'Pasifika Flavours' sure to win hearts

Pasifika Flavours sure to win hearts

The Heart Foundation will launch its latest cookbook, Pasifika Flavours, in the Otara Town Centre this Saturday, 11th June.

Heart Foundation staff and volunteers are taking the health and wellbeing message to South Auckland, distributing food samples and free copies of the cookbook.

The Heart Foundation’s Pacific Heartbeat Operations Manager and dietitian, Mafi Funaki-Tahifote, says Pasifika Flavours is designed to inspire a healthier approach to modern and traditional dishes, using familiar ingredients in new and exciting ways.

“Pacific cuisine is all about vibrant colour, tradition and celebrating the ingredients most famous in the region. All of this has been faithfully captured in Pasifika Flavours, which is a fantastic resource for people who love this food,” says Mafi.

“Nutrition is a large focus of the Heart Foundation’s work in the Pacific community. One of our goals is to educate our people to enjoy the food they love in a healthier way.

“Incidences of heart disease are high among Pacific people, due to risk factors like obesity. With statistics indicating 66.2 per cent of Pacific adults and 29.7 per cent of Pacific children are obese, diet and nutrition are crucial factors to address,” she says.

“We also know that more than half of younger Pacific adults are less likely to meet the recommended three servings of vegetables per day, so we’ve made sure Pasifika Flavours is crammed with vegetable-rich recipes.

“We’re proud of the recipes and believe all Pacific cooks out there will love them too.”

The Heart Foundation’s Pasifika Flavours launch event is on Saturday 11 June from 9am to 11am at Otara Town Centre. Heart Foundation volunteers and staff will be offering free samples of food.

Pasifika Flavours can also be downloaded for free from the Heart Foundation website, http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/uploads/HF_Pasifika_Cookbook_Web.pdf

ENDS

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