Posted 05/24/2007

Dash of Faith, healthy eating program, honored by
 Healthy South Carolina Challenge

“Dash of Faith,” a healthy eating program sponsored by the South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program and the S.C. Cancer Disparities Community Network, is the winner of a 2007 community award presented by the Healthy South Carolina Challenge.

Dash of Faith, which involves members of two Columbia area African-American Baptist churches, was recognized at an awards ceremony held at the S.C. Governor’s Mansion on May 24.

Gov. Mark Sanford and First Lady Jenny Sanford presided over the celebration recognizing community efforts to improve health and wellness.

The Healthy South Carolina Challenge is an initiative of Mrs. Sanford and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Dash of Faith was recognized as a faith-based program, as it involves Central Baptist Church (3625 Clement Rd.) and Bethlehem Baptist Church (1218 Lyon St.), said Brook Harmon, principal investigator for the project.

Harmon is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in exercise science and a staff member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, in USC’s Office of Research.

Harmon said a focus group of Central Baptist Church members collaborated with her research team to plan menus and cooking classes for church functions. 

She said members wanted to focus on preparing traditional Southern fare using healthy recipes. Participants also explored healthy ethnic foods, such as traditional Mediterranean dishes, which focus on high consumption of fruit and vegetables, bread, wheat and others cereals, olive oil and fish. Central Baptist Church was the intervention church for the study while Bethlehem Baptist Church was the control group.

Bethlehem members carried on their church meal activities as usual. A group of Central Baptist Church cooks, however, were treated to a 6-month program of cooking classes that focused on healthy preparation methods, food selection and new recipes.

Loutrina Staley, who is studying nutrition at S.C. State, taught most of classes, but staffers from DHEC and members of the community also contributed.  In addition to learning new ways to prepare traditional foods, the cooks also had many guest speakers present on topics such as food safety, diet’s role in health, and foods mentioned in the Bible.

Harmon said the program at Central Baptist Church ended in April. The next phase of the program is to draw from the data and other lessons learned at Central and make them part of classes for members of Bethlehem to run from June to October.

     For more information: 

   •  Healthy South Carolina Challenge (website) 

   •  Your own kitchen (courtesy of these recipes from Dash of Faith participants)

Oven Fried Chicken

Prep: 25 minutes
Baking Time: 1 Hr.
Serves - 4

Vegetable Cooking spray
4 cups Corn flakes
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
1 cup Skim milk
½ tsp Onion powder
4 tsp Poultry seasoning
4 Chicken breasts 

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Crush corn flakes until very fine. Stir in cayenne pepper.
3. Cut each chicken breast into strips.
4. Dip strips in milk then corn flake crumbs.
5. Put chicken in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
6. Bake one hour or until tender.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese 

Prep: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 1 Hour
Serves - 6

1 ½ cups Whole wheat elbow macaroni
2 tbsp Smart Balance
2 tbsp Whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups Skim milk
¼ tsp Paprika
1 ½ cups Low-fat sharp cheese
¾ cup Eggbeaters  

1. Preheat oven to 350. Boil macaroni.
2. Melt butter in pan, blend in flour, stirring constantly.
3. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Add spices and 1 cup of cheese. Then stir in macaroni.
6. Place in dish and cover with remaining cheese.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.