by Kristina, Kuhaupt, Customer Experience Manager
Happy New Year, fellow cooperators! I hope you had beautiful and nourishing holiday seasons filled with all the things that bring you joy.
January tends to be a time for many of us to contemplate what in our lives is helping us achieve our goals, and what potential new things to try out. It can also be a time to reconsider ideas we may have put on the back burner for another time—pun intended! Before I worked for the Co-op, I was an Owner for many years who enjoyed looking over all the contents of the Reader, and thinking to myself, “Oh, that class seems interesting and may help my nutrition goals,” but quite honestly—confession time—I never took the next step. It was always, “I will do that when my life slows down a bit.” As we know, that rarely happens, and now seeing what I could have experienced, I missed out on a lot of knowledge and encouragement to try new things to enhance my day-to-day life. Intention is really the key driver that determines what we choose to focus our time on and why. January is a great time to reflect on what those things are. As you do that mindful practice, I encourage you to consider Co-op classes as one of those things to more positively align your mind and body.
Our cooking classes, wellness classes, individual nutrition consultations, and lectures are some wonderful options to put into practice this new year. Below are some class options and food concepts to jumpstart your wellness journey.
SOURDOUGH BREAD
Sourdough got its revival into mainstream culture during the pandemic. Folks were looking for ways to connect to both food and people they may not have before. Beyond being a very yummy bread, do you know some of the benefits of sourdough?
It helps manage blood sugar better than other types of bread due to having a significantly lower glycemic index rating, thus allowing your body to process these sugars more slowly and not causing as large of a spike. This is due to the acetic and lactic acids produced in the sourdough fermentation process.
- It can help boost your gut health due to the same fermentation process. Sourdough starter contains a lactic acid bacterium that can help release prebiotics, which can improve probiotic activity in the digestive system.
- This same lactic acid can break down the not-easy-to-digest carbs that are present in flour, which leads to better digestion and less bloating.
- The fermentation process in sourdough also helps break down phytic acid, which then allows your body to absorb more of the higher nutrients naturally found in this bread.
- This same fermentation process also breaks down more of the gluten in wheat, which means sourdough bread contains less gluten than many other types of bread. It is not gluten-free, but it does help out with mild gluten sensitivity.
- Sourdough helps your body to absorb antioxidants due to the lactic acid in the bread. This also helps with some disease prevention.
Sourdough classes at the Co-op: Baking Sourdough Bread with Wendy Porterfield (January 10, 15, and 29).
VEGETARIAN COOKING
Vegetarian cooking can help pack a punch for those looking for nutrient-dense meals while helping slim down your grocery bill for the week, according to several studies. It can also have a positive environmental impact due to lower energy and emission outputs from fruit and vegetable farming rather than livestock farming.
Vegetarian meals tend to be high in antioxidants and fiber with lower saturated fat and cholesterol. These types of meals help reduce heart-related diseases, diabetes, and obesity-related illnesses. When these meals are planned out appropriately for your specific nutritional needs, focusing on whole fruits and vegetables and not additional sugars and synthetic non-meat foods, they can lead to more energy and less sluggishness throughout the day.
Vegetarian classes at the Co-op: Vegetarian Cooking: Lentils and Legumes with Mike Tomaloff (January 14) and Cooking with Chef Paul: Plant-Based Meats with Paul Tseng (January 15).
COOKING WITHOUT GLUTEN
Gluten intolerance is becoming more and more common. People experiencing this might feel bloated or gassy, have inflammation in the body, have a hard time focusing, and be very tired when eating foods made with that protein found in many wheat and grain-based foods. The options for a gluten-free diet are starting to become more mainstream, which is great to see. Jumpstart your own journey with Chef Mike.
Made-without-Gluten classes at the Co-op: A Made-without-Gluten Meal with Mike Tomaloff (January 20).
CHICKEN ON THE CHEAP
If you are a meat-eater and want to to purchase a whole chicken and use it to the fullest, the class below not only shows you how to save money, but also how to utilize the parts you may not know how to cut properly. If we are to consume meat, it is a great skill to utilize as much as possible before discarding. Plus, the carcass can be used to make your own home-made chicken stock.
Chicken classes at the Co-op: Chicken: From Processing to Preparation with Mike Tomaloff (February 3).
Whole chickens cost less per pound than pieces, and can save a pretty penny if you know how to process them. Join Chef Mike for a lesson in butchering and the basics of cooking poultry. Recipes include chicken picatta and Aunt Hattie’s cornflake chicken. We will also discuss food safety when handling raw meat, chicken in particular.
CONSULTATIONS AND FREE LECTURES
These are great one-on-one sessions that are tailored to your specific health needs and goals.
45-Minute Individual Nutrition Consultations with Katy Wallace (January 20 and 28, February 4, March 3, 4, and 18).
An individual nutrition consultation is your opportunity to learn how the correct food choices for your body can enhance your well-being. A one-on-one session with Katy Wallace of Human Nature includes a 45-minute consultation regarding your health goals, as well as lifestyle and food choice suggestions geared toward addressing health goals and developing sustainable change.
If you have not tried our classes before, a virtual lecture is a perfect way to jump in at no cost, and you can do it from home! Free and educational, while sitting on your couch—say no more!
Free Virtual Lectures with Katy Wallace: Hormone Balance Naturally (January 21), Balancing Blood Pressure (February 18), Food-Based Cleansing (March 11)
To register for any of these classes and more, see willystreet.coop/events.
