What’s cooking?
Another of my work roles is as a faculty-in-residence (FIR) at Boston University (BU). For those of you unfamiliar with FIR, here’s what we have on our BU website describing this program:
“The FIR program expands the Boston University classroom by providing a residential experience that is connected, interdisciplinary, innovative, and meaningful. Toward this end, FIRs are in place to:
• Serve as role models, resources, and advocates for the students with whom they live and learn;
• Cultivate interactions with undergraduates that empower students to grow, develop, and refine their values;
• Integrate curricular and co-curricular activities across the University’s schools and programs; and
• Blaze trails toward the synthesis of knowledge and experience— trails that are provocative, innovative, collaborative, and emblematic of ‘One BU”’. (https://www.bu.edu/reslife/residential-experience/4845-2/)
For almost 15 years, I have been the host of the weekly BU Sargent Choice Test Kitchen (SCTK) program, an integral component of my responsibilities as a FIR.
I love teaching skills needed for recipe preparation and cooking. The Oxford English Dictionary defines to cook as “prepare (food, a dish, or a meal) by combining and heating the ingredients in various ways” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2024). I find it interesting that although I use the term to cook, many times what I cook doesn’t require heat and may just entail the combination of ingredients to prepare the recipe. Whatever the terminology used, cooking is meaningful to me; and it’s something that I have been sharing with family, friends and students.
The SCTK is a collaboration with the Sargent Choice Nutrition Center where they create healthy vegetarian recipes and share these recipes with me. After shopping for all the ingredients, BU students make, try and share what they like about the recipe, such as “we enjoyed the fresh taste and aroma of this recipe; the recipe is versatile”. There is typically a Sargent Choice student ambassador who works with me each week. This student shares the nutritional aspects of the recipe and blogs about the recipes.
Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this initiative convened weekly throughout the academic calendar, with students congregating in my dormitory apartment for three-hour sessions.
In response to the global health crisis, the SCTK program underwent a strategic relocation. Adapting to the new paradigm, we transitioned the SCTK to the more spacious environment–the dormitory lobby. This adjustment allowed for the continuation of the SCTK and an increased visibility to the residents where over 900 students reside. I’ve included two of our favorite SCTK recipes at the end of this From the Editor, one is a gluten free recipe called fudgy black bean brownies and the other is a caprese sandwich.
Fig. 1
Sargent Choice Test Kitchen located in the lobby of the dormitory where we made caprese sandwiches.
Cooking as a work role encompasses a diverse array of responsibilities and competencies. Some key aspects may include food preparation, culinary knowledge, recipe development and execution, food safety and sanitation, equipment operation, adaptability, time management, and with others in a professional kitchen, will require teamwork and communication. The work environment in professional kitchens is often characterized by high-stress conditions, long hours, and physically demanding tasks. After hosting the SCTK for all these years, I’m even more appreciative of workers who are in such settings. I hope you are, too. This issue contains 40 papers on topics such as return to work after an acute myocardial infarction, the use of protective clothing on the thermal strain and mental workload, factors associated with anxiety disorders among healthcare workers, designing an adjustable ergonomic laptop desk, and older workers among other topics. The issue also contains a special section on Advancements in Telehealth by guest editor and editorial board member Ardalan Shariat. My gratitude is shared with Dr. Shariat for his work and to thank him for being a guest on our Learn at WORK podcast.
The Editor’s Choice paper is, How to remain in working life with hearing loss – health factors for a sustainable work situation by Granberg, Widén and Gustafsson. This topic was particularly interesting to me as I have a hearing loss. The authors suggest that “persons with hearing loss (HL) are a vulnerable group in working life. Studies have shown that they are more likely than the general population to be in parttime work, to be unemployed, receive disability pension, and to be on sick leave”. The authors conclude that “the results demonstrate a clear pattern regarding health factors for a sustainable working life. The type of job was not related to whether an individual was on sick leave or working. Rather, the work climate and the content of the work mattered”.
I hope you are enjoying our Learn at WORK podcast. Co-authors, Granberg and Gustafsson from this issue’s Editor’s Choice paper will be guests on an upcoming episode. They will be discussing the topic of disabilities in working life, especially hearing loss, since this is a truly neglected area of research. Please reach out with suggestions of authors you would welcome being guests on an episode. Learn more about WORK on our website at workjournal.org.
All my best,
Founding Editor, WORK
Occupational therapist & ergonomist
blogs.bu.edu/kjacobs/
Sargent Choice Test Kitchen recipes
1. Sargent Choice fudgy black bean brownies
Recipe from Meal Makeover Mom’s book, No Whine with Dinner
Yield: 16 2-inch brownies
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed.
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
9 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 × 8-inch
2. Place the black beans in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, peppermint extract (if desired), baking powder, and salt and process until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.
2. Caprese sandwich
Original Recipe by Nutrition Student, Jeanice Harjanto
Yield 1-2 sandwiches
Ingredients
1 bread roll, like ciabatta (or your preferred bread)
¼ tomato, thinly sliced
¼ cup spinach
2 oz burrata cheese (or other cheese like mozzarella or cheddar)
2 tbsp pesto sauce (link to pesto sauce recipe below)
½ tsp olive oil (or other neutral vegetable oil, like canola)
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar, sriracha, or other dressing (optional)
Directions
1. Toast your bread in a toaster or use an oven to heat up the bread: Heat up the oven/toaster to 350 °F (175 °C) and place your bread inside the oven until light brown.
2. Carefully remove the toasted bread and slice it in half to create an opening for the sandwich.
3. Spread the pesto on the inside of both bread halves.
4. Layer the thinly sliced tomatoes, spinach, and burrata cheese inside the sandwich.
5. If desired, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, sriracha, or another dressing for extra flavor. Enjoy!
What we liked
• We enjoyed the fresh taste and aroma of this recipe.
• The recipe is versatile, and we appreciated being able to substitute cheddar cheese for burrata when needed.
• Perfect for busy days, this sandwich can be quickly prepared and enjoyed between classes.
Suggestions
• For a dorm-friendly version, opt for untoasted bread.
• Feel free to swap burrata with alternatives like mozzarella or opt for a vegan cheese substitute.
