This event is FREE. No RSVP necessary.

Discover the history, flavor, and versatility of one of the Sonoran Desert's most remarkable heritage crops! Join us for "From Red Tassels to Energy Food: Cooking with Amaranth," an engaging evening with Agnes Attakai, Program Manager of the Circle of Indigenous Empowerment at the University of Arizona's Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities.

During this interactive workshop, Agnes will introduce participants to amaranth's long history as a desert-adapted grain, sharing its cultivation, harvesting techniques, and traditional and contemporary uses. Participants will then watch a demonstration of how to pop amaranth and transform it into nutritious, portable energy bars before making their own to package and take home. Each participant will receive samples, recipes, and hands-on experience using this resilient and delicious heritage grain.

A citizen of the Diné (Navajo) Nation, Agnes Attakai has dedicated her career to supporting Indigenous communities through education, public health, and cultural knowledge. She serves as Program Manager of the Circle of Indigenous Empowerment at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and is currently pursuing a PhD in Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies. Agnes is passionate about preserving and sharing traditional foodways, drawing on recipes and knowledge passed down from her aunties, uncles, and grandparents. At her home, she harvests native foods including cholla buds, mesquite, prickly pear, and purslane while cultivating heat-tolerant, desert-adapted corn, squash, greens, and other vegetables.

Whether you're a home gardener, food enthusiast, or simply curious about the rich agricultural traditions of the Sonoran Desert, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the region's leading Indigenous educators and take home new skills—and a tasty snack—to enjoy.

Summer Sunsets at Mission Garden are held on the Second Saturday evening of each month during the summer.