I am having the best time EVER with these cooking classes. They are fun, intimate, educational, and make you feel good all over. I am with a great group of folks and we are learning about easy and accessible nourishing dishes. I am finally getting to tap into my love of teaching again and my students are learning tricks and trades in the kitchen that allow them the freedom and know-how to concoct healthy meals for their families.

First off, the hosts (the ladies who so selflessly allow me to come into their homes, turn their kitchen upside down, and flutter around all evening teaching and preaching to their friends about plant-based foods) are so incredible. They make these evenings what they are so I want to give a quick shout out to Abby Heckendorn and Mandy Owen. You ladies are peaches on a windowsill.

Second, I can’t  get enough of the incredible community and connectedness that organically effervesces during these classes. It makes me so happy to celebrate –what I have learned about eating simply and healthily in my home throughout the past few years– with individuals who are eager to make these food changes themselves. I love helping others build relationships with the food they eat and encouraging them to develop their own food-inspired journey.

These classes are not about teaching strict cooking strategies, gaining culinary methodology, or encouraging chef-like expertise/skills, but instead about helping cultivate a motivation and desire to take a true stance on getting comfortable with cooking real, nourishing, and fruitful food in ones’ home. It’s soooo simple. Produce, grains, beans, greens, citrus, fresh herbs, spices, and love. No need for oil, butter, dairy, or meat…those foods are readily available anywhere and everywhere. But at home–whenever possible–sticking to the basics of honest, real, and wholesome foods is key. That’s it. And that’s what I believe these classes can and will accomplish.

Here are the images from the last class. It was truly delightful.

The future excites me. Any suggestions of advice?