Food for Life! Cooking Demo.

Our local Live Life Style Medicine group has kindly offered to let Eugene Veggies attend this upcoming Food For Life cooking demo. Food for Life instructors undergo a rigorous training program from PCRM. It is exciting that we have a Food For Life instructor right here, and getting a free class is an opportunity that doesn't happen every day.

WHAT IS THE 'Food For Life' PROGRAM ABOUT?
This program combines scientific research with practical cooking demonstrations, empowering participants to adopt healthful eating habits. The program emphasizes whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) eating to prevent and manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.

WHO IS OUR 'Food For LIfe' INSTRUCTOR?
Tamera Wihite's story is inspiring:

"I started studying nutrition when I was diagnosed with macular degeneration in my 20s. I was told I would be blind by age 40. A specialist at the Casey Eye Institute told me that nutrition does not matter and that it would not help my condition. Luckily, my ophthalmologist told me that his university was studying the effect of nutrition on eye disease. He encouraged me to improve my diet and take supplements. Through my research I learned that I was eating harmful foods, making my condition worse, and not eating beneficial foods that could protect and heal my eyes. I adopted a plant-based diet, and eventually I stopped taking the supplements.

Now I focus on eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables to get a rainbow of nutrition. My disease has not progressed. I have been vegan for approximately 25 years. I started out eating this way for health reasons, but along my journey I learned about the cruel aspects of factory farming, and I do not want to support that industry.

I enjoy sharing my experience with others and encouraging them that they can improve their health by improving their diet. I hope to plan my cooking demonstrations with easy recipes that appeal to a wide range of people so that I can make plant-based cooking accessible to everyone. I also like to share information about where to find information/recipes online and where to eat out/shop locally."

WHAT WILL TAMARA BE DEMOING FOR US?
"I will be demonstrating a simple but delicious meal, packing in as much nutrition as possible. Starting with a green smoothie that is a hit with kids and adults. The spinach is undetectable because of the pineapple and mango.
Followed by brown rice with pinto or black beans, with toppings. I will share how I fill my cutting board with an array of fresh herbs and veggies to power the nutrition to the next level. I will also demo a cashew dill dressing that adds a touch of flavor.
As a side, a simple braised kale with red onion, no oil.
Dessert will be a chocolate mousse with fresh fruit. This recipe contains a super-food, silken tofu, which surprises everyone that I serve it to.

I look forward to sharing these recipes and answering questions!”

WHY IS THERE AN RSVP LIMIT?
Attendees will get a sample of the food that Tamara demos. She will need to make extra food ahead of time, and as such, she must have an accurate count of RSVPs - and can't be overrun with attendees. Eugene Veggies has agreed to cap our attendance at 12 people.

It is VITAL that everyone manage their RSVP. If you RSVP, please plan to come or cancel early enough that someone on the wait list can attend. If you see that 12 people have already RSVPed, you can still sign up. Meetup will put you on the wait list and automatically move you into 'yes' status if someone cancels.

WHERE WILL WE BE MEETING?
The Live Lifestyle Medicine providers have a meeting Friday nights at 7:00 at the Irving Grange. We will be crashing their normal meeting. The Irving Grange is in the Santa Clara area, just a couple blocks from my house: 1011 Irvington Dr. Eugene.

There is a parking lot just to the west of the grange building. Acces the lot from Irvington street.