IMUSA invites community to take advantage of free diabetes screenings, healthy diabetes-friendly recipes

IMUSA, the leading brand of Hispanic housewares in North America, in conjunction with The American Diabetes Association and local health organizations, invite the community to take advantage of free diabetes screenings, meet and greet popular Hispanic Chef Elsie Ramos, and sample healthy diabetes-friendly recipes.

Feria de Salud is an outdoor community event that provides awareness of diabetes and educates the community on healthy lifestyle choices. Residents from the Bronx and New York City as a whole will be provided free health screenings, information, and healthy eating cooking demonstrations. The atmosphere of Feria includes music, dancing, nutritional information, speakers on topics related to diabetes, and a variety of product and service booths.

Chef Ramos was a finalist on Fox TV's hit reality show Hell's Kitchen, and is author of "Elsie's Turkey Taco and Arroz Con Pollo: More than 100 Latin-Flavored, Great-Tasting Dishes." Her cookbook specializes in simple, easy-to-prepare, Hispanic meals that offer families a quality meal each night without breaking the bank.

Chef Ramos is part of IMUSA's chef program. The Hispanic housewares company has assembled a team of Latin cookbook authors and food TV stars to create recipes for Latino cooks and cooks interested in Latino cuisines.  

According to Chef Ramos, "IMUSA cookware is authentic, mixing traditional Latino values of great home cooking with modern convenience. IMUSA cookware is made for the food I cook," says Ramos. "I am so proud to share healthy recipes at Feria de Salud because Diabetes awareness and prevention is vital for the Latin community."

"Our chef program is the first of its kind for cooking authentic Latin cuisine with celebrity chefs representing each region/country of origin within the Latin community. Through involvement in programs like Feria de Salud, IMUSA is benefiting our community to raise Diabetes awareness and prevention," explains Manny Gaunaurd, IMUSA's president.

Rates of diabetes are nearly double those of non-Latino whites. Feria de Salud will educate the community about the seriousness of diabetes and its risk factors, provide free health screenings and information, and will help detect and educate people at risk.

Following is the American Diabetes Association-approved recipe that Chef Ramos will demonstrate at Feria de Salud. Chef Ramos' Vegetable Medley is a healthy and satisfying side dish that everyone in the family will enjoy.

In a large skillet or caldero, add a 1 tbsp of butter and add your chopped turkey bacon and cook for until brown and crisp; about 3 minutes.

Stir in your minced garlic and onion let it brown lightly together with the bacon.

Toss in the rest of your butter, and add your squash and zucchini stir and turn the heat up.

Cook until the veggies are nice and tender, not mushy, about 5 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and add black pepper (and red pepper flakes) and cook for another 2-3 minutes then serve warm.