Pantry To The Plate
Course Overview:
Pantry to the Plate – A 10-Week Cooking Series
Welcome to "Pantry to the Plate," a 10-week culinary journey designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills to turn simple, budget-friendly pantry staples and fresh seasonal produce into nutritious, delicious meals. This series is perfect for anyone looking to make the most of their ingredients, save time in the kitchen, and nourish their body with balanced, wholesome food.
What You'll Learn:
Throughout this course, you'll explore a variety of easy-to-follow recipes, each highlighting how to transform everyday pantry items like beans, rice, pasta, and canned goods into flavorful, satisfying dishes. Our expert-led lessons will cover essential cooking techniques, such as stir-frying, sautéing, simmering, and baking, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced home cooks. Alongside these hands-on tutorials, we'll dive into the nutritional benefits of key ingredients, helping you build balanced meals that support a healthy lifestyle.
Course Highlights:
10 Weekly Cooking Lessons: Each week, you'll discover a new recipe that creatively combines pantry staples with fresh produce, from Black Bean & Bell Pepper Tacos to Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos.
Step-by-Step Video Guides: Clear, detailed video tutorials will guide you through every recipe, providing tips and techniques to boost your cooking confidence.
Nutritional Insights: Learn the health benefits of ingredients like chickpeas, tomatoes, oats, and more, and how to use them to create balanced, nutrient-rich meals.
Quick Tests & Final Exam: Short quizzes at the end of each lesson help reinforce your knowledge, and a final exam ensures you're ready to put your new skills to the test.
Practical Cooking Challenges: Hands-on assignments that encourage creativity and adaptability in the kitchen, empowering you to experiment with different ingredients and flavors.
Who This Course is For:
Individuals and families looking to make the most of seasonal produce and pantry items.
Home cooks of all skill levels interested in learning new recipes and cooking techniques.
Anyone wanting to incorporate more nutritious, balanced meals into their daily routine.
What You'll Get:
Lifetime Access: Revisit lessons and recipes anytime to refresh your skills and explore new meal ideas.
Downloadable Resources: Get meal planning worksheets, shopping lists, and recipe cards to streamline your cooking process.
Community Support: Connect with other participants, share your cooking experiences, and swap tips for making the most of pantry essentials.
Why "Pantry to the Plate"?
This course is about simplifying meal preparation while maximizing flavor and nutrition. You don’t need a gourmet pantry to create healthy, tasty dishes; sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity and know-how. By the end of these 10 weeks, you'll be equipped to turn everyday ingredients into plates of wholesome goodness, transforming your cooking from pantry to the plate with ease.
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PANTRY TO PLATE
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
Meet your instructors
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Meet your instructors ✳
Instructor Bio: Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant
Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant is a pioneering force in the fight against food insecurity in Kansas City. As the founder of The Prospect KC, she empowers lives, disrupts poverty, and cultivates community through culinary job training, food access, and nutrition education.
In 2024, McAfee-Bryant led The Prospect KC into a transformative partnership with NourishKC, merging culinary workforce development with food rescue and distribution to tackle hunger more comprehensively. Now serving as the executive director, she focuses on providing both immediate relief and long-term solutions for food insecurity.
A culinary graduate of Johnson County Community College, McAfee-Bryant is a "Cutthroat Kitchen" winner and a James Beard Foundation Chef Bootcamp alum. She’s actively involved in food policy as a board member of Harvesters, the Greater KC Food Policy Coalition, and Lazarus Ministries KC.
Her impactful work earned her the 2023 Urban Hero Award and recognition as a NextGen Leader by The Kansas City Business Journal.
Pantry to the Plate
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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What is "Pantry to the Plate"?
"Pantry to the Plate" is a 10-week cooking course designed to teach you how to create nutritious and delicious meals using common pantry staples and fresh seasonal produce. Through weekly video lessons, you'll learn a variety of cooking techniques, explore new recipes, and gain nutritional insights to help you make balanced meals for you and your family.
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Who is this course suitable for?
This course is perfect for individuals and families looking to make the most of their pantry essentials and fresh produce. It’s suitable for all skill levels, whether you’re a beginner wanting to learn basic cooking techniques or an experienced cook looking for new meal ideas that are budget-friendly and nutritious.
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What ingredients will I need for the course?
We designed this course to focus on common pantry items like beans, rice, pasta, canned vegetables, and basic seasonings, paired with fresh produce such as potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, and seasonal fruits. Each week's recipe will list the specific ingredients you'll need, and most are easy to find at any grocery store.
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Do I need to have prior cooking experience to join this course?
No prior cooking experience is necessary! The lessons are beginner-friendly and include step-by-step video instructions. We also cover essential cooking techniques, making it easy for anyone to follow along and improve their culinary skills.
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How long does each lesson take?
Each video lesson is designed to be concise, typically ranging from 5 to 7 minutes. However, the actual cooking time for each recipe varies, with most meals taking between 20 to 40 minutes to prepare from start to finish.