Face of Defense: Airman Encourages Healthy Eating

By Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Kimball
DoD News Specials and Features, Defense Media Activity

BAUMHOLDER, Germany, Sept. 11, 2014 - When it comes to healthy food, not everyone enjoys eating it, but we know it is good for us.

Army Spc. Katarus Moore picks ripe tomatoes from the Warrior Center greenhouse at Smith Barracks, Baumholder, Germany, Sept. 4, 2014. Moore started an organic fruit and vegetable cooking course that focuses on cooking healthy with limited space and utilities. DoD photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Kimball  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution imageavailable.

And as many military dorm and barracks residents know, it can be difficult to eat healthy, maintain fitness standards and still fulfill day-to-day military obligations.

Limited kitchen space, minimal access to fresh foods and a lack of cooking knowledge are just a few of the setbacks that most first-term dorm residents face.

Army Spc. Katarus Moore, a petroleum specialist here, knows what it is like to face this issue and has developed a way to teach others how to "cook fresh with less."

Moore grew up in Dallas, learning his culinary arts from his great-grandmother and attending cooking classes in high school. He has spent his entire Army career living in the barracks, perfecting his cooking methods with minimal kitchen space and limited items.

This summer, Moore and other members of the Baumholder Warrior Zone have harvested a fully organic garden full of fresh fruits and vegetables for military members to use in a cooking class he teaches that focuses on cooking enjoyable, healthy meals with limited kitchen utilities.

"I have been wanting to help teach dorm residents healthy eating habits, as well as how to cook with their small dorm kitchen spaces," he said. "Also, people kept coming to me with cooking questions, and our garden had just ripened with fully organic fruits and vegetables, so I thought, 'Now it's my chance to teach.'"