Making Veggie Dishes Everyone Craves!

Vegetable tarts come in many sizes and shapes from an imperfect hand-shaped galette to one formed in a tart pan. In this class, we'll focus on easy entertaining dishes and quick meals, and you'll take home a galette to have for dinner that night. You'll learn to make olive oil tarts for a variety of winter veggies and stand-by pantry items. We'll also make a vegetable, gluten-free tart or pizza style crust and taste a tart appetizer.

Tasty Nutrition Tips

• Make an olive oil tart that's light, flaky and flavorful
• Learn how to make a crisp, savory cauliflower chickpea tart or pizza and add your favorite toppings
• Discuss best ways to shop for and store the vegetable ingredients used
• Compare and taste a variety of seasonings, toppings, and tarts

Sign-up

• Class limited to 6 people
• Course cost includes: $65 (ask about the buddy rate or duo-class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Email via: Connect here

Sourdough Boules and Baguettes Class

In this class, we’ll show how to use sourdough starter in classic ways and keep it alive to produce flavorful bread products and desserts for as long as you like. Our starter is 13-years old, so it knows what it’s doing and has made over 1000 loaves of bread.

Tasty Takeaways

• Learn more how starters create more flavorful breads with better structure, think crusty texture and chewy density — and a longer shelf life, without additives or preservatives.
• Find out about options for refrigerator proofing to simplify the bread making process and give yeast and bacteria more opportunities to digest gluten.

This is primarily a demonstration class; however, you’ll get your share of flour dusting (don’t wear black😊) and you’ll mix, knead, forming & lame loaves. Aprons provided.

What's Starter and What are the Advantages of Sour Dough and Long-rise Breads?

Here's a post I wrote that was featured in Food & Nutrition Magazine's Stone Soup Blog on this topic: Bubbly Burpy Beast: Sourdough Bread

Sign-up

• Class limited to 6 people
• Course cost includes a dinner equivalent of tastings: $65 (ask about the buddy or duo class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Email via: contact link here

This is a fascinating topic that I'm looking forward to moderating at the Philly FNCE. If you're FNCE, here's our program for Tuesday, October 29, 2019  8:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Global Appreciation or Cultural Appropriation? Avoiding Insensitive Pitfalls on Food Blogs  

I'm excited to be presenting at a session and moderating another at the Philly FNCE. If you're FNCE, here's our program for Sunday, October 27, 2019  3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

The Artful Experience and Health Benefits of Convivial Cooking and Dining 

Registration at: FNCE Registration

 Make Meaty Veggies!

• Why are meaty flavors and textures popular?
• What culinary techniques create savory, meaty veggie taste qualities?
• Which vegetables offer more meaty textures and flavors?
• How do veggies contribute to protein and weight management needs?

Get the answers and create vegetable dishes omnivore lovers, vegetarians and vegans love to eat.

Culinary Highlights Include:

• Culinary technique demos that improve textures of savory veggies
• Techniques and ingredients for coaxing more meaty flavors from veggies
• How to adapt and revise recipes to boost savory flavors and meaty textures
• How grilling changes vegetable flavors (for homework check out my article here) or via Food and Nutrition Magazine here.

Taste and Health Highlights Include:

• How aromatic veggies add savory, delicious notes to meals
• What flavor protein compounds, including umami, create delicious vegetable dishes
• Taste multiple foods and call it dinner!

Date & Sign-up

• Class limited to 9 people
• Course cost includes: $65 (ask about the buddy rate or duo-class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Connect here

 

We'll explore Southwest flavors with a focus on veggies. We'll make homemade tacos with fresh masa, a tortilla press and a griddle and fill add veggies that tend towards meaty textures and flavors. [caption id="attachment_25972" align="alignright" width="424"] Inspiration from these delish dishes by Chef Robson at Gallo Blanco[/caption] These fillings do double duty--you can use them to create savory side dishes and even main dishes—so, they aren’t taco specific. Since it’s a Friday night and we’ll have a party vibe, there will be a regional-Mexican cocktail and appetizer nibble. I’ll share some of my quick tips for making veggies more savory (something kids and adults love equally). We’ll also chat about “meat-swaps”, or how to reduce “meats”, without missing them. This class will include a couple simple recipes, but will rely more on instinct and technique—in other words, cooking more like yourself and more like a chef! 😊 Date & Sign-up

• Friday, September 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. / Class limited to 6-8 people
• Course cost: $64 per person. Buddy rate: for two new students or a previous student bringing a new student $56 per person.
• For more information or to register: Email via: Contact for classes

Mediterranean Pantry Cooking Class

Quick, flavorful, nourishing foods

[caption id="attachment_1920" align="alignright" width="360"] Mediterranean Pantry Veggies from Borough Market, London[/caption] Ever look for answers with the refrigerator door held open? Instead, tweak your pantry to yield a dozen quick and flavorful meals and appetizers.

Advantages of Pantry Cooking?

Less time spent on grocery lists, shopping and decision making. Learn how an easily stocked Mediterranean pantry cooking yields ingredients for quick, satisfying, nutrient-rich foods.

Taste. Sip. Cook. Enjoy.

• Culinary demo while you enjoy Mediterranean appetizers and a specially-paired wine
• Take-home guide to the Mediterranean pantry with nutritional tips for every eating style
• Participate in food prep and taste the results

Tasty Takeaways

• Appetizers for last-minute entertaining
• 4 ingredient medleys for 12 bean or pasta dishes
• Flavorful flatbread dough five minutes & 6 quick, nutritious toppings
• Mediterranean pantry condiment & spice tips

Eating Well Tips:

• Flavorful fats
• Omega-3 flavor bombs
• Fiber-rich pantry foods

Sign-up

• Class limited to 6 people
• Course cost includes a dinner equivalent of tastings: $65 (ask about the buddy or duo class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Email via: contact link here

Vinegar For Flavorful Health & Food

Ever done vinegar shots? Added it to tea? Are these of use in helping with metabolism or weight management? Are there downsides? Vinegar is a powerful culinary tool in your kitchen pantry. In this scheduled Facebook Live video, we'll explore these questions about vinegar and health and some practical vinegar tips on cooking techniques to boost flavors and improve food textures. I conduct complete vinegar workshops on such topics including:

• Vinegar’s effect on food texture, colors and salt perception
• Fermented vs non-fermented and flavored vinegars
• Why we like sour foods & making foods "pop"
• Storing vinegar and culinary tips for heating it
• How vinegar in the diet affects metabolism, weight and blood sugars
• A guided and comparative tasting (“vinegar shots!”)
• Demonstration of how vinegar boosts flavors in savory & sweet foods
• Making your own vinaigrette to take home
• New recipes that highlight vinegar options

Today's Dietitian Symposium: Tasting Tools to Improve Diet Diversity & Food Appreciation

The power of taste in food selection is well known, but flavor, texture and taste sensory mechanisms that influence eating behaviors are more mysterious. Tasting skills to identify taste versus flavor qualities and recognize the role of texture in flavor perception (chemesthesis), are rarely taught in nutrition or culinary programs. In this interactive session, we’ll explore the synergy between these sensory experiences and how to help people enjoy more nutrient-rich foods and more mindful eating. During the session, we will use taste literacy tools and experience different sensory taste mechanisms to consider how tasting habits versus taste physiology can impact health and food enjoyment. Various taste literacy tools such as taste perception assessments, flavor lexicons and mindful tasting practices raise awareness of food choice motivations, establish new connections to diverse, nutritious foods and improve food appreciation. These tools also have implications for recipe development and modifying meals for different sensory needs. Register and Link for more info at Today's Dietitian Symposium 2019

Yes, it’s not even June, but in the desert, we do summer fast and hard—99 degrees by April 19? Check that box cause we’re tough but cross our fingers that the A/C spirits stay on our side. In this cooking session, we’ll play with two grains that are high fiber, nutrient-rich and linked to a healthy metabolism and satisfying, high-satiety meals. Carbs have a place in a healthy diet and grains can be quick to prepare and be an ever-ready pantry item. We’ll also pair grains with beans such as black beans or adzuki beans—the best sources of uber-healthy fiber if you ask me, but most people aren’t getting enough beans in their diet. I’ll share tips for cooking grains and the differences between whole, pearled and instant grain options. I’ll simplify ways to toss together veggie, beans and grains in flavorful ways that work for mains and sides either as warm meals, cool lunches or picnic meals. This class will include a couple simple recipes, but will rely more on instinct and technique—in other words, cooking more like yourself and more like a chef! 😊 Date & Sign-up

• Sunday 5/5 from 3:30-6pm / Class limited to 8 people
• Course cost: $55 per person. Buddy rate: for two new students or a previous student bringing a new student $48 per person. (these are discounted rates for people who get my emails).
• For more information or to register: Email via: https://thetasteworkshop.com/contact/

We're exploring new flavors and cultures in this group cooking Party celebrating Persian dishes through "My Global Table: Iran" from Food and Nutrition Magazine. The recipes and inspiration in the article here: Food & Nutrition Magazine: My Global Table: Iran I had the honor of connecting with Robin Foroutan, MS, RDN (@foroutania on Instagram), is a National Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in creating a version Tangy Lime Beef stew inspired by Gormeh Sabzi. Other Registered Dietitians Ginger Hultin at @champagnenutrition and Elizabeth Shaw @shawsimpleswaps created the lovely recipes found here: Persian inspired crispy rice and Persian inspired herb frittata  

We'll explore Southwest flavors with a focus on veggies. We'll make homemade tacos with fresh masa, a tortilla press and a griddle and fill add veggies that tend towards meaty textures and flavors. [caption id="attachment_25972" align="alignright" width="424"] Inspiration from these delish dishes by Chef Robson at Gallo Blanco[/caption] These fillings do double duty--you can use them to create savory side dishes and even main dishes—so, they aren’t taco specific. Since it’s a Friday night and we’ll have a party vibe, there will be a regional-Mexican cocktail and appetizer nibble. I’ll share some of my quick tips for making veggies more savory (something kids and adults love equally). We’ll also chat about “meat-swaps”, or how to reduce “meats”, without missing them. This class will include a couple simple recipes, but will rely more on instinct and technique—in other words, cooking more like yourself and more like a chef! 😊 Date & Sign-up

• Friday, April 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. / Class limited to 6-8 people
• Course cost: $64 per person. Buddy rate: for two new students or a previous student bringing a new student $56 per person.
• For more information or to register: Email via: Contact for classes

Falling in Love with Vegetables: Culinary and Tasting Techniques to Fully Enjoy Veggies

Participation sign-up is through Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center

Making Veggie Dishes Everyone Craves!

Vegetable tarts come in many sizes and shapes from an imperfect hand-shaped galette to one formed in a tart pan. In this class, we'll focus on easy entertaining dishes and quick meals, and you'll take home a galette to have for dinner that night. You'll learn to make olive oil tarts for a variety of winter veggies and stand-by pantry items. We'll also make a vegetable, gluten-free tart or pizza style crust and taste a tart appetizer.

Tasty Nutrition Tips

• Make an olive oil tart that's light, flaky and flavorful
• Learn how to make a crisp, savory cauliflower chickpea tart or pizza and add your favorite toppings
• Discuss best ways to shop for and store the vegetable ingredients used
• Compare and taste a variety of seasonings, toppings, and tarts

Sign-up

• Class limited to 6 people
• Course cost includes: $65 (ask about the buddy rate or duo-class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Email via: Connect here

Sourdough Boules and Baguettes Class

In this class, we’ll show how to use sourdough starter in classic ways and keep it alive to produce flavorful bread products and desserts for as long as you like. Our starter is 13-years old, so it knows what it’s doing and has made over 1000 loaves of bread.

Tasty Takeaways

• Learn more how starters create more flavorful breads with better structure, think crusty texture and chewy density — and a longer shelf life, without additives or preservatives.
• Find out about options for refrigerator proofing to simplify the bread making process and give yeast and bacteria more opportunities to digest gluten.

This is primarily a demonstration class; however, you’ll get your share of flour dusting (don’t wear black😊) and you’ll mix, knead, forming & lame loaves. Aprons provided.

What's Starter and What are the Advantages of Sour Dough and Long-rise Breads?

Here's a post I wrote that was featured in Food & Nutrition Magazine's Stone Soup Blog on this topic: Bubbly Burpy Beast: Sourdough Bread

Sign-up

• Class limited to 6 people
• Course cost includes a dinner equivalent of tastings: $65 (ask about the buddy or duo class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Email via: contact link here

This is a fascinating topic that I'm looking forward to moderating at the Philly FNCE. If you're FNCE, here's our program for Tuesday, October 29, 2019  8:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Global Appreciation or Cultural Appropriation? Avoiding Insensitive Pitfalls on Food Blogs  

I'm excited to be presenting at a session and moderating another at the Philly FNCE. If you're FNCE, here's our program for Sunday, October 27, 2019  3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

The Artful Experience and Health Benefits of Convivial Cooking and Dining 

Registration at: FNCE Registration

 Make Meaty Veggies!

• Why are meaty flavors and textures popular?
• What culinary techniques create savory, meaty veggie taste qualities?
• Which vegetables offer more meaty textures and flavors?
• How do veggies contribute to protein and weight management needs?

Get the answers and create vegetable dishes omnivore lovers, vegetarians and vegans love to eat.

Culinary Highlights Include:

• Culinary technique demos that improve textures of savory veggies
• Techniques and ingredients for coaxing more meaty flavors from veggies
• How to adapt and revise recipes to boost savory flavors and meaty textures
• How grilling changes vegetable flavors (for homework check out my article here) or via Food and Nutrition Magazine here.

Taste and Health Highlights Include:

• How aromatic veggies add savory, delicious notes to meals
• What flavor protein compounds, including umami, create delicious vegetable dishes
• Taste multiple foods and call it dinner!

Date & Sign-up

• Class limited to 9 people
• Course cost includes: $65 (ask about the buddy rate or duo-class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Connect here

 

We'll explore Southwest flavors with a focus on veggies. We'll make homemade tacos with fresh masa, a tortilla press and a griddle and fill add veggies that tend towards meaty textures and flavors. [caption id="attachment_25972" align="alignright" width="424"] Inspiration from these delish dishes by Chef Robson at Gallo Blanco[/caption] These fillings do double duty--you can use them to create savory side dishes and even main dishes—so, they aren’t taco specific. Since it’s a Friday night and we’ll have a party vibe, there will be a regional-Mexican cocktail and appetizer nibble. I’ll share some of my quick tips for making veggies more savory (something kids and adults love equally). We’ll also chat about “meat-swaps”, or how to reduce “meats”, without missing them. This class will include a couple simple recipes, but will rely more on instinct and technique—in other words, cooking more like yourself and more like a chef! 😊 Date & Sign-up

• Friday, September 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. / Class limited to 6-8 people
• Course cost: $64 per person. Buddy rate: for two new students or a previous student bringing a new student $56 per person.
• For more information or to register: Email via: Contact for classes

Mediterranean Pantry Cooking Class

Quick, flavorful, nourishing foods

[caption id="attachment_1920" align="alignright" width="360"] Mediterranean Pantry Veggies from Borough Market, London[/caption] Ever look for answers with the refrigerator door held open? Instead, tweak your pantry to yield a dozen quick and flavorful meals and appetizers.

Advantages of Pantry Cooking?

Less time spent on grocery lists, shopping and decision making. Learn how an easily stocked Mediterranean pantry cooking yields ingredients for quick, satisfying, nutrient-rich foods.

Taste. Sip. Cook. Enjoy.

• Culinary demo while you enjoy Mediterranean appetizers and a specially-paired wine
• Take-home guide to the Mediterranean pantry with nutritional tips for every eating style
• Participate in food prep and taste the results

Tasty Takeaways

• Appetizers for last-minute entertaining
• 4 ingredient medleys for 12 bean or pasta dishes
• Flavorful flatbread dough five minutes & 6 quick, nutritious toppings
• Mediterranean pantry condiment & spice tips

Eating Well Tips:

• Flavorful fats
• Omega-3 flavor bombs
• Fiber-rich pantry foods

Sign-up

• Class limited to 6 people
• Course cost includes a dinner equivalent of tastings: $65 (ask about the buddy or duo class rate)
• Kitchen location: South Scottsdale (details available upon registration)
• For more information or to register: Email via: contact link here

Vinegar For Flavorful Health & Food

Ever done vinegar shots? Added it to tea? Are these of use in helping with metabolism or weight management? Are there downsides? Vinegar is a powerful culinary tool in your kitchen pantry. In this scheduled Facebook Live video, we'll explore these questions about vinegar and health and some practical vinegar tips on cooking techniques to boost flavors and improve food textures. I conduct complete vinegar workshops on such topics including:

• Vinegar’s effect on food texture, colors and salt perception
• Fermented vs non-fermented and flavored vinegars
• Why we like sour foods & making foods "pop"
• Storing vinegar and culinary tips for heating it
• How vinegar in the diet affects metabolism, weight and blood sugars
• A guided and comparative tasting (“vinegar shots!”)
• Demonstration of how vinegar boosts flavors in savory & sweet foods
• Making your own vinaigrette to take home
• New recipes that highlight vinegar options

Today's Dietitian Symposium: Tasting Tools to Improve Diet Diversity & Food Appreciation

The power of taste in food selection is well known, but flavor, texture and taste sensory mechanisms that influence eating behaviors are more mysterious. Tasting skills to identify taste versus flavor qualities and recognize the role of texture in flavor perception (chemesthesis), are rarely taught in nutrition or culinary programs. In this interactive session, we’ll explore the synergy between these sensory experiences and how to help people enjoy more nutrient-rich foods and more mindful eating. During the session, we will use taste literacy tools and experience different sensory taste mechanisms to consider how tasting habits versus taste physiology can impact health and food enjoyment. Various taste literacy tools such as taste perception assessments, flavor lexicons and mindful tasting practices raise awareness of food choice motivations, establish new connections to diverse, nutritious foods and improve food appreciation. These tools also have implications for recipe development and modifying meals for different sensory needs. Register and Link for more info at Today's Dietitian Symposium 2019

Yes, it’s not even June, but in the desert, we do summer fast and hard—99 degrees by April 19? Check that box cause we’re tough but cross our fingers that the A/C spirits stay on our side. In this cooking session, we’ll play with two grains that are high fiber, nutrient-rich and linked to a healthy metabolism and satisfying, high-satiety meals. Carbs have a place in a healthy diet and grains can be quick to prepare and be an ever-ready pantry item. We’ll also pair grains with beans such as black beans or adzuki beans—the best sources of uber-healthy fiber if you ask me, but most people aren’t getting enough beans in their diet. I’ll share tips for cooking grains and the differences between whole, pearled and instant grain options. I’ll simplify ways to toss together veggie, beans and grains in flavorful ways that work for mains and sides either as warm meals, cool lunches or picnic meals. This class will include a couple simple recipes, but will rely more on instinct and technique—in other words, cooking more like yourself and more like a chef! 😊 Date & Sign-up

• Sunday 5/5 from 3:30-6pm / Class limited to 8 people
• Course cost: $55 per person. Buddy rate: for two new students or a previous student bringing a new student $48 per person. (these are discounted rates for people who get my emails).
• For more information or to register: Email via: https://thetasteworkshop.com/contact/

We're exploring new flavors and cultures in this group cooking Party celebrating Persian dishes through "My Global Table: Iran" from Food and Nutrition Magazine. The recipes and inspiration in the article here: Food & Nutrition Magazine: My Global Table: Iran I had the honor of connecting with Robin Foroutan, MS, RDN (@foroutania on Instagram), is a National Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in creating a version Tangy Lime Beef stew inspired by Gormeh Sabzi. Other Registered Dietitians Ginger Hultin at @champagnenutrition and Elizabeth Shaw @shawsimpleswaps created the lovely recipes found here: Persian inspired crispy rice and Persian inspired herb frittata  

We'll explore Southwest flavors with a focus on veggies. We'll make homemade tacos with fresh masa, a tortilla press and a griddle and fill add veggies that tend towards meaty textures and flavors. [caption id="attachment_25972" align="alignright" width="424"] Inspiration from these delish dishes by Chef Robson at Gallo Blanco[/caption] These fillings do double duty--you can use them to create savory side dishes and even main dishes—so, they aren’t taco specific. Since it’s a Friday night and we’ll have a party vibe, there will be a regional-Mexican cocktail and appetizer nibble. I’ll share some of my quick tips for making veggies more savory (something kids and adults love equally). We’ll also chat about “meat-swaps”, or how to reduce “meats”, without missing them. This class will include a couple simple recipes, but will rely more on instinct and technique—in other words, cooking more like yourself and more like a chef! 😊 Date & Sign-up

• Friday, April 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. / Class limited to 6-8 people
• Course cost: $64 per person. Buddy rate: for two new students or a previous student bringing a new student $56 per person.
• For more information or to register: Email via: Contact for classes

Falling in Love with Vegetables: Culinary and Tasting Techniques to Fully Enjoy Veggies

Participation sign-up is through Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center