LEWISTON —  More than 60 community members, plus staff, volunteers and gardeners, attended the St. Mary’s Nutrition Center Community Dinner on Aug. 21.

The dinner was a celebration of the work and community service that has been done this growing season and highlighted the nutrition center’s Lots to Gardens program.

Attendees included the youth gardeners and their families, some of the 115 families who garden in the community garden plots in downtown Lewiston and at Meadowview and Hillview housing complexes, and supporters and community members hoping to learn more about the Nutrition Center’s work.

The menu was developed and prepared from scratch by the Summer Youth Gardeners and reflected the youth’s diverse culinary backgrounds: veggie spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce, spaghetti with homemade vegetable marinara, turkey meatballs, garlic bread, Fiston’s greens, Isha’s collards, Magdalene’s fufu, injera, marak, Fahad’s chapatti, Aida’s rice, no-bake cookies, and everyone’s favorite, black raspberry beet brownies – a healthier alternative to traditional brownies.

The diverse group of about 20 Summer Youth Gardeners also developed and showcased a short presentation about their summer experience in the program. Fiston Mubalama Lowatiwiya, one of the Youth Gardeners who arrived in Maine from Congo last year, gave a moving talk about how he loves to work in the gardens and make good food for his family. Fiston explained, “It was hard to make friends at first. When I started working at Lots to Gardens, my experience changed. I have closer friends now for the first time since I was in Congo; I am digging in the dirt, growing food, eating it, and working. That makes me really happy.”

To close the presentation, the youth lead the audience in a short chant they authored: “Everyone take a part; share what’s in your heart; we the youth can do the impossible; and as a community, we are unstoppable.”

Annie Doran, Youth Programs Coordinator, explained that the Nutrition Center’s youth programs are open to Lewiston/Auburn area youth between the ages of 14-18. Through the program, they get job training and experience, learn about gardening, nutrition and cooking, and participate in leadership development workshops. “Youth in our programs take what they learn and give back to the community to create positive change. They are such powerful change-makers!” says Doran.

The St. Mary’s Nutrition Center promotes community health through organizing, advocacy and education. It is home to the St. Mary’s Food Pantry, Lots to Gardens, Lewiston Farmers’ Market, Great Falls Buying Club and various garden, cooking and nutrition education programs for adults, teens and kids. For more information, see www.stmarysnutritioncenter.org or call 207-513-3848.

Fills one 9×9 pan. If you quadruple it, it will fill two 9×13 casserole dishes.

Ingredients

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

4 oz. butter

1 to 1 1/2 cup(s) beets, cooked, peeled and pureed (some of the beets can also be substituted with carrots, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes)

1/2 cup raspberry jam

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole-wheat flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9×9″ pan (or cupcake tin).

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat (or preferably use double boiler).

Add beets to chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth. Then add 1/2 cup of jam.

In separate bowl, beat eggs and salt until frothy. Then add sugar.

Whisk in chocolate/beet combination. Add flour.

Pour into greased pan. Gently melt remaining jam, then drizzle over the batter. Use a knife to create swirled jam pattern in batter.

Cook 25-30 min (less if using cupcake tin) or until toothpick comes out clean.