Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Concordia Village
By Concordia Connection Staff Writer
Concordia Connection sat down for a cup of coffee and a visit with Carla Mendres, who has been a fixture at Concordia Village as well as at the hospital She is known for her warm hospitality, her passion for food, her love for people and her amazing ability to feed hundreds of people a day and make it look easy. Her food is legendary and she is always on the hunt for new ways of doing things and looking for ways to delight the people she feeds.
How long have you been with Concordia Village?
I’ve been with Concordia Wellness Projects Inc. for over 15 years. I studied criminology first, but food just kept emerging as something I wanted to pursue. I absolutely love it.
What is it about working with Concordia Village that you love?
It’s one of my greatest joys to be able to build a relationship with the residents. I’m also a nutritional therapist, and I love coming up with a balanced menu for our 330-plus residents. We do breakfast and dinner every day, so we make about 700 meals a day.
For over a year we also ran the Break Away Café at the hospital for the 1400 hospital staff who relied on us for grab and go breakfasts, lunches, treats and coffee. We forged some amazing bonds with the staff, visitors and patients.
She did admit that adding ‘porcupine meatballs’ to the menu caused some uproar since the residents were reluctant to try eating porcupine.
What’s the most creative food you’ve served at Concordia Village?
In my first year, I asked my mom for suggestions on what might resonate with our older generations. She suggested Porcupine Meatballs – you add rice to make them “prickly”. When it showed up on the menu board, there was an uproar. The residents were adamant that they don’t eat porcupine! That was good for a few laughs once we realized our miscommunication.
How else do you explore your passion for food?
It’s not just about the food for me, it’s about what food is able to do for a community. I volunteer with Community Roots Resource Centre’s Community Kitchen. It’s an organization that designs and delivers programs to the community in equitable ways in hopes to amplify marginalized voices. Once a week, a dozen women and I make meals together. We find ways to use foods that you might find in a food bank in a purposeful and meaningful way. It’s incredibly rewarding to empower the community to eat food that is both healthy and tasty.
Any parting words?
Fresh is best. The fresher the food, the better the experience will be. Also, I’d love to share a couple of recipes.
Quick Recipes to add to your week
Jicama and Mango Salad with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette
Very refreshing, summery salad that goes well with just about anything!
1 mango, peeled and julienned
1 jicama, peeled and julienned
1 red pepper, peeled and julienned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1 handful fresh chives, finely chopped
Sprinkle the veggies with seal salt to taste.
Make a dressing by whisking:
¼ cup oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Juice from 1 lime
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
Pinch of cumin
Toss with dressing and finish with black pepper.
Chimichurri Chicken
This dish is a delicious marriage of garden fresh herbs that is easy to prepare and quick to grill.
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs, poked repeatedly with a fork
1 cup cilantro
1 cup flat leaf parsley
1 cup fresh oregano
1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
10 peeled garlic cloves
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp salt
Juice from 1 lime
Put everything but the chicken into a food processor and blend until smooth. Coat the chicken in marinade and let sit in fridge overnight. Grill on medium heat until cooked through. (depending on size 7-10 minutes per side)
