Cooking and Wellness Classes

Preparing three healthy meals a day for your family, along with healthy snacks, is no small task. But it’s one of the best investments you can make in your family’s health and well-being. Join me for classes that combine food preparation and nutrition with an emphasis on the benefits of eating local and organic foods.  For a list of scheduled dates for upcoming classes, click here.

Supernourishing Spring Greens!

Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, and arugula help cleanse and detox the body after a long winter of heavy foods. Come learn about the health advantages of fresh spring greens and how to choose and prepare them. You’ll also learn about the pros and cons of organic greens and what’s worth paying a little extra for. And you’ll learn some simple ways to prepare spring greens, including healthy homemade dressings.

Back to the Basics: Whole Grains, Beans, and Nuts

Highly processed foods make up about 90 percent of the standard American diet, yet lack fiber and many of the nutrients they started out with. Whole foods such as beans, grains, and nuts provide the vital nutrients you need. Learn how to stock your pantry with hearty, inexpensive grains that can be easily turned into tasty, nutritious meals. We’ll go beyond conventional whole grains to try such nutritional powerhouses as barley, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, and wheat berries.

Sugar Blues: The Sweet American Addiction

Some 20 million Americans have diabetes, and more than 13,000 children are newly diagnosed with diabetes each year. Yet Americans still consume sweeteners at an average rate of about 160 pounds a year. Sugar not only adds empty calories to our diets; it also can impair immunity, cause obesity, and lead to hyperactivity in kids. Find out what the real health impact of sugar is and how to reduce those cravings for sweets so you don’t keep going back for more.

Nourishing Stocks and Splendidly Simple Soups

Homemade stocks and soups are among the most nutritious foods you can add to your diet. Hearty bone broths provide essential minerals and gelatin—and they taste so much better than broth in a box! Stocks are also cost-effective, using up bones and meat that might otherwise be thrown away. Learn how to make healthy, nutrient-dense stocks and soups the old-fashioned way.

 One-Pot Wonders!

A healthy meal doesn’t have to be complicated to taste good. Learn how to make some quick, supernutritious meals—on the stovetop, in the oven, and in the crock pot—that don’t break the bank or your back. You’ll also receive sample menu plans and ideas for those nights when the fridge and pantry offer slim pickings but you just don’t feel like going to the grocery store. And you’ll learn about the health benefits of local and organic produce and grass-fed meats. 

Sneaky Smoothies

When the four o’clock munchies rear their head, you can pop open a bag of potato chips—or you can whip up a quick smoothie that’s sure to satisfy your hunger, meet your nutrient needs, and boost your mental well-being. Learn new recipes for nutrient-rich smoothies—including “smoothie popsicles”—that won’t overload you or your kids with added sugars and chemicals. You’ll also learn about some “secret” ingredients that are filling and nutritious—and try some “super green” smoothies that everyone will love!

Thinking Outside the Box: Wholesome Breakfasts and Lunches for Kids

Are you (and your kids!) tired of the same old things for breakfast and lunch? Need some new ideas for healthier versions of the same old stuff? Start thinking outside the cereal box for breakfast and get some new ideas for inside the lunch box with colors, textures, and shapes that your kids will love. You’ll learn how to make foods “fun” without fancy packaging and lots of additives and preservatives. We’ll also discuss the latest research on plastic containers and water bottles along with some creative ways to pack lunches without using things that will end up in the landfill.

Boosting Your Child’s Immune System

Your child’s immune system is still developing, so now is the time to help your child build up resistance to such common childhood ailments as colds, ear infections, and allergies. Learn how the body protects itself against nasty colds and flus and which nutrients are the most important to help boost your child’s immune system. We’ll try some new immunity-strengthening recipes, including juice boosts, healthy pizzas, and stir fries.

Keeping Your Family Healthy with an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Inflammation is a normal process that helps heal the body. But chronic inflammation can cause heart disease, depression, and diabetes. Learn how our food choices affect inflammation as well as our mental state, our skin, and our energy levels. We’ll talk about the difference between processed and whole grains and the importance of eating a good balance of omega-3s and omega-6s. We’ll try some superhealthy, kid-friendly recipes, including fish-on-a-stick and smoothies. And we’ll look at which oils are best to add to your diet.

Cooking with a Conscience: Green Eats

Did you know that 30% of the gases that cause global warming are from the food industry? But what does it all mean? And does purchasing natural, organic, grass-fed, free-range products really make a difference for the environment and for your health? Learn the ins and outs of the “green” food movement and ways to eat sustainably, seasonably, and reasonably. You’ll learn the health and environmental impacts of your milk, meat, and produce choices along with recipes for cooking grass-fed meats and preparing homemade yogurt.

Heading into the Holiday Season with Healthy Treats

Yes, there are tasty treats that will get you in the holiday spirit without breaking your diet? (or your pants zipper)! During this session, we’ll talk about what causes cravings, how to reduce them, and how to stick to your diet when sugar cookies lurk everywhere and sugar plums are dancing in your head. You’ll try healthier versions of cookies, breads, and nut mixes that make great gifts and are much safer to have around the house than cream pies or fudge!

The Fall Harvest: In Salads, Sides, Soups & Snacks!

When the growing season winds down, it’s easy to give up on eating bountiful local vegetables and trade them in for limp supermarket seconds. But the fall harvest offers an abundance of colorful selections for the season—from squash and beans to leeks, onions, beets, carrots, and other root vegetables! In attending this session, you’ll learn some new “fail proof” recipes for getting fall’s seasonal veggies into your family’s diet. Recipes include salads, side dishes, soups, and snacks!

Host a cooking class in the comfort of your own home and you attend free!

Contact me at tracey@traceymillerwellness.com, or 603-380-1080.