Humble Happiness Hub

Humble Happiness Hub is a safe space for people to learn about affordable healthy eating and connect with others through storytelling and creativity. It aims to tackle problems around the physical state of social isolation and emotional sense of loneliness. The monthly Humble Happiness Hub sessions will alternate between a healthy cooking workshops and creative art classes.

Everyone is welcome: you don’t have to be good at cooking or art!

This project is funded with the generous support of East End Community Foundation, Greggs Community Project and the Stratford Rotary Club. Special thanks to Civic for their collaboration with Rosetta Arts on this project.

Humble Happiness Hub session seven: learn how to make a delicious Lebanese salad with a Tofu curry and rice

Book your free place here

Join us on Friday, 9 July at 12pm for our next cooking workshop, where you will learn from our guest chef, Khushnood, how to make a tasty and healthy recipe for the whole family.

Khushnood is an experienced chef and nutritionist from Barking who also teaches BTEC in cooking. Khushnood has led one of  the previous Humble Happiness Hub workshops in which she taught young people how to make raw brownies.

How to Join?

If you would like to book your space, please register here or call us on 020 7511 1117.

Once you register, we will send you all the information you need ahead of the workshop. There are 10 spaces open to Newham residents, who will receive a parcel with the art materials and ingredients for the recipe, delivered by our wonderful volunteers. The session will take place online via Zoom. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance to provide substitutions for your recipe. If you live outside of Newham, you can still join us, but we will be unable to provide the food parcels to you.

View the ingredients you’ll need for the workshop below.

Ingredients for the Lebanese bean salad

• 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked kidney beans
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
• ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or mint
• 6 tablespoon olive oil
• Lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Small pinch red pepper flakes

Ingredients for the Indian tofu curry

• 1 can of chopped tomato 
• 2 cups cubed extra firm tofu
• 4 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 cm ginger (1 tablespoon chopped ginger)
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cilantro.
• 1/4 tsp salt
• a pinch of black pepper
• parsley or coriander to garnish
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 heaping tbsp dry fenugreek leaves

Ingredients for the rice

• 120g basmati rice 
• ½ sliced onion 
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil 
• 1 small cinnamon stick 
• 1 cardamom pod 
• ½ tsp cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp salt 

Cooking equipment needed

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Spatula
• Pots and pans
• Spoons
• bowls

Humble Happiness Hub session six: Stress relief pottery workshop

Book your free place here

Join us for an exciting online creative workshop, where you will learn from our artist Sylvia Morgado how to work with clay in a mindful and relaxing way. Sylvia will also share a tasty couscous family recipe.

We’ll also send the art materials and ingredients you need to recreate the dish through the mail to 10 Newham residents for FREE. So hurry up and book your space! Please note, we will prioritise those affected by COVID and who have not taken part in the workshop before.

How to Join?

If you would like to book your space, please register here or call us on 020 7511 1117.

Once you register, we will send you all the information you need ahead of the workshop. There are 10 spaces open to Newham residents, who will receive a parcel with the art materials and ingredients for the recipe, delivered by our wonderful volunteers. The session will take place online via Zoom. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance to provide substitutions for your recipe. If you live outside of Newham, you can still join us, but we will be unable to provide the food parcels to you.

Ingredients for healthy vegetable and orange couscous

“I chose this recipe as my mom used to cook it for us, so it has the flavour of home to me. It’s fresh and tasty and it goes well on sunny days. It brings me good memories of the summer holidays as a child with my family. We would just devour it!” 

• 1 cup uncooked instant couscous
• 2 Tbs olive oil 
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ⅓ cup raisins or cranberries
• 1 medium onion diced small
• 2 medium peppers (red/ yellow/ orange ones are easier to digest than green, but any colour will be ok!)
• 2 medium carrots
• ⅓ cup black olives
• ⅓ cup or small snack bag of chopped almonds
• 1/2  cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Total cook time: 25 minutes  

Serves: 4 people

About Sylvia

Sylvia is an artist-educator and poet rooted in East London with a socially engaged practice and passion for her local area. Motivated by the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire’s radical approach to education as a transformative tool for social change. For the past six years, she has been delivering arts and wellbeing workshops to community organisations, women’s groups and care homes, as well as young adults. Among them, she has worked with the St Margaret’s House, LAWA, East London Carers, the Rich Mix and Crisis Skylights.

Sylvia is one of the artists selected for the Rosetta Arts Artist Accelerator scheme and she has been collaborating with the organisation since 2020; creating and facilitating community arts workshops for the Mayor of London, the National Trust, Community Links and the Newham Council.

Humble Happiness Hub session five: learn how to make dhal and roti

Book your free place here

Join us for our next Humble Happiness Hub cooking workshop, and learn from our incredible community chef Christine who’s back with yet another delicious recipe.

In this session, you will learn how to make dhal and roti! We’ll also send the ingredients you need to recreate the dish through the mail to 10 Newham residents for FREE. So hurry up and book your space! Please note, we will prioritise those affected by COVID and who have not taken part in the workshop before.

How to Join?

If you would like to book your space, please register here or call us on 020 7511 1117.

Once you register, we will send you all the information you need ahead of the workshop. There are 10 spaces open to Newham residents, who will receive a parcel of ingredients, delivered by our wonderful volunteers. The session will take place online via Zoom. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance to provide substitutions for your recipe. If you live outside of Newham, you can still join us, but we will be unable to provide the food parcels to you.

View the ingredients and cooking equipment you’ll need below.

Ingredients for dhal:

• 1 lb Red Lentils
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1/2 of red and green sweet peppers finely chopped
• 1 hot pepper finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose stock cube seasonings
• 1 1/2 pints of water

Ingredients for roti:

• 1lb plain flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ozs soft butter 12floz cold water

Cooking equipment needed:

• Bowl
• Frying pan
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Spatula
• Saucepan 
• Blender

Humble Happiness Hub session four: Youth special – learn how to make raw brownies

Join us for our youth centred cooking workshop and learn how to make raw brownies. No need for an oven or a microwave!

We invite young people in Newham, aged 13-18, to join us for our online cooking workshop on the 9th of April at 12 pm. In this session, we will be joined by Khushnood Ahmed. She is an experienced chef and nutritionist from Barking who also teaches BTEC in cooking.

As usual, we will send the ingredients you need to recreate the dish through the post to 10 Newham residents for FREE. So hurry up and book your space! Please note, we will prioritise those affected by COVID and who have not taken part in the workshop before.

How to Join?

If you would like to book your space, please register here or call us on 020 7511 1117.

Once you register, we will send you all the information you need ahead of the workshop. There are 10 spaces open to Newham residents, who will receive a parcel of ingredients, delivered by our wonderful volunteers. The session will take place online via Zoom. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance to provide substitutions for your recipe. If you live outside of Newham, you can still join us, but we will be unable to provide the food parcels to you.

View the ingredients and cooking equipment you’ll need below.

Ingredients:

• 450g/1lb dates
• 100g/3½oz roasted unsalted peanuts
• 100g/3½oz ground almonds
• 100g/3½oz instant porridge oats
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 150ml/5fl oz almond milk

Cooking equipment list:

• Cake tin
• Spatula
• Food processor/ blender
• Kitchen scale 
• Baking paper
• Bowl

Humble Happiness Hub session three: learn how to make Jamaican patties with Civic chef Christine

Join us on Friday 12 March, 12-1.30pm for our next Humble Happiness Hub cooking workshop, and learn from our incredible community chef Christine who’s back with yet another delicious recipe.

Book your free place here

In this session, you will learn how to make Jamaican patties! Once again, we’ll send the ingredients you need to recreate the dish through the mail to 10 Newham residents for FREE. So hurry up and book your space! Please note, we will prioritise those affected by COVID and who have not taken part in the workshop before.

How to Join?

If you would like to book your space, please register via eventbrite or call us on 020 7511 1117.

Once you register, we will send you all the information you need ahead of the workshop. The session will take place online via Zoom. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance to provide substitutions for your recipe. If you live outside of Newham, you can still join us, but we will be unable to provide the food parcels to you.

Read on for a list of the ingredients.

Jamaican patties

Ingredients for pastry:

• 1lb plain flour (gluten free alternative will be available)
• 12oz butter (or vegan butter/margarine)
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Cold water

Ingredients for filling:

• 1lb mincemeat of your choice (or mixed vegetables)
• 1-2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 spring onions
• 1 chilli pepper
• ½ sweet pepper
• 1 small sage and onion stuffing mix 
• 1 stockcube
• 1 ½ cups of water
• 1 ½ teaspoon all purpose seasoning
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 mixed herbs 
• A pinch of salt

Cooking equipment list:

• Rolling pin 
• Baking parchment
• 2 spatulas
• 2-3 containers to mix the cake mix and wash the vegetables
• 1 vegetable peeler, if cooking the vegetarian version
• 2 bowls
• saucepan
• A knife
• Kitchen scale

Humble Happiness Hub session two: food photography with Larissa De Filippo

Ingredients for the cake

• 400g buckwheat flour (or plain flour)
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 200g ground almonds
• 400g coconut sugar
• 3 medium carrots (about 250g), peeled and grated
• 100g raisins
• 600ml almond milk
• 100g coconut oil, melted

Ingredients for the icing

• 250g cashews, soaked overnight (or for at least 4 hours) then drained
• 7 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• To serve (Optional) a handful of walnuts (about 30g), toasted and chopped

Cooking equipment list

• 2 cake tins of 23cm (or one tall cake tin)
• Baking parchment
• 2 spatulas
• 2-3 containers to mix the cake mix and wash the vegetables
• 1 vegetable peeler
• Food processor or a blender
• A knife to cut the cake in half (if you’re using a tall cake tin instead of two small cake tins)

Cooking instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Line two 23cm cake tins with baking parchment.

For the cake
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarb, baking powder, ground almonds and coconut sugar, stirring well to remove any lumps. Once, combined, add the carrots, raisins, almond milk and coconut oil, and stir again until a batter has formed.
Pour the batter into the lined tins and bake for 35-40 minutes, until well risen and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean – if it doesn’t, place the tins back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Once ready, remove and leave the cakes to cool in their tins until room temperature, about 30 minutes.

For the icing
While the cakes cool, make the icing. Place the drained cashews in a food processor (or blender) with the rest of the ingredients and blitz until smooth, about 10-15 minutes – it should be thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to smooth over a cake. Add another splash of almond milk if it gets too thick.

Remove the cooled cakes from their tins, spread half of the icing over one cake to make the cake’s filling then sandwich the two cakes together. Smooth the other half of the icing over the top, then scatter with the chopped walnuts, if using, and serve.

Serves 10

Humble Happiness Hub session one: cooking curry chicken and rice and peas with Civic chef Christine

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the first monthly Humble Happiness Hub session on Friday 15th January! Below you can view some photos of the delicious dish taken by Rosetta Arts CEO Sanaz Amidi during the workshop.

To find out about the next session, stay tuned to this page, our social media channels and sign up to our newsletter so you don’t miss out.

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Join us for our first monthly Humble Happiness Hub session focusing on healthy eating and affordable food.

In this free online workshop, you will learn a unique recipe delivered by a professional chef. You will also receive the ingredients you need to recreate the dish through the mail. This session will be delivered by Civic’s Chef, Christine, who is as passionate about food as we are!

There are 10 spaces open to Newham residents, who will receive a parcel of ingredients, delivered by our wonderful volunteers. The session will take place online via Zoom. A link will be shared with you once you register, along with information about the delivery, recipe and any cooking equipment you may need. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know in advance so we can provide substitutions for your recipe.

What if I live outside Newham and want to take part?

If you live outside of Newham, you can still join us, but we will be unable to provide the food parcels to you. You can read on for the list of ingredients you’ll need.

If you would like to book your space, please click here or call us on 020 7511 1117.

When booking your place, please let us know if you have any additional requirements.

About Chef Christine

Christine is a local community chef and caterer with over 40 years of experience. She specialises in West Indian food and has worked in a variety of restaurants and catering agencies throughout her career. During the pandemic Christine has helped feed vulnerable residents in Newham by leading a “Meals on Wheels” pilot with PEACH, serving more than 650 meals to the community for little or no cost.

Curry Chicken with Rice and Peas

Vegetarian option available, please let us know of your dietary requirements when booking.

Ingredients for the Curry Chicken:

• 800g of chicken breast or a whole chicken cut into small pieces (about 2 inches each piece)
• 3 tbsp curry powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed  
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 stalk of spring onions
• ½ to 1 hot chilli pepper finely chopped
• 2 sprig thyme
• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil 

Ingredients for the Rice and Peas:

• Half packet of kidney beans (about 200g)
• 2 teaspoons of salt 
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• Half tin of coconut milk 
• 2 stalks spring onions 
• 3 sprigs of thyme 
• Half of an onion chopped
• 400g of rice

List of cooking equipment:

• Spatula
• Cooking pans (2)
• Containers of different sizes (about 2 or 3)
• Knife to cut meat
• Cutting board
• Teaspoon and tablespoon for measuring
• Kitchen scale (optional)

This recipe will serve 6-8 people.