies. Joe, believing he’s a Super Italian Chef-Boy-Ardee, tries to impress upon with his different types of pasta dishes or his grilling ability. Toss in some others such as Spaghetti & Meatballs, Bratwurst & Sauer-Kraut, and on special days such as St. Patrick’s Day, Corned-Beef & Cabbage, additionally, Spaghetti Squash, Taco dishes, and Fried-Rice dishes. Then Barry reaches back into his Californian archives and prepares a Shrimp Scampi, and now Ratatouille with Ambrosia for desert. The residents have a sample taste of the world’s best recipes prepared for them and what’s the old saying? A variety is the spice of life. Well… come see for yourself, the Jacob’s Village residents have it.
Mary Ellen Posthauer, Consulting Registered Dietician, volunteer’s her time to oversee and monitor the resident’s diets of Jacob’s Village. She assists the Home Coordinators in scheduling well balanced meals and menus that follow their dietary guidelines upon evaluation. Not everybody prefers their food prepared identical, but there is always a choice…sometimes an alternative. The residents of Jacob’s Village are very well blessed out here in their own little corner of God’s Green Earth.

posted by J V Resident Blog @ 11:26 AM