Philippine Barangay Nutrition Scholars Learn About U.S. Pulses

USDDBC’s Southeast Asian office has been working closely with the Nutrition Dietician Association in Davao, Philippines, to train Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) on the benefits and preparation of U.S. dry beans and other pulses in ongoing work to increase consumption. BNS are health workers employed by the City Nutrition Office. They cover different villages and are immersed in the community and responsible for developing and cooking dishes for feeding programs. As they work with an allowance, they need to be creative in developing dishes that will fit the daily budget.

The hands-on cooking portion of the seminar and cooking demonstration by Chef Jill Sandique.

A series of four workshops, “U.S. Pulses: Fundamental Cooking Techniques”, was held in Davao this fall and over one hundred and twenty BNS and Registered Nutrition Dietitians attended. Participants had an opportunity to taste different types of U.S. dry beans, observe a cooking demonstration of U.S. pulse-based dishes, and prepare a local recipe that involved U.S. dry beans. Following the workshops, the BNS took part in a recipe development competition featuring U.S. dry beans. Forty-six recipes were submitted and 15 of these were selected for a cookbook, “Homestyle Recipes with U.S. Pulses”, and a series of recipe videos. Production of the cookbook and videos has already begun and distribution is planned to Nutritionists, Dietitians, and BNS throughout Davao and other areas of the Philippines.

Some of the recipes that will be part of the Cookbook