Services
| Teaching | | | Consulting | | | In House Cooking | | | Catering | | | Coaching |
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OFFERING A NUMBER OF CLASSES
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Teaching:
Take a journey with me and explore the body-mind-spirit connection in FOOD KNOWLEDGE. I can provide you with the tools for Health Supportive Cooking, which is an invaluable skill for a lifetime.
We all have different body types, ethnic backgrounds, medical histories, stress levels and caloric needs so therefore no one philosophy on diets is right for everyone. God's plan for us was WHOLENESS but we have separated the concept of health from the food we eat. Are the foods we are eating Whole foods or are they refined, processed and degraded?
Allow me to customize your eating style and design a menu to support your individual body chemistry and build health. Learn with fun the background, preparation, and health benefits of key nourishing foods and the Ancient Healing Philosophies behind the cooking.
About My Teaching
From my education at the "Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and
Healing" and my macrobiotic study back in the early 80's, I have
learned much about the "Five Phase Theory." I apply this theory
to my work for my private cooking customers and also for my cooking students
in classes and workshops. Here is a brief outline of the Five Phase Theory.
Five Phase Theory
The origin of the Five Phase Classification dates back some 5000 years
ago. Upon this five phase system is built the traditional medicine of
China which includes acupuncture. In this medical system, external factors
are seen to correspond with internal, within the skin factors such as
emotional states, mental states, organ complexes and body parts.
Over
the millennia, the greatest medical minds of China added their commentaries
to "The Yellow Emperor's Classic," augmenting its wisdom with
the results of clinical experience. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietology
became full blown sciences, an articulate expression of the world's greatest
and oldest surviving civilization, eventually the five phase theory was
absorbed into other cultures such as Japanese, Tibetan, and Indian Cultures.
Plato perhaps owed something to the Chinese thought when he wrote Timaeus,
the five solids lie at the heart of physical matter.
Today some of the brightest thinkers in the West are updating the five
phases for modern use. In addition to clinical applications, the usefulness
of five phases in the area of nutrition can be attested to by thousands
of persons using it in daily life.
Early Chinese philosophers described the world in terms of movement of
energy, this life force or "chi" is present in two primary forces,
yang and yin. These are polarities reflecting opposite states in continual
interchange. The interaction of these two forces is what determines the
very nature of the universe, their relationship is manifested as the five
essential elements which make up all things. It relates all energy and
substance to one of the elements; fire, earth, metal (or air), water,
wood each is associated with one of the directions of the compass, and
one of the seasons. Each element has a color, two body organs, a tissue
it governs, and many other associations, including emotions.
Foods themselves can be classified according to these phases in two ways;
in terms of cell constituents (protein, fat, carbohydrates, electrolytes,
and as individual grains, beans, vegetables, nuts, seeds.)
Meal Planning according to Five Phase Theory
Our goal is to achieve balance which is attained when energy flows smoothly
from one phase to the next. We should eat more or less equal amounts from
all phases, about 20% from each so as to equally nourish the different
organ systems. Each person has a different energy pattern and will be
more attracted to the foods in some of the phases and less or not all
the foods in others. We can fall into dietary patterns of imbalance that
do not support our health, Ex. if we eat foods that are high in fat (wood
phase) you may become cranky or irritable. The same may happen if you
eat a lot of bread (wood) you may then develop a craving for food in the
phase controlled by the food you may have eaten in excess. Thus if you
eat excess in the wood phase you may develop a craving for earth foods
(sweets.) The ideal is to eat from all phases so as to allow the energy
to move around.
Through our teaching we will understand and apply the following concepts
of balancing foods through the sets of opposites:
Quantity - Quality
Expansive - Contractive
Acid - Alkaline
Warming - Cooling
Buildup - Breakdown
After we understand the balancing of foods - we will then learn:
Meal
planning; starting with breakfast, the most important key meal of
the day. We have gone without eating for 6-8 hours, so what energy giving
foods should be eaten at this meal.
Food selection; we will look at the criteria for food selection
- how to choose foods to keep the immune system at peak performance. We
will explore the healing properties of fresh herbs and spices. We will
cook with whole, live foods with nutrients in proportion. We will learn
the effects of different foods and finally how to overcome cravings and
binges.
You will be your own Natural Chef in your kitchen with this knowledge. I will enjoy and take pride in teaching you how to nourish your body, easily and confidently. Remember all real health and growth in your body occurs through nourishment.
"Feed the body and soul true nourishment and spark
the life within the body."
- Marc Davis from Nourishing Wisdom
Consulting:
I have a long steady commitment to consulting
and teaching "Health Supportive" cooking in many capacities.
My experience ranges from consulting for an exclusive Country Club's kitchen,
on the North Shore of Long Island to a small 100-yr.old kitchen in a NYC
mega marketplace called Fairway. From Corporations to Hospitals, Schools,4-Star
restaurants, small Cafes And Deli's, menus can be enhanced with vibrant,
delicious, whole health producing foods.
My expertise lies in choosing innovative natural food categories, representing the "key nutrient-rich foods" from different cultures and cuisine's and applying them to the appropriate dishes to create imaginative gourmet menus or meal plans.
Lessons and Instructions are given in:
* Culinary techniques: the use and preparation of whole grains, beans,
all vegetables, sea vegetables, soy foods, gluten free pasta, soups, entrees,
seafood, free-ranged poultry, salads, stocks, nuts and seeds.
* Shopping for Organic quality ingredients
* Baking and dessert techniques emphasizing whole grain flours and natural
sweeteners, yeast breads, pizza, cakes,cookies, pies and tarts, as well
as gluten-free baked goods.
* Special diet cooking : the principles and practice
of preparing meals to support intestinal health and strengthen the immune
system.
* Macrobiotic cooking: The strengthening health approach
* Theoretical approaches to diet and health:the principles of nutrition,
medicinal cooking, cleansing and detoxification and whole food dynamics.
For the health conscious individual who is seeking to find a balance between a"Mainstream" diet and a more "Wholesome" one,featuring healthier selections and simple fundamental recipes, I am available to help you accomplish this goal. I believe that organic fresh, whole food plays a significant role in our overall health and radiant well-being for each one of us. The effects of what we eat, or don't eat , will shape our future in the most profound way. Health is a process we work towards everyday. The work can be joyous and rewarding... ...allow me to show you how.
In House Cooking:
The Health Conscious Chef offers in-home instruction to both individuals
and groups. Fees for in-home instruction are $75. Per hour(two-three hr.
minimum) plus food cost. Group sessions are $45 per person plus food.
Catering:
The Health Conscious Chef offers complete professional catering for any
corporate, social family occasion. We can customize your event with specialty
dishes for all culinary preferences, featuring impeccable presentation
and attention to health and detail. Kindly call for more information and
prices.
Coaching:
As women we are moving in many directions. We often take such little time
to think about the foods we eat and how
they effect our energy levels and our overall health.
My passion and skills are in helping you cultivate a true appreciation for your magnificent health body. Every step we take together will be wholistically integrated.
By keeping a food diary we can identify the right foods for you to eat and eliminate ones that are empty calories. From there we can learn different approaches to your diet. I realize that a drastic change in eating habits can be overwhelming. We will take small steps and achieve abundant energy and balance. "Diet is an on going discovery." Remember our diets can not be the same all our lives, diet must change as our lives change and go through different stages. Most diets are repetitive and static and deprive the body of energy. If this is your diet, lets make the changes together.
Discover with me abundant life energy foods that are gifts of life offering vitality, strength and support. Have you the sense of 'sacredness' in a home cooked meal for yourself or your family? This is a divine right. You deserve to have quality fresh foods prepared with reverence and enjoyed and shared with love ones. I will help you reclaim that desire to be your family's "Healthier Chef." Whether its learning a vegetarian meal from another country or just healthier cookies and treats, it's easy and at your fingertips to learn.
I work with professional business women and men, students and homemakers who want their motivation and the strategies to quickly orchestrate wholesome, delicious nutritious meals that enhance, enrich and empower themselves and their families. I will help you find the inspiration and energy to achieve this.
