This is news to no one who knows me well, but I am not a very good cook. I do love to eat seasonal, healthy foods – especially in the fall. I have never met a butternut squash I didn’t like. This summer I went to a terrific “Eat like a Yogi” class with Suzanne Ko doing yoga and natural food chef Amanda Skrip cooking. It was great – and inspiring. I wanted to do more yoga and eat a healthier diet – STAT.
I signed up for Amanda’s newsletter and blog and enjoy all of her great ideas and recipes. (In truth, I mostly read and send to friends so they can cook the delicious health recipes!) Jen and I both saw Amanda’s class announcement for her “Seasonal Spotlight: Root Vegetables + Squash” class at Whole Foods in Chicago and decided to sign up right away.
Ticket price included the cooking demonstration/tasting, snacks and the recipes. There were also giveaways. (I won a butternut squash!) The class was vegetarian, gluten and dairy-free.
THE MENU:
> Roasted Celery Root with Thyme + Black Olives
> Spaghetti Squash Salad with Arugula + Almonds
> Root Vegetable Stew with Miso + Kale (My favorite – there were a lot of close seconds)
> Ruby Red Beet + Walnut Dip
> Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies
The great thing about this class for me was that Amanda is so open and engaging (and she is a kick butt cook!) She asked the class all about their experiences with root veggies and encouraged sharing of ideas. She chatted us up while easily whipping up 5 dishes simultaneously. I was super impressed (of course!)
In addition, she kindly agreed to answer some questions here! (and now!)
EF: How has your cooking evolved over time? Have you always been interested in cooking? Has it always been clean, vegan, etc?
AS: I became interested in cooking my junior year in college. I had become interested in the connection between food and health, and loved cooking food that was delicious – and healthful for friends. I debated attending graduate school to pursue a degree in nutrition, or enter a culinary program. I would up attending a health-supportive culinary school, which was really the best of both worlds: equal attention was paid to holistic nutrition theories and culinary techniques. It was a perfect fit!
I was a vegetarian when I enrolled in culinary school, but began occasionally adding more high-quality meat into my diet. I care about how animals were raised, and make an effort to support local farmers. I rarely eat dairy, wheat, or refined sugar.
My classes are largely vegan, gluten-free, and ‘clean’. I think most people can benefit from having some simple, plant-based recipes to compliment their diets and kitchen repertoires.
EF: What is the best thing about running your own business? What is most rewarding for you?
AS: I’ve always been an independent girl, and have been running my own business for 6 years. I love that everyday is unique and I get to wear a lot of different hats. I am rarely bored!
EF: If you could recommend that we added 2 foods to our diet and removed 2 foods from our diet for better health, what would they be?
AS:
> Add – leafy greens (like kale, chard, collards, spinach…) + vegetables
> Remove / reduce – sugar + dairy
EF: What is your favorite recipe of the season?
AS: This time of the year, I love simple roasted root vegetables. Lately, I have been roasting cubed butternut squash with sliced red onion and fresh thyme springs with a little olive oil, honey + sea salt. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 375 for 30 minutes. So simple and delicious! I also love spaghetti squash and brussels sprouts!
Has this piqued your interest? Check out Amanda’s next cooking class: Soups + Stews – Thursday October 25 @ Whole Foods Market – North Halsted location. You can sign up HERE. (Also on my radar is Wholesome Sweets on December 1 if anyone wants to go with me!)
I recommend you check out Amanda’s website and blog for delicious, healthy recipes and new ideas. If you are in Chicago you can check out one of her classes or learn more about her health coaching and wellness services. Trust me, you will feel better for it! (You can also follow her on Facebook or Twitter like I do!)
And here’s a teaser for you… next week’s guest post will be about Ultra Marathon Running by one of my favorite ultra gals, Whitney!