Cameo Wilson: Transforming Herself and Urban Farming
Cameo Wilson is one incredible individual who has learned to nurture her own self growth and in doing so found her roots and a deep-seated passion for urban farming and sustainability. What brought her to SWIHA was a self-imposed desire for self-growth, followed by the committed decision to take care of herself. “By taking care of myself physically and emotionally through eating well and observing my own nutritional intake, I found a love for my own well-being and the ability to share my journey of health with others. I decided to further my education in what I love and pursue Nutritional Coaching as an avenue to serve. Food, eating healthy and wellness all resonated with me so I began searching online for schools that offered programs with these options in coaching. SWIHA was the first one to pop up and instantly I felt like that was the option I wanted … Read More
Why We Need Carbohydrates
Like many in my generation, for most of my life I only knew white rice. Although I heard about whole grains I did not incorporate them into my daily eating until I was learning about whole grains about eight years ago. At that time I decided to get tested for food sensitivities and found that I’m sensitive to gluten, the protein in whole grains including wheat, barley and rye. I stopped eating most food with gluten and now find that when I do eat gluten, I almost immediately get hives. Last year, I was also tested for celiac disease, a serious autoimmune condition in which our body does not absorb nutrients. Fortunately, I do not have celiac disease. I’m glad that I’ve had these experiences as I can now share gluten-free eating with my clients and in my writing. Why We Need Carbs People are confused about carbs and about … Read More
6 Culinary Tips to Enjoy Whole Food S.O.U.L. Food with 2 Simple Recipes
When we cook and enjoy eating real whole foods we have the opportunity to create a wide variety of tasty, beautiful, colorful, local, in-season dishes. Cook with variety. You can cook the same foods different ways – raw, steamed, roasted, blended – and enjoy very different, delicious meals. Eat with the Season. When we eat real whole foods, we have the opportunity to eat in tune with what’s in season, and enjoy the food that nature naturally creates for us in the geographic area where we live. Eat with Color. By incorporating whole foods into our life, we easily enjoy the infamous “rainbow of fruits & veggies” that we hear about so often, getting a variety of nutrients and phytonutrients (natural plant chemicals). 6 Culinary Tips to Create Beautiful & Tasty Whole Food S.O.U.L. Food Buy as fresh as you can. Shop at local farmers’ markets and eat local and … Read More
Buy Local, Eat Healthier: Shop at Farmers’ Markets
Eat Local. Shop at a Farmers’ Market. Buy a CSA. Enjoy a Simple Roasted Roots Recipe In Arizona where the Southwest Institute of Healing Art (SWIHA) campus is located and where I live, many of the local farmers’ markets will be re-opening for the season after our “dry heat, hot summer”. Fortunately, we do have a few farmers whose produce is available during the summer, so I’ve been having fun shopping from a few farmers for our Whole Foods Cooking Classes at SWIHA this summer. 4 Great Reasons to Eat Local Locally grown produce is fresher, tastes better and lasts longer.. Most produce in conventional grocer stores is picked well before it’s ready to be picked. Some of the methods used to ripen the food in warehouses and in trucks include methane gas. Food that is allowed to ripen on the vine absorbs many of the flavors and nutrients they … Read More
Top 5 Healthy Dessert Ideas: Tasty Recipes Included
Plus tasty recipes: Experience Nutrition™ Vegan Chocolate Avocado Pudding & Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownie What do Sweet Potatoes, Bird Seed, Grass Seed, Dark Chocolate & Avocados have in Common? Healthy Dessert Night at Whole Foods Cooking Class!!! Within the Whole Foods Cooking Class at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts we really enjoyed “Healthy Dessert Night” creating delicious whole foods gluten-free and dairy-free desserts with special unique ingredients. The students passionately and creatively cooked desserts including Vegan Chocolate Avocado Pudding, Millet Cake, Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies, Agar Agar Gelatin, Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie and a Spicy Apple Crisp. Top 5 Ways to Create Tasty Healthy Desserts with Unique Ingredients Enjoy dark chocolate. Consume Dairy Eat dark chocolate with at least 60-70% cacao or use raw cacao powder in your dessert recipes. The more cacao, the less added sugar. Shop for chocolate with no added dairy. Try gelled chia seeds (grass … Read More
The Vegetarian Way of Eating: Easy Recipe Included
Plus an easy recipe: Experience Nutrition™ Roots & Greens Stir-fry What Does a ‘Vegetarian Diet’ Look Like? Last week we focused on the ‘Vegan Way of Eating’ a Whole Foods Diet, this week, it’s ‘Vegetarian’. Vegetarians primarily eat fresh produce, grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Vegetarians, for the most part, do not eat meat, fish or poultry, but however may consume dairy and eggs. They enjoy their food both cooked and raw. 33% of Americans Eat Vegetarian Meals According to a 2011 study conducted for The Vegetarian Resource Group by Harris Interactive®, seventeen percent of Americans indicated that they “don’t eat meat, fish, seafood, fish or poultry at many of their meals (but less than half the time)” and sixteen percent don’t eat these foods at more than half their meals. Thus, one-third of Americans are eating vegetarian meals a significant amount of time. Vegetarians are Not Predictable Vegetarians … Read More
The Vegan Way: Easy Recipe Included
Plus an easy recipe: Experience Nutrition™ Avocado Salsa Recipe Let’s take a Look at the ‘Vegan Way’ of Whole Foods Eating Several different dietary theories may be considered as whole foods, including vegan, vegetarian, raw and Paleo. While each of these dietary theories is different, they are all based on eating real non-processed whole foods, which are close to their natural state. Today we will take a look at the ‘Vegan Way’ of Eating. What does vegan look like? A vegan diet consists of eating only plant-derived foods. Vegans do not consume or use any animals (land or sea) or animal products, dairy, milk, eggs, or honey. Vegans eat fresh produce, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. 2.5% of the US is vegan A 2008 national survey conducted by The Vegetarian Resource Group found that 2.5% of the US say they never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy or eggs which … Read More
What is Whole Food Cooking? Easy Recipe Included
Plus an easy recipe: Bamboo Steamer Carrots with Cumin & Walnut Oil We often hear the term whole foods or whole food cooking, yet do we really know what the terms mean? The ‘Whole Food’ way of eating is enjoying as many “whole foods” as possible – that is, eating foods as close to their natural form as possible, with very minimal processing. This is the way people were eating a hundred years ago prior to the age of fast food restaurants, manufactured processed foods, convenience foods. It was when people actually spent time in their kitchen cooking, and less time eating out or eating on the run. Simply, Whole Foods Cooking uses S.O.U.L. Foods: Seasonal. Organic. Unprocessed. Local. Many health experts believe eating more whole foods improves health and helps prevent disease. Whole foods – like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes – retain their fiber and beneficial … Read More