cooking with mali: a lesson on sustainable living

AFROPUNK had the city on fire this weekend in Atlanta bringing out the hottest underground acts with an eco-conscious theme.

Lexi Felder

The Toyota Green Initiative has partnered with AFROPUNK again to continue to spread the word about sustainability to the African-American community. For the second year in a row, Malissa ‘Mali’ Hunter, has been a part of their crew to educate us on how to live our best eco-friendly life.

The charismatic General Manager of Tree Sound Studios has a name in the ATL music scene and beyond. She’s cooked for and dined with some of your favorite rappers, producers and singers. When Mali invites you to an event at Treesound to celebrate an artist and to eat some of her down-home cooking, you clear your schedule!

I was geeked when I found out Mali was the chef for the special curated demo and dinner hosted by Toyota. Everyone always says the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. I am on the hunt for a bae, so I was ready to get down in the kitchen with Mali because I am definitely lacking in that department.

Lexi Felder

“I was so very excited to do the cooking with Mali segment for my friends in the press. It was more than a class, it was time shared with loved ones who have supported myself and my Treesound community for over a decade,” says Mali.

While sipping on rosé, we were taught the sustainable way to prepare healthy meals in your kitchen. Armed with fresh veggies from local farms, we got to chopping and made salmon kabobs and a pumpkin and root vegetable stew.

After the demo, we were served salmon, filet mignon, lamb, salad and stew from Mali’s kitchen. I’m a pescatarian and stuck with the fish and veggies, but from the looks on everyone’s face and their empty plates, everything on the menu was great. We had a healthy, clean meal full of flavor!

How can you work on sustainable living at your home? Mali suggests to shop for the week using the same ingredients. By taking leftover ingredients from a meal, you can repurpose and make additional meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Lexi Felder

Mali says,“It’s easy to flip the food script with just a few small additions to save on food and time.”

Follow the Toyota Green Initiative by searching the hashtag #ToyotaGreen.

-Alexis Felder