Micro-Nutrients via Juicing!

There is so much information out there about Juicing.......So I will just keep it simple and direct.

Juicing Will make you Feel Better.

Juice what you like & please do your best not to go too heavy on the fruits.
Lately we have been adding in a piece of Turmeric along with the ginger & garlic.......and WOW!

Try making a wonderful veggie juice the first meal of your day & see how you feel:)
...and if you are wondering what to juice, just try out the combination int the image above, because it's awesome!

Blessings of Health and Goodness to you All!  Don & Courtney

Winter 2012 CookWell Newsletter & Group Class Schedule

Spring is here early! May the buzzing of new life bless your awareness with joy, and bring you peace...

ANNOUNCEMENT: we’re now teaching on Sunday Afternoons instead of Saturday Mornings at New Frontiers (new schedule posted below for you). This means that more people will be able to attend!

I’ve included one of my all-time favorite recipes for you - Contagious Coconut Curry - at the end of this newsletter.

FEBRUARY TIP: be sure your probiotic supplement contains “Acidophilus DDS-1" which is one of the few strains of beneficial bacteria which survives our stomach acid to make it into our large intestine where it’s needed.

Private CookWell sessions have been so much fun lately! If you have a few friends who want to get together to learn to CookWell, I’d love to talk to you about your needs. Sessions are 2 hours long and cost $25 per person for a group of 6. I also have course outlines posted on my site for kid’s classes! Whether you want to have either of us, or both Don & I come to your kitchen for a private CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our group classes listed below, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you. An outline of exactly what you’ll learn and what we can cook together in each foundational CookWell session is posted on The Course page of my website www.cookwell.org.
In conjunction with teaching, Don & I offer on-site cooking for parties and events, or meals to store & re-heat for your busy work week. And we’ve been updating our CookWell blog with past newsletter content, recipes, and links to informative articles.
 Don’s website for life path counseling is www.gingerbuddha.com, in case you or anyone you know needs help in quieting their mind, enjoying the journey of life, or in simply finding personal balance. Don also makes handmade kitchen & camp knives!
Thank You So Much for spreading the word about what we offer. We feel blessed to share this wonderful community with you, and welcome any questions you may have via phone or email (courtney@cookwell.org OR 528-8837). We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Hands-On CookWell Course at Cal Poly!
Cooking & Baking With Whole Foods

Four Wednesday Evenings: April 11, 18, 25 and May 2, 5:30 - 8PM
Course Fee: $179 (includes meal in each session)
Location: the only hands-on teaching kitchen in SLO! Cal Poly’s Food Processing Building #24, room 103A
Enroll Online: www.continuing-ed.calpoly.edu OR 756-2053
Course Description: Increase your culinary know-how and expand your recipe repertoire in our instructional kitchen which offers affordable, recreational culinary experience for all ages. Whole foods expert Courtney Coleman (www.cookwell.org) will lead students in intermediate level cooking techniques for flavorful ethnic dishes, casseroles, sauces, soups and baked desserts. Using lots of seasonal vegetables and only unrefined ingredients, students will gain experience cooking according to their dietary needs and taste preferences, grinding & culturing nutrient-dense whole grains for gluten free, low-glycemic desserts such as cookies, cakes, quick breads and even pizza crust! Unrefined sweeteners will be used in desserts, as well as stevia for sugar-free desserts. Courtney will review foundational concepts and apply principals of whole foods cooking as preventative medicine throughout the course. Class is limited to 16 participants.
List of dishes we’ll prepare and eat together:
Yellow Curry Casserole
Chipotle Black Bean Stew 
Thai Coconut-Curry Soup
Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza!
Savory Jalepeno-Cheddar Loaf
Gluten & Sugar Free Gingerbread-Coconut Cookies
Gluten & Sugar Free Ginger-Orange-Carrot Spice Cake   
Gluten & Sugar Free Nutmeg-Almond Loaf


Group Classes at New Frontiers, SLO       
$30 per person (includes meal)
NOW ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS!       
Please RSVP and pre-pay to reserve your spot at least 3 days before class 
(805) 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org  THANKS!

     

Whole Foods Cooking 101 For Busy People

Sun Feb 19, 2-4PM at New Frontiers
Courtney will show you how to prepare the foundation of a healing and revitalizing whole foods diet, from which you can change and add to according to your tastes. She’ll teach you how to streamline your routine to make your journey into preparing your own whole foods meals easier and less expensive than you imagined possible. She'll discuss with you several important whole foods diet & lifestyle topics such as the basics of macrobiotic theory, the basics of the blood type diet to begin individualizing your diet, the CookWell list of whole foods preparation staples for your kitchen, the best cooking oils for various temperatures, and the importance of & how to start drinking enough re-mineralized water daily. You'll receive several informational handouts for your reference, as well as a list of fantastic recipes! Then, together you'll make ghee to use as a delicious, stable oil in your cooking, sprouted & simmered whole grain millet & amaranth, a dark leafy greens & seasonal veggies stir-steam, and a beautiful pot of black beans. Then, of course, you’ll get to feast together!

Individualizing Your Whole Foods Diet
Sun March 4, 2-4PM at New Frontiers

We’ll discuss: the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, the blood type diet guidelines, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, basic guidelines for diet & lifestyle according to macrobiotic constitution, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, and practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food.
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle, blood type diet basics, and a list of fantastic recipes!
Then, together we’ll prepare: kichadi (tasty East Indian stew of mung beans, brown rice, & seasonal veggies), and fantastic custom cole slaw.   

Delicious Cooking w/ Sea Vegetables For Beauty & Longevity
Sun March 18, 2-4PM at New Frontiers

We’ll discuss: how to cook flavorfully with various types of sea vegetables (including those which bind and expel heavy metals and radioactive substances from the body!), how to maximize vitamin/mineral assimilation with whole foods combinations, and hormone balance guidelines with whole foods diet & lifestyle.
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference: benefits of 7 different sea vegetables with recipes for each, CookWell calcium protocol, guidelines for hormone balance, and fantastic recipes #5 w/ list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning.
Then together we’ll prepare: black beans and seasonal veggies with wakame & hijiki sea vegetables

Pre-Natal Nutrition and Whole Foods Cooking For Mommies!
2 possible dates & places to join in the fun:
Sat 2/25 at the new Sukha Wellness Center in Avila Beach, 12-2PM
Sun 3/25, at New Frontiersfs SLO, 2-4PM

Courtney will teach you how to create delicious whole foods snacks and meals for optimal pre-natal nutrition and for the long term health and happiness of you & your family.  She’ll show you how to develop a practical, inexpensive routine around preparing amazingly flavorful, whole foods meals for balance of mind body and spirit according to the ancient principles of Macrobiotics & Ayurvedic cooking.
We’ll discuss these concepts: whole foods as preventative medicine, whole foods snack ideas for kids, discovering the diet & lifestyle that’s most balancing for your body type and blood type, sprouting & simmering the nutrient-dense whole grains, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils for various temperatures, better digestibility of beans, and how to drink enough re-mineralized water daily
We'll prepare 4 dishes: beautiful pot of black beans with a bit of cumin, coriander & ginger, sprouted whole grain millet & amaranth, ghee to use as a cooking oil, dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam.
You'll get 4 handout pages for reference: list of whole foods preparation staples for your kitchen, recommended reading list, blood type diet & lifestyle basics, and a list of fantastic recipes.


Gluten & Sugar Free TEA PARTY CLASS!
Sunday, 2/26, 1-3PM, at Courtney’s home in Los Osos  cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for gluten & sugar free baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: The Secret Garden’s  blended herbal teas alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!
ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
heavenly lemon-lavender poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

ORGANIZE A GROUP OF YOUR FRIENDS FOR A PRIVATE COOKWELL SESSION!

For a fun & informative time with friends or loved ones, I’d love to come to your kitchen (or you’re welcome to come to mine) to show you how to prepare the foundation of a healing and revitalizing whole foods diet, from which you can change and add to according to your tastes. I’ll teach your group how to streamline your routine to make your journey into preparing your own whole foods meals easier and less expensive than you imagined possible. I’ll discuss with you several important whole foods diet & lifestyle topics - whichever ones you’d like from my CookWell course outline. You'll receive several informational handouts for your reference, as well as several fantastic recipes. Then, together we'll make 3 delicious whole foods dishes you’d like, and then of course, we’ll get to feast together! The fee is $25 per person with a 6 person minimum (for smaller groups, see “rates” page of cookwell.org). Everyone who participates should bring a notebook & pen to take notes, as well as a glass, ceramic, stainless steel or wooden container to take some amazing food home.


And, I’m gathering participants for our CookWell Teacher Training series !
Anyone interested can call or email me - once we get 6-10 participants, we’ll schedule the dates which work for everyone. courtney@cookwell.org  OR  528-8837


Notice: Arroyo Grande Farmer’s Market has moved to Spencer’s parking lot (corner of Grande Ave & Courtland). Market time is Wednesday mornings, 8:00 till 10:30. See you there!



FEBRUARY RECIPE       
Contagious Coconut Curry
I call this dish contagious, because it’s that good!
In a large, deep stainless steel pot / cast iron pot / wok with a fitting lid, place 3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil over low heat until it melts & coats the bottom of the pan. Immediately add 1 Tbsp curry powder, 1 Tbsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Stir and let spices sizzle for about 20 seconds on low heat before adding 3 cups diced yam (or carrot) and 2 cups diced burdock root OR fennel bulb (diced into ½ inch cubes), and any diced meat if you like. Add 2/3 cup filtered water and stir, making sure the spices spread evenly over the root veggies & as many veggies touch the bottom of the pan as possible. Okay, turn heat up to med, cover & simmer w/out stirring for about 2 minutes. Next add any medium-dense, bite size, chopped veggies on hand (potabella mushroom, broccoli, green beans, snap peas, cabbage, celery or bok choy stalks, etc.) and stir well. Keep cooking another 2 minutes or so, stirring every 30 seconds so all the veggies have a chance to cook on the bottom of the pan for 30 seconds, and any meat (if used) is cooked through. Next, layer 2 bunches chopped, dark kale or collard greens (the darker the greens, the more minerals they have!) and green bok choy tops if you’ve got ‘em, until the pot is stuffed full of greens - it’s okay if you can barely get the lid back on - they’ll cook down. Cover and simmer for another minute until greens wilt down slightly. Then sprinkle in 1 Tbsp tarragon, 1 tsp dill, and 1 tsp marjoram OR rosemary on top of the greens and stir. When all the greens have wilted slightly & softened TURN OFF the heat - we don’t want to overcook the greens. Then stir in 1 can Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk (full fat, not light), 3 - 5 Tbsp Nama, San-J, or Eden brand shoyu or tamari soy sauce to taste, and the juice of 2 - 3 ripe limes. Stir again & serve over brown rice or millet with lime halves on the side for those who want more tanginess. Also, some fresh chopped chives or cilantro on top is a nice garnish. Enjoy!


As always,
        Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see the “about the food” page of my website www.cookwell.org.
        We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Namaste ~                            
Courtney & Don

September 2011 Newletter

 My Favorite Cafes
        The bounty of summer produce has been wonderful! Don & I hope you’ve been feeling vital & enjoying the widely varied veggies & fruits at our farmer’s markets.
         In this newsletter, I’ll give you the details about two excellent new cafes dedicated to local, organic and whole foods dishes which our friend ss have opened - Yay! I’ve listed our Sep- Nov CookWell class schedule, and included a powerful mindfulness visualization, which I’m sure will benefit anyone who reads it. And lastly, I’ve listed my newest, deliciously fun recipe: amaranth pizza crust (gluten-free), with amazing pizza sauce , along with suggestions on complimentary toppings.
        Whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me (Courtney), come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our group classes listed below, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you. An outline of exactly what you’ll learn and what we can cook together in each session is posted on The Course page of my website www.cookwell.org. And Don’s website for life path counseling is www.gingerbuddha.com, and he’s also a knifemaker . Don’s been updating our CookWell blog with past newsletter content, free recipes, and links to informative articles. Enjoy!
  
We’re offering Our Entire CookWell Course
Tuesday evenings in October, 5:30-8PM at Cal Poly Continuing Education  $175 (dinner included in each session!)
Enroll Online: www.continuing-ed.calpoly.edu OR 756-2053  


CookWell Classes in the beautiful demonstration kitchen at New Frontiers, SLO RSVP with Dusty: 785-0106 x125  or marketing@newfrontiersslo.com
CookWell Session #4: How To Make Sauerkraut & Cook with
Sea Vegetables for Cleansing, Beauty and Longevity
Tue, Sep 20, 6-8PM   cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll show you step by step, how to make your own raw sauerkraut for probiotic supplementation, and how to cook flavorfully with the types of sea vegetables which bind and expel heavy metals and radioactive substances from the body. We’ll talk about incorporating more raw and living foods into your diet and when is best to do so, as well as strategies for getting off refined sugar.
We’ll demonstrate cooking and serve: amazing chili stew with kombu & wakame sea vegetables, sweet cultured coriander corn bread, and how to prepare sauerkraut
     You’ll get 4 handouts for reference: health benefits of the different sea vegetables and recipes for each, step by step for home-made sauerkraut, strategies for getting off refined sugar, fantastic recipes #4

CookWell Session #5: Calcium Uptake, Hormone Balance, & Delicious Gluten & Sugar Free Desserts
Tue, Sep 27, 6-8PM  cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll discuss 1) calcium uptake and hormone balance guidelines with whole foods diet & lifestyle, 2) the importance of getting low glycemic to prevent most degenerative diseases, how to fresh grind & culture the low glycemic, nutrient-dense whole grains for baking delicious, sugar & gluten free desserts, 3) iron rich and calcium rich whole foods meals for most efficient mineral assimilation, 4) the benefits of periodic cleansing diets for various organs and body systems, 5) emotions as they relate to eating & how to gently work toward the diet & lifestyle best for you
We’ll demonstrate cooking and serve: fresh ground & cultured lemon-lavender-poppy loaf dessert, homemade lemon-tahini dressing over farmer’s market fresh greens, toasted sesame-wakame as calcium supplement
You’ll get 5 handouts for reference: CookWell calcium protocol,  guidelines for hormone balance, fantastic recipes #5, colon cleansing guidelines, & strategies for getting lower glycemic as preventative medicine

CookWell Session #1: Whole Foods Cooking 101
Sat, Nov 5th, 10-12 cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll discuss: 1) whole foods diet, cooking and lifestyle as preventative medicine, 2) the basics of macrobiotic theory, 3) sprouting & simmering the nutrient-dense whole grains, 4) better digestibility of beans, 5) the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen including the best cooking oils for various temperatures, 6) the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and 6) blood type basics
We’ll demonstrate cooking then eat together: beautiful pot of black beans with cumin, coriander & ginger, sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth, ghee to use as a stable cooking oil, and dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference: ,list of whole foods preparation staples, recommended reading list, blood type basics & fantastic recipes #1

Whole Foods Cooking For The Holidays
Sat, Nov12, 10-12  cost: $30 per person (includes meal!)
We’ll discuss food combining principals for better holiday meal digestion. We’ll explain why a whole foods diet & lifestyle acts as preventative medicine, and how to discover your unique needs to maintain personal balance. We’ll talk about emotions as they relate to food and how to become more mindful of why we make the choices we do, as well as how to be gentle with ourselves in incorporating whole foods diet and lifestyle practices.
We’ll demonstrate cooking then eat together: yam & portabella mushroom with ginger, coriander & nutmeg (better than candied yams!), ginger-orange-cranberry relish (with maple syrup instead of sugar), delicious dark leafy greens to alkalize and balance heavy holiday meals
You’ll get 3 handouts for reference: whole foods recipes for the holidays, whole foods staples for your kitchen, & recommended reading list

Specialty CookWell Class in Los Osos
RSVP with Courtney for directions: 528-8837  or courtney@cookwell.org

Gluten & Sugar Free TEA PARTY CLASS!
Thursday, Sep 22, 6-8PM  cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for gluten & sugar free baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve: The Secret Garden’s  blended herbal teas alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!
ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
heavenly lavender-lemon-poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds

September Newsletter Topic:
My Favorite Cafes
Roxanne's Cafe, downtown SLO
          Our friend & remarkable chef Roxanne Lapuyade has opened her first café in downtown SLO. I say first cafe, as I’m sure she will be dazzling the citizens of SLO for many decades to come with her whole foods chef genius in various forms. Her menu is dedicated to whole, organic, local foods with intuitively genius flavors. Absolutely everything on it is a winner, from the heavenly coconut curry soup to the kitchen sink salad - you’ll just have to experience it for yourself! The café is open for lunch 11-3, Mon-Sat, in downtown SLO, in the charming courtyard of Smiling Dog Yoga (1227 Archer St). *note, the cafe will be closed for a month, Sept 25-Oct 23, for Roxanne’s much needed vacation.
          Roxanne has had a long love affair with the full gamut of fresh, local produce, as she’s selected & purchased fresh produce for the Co Op Natural Foods store for several years. She‘s come to know many of our local farmers, so if you want to know about any of the fruits or veggies on your plate at her café, she can tell you who grew it and how. Her skills as a chef she’s developed over many years in the kitchen growing up with both sides of her cooking and baking enthusiast family. As an adult, she’s cooked at Honeymoon Café, and most recently as sous chef at Thomas Hill Organics in Paso Robles. My favorite aspect of Roxanne’s fare is the fact that she uses only whole, unrefined foods - no white flour, white sugar, refined oils, refined salt or any other processed foods. Way to go Roxanne! You’re the first truly whole foods café in SLO since Natural Flavors. I hope you get tons of joy from sharing your delicious & healing dishes with our community for many moons to come!

   
 BeLoved Café, Los Osos
        Another dear friend of ours, Heather Sainsbury, has opened a terrific new café committed to organic, local and natural foods in Baywood Park, Los Osos. The cafe’s got something for everyone! Heather calls it BeLoved, as it’s in the same space that was BeLove Café, where Brandie Michele still makes available her rejuvenating, fresh pressed vegetable juices. Brandie and Heather are sharing the space, and Heather is offering delicious (as everyone’s been saying) whole foods breakfasts & lunches. Dishes like: huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, eggs & greens, or a simple bowl of handmade granola with yogurt & seasonal local fruit. Lunches look like this: sprouted grain OR gluten free teff wraps with avocado, brown rice, seasonal veggies & pesto OR humus, tasty vegetarian soups or stews, and beautiful salads. The Baywood Grilled Veggie Sandwich seems to be the signature dish so far. And here’s the real pleaser for most of the locals; Heather’s got three delicious versions of SLO Roasted Coffee and baked goodies! There’s also 10 different healing tea blends from The Secret Garden. And for the raw, vegan crowd, Heather’s offering Awesome Acai Bowls OR chocolatey Chia Bowls for energy, antioxidants, and omega 3's. And let me not forget the delicious, stamina giving, meal replacer: the green Superfood Smoothie that Brandie made famous when she first opened her raw café in SLO several years ago. There’s even a kid’s menu! How do you do it Heather? It’s all possible with her sweet husband Matt’s help. I’ve been bicycling down to cook with them on Mondays & Thursdays, and loving their fun, upbeat attitude, and the enlightening conversations we have with each other AND with many of the customers who wander in!
        Oh! The best part is that the café and the comfy space in the back where Brandie makes her juices, is intended to be to be a hub of mind, body, spirit wellness which offers any kind of healing or consciousness raising talks, classes, workshops, etc., like “Meditation Mondays”. The schedule of these classes will be posted, along with the seasonal menu changes, at www.belovednaturacafe.com
    Some would say that the best part is the fact that BeLoved Café Delivers to Los Osos and Morro Bay! Wow! Finally! Way to go Heather!
          BeLoved Café hours are: Thur & Fri 7-2, Sat & Sun 8-2, Monday 7-5 during the famous Baywood Farmer’s market which bustles every Monday afternoon from 2-5 right outside the front door of the café. Tuesday the café is open 7-2, and closed on Wednesday.
        Everyone at BeLoved café would love to meet & serve you, so stop on by for some healthy, delicious breakfast or lunch next time you’re on the coast.

  
Mindfulness Visualization
      My friend Jeanie recently sent me this brief visualization from Dr. Dan Siegel’s recent book Mindsight. It is so powerful and to the point, I had to include it in this newsletter. I hope it helps you, and whomever you choose to gift it to.  

The Wheel of Awareness
         From the quiet spacious hub in the center, simply being in presence and in awareness, from that clarity and receptivity, let your attention focus on various objects on the rim of the wheel - traditionally your own breathing (or the breathing of people sitting near you); your own body sensations and impulses - tingles, contractions, itches and aches; your own emotions arising in just this very moment - a flicker of irritation, a twinge of sadness, a wisp of longing; always returning to the quiet spaciousness of the hub to re-center and then to explore again. Mind states of longing or boredom or overwhelm. Desires for a full night's sleep or deeper intimacy with your partner. Ambitions for your daughter's high MCAT scores or your own financial safety net. Entire stories and belief systems about who we are, where we've come from, where we're going; always returning to the quiet hub in the center for a conscious re-centering, re-balancing.
         Use this wheel of awareness exercise to become more cognizant of what's missing on the rim. (Most important is to make sure the clear awareness in the center, in the hub, isn't missing.) A conversation with a sibling about a mis-understanding at Thanksgiving, long postponed because we're both too busy. The growing dissatisfaction about our job since the latest downsizing, shunted to the background because the implications are truly scary. The occasional twinge in our knee that we tell ourselves doesn't mean anything too serious and we get by well enough any way.
          The Wheel of Awareness hasn't solved any problems yet, simply brought them to consciousness where we can use the models below to re-balance. The Wheel of Awareness creates a receptivity to allow what's been missing to return to our consciousness where our own deeper intuitive wisdom can surface a clear wise action.
Article on Life Balance  www.lindagraham-mft.net


September Recipes:
    Amaranth flour, preferably fresh ground with a coffee grinder, is a wonderful, gluten-free, low-glycemic, nutrient-dense grain to use for cookies, cakes, pizza crust, etc. Have fun experimenting!

  
Gluten Free Pizza Crust!: This is an amazing alternative to wheat pizza crust which Don & I invented lately, and it’s so much more nutrient-dense than whole wheat flour. Set your oven to 400 degrees. Rub a cookie sheet with 1 Tbsp ghee, coconut, grapeseed or avocado oil & set aside. Okay. 2 cups of amaranth flour (preferably fresh ground amaranth - a coffee grinder works great for this!), will make one small-med sized pizza (feeds 2-3 people). For every 2 cups amaranth flour, use: 1/4 cup water, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp ghee, coconut, grapeseed or avocado oil, and ½ tsp whole sea salt. As you mix, the consistency should be tough and thick, like cookie dough - there should be just enough moisture that you have to keep mixing for a couple of minutes to get all the loose flour to stick together into one mass. Next just dump the mass onto the cookie sheet and press flat into any shape you like with your hands so that the dough lies ½” thick evenly. You’ll want to pre-bake this crust at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, then take it out to cool a bit & top with whatever your little heart desires. Then bake again for 13 more minutes. Here’s some great topping ideas if I do say so myself: vegan > spread a few Tbsp sesame tahini on first, then spread fresh pesto sauce over the tahini and top with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, olives, spinach, onion, olives, pine nuts, etc. vegetarian > pesto with any veggies you like and Valbreso brand sheep’s milk feta & walnuts
    .
Courtney’s Amazing Pizza Sauce & Perfect Veggie Toppings: In a deep stainless steel pot, saute a diced yellow onion on medium heat in 5 Tbsp coconut oil or ghee for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Next sprinkle in 2 Tbsp ground coriander, 1tsp tumeric powder, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Stir, saute another 2 minutes, stirring often, and add 1 cup water. Turn heat down to low, and simmer another 3 minutes or so until the onions become translucent. Add 1 bunch finely chopped kale or collard greens, stir and cover with the lid so the greens wilt down in the steam (just takes about 1 minute). Add a 1 tsp sea salt and 1 small can of tomato paste, and a 16 oz can of pureed tomato (no onion or garlic added, as is the case in “tomato sauce”). Stir until tomato paste becomes evenly spread throughout and add 1 Tbsp Herbs de Provance and 1 tsp marjoram. As soon as the tomato sauce comes to a low simmer, stir it again, turn off the heat & set it aside. For veggies to top your pizza, I recommend dicing fennel bulb and broccoli and crimini mushrooms and stirring in a pan on med heat with 3 more Tbsp coconut oil and ½ tsp sea salt for about 3 minutes, then adding some diced summer squash and stirring another minute on low heat. Top your half-baked crust with the amazing sauce you just made, these lightly cooked veggies, slices of fresh heirloom tomato, and Bel Gioso brand mozzarella grated and mixed with minced fresh basil. Oh! Sliced black olives are a must on this pizza too...get ready for heaven!
  
As always,
        Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email: courtney@cookwell.org OR (805) 547-9073. For more information on the ancient whole foods diet & lifestyle philosophies we teach about, see “The Food” page of my website.
        We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Namaste ~                           
Courtney & Don

More Information on Raw, Juicing, Low-Carbohydrate Diets

We get asked often about particular aspects of diet such as Raw, or Low-Carbohydrate. Some fall into the "Fad-Diet" realm often due to lack of information, resulting in not taking a more in-depth look at, and even more important, a personal inquiry into our own unique body systems & food history before embarking on such a dietary change.

The links to articles and audio interviews below are here for you to continue to explore for yourself and to help you to understand more about the world of Raw, Juicing and carbohydrates and how they are functioning in your body. Read and listen-on and enjoy the journey:)

____________________________

 The first is perhaps one of the most eoquently and well stated view on the scope of nutrition that I have listened to. We encourage all of you to take the time to listed to what David Rainoshek has to say about his experience with Raw and other dietary realities.

Expert Reveals His Experience with Raw Foods Diet

Dr. Mercola goes into which veggies to start with for gentleness on the digestion for newbies to juicing, then which veggies to work up to juicing for each nutritional type - it's excellent!

In this Benefits of Juicing & How to Juice for Your Nutritional Type article

More information on Nutritional Typing

________________________________

Next is an article worth reading in response to the realities of refined vegetable oils in our diets. We post this because so may people that are wary of "saturated fats" often think they are doing a good thing for their health by eating "vegetable oil", the opposite is actually the Truth. 

The Dangers of Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oils  From the pioneering research of Dr. Weston A. Price

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Many people talk about low carbohydrate diets and yet seem to skirt the real issue of glycemic aspect of diet and the reality of sugars in our systems. The following are two excellent articles on sugars in the diet. The Dr. Rosedale article titled Insulin and it's Metabolic Effects (actually an excerpt from a speech he gave back in 1999) is one of the most critical pieces of information for anyone to read that has a sincere interest in obtaining optimal health. The Dr. Rosedale article is a long read so we posted a short version of a similar idea that is also worth talking a look at. Ultimately the Dr. Rosedale excerpt is more in-depth at 32-pages long and significantly more revealing.

Fructose and your Metabolism 

Insulin and it's Metabolic Effects

Also we wanted to include another comprehensive Mercola article on: 

Staged Diet & Lifestyle Plans for the Beginner, Intermediate & the Advanced

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 Take your time with all of this. Contact us with any questions you may have. It is a life-long learning experience in applying/experimenting with these or any other nutritional concepts and information. Learning how they relate to your individual dietary requirements is only accomplished through research and ultimately personal experience. Bodies change throughout our lives and from day-to-day, moment-to-moment. Most of all, we encourage everyone to be gentle with yourself.

We send you ALL Blessings of Goodness and Health 

Courtney and Don 

 

July-August 2011 Newsletter

 

The Grain Controversy
       Don & I hope that all is well with you - that you’re feeling vital and blessed. We’re excited about our CookWell session #2 (Individualizing Your Diet) tonight at New Frontiers, because our dear friend Greg Money, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, will be there to introduce Ayurveda and give free pulse assessments to help determine everyone’s Ayurvedic body/mind type. We can’t wait! And for those who miss this opportunity, we’ll again be leading session #2 with Greg in Los Osos on Thursday, August 25th (details below).
        This newsletter topic, the grain controversy, took lots of time to compose. I was prompted to write it by a startling, recent article on commercial wheat as a potentially dangerous food for the brain and the heart. I then felt it necessary to shed light on a shocking new finding about the effects of eating genetically modified corn (and other GM foods). And of course, because I’m a carb-type, I had to go into the nutritional  wonders of the lower-glycemic, nutrient-dense whole grains, when prepared in the ways of our ancestors. I’ve linked to lots of research and shared our personal experiences, which I hope give you some clarity and inspiration in choosing the foods that are most beneficial for you. At the end, you’ll find our recipes for perfect brown rice, carob-coconut cloud, sprouted then simmered millet & amaranth, and sweet cultured coriander cornbread.
        I’ve listed the July & August schedule of our foundational CookWell classes in the beautiful demonstration kitchen at New Frontiers, as well as our specialty class schedule. Whether you want to have both Don & I, or just me (Courtney), come to your kitchen for a private or small group CookWell session, OR if you just want to show up to one of our group classes listed below, we look forward to meeting you and helping you incorporate the whole foods diet & lifestyle that works best for you. Our collaborative sessions are outlined on the “sustenance training” page of Don’s website for life path counseling: www.gingerbuddha.com. My website for solo teaching in whole foods cooking is: www.cookwell.org. And we’ve been updating our CookWell blog with past newsletter content, free recipes, and links to great articles. Enjoy!
      
Our Foundational CookWell Classes at New Frontiers, SLO 
please RSVP with Dusty (785-0106 x125 or marketing@newfrontiersslo.com)
CookWell Session #1: Whole Foods Cooking 101
Tuesday, Aug 10th, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: whole foods cooking as preventative medicine, the basics of macrobiotic theory, neutralizing phytic acid in grains by sprouting & simmering, the nightshades, oxalic acid & sulfur veggies, food-based vitamin/mineral supplements, better digestibility of beans, the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen and the best cooking oils for various temperatures, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type diet & lifestyle basics
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:                      
list of whole foods preparation staples
recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1
We’ll demonstrate making:
beautiful pot of adzuki beans with cayenne, sage and rosemary
sprouted then simmered whole grain millet & amaranth to incorporate with the beans
ghee to use as a stable cooking oil
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam


CookWell Session #3: Food Combining For Increased Vitality
Tuesday, Aug 23, 6-8PM
cost $30 per person
We’ll discuss: the importance of proper food combining for best digestion and assimilation, how to gradually eliminate refined flour & salt from your diet, flax seed vs. fish oil as supplements, nut/grain milks vs. goat’s milk/raw milk products, and deeply listening to your body to recognize imbalance & know what you really need
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
food combining fundamentals
fantastic recipes #3
chart of cooking times and water ratios for simmering each whole grain
chart of cooking times and water ratios for simmering each legume (beans)   
We’ll demonstrate making:
curried tempe with shallots, kale, arame sea vegetable, lemon and dill
yams and portabella mushrooms with coriander, nutmeg and ginger
cilantro cole slaw with cayenne, lime and dill  

July Specialty Classes in Los Osos
       We hope you can make it sometime to our home in Los Osos, to eat some healing food & learn lots of new information. Our CookWell specialty classes will cover current health concerns / topics, and will include a discussion (bring notebook & pen if you’d like to take notes), a cooking demonstration, and then dinner. Our goal is that you have a great time & that all of your questions around the slated topics are answered. We look forward to getting to know you better, and you’re welcome to bring your own wine or beer.  
Please RSVP for directions: 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org 

Specialty CookWell session #1 - whole foods cooking for busy people
Thursday, July 28, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: how to transition into regularly preparing your own whole foods meals to eat at home or to take on the go, even with a busy schedule. We’ll apply your goals in incorporating a wholefoods diet & lifestyle to your specific needs and limitations. We’ll review the CookWell list of wholefoods preparation staples for your kitchen including the best cooking oils, the importance of drinking enough re-mineralized water daily, and blood type basics. This is our foundational session #1 - but it’s tailored for busy people.                    You'll get 4 handouts for reference:
list of whole foods preparation staples
recommended reading list
blood type basics
fantastic recipes #1
We’ll demonstrate making:
beautiful pot of black beans with cumin, coriander & ginger
sprouted then simmered whole grain brown rice to incorporate with the beans
dark leafy greens & seasonal veggie stir-steam

ANOTHER TEA PARTY CLASS!
Thursday, August 18, 6-8PM
cost: $30 per person
We’ll discuss: the importance of and how to grind fresh & culture whole grains such as millet, oat groats and amaranth for baked recipes, and strategies for getting lower glycemic in your diet as preventative medicine
We’ll serve blended herbal teas with Kirsten Sherritt of The Secret Garden alongside our gluten & sugar free desserts!

ginger-orange-carrot cake made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, millet & oat groats, minced carrot & ginger, orange zest, virgin coconut oil & vanilla stevia
almond-amaranth cookies made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth, virgin coconut oil, brazil nuts, almonds, coriander, nutmeg & stevia
heavenly lavender-lemon-poppy loaf made with fresh ground & cultured amaranth & millet, virgin coconut oil, lavender essential oil, lemon zest, coriander & poppy seeds


CookWell Session #2: Individualizing Your Diet & The Wonders Of Kvaas - with Greg Money, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, who will give free pulse assessments to help determine your Ayurvedic body/mind type
Thursday, Aug 25, 6-8PM
cost $30 per person
We’ll discuss: practicing mindfulness as it relates to preparing healing food, the Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each, maintaining proper body alkalinity through diet, protein/fat/carb ratios for different metabolic types, the pros and cons of soy, the importance of incorporating cultured foods such as amazing beet kvaas into your diet, and knife skills for safety and achieving various textures and flavors
You’ll get 4 handouts for reference:
Ayurvedic body types and beneficial foods for each
general principals re: Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle
list of tasty herb/spice combinations for seasoning
fantastic recipes #2
We’ll demonstrate making:
kichadi (extremely tasty East Indian mung bean & seasonal veggies stew)
red quinoa arugula tabouli (aka: tabougula)      
beet kvaas drink (probiotic, mineral supplement, digestive aid, and liver tonic)


Announcement:
FREE HEALTH EXPO! Sat 7/23, 10am -1pm
At Cross Fit Gym in Grover Beach (226 Front St.)
Lots of Free Information, Exhibits, Activities, Vendors, Music and More! I’ll be having a CookWell booth at this great event, and hope to see you there!


July / August Newsletter Topic:
The Grain Controversy

Lately there have been several proponents for a no-grain diet. Because of the genetic modification, the high glycemic aspect, and general overuse of wheat & corn in processed foods, I agree that regular consumption of these grains (as well as the other high-glycemic grains & foods which spike the blood sugar), are major factors in the causes of the most common diseases of modern people. Thanks to articles by Dr. Neal Rosedale (Insulin and it's metabolic effects), we know that diabetes, high cholesterol & heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, thyroid dysfunction, depressed immunity, hormone & brain chemistry imbalances, depressed immune function and systemic inflammation, are all brought on by a high-glycemic diet. I believe that the other major factors in the causes of these diseases are: 1) the regular intake of refined salt, refined grains & sugars of course, and refined vegetable oils (canola being the worst) via processed foods, restaurant food, and fast food, 2) the lack of seasonal regional vegetables (especially the dark leafy greens) as at least 50% of the diet, 3) the lack of sufficient daily hydration with re-mineralized water, 4) the over-consumption of pasturized dairy and commercially raised meats, 5) sedentary to only moderately active lifestyles, and 6) the polluted, stress-filled cities we live in with a socially unbalanced, competitive, and emotionally void standard of behavior. Every part of the picture must be factored in before coming to the conclusion that all grains are bad for all people.

Corn & wheat are not healthy staple grains for most people for several reasons. Beside the fact that they’re both high glycemic, commercially grown corn is extremely bad for us because, like most other genetically modified (GM) crops, it contains pesticide. The real shocker is that GM foods have recently been found to mutate human gut bacteria to begin producing pesticide within our own cells!  This startling new research is very maddening to me when I think about the billions of people who eat processed foods daily, and the thousands of women I know and have heard about who can’t get pregnant, as sterility in rats & mice fed GM foods was the first discovery about the adverse effects of GM foods. What’s worse, is that organically grown corn is often inadvertently pollinated by the winds from neighboring fields of genetically modified corn. So these days, even corn that’s labeled “organic” often contains the genetic markers of Monsanto’s GM corn. Don & I steer clear of all commercially grown corn products these days, and even drastically limit our intake of organic corn products. The other commercially grown crops which are GM and that we avoid like the plague are: soy, canola oil, zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, Hawaiin papaya, and sugar from sugar beets (not that we eat white sugar!). The next crops slated to be widely grown GM are wheat and alfalfa. Dr Joseph Mercola sends out updates on this sort of thing as well as tons of other crucial, cutting-edge diet & lifestyle info daily in his e-articles, which we highly recommend subscribing to.  

One of Dr. Mercola’s  most recent articles, the one which prompted all this writing in the first place, is about the dangers of eating wheat. Wheat contains 40% more glutin than ever before, due to it’s hybridization over recent decades. With increasing exposure to glutin (a protien in wheat termed “wheat germ aglutinin or WGA”), more and more of us are becoming glutin sensitive - some of us are even glutin intolerant. Glutin exists not only in wheat, but in spelt, barley, rye, kamut, triticale, and others. It’s been recently proven to not only cause systemic inflammation (which has been known for years), but is now considered cardiotoxic and neurotoxic! Each of us is sensitive to glutin in widely varying degrees, and with widely varying symptoms. For instance, if I eat a piece of wheat bread I get a bit of a bloated feeling, as if I ate too much, even though I didn’t. If Don eats one bite of something made with any gluten grain, he experiences the cardiac inflammatory response which causes him heart arrhythmia. By the way, Don lost 50 lb in one year, simply by quitting eating gluten grains! And a friend of ours can’t even have a crumb of anything made with a gluten grain, or she ends up in the bathroom all night with loose bowels. If she has a full bite of anything made with a gluten grain, her throat begins to close up and she goes to the emergency room. The symptoms vary as widely as the severity of them, from stomach pain & intestinal diseases/digestive disorders, to asthma & skin rash, to chronic pain & inflammation (arthritis), to heart arrhythmia, to infertility, to brain chemistry imbalance which often leads to psychosis.
  
This is scary, I know, but I want to remind you of two things at this point. First, that there are many other wonderfully nutritious, low glycemic whole grains that are gluten-free which you can you can make even more nutritious with certain methods of preparation (which I’ll get into in the next paragraph). And second, that if you are feeling healthy and balanced in mind, body & spirit, let 80% of your diet be whole foods, and the other 20% be an emotionally soothing deviation. Food has strong emotional effects, and in a stressful time we may need to just go out to eat, or have a sweet treat at a party, for the sake of preserving our sanity. When you do deviate from your whole foods diet, see it as an experience that feeds your soul, not as an unhealthy deviation. The emotions you experience while eating are as important as what you’re eating. Just say to yourself, “everything I eat turns to health and beauty”, and if you believe it, it’ll be so!

The other 80% (a whole foods diet) looks like this: seasonal, regional vegetables (with at least 1 bunch of dark leafy greens per person per day) as 40-60% of the diet, low glycemic whole grains prepared in the ways of our ancestors (details below), soaked & simmered beans, fresh raw nuts & seeds, small amounts of seasonal, regional fruit (avocado has completely replaced my desire for dairy!), moderate amounts of whole sea salts, extra virgin or “unrefined”, natural fats & oils, and consciously raised (preferably organic) animal proteins and raw dairy products in moderate amounts when needed for building strength and warmth ( ie: hard physical work, pregnancy, weakness, coldness, deficiency type illnesses, underweight, or if you are a protein-type with meat-eating ancestry, and/or slower metabolism (usually people with type O blood). Click here to take the simple test to discover your nutritional  type.  This is one of the basic guidelines of Macrobiotics (the Asian tradition of eating & living in harmony with nature): eat to balance your individual constitution.

The carb-type whole foods diet is what most indigenous people around the world happen to thrive on. And I mean thrive on! I’m talking about people who, well into their nineties, are strong and limber, happy, mentally acute and engaged socially from the heart. Wow right? I want that for myself and for everyone I love! What I’ve been waiting for lately, is for any of the no-grain diet proponents to acknowledge the late-life vitality of indigenous people who ate as a staple the lower glycemic, nutrient-dense whole grains - grains like millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and brown rice. Did you know that amaranth is highest of all the grains in both calcium & iron, and in countries where it’s a staple, there is no malnutrition? And, when these types of grains are soaked (aka: sprouted) and simmered, OR freshly ground & cultured, they provide an easily digestible, long lasting energy source for most people (which are carb-type or mixed-types). I have type A blood and a fast metabolism (carb-type), so preparing these types of grains in this way as about 40% of my diet gives me a wonderfully high level of vitality. And, just to let you know, doing so doesn’t take as much time as you might think (see recipes below). The modern processed food industry skips these important steps, which our ancestors nearly always took, in preparing grains. Either of these steps is important because they help break down the complex carbohydrates in the grains, making them much easier to digest. When our bodies don’t have to work so hard on digestion, our internal energy is free to heal and balance other areas. Soaking or culturing also neutralizes the phytic acid in the bran of the grain, which makes it’s vitamins & minerals much more bio-available. If you’re a carb or a mixed nutritional type, I’ve listed a few of these kinds of recipes below to get you started. I hope you enjoy the process and the vitality that follows. And, as always, feel free to call or email me with any questions whatsoever. 528-8837 or courtney@cookwell.org

Recipes

Positively Perfect Brown Rice: The health benefits of organic brown rice are innumerable according to the book Healing With Whole Foods. Rinse 2 cups organic short grain brown rice and soak overnight under an inch of filtered water in the saucepan you plan to cook it in. Soaking grains for a day before cooking initiates the sprouting process, which 1) makes it more easily digestible, 2) increases the grain's amino acid profile so it becomes closer to a complete protein, and 3) neutralizes it's phytic acid which would otherwise bind with minerals in the intestine and inhibit mineral absorption. Okay, the next day, pour off the old soak water and refill the pot so that the fresh water level is about 3/4 of an inch above the level of the rice - measure it if you have to! (No ruler? It’s the length of your fore finger from the tip to the very first knuckle /joint just above your fingernail - not halfway up your finger). Soaked rice requires way less water to simmer than unsoaked rice. In fact, this 3/4 inch rule applies to every pot of soaked rice, no matter how big the pot, or how much rice you’ve soaked. Okay, after you’ve got that 3/4 inch of fresh water over the rice, bring it to a boil, reduce to simmer, and stir in1/2 tsp whole sea salt for every 2 cups of soaked rice. Put the lid on the pot at an angle so the steam can escape, and simmer for 40 minutes exactly. Comes out wonderfully fluffy every time.
                              
Millet & Amaranth - powerhouse grains for hard workers & people with increased iron needs: Soak 2 cups millet and 1 cup amaranth overnight under an inch of filtered water in the large saucepan you plan to cook it in. The next day, pour off the soak water and refill the pot so that the water level is 2 inches or so above the level of the grain. Bring to a boil, stir in 1/2 tsp whole sea salt, reduce to very low heat, put the lid on the pot at an angle so the steam can escape, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring twice during the last 5 minutes to make sure there’s enough water in the bottom of the pan to prevent burning. Feel free to add ½ cup or so of water if it’s all evaporated before 30 minutes. It’s better to have more water and just pour the excess off at the end, than to not have enough and have it burn. Mil-amaranth is great stirred into vegetarian chili as faux ground beef.

Carob-Coconut Cloud (a great breakfast OR dessert!): In a small saucepan over low heat add 1 cup water and 2 cups any freshly simmered or leftover grain (brown rice or millet are great!). Stir and add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, butter or ghee. Stir until melted and add  ½ tsp whole sea salt, ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice OR ½ tsp each cinnamon & nutmeg, 2 Tbsp carob powder, 6 drops vanilla stevia OR 1 Tbsp maple syrup / raw honey, AND ½ cup dried coconut. Stir until mixed well & enjoy warm topped with pecans, almonds, walnuts, brazil or macadamia nuts OR fresh / frozen berries, OR both! Also, 1/4 cup juice of ripe meyer lemon, 6 drops vanilla stevia & 1 cup mashed berries makes a great, tangy-sweet topping.

Sweet Cultured Coriander Corn Bread: Combine 1 cup fresh ground amaranth OR oat flour AND 1 cup organic corn meal with 1 cup plain, cultured yogurt and 2/3 cup water (1tsp acidophilus powder OR content of 2 capsules any live probiotic mixed with 1 cup water = dairy free alternative to yogurt). Mix until just blended and let sit covered at room temperature for 24 hrs. You see, the yogurt cultures (probiotic bacteria) neutralize the phytic acid in the whole grain flour (so it can't bind with minerals in your intestines & inhibit their absorption) and they break down the complex carbohydrates which makes the grain's nutrients more assimilatable and much more digestible. Okay, the next day, in a separate bowl combine 1/2 cup melted butter or ghee, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp raw honey or grade B maple syrup (OR, for the sugar free: 1/2 tsp Nu Naturals brand liquid vanilla stevia), 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp nutmeg, and ½ tsp whole sea salt. Mix well and stir into cultured flour mixture along with 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels. Pour into a buttered 8" x 8" or loaf size baking pan or glass dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. So sweet and moist I almost called it "Corn Cake".

As always,
        Don and I welcome any questions you may have via phone or email. For more information on the ancient whole foods philosophies we teach about, see "the food” page of my website www.cookwell.org.
        We hope to see you sometime soon to share lots of learning, laughter and incredible food!

Namaste ~                           
Courtney & Don