In The Kitchen with Pantry Studios
Food can mean many different things to so many. It can be such a source of joy or even pain. I love creating lovely dinners and hearing beautiful stories about what those dishes mean to people. But, I also feel its important to dig into the harder sides of things. I’m learning more about food insecurities in marginalized communities, sustainable farming, food waste problems & solutions and so much more. - Jolene Kolk, Pantry Studios
Jolene is a food & lifestyle photographer within the Lower Mainland. She loves taking photos that tell a story. Jolene began her journey in food photography but, also became interested in photographing people when she become a mother. Whether its a dish on a plate, or a family on a walk, she loves capturing the different ingredients that make life beautiful.
Her winding path brought her to create Pantry Studios where she develops recipes, creates weekly meal plan templates, creates content and blogs. Jolene grew up on a farm in Alberta and came up in the food industry. Between working with food from the ground to the kitchen, she developed a strong relationship with it. Since she can remember, Jolene has always had a deep passion for food and art. Then the story telling and marketing side ended up coming as a natural next step after she became a mother. For her, it’s a marriage of life experiences, passions and skills that she’s built along the way.
While she can’t live without olive oil, garlic and salt in her own pantry, Jolene notes that her most valued tool in the kitchen is her hands.
I asked Jolene what she wants to teach others about food. Her response was that she’d like people to experience a bit of joy and confidence in the kitchen. Even if it’s just one meal or one tip they learn over all the content she makes, if that helps encourage them to cook more often, she feels like it’s a win. Jolene’s secret mission is for people to cook an extra meal a week at home. If that number was zero, and now it’s one, great! If that number was five, and stays five, but they invite over the neighbours once a week, she thinks that’s great too.
Jolene’s goal is to bring back that idea of community and food. She recognizes that cooking can be sometimes be a chore, but it can also be a delight. A slow sit-down dinner that takes multiple people to cook. Or, a quiet, quick meal you’ve made by yourself, for yourself. It can all have glimmers of joy and deep gratitude.
Jolene brings us into her own, newly renovated home to share one of her favourite fall recipes - a Kabocha Squash Quinoa Bowl. She’s picked ingredients that are seasonal and a dish that’s hearty and warm. We hope you feel inspired to make this meal and, if so, please tag both @hello__zora and @p_a_n_t_r_y in your posts to show us your homemade creation.
Pantry Studios’ Kabocha Squash Quinoa Bowl
Approximately 4 servings
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1 small or ½ of a medium Kabocha Squash
2 Carrots
¼ head of Cauliflower
¼ tsp Chilli flakes
¼ tsp Thyme
½ tsp Oregano
½ tsp Garlic powder
½ tsp Smoked paprika
¼ tsp Cumin
1-2 Tbs Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
8-10 Cherry tomatoes
2-3 cups Cooked quinoa
4 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds
Sauce of choice
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Preheat oven to 375*
Wash and remove seeds from squash. Slice into long thin, moon shape slices. Toss with olive oil and a pink of salt and pepper. Lay on a lined sheet tray.
Wash and chop carrots and cauliflower into medium size pieces. Toss with olive oil and all spices. Then place on lined sheet tray.
Roast vegetables for approx. 15-18 minutes, or until they are soft on the inside, and starting to brown on the outside.
Assemble the bowl white vegetables and quinoa are still warm. Layer generous scoop of quinoa on the bottom of a bowl, add a few slices of Kabocha, roasted carrots , cauliflowers, and fresh halved cherry tomatoes. Top with sauce of your choice and pumpkin seeds. I like a tangy sauce like a home made green goddess, or a local vegan spicy avocado sauce.
For more mouth-watering, meal ideas and weekly menu planning, visit Pantry Studios.
Photos by Jolene Kolk
