Class 3 of Session B was full of discovery, delicious food, and hands-on learning. This week, our students made Pumpkin Cupcakes with Apricot Jam and Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Pasta with Chef Mario.

Our nutrition focus was on vegetarian forms of protein and how our food choices can impact the environment. Students learned that protein does not only come from meat and that plant-based options can be both nutritious and more sustainable. These conversations help children connect what they eat to their own health and to the health of the planet.

This week’s EMPWR cooking class was full of creativity, and delicious food as families joined Chef Mario to prepare two new recipes: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Apricot Jam and Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Pasta.

The class began with the savory dish, where students learned how vegetables like butternut squash and cauliflower can be transformed into a comforting and flavorful pasta sauce. Chef Mario guided participants step by step through the cooking process, showing how simple ingredients can create healthy meals that families can easily make at home.

This week in Session B, our young chefs returned to the kitchen to make two favorites: mesquite energy bars and mesquite pancakes with cinnamon–orange maple syrup. Chef Mario explained how many of our ingredients come directly from trees, and how trees have long been an essential part of Indigenous food systems.

Maple syrup is harvested from the sap of maple trees, a practice rooted in Indigenous knowledge. Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of a tree, carefully dried and rolled into the spice we use today. And at the heart of our recipes was mesquite, one of the most important traditional foods of the Southwest.

Our second class of Session A focused on one of the most important meals of the day: breakfast.

This week, students prepared mesquite pancakes with cinnamon maple syrup and mesquite energy bars, introducing them to mesquite—an Indigenous ingredient known for its naturally sweet flavor and nutritional benefits. The students quickly became fans, especially as they rolled their energy bars into creative shapes ranging from snowmen to logs.

Due to overwhelming interest in our spring Indigibites cooking classes, EMPWR Arizona is offering two sessions this semester. This week, we kicked off Session B with our first class, welcoming many new students and families into the kitchen. Families prepared blue corn enchiladas from scratch, learning not only how to make a traditional Indigenous dish, but also why it is so nourishing.

This week, EMPWR kicked off our spring cooking class session! We were thrilled to welcome back returning students and meet new faces joining us for the first time. Nothing makes us happier than seeing families come together to learn, cook, and share healthy food.

This week marked the end of our Fall Parent–Child Cooking Class Series at Madison Elementary. For our final session, Chef Mario guided families through making two traditional treats: Blue Corn Cookies and Navajo Cinnamon Cookies. The kids especially loved rolling out the cinnamon dough and cutting it into creative shapes of their own!

But this class wasn’t just fun—it was deeply rooted in Indigenous food knowledge. We introduced families to a traditional ingredient that carries both cultural and nutritional significance: juniper ash.

For the final class of our fall series at Tonatierra, we came together for a festive evening making pumpkin tamales with Chef Mario. Although we had a smaller group this week, the energy in the room was full of laughter, teamwork, and the joy of cooking together. Volunteers, parents, and students all jumped in to mix, spread, and wrap tamales—turning the class into a truly shared experience.

This week at Madison Elementary, our EMPWR Arizona students had a hands-on culinary experience learning how to make traditional Navajo tamales with Chef Mario from The Rez and Urban Eatery.

We made two kinds of tamales:

• Sweet Pumpkin Tamales

• Savory Green Chile & Cheese Tamales

Our third EMPWR cooking class at Tonatierra was one to remember! Students prepared a tasty Red Pepper Tomato Basil Soup paired with crispy grilled cheese sandwiches and finished with Mixed Berry Thumbprint Blue Corn Cookies — a colorful, delicious way to explore both tradition and technique.

Last night was a milestone for EMPWR Arizona—we held our very first youth cooking class at Tonatierra! Together with our students, parents, volunteers, and our chef, we prepared and shared a delicious recipe rooted in Indigenous tradition: Three Sisters Soup, made with corn, beans, and squash.

At our second cooking class at Tonatierra, EMPWR Arizona students earned how to make another delicious seasonal recipe: Butternut Squash Soup. Indigenous foods are local and seasonal, which is why butternut squash was the perfect star ingredient—it’s in season right now!

Last night was a milestone for EMPWR Arizona—we held our very first youth cooking class at Tonatierra! Together with our students, parents, volunteers, and our chef, we prepared and shared a delicious recipe rooted in Indigenous tradition: Three Sisters Soup, made with corn, beans, and squash.

Last night was a milestone for EMPWR Arizona—we held our very first youth cooking class at Tonatierra! Together with our students, parents, volunteers, and our chef, we prepared and shared a delicious recipe rooted in Indigenous tradition: Three Sisters Soup, made with corn, beans, and squash.

Hosted by the Pitts Family, our fundraiser was a celebration of Native food, health, and heritage. We shared meals, stories, and raised over $20,000 to support the building of healthier food systems for our Indigenous communities.

We kicked off our culinary adventure with an unforgettable experience at The Fry Bread Lounge in Old Town Scottsdale! A huge thank you to Chef Darryl Montana for not only serving up incredible indigenous dishes but also taking the time to share the rich history and inspiration behind his craft.

Indigenous cuisine is an essential yet often overlooked part of North America’s culinary landscape. Before European contact, Native peoples thrived on diets rich in locally sourced ingredients such as corn, beans, squash (known as the Three Sisters), bison, salmon, and wild berries.

We’re proud to unveil the very first logo for EMPWR Arizona. Since our founding, we’ve been committed to empowering youth through Indigenous food education.

Indigenous traditions are deeply rooted in history, storytelling, and a profound connection to the land. However, due to colonization and forced assimilation, many of these traditions were nearly erased.