Cook and Create challenge: cookbook

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, LiC came up with a fun and creative way to distribute food locally to families financially hit by the pandemic. The Cook and Create challenge was for members of our community stuck at home —especially those who suffer from long term illnesses (such as diabetes, prevalent in Tower Hamlets) and the disproportionately-affected BAME community. This project was funded by Tesco for the print, London Funders, and Communities Driving Change.

A group of women from east London came together virtually for ten consecutive weeks to receive five ingredients with a wellness quote, hand-delivered to their door.

Each participant together with members of their family, friends and flatmates have been cooking up an original dish, taking photos to create this collection of recipes. Members of our Cook and Create challenge came together every Friday to share our stories, what inspired, influenced and informed our culinary choices, flavours and dishes.

As a result of our lockdown time in London, we have put together a cookbook pdf with beautiful yummy photos. This collection of recipes is our response to the extraordinary times we all face in the community. We planned to bring people together online to try something new. We now hope this book will travel further to encourage others to eat well and lead healthier lives.

You are welcome to join the challenge wherever you are. Please spread the love and share it with anyone you think may benefit from a collection of delicious, healthy, simple recipes that can be made in minutes. Enjoy!

You can download the pdf here. By downloading you are agreeing to terms of fair use, for your private use and not for resale or profit.