This is the first kitchen led by Colleen in the South Arm Seniors Kitchen. Colleen will facilitate the kitchen for a couple of months until it breaks for the summer.

Colleen planned a Mexican theme for this kitchen. She said the meal is Mexican flavoured and may not be authentic.

The first recipe is Jicama Salad which is crunchy and colourful.

Jicama (pronounced he-cah-mah), is the root of a vine native to Mexico and Central America. In Mexico it is usually served with fruit covered in lime juice and seasoned with salt and chili pepper. Jicama is crunchy, juicy and has the texture that is similar to Asian pear.

Jicama is a great source of dietary fiber (6.4g per cup) and Vitamin C (1 cup provides 40% of daily value recommended). It also contains calcium, iron, Vitamin A and potassium.

You can get jicama from Real Canadian Superstore and most Chinese groceries stores.

Ingredients

• 1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 of each of red, green and yellow pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 navel orange, cut away peel, sliced crosswise, then quarter each round
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of paprika

Source: via Colleen

Instructions

It is easier to work with jicama if you cut it in half first. Then you have to flat service to work on. Frank brought his own Miracle Blade knives to the kitchen for his own use. He said he needed heavy knives because he does not have the strength. He is more than 80 years old. Has anyone have experience with the Miracle Blades? Are they any good?

Place all the cut vegetables in a large bowl.

Pour lime juice over the salad. Season with salt and paprika. We added the cilantro at the end because one of the participant does not like cilantro. We took out a bowl for her before tossing in the cilantro.