Welcome to the 7th session of our popular Food As Medicine cooking series. The best one so far? A bold statement considering we’ve "visited" Japan, France, Ikaria, Thailand, Vietnam, Italy, and other Blue Zones around the world as inspiration for our flavorful and diverse menus. But for Session 7, we take our inspiration from closer to home: Recipes from the venerable Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley. Once a year, the CIA hosts Harvard Public School of Medicine’s Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference where, as you might imagine, nutritious food is front, center, and everywhere in between.

The focus of the conference: Flavorful, plant-forward, sustainably-sourced food that pleases the palate and nourishes the body and soul - and teaches us that food truly can be the best medicine. In February, AtoZ staff returned (for the third time!) to the CIA and learned so much about the state of America’s health; took hands-on cooking classes from the CIA's amazing chefs; tasted dozens and dozens of different foods; and went home with 250+ recipes of the CIA’s most delicious dishes, and we will feature the best of them in this new session.

Sample Menus:

· Chef B's Sauteed Radishes

· Eggplant Steak with Pomegranate, Lemon Labneh, and Mediterranean Herb Salad

· Pear and Parsnip Soup with Crispy Parsnips and Sage

· Best of The Farmer's Market Salad

· Bran Muffins

· Sourdough bread*

· Ghanaian Red Bean Stew with Plantains and Green Onions

· Saffron Scented Mediterranean Fish and Fennel Stew

· Baked Polenta with Basil, Artichokes, Roasted Peppers, and Mozzarella cheese

· Best of Farmer's Market Salad

· Sourdough Bread*

· Falafel with Tahini Sauce, Walnut Muhammara, Baba Ganoush, Hummus, Zhoug

· Seared Salmon with a Moroccan Spice Crust

· Israeli Couscous Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Dried Apricots

· Sourdough Bread*

· Chicken, Cauliflower, and Sweet Potato Tikka

· Lentil "Meatballs"

· Best of Farmer's Market Salad

· Sourdough Bread*

· Chia Pudding with Berries and Popped Amaranth

* Note: Over first four weeks, students will learn every step of sourdough bread making and become proficient sourdough bakers.

Why our program works?
The more comfortable you are in OUR kitchen where you learn a wide variety of culinary skills and food knowledge, the more likely you are to drive right past In & Out on your way home from picking up the kids from soccer practice, or from work, and make a healthier meal for you and your family in YOUR kitchen. It's that simple.

DETAILS:

*Class dates are as follows:
March 19 / 6:00pm - 8:30pm
April 9 / 6:00pm - 8:30pm
April 16 / 6:00pm - 8:30pm
April 23 / 6:00pm - 8:30pm

· Class size limited to 12 (If you can't make a class, understandable, but no fill-ins for your spot.)

· Cost for the four classes which are subsidized by the Ardmore Institute are $350 per student. Partial scholarships are available.

· Cost includes hands-on instruction, ingredients, communal meal, and most of the ingredients and the recipes to take home so students can make the same meal for their families (portion size 2 servings,) with the intention that lasting changes happen at home

· Classes taught by Instructor Jeff King and a professional chef-educator

· Medical oversight and nutrition insights led by Dr. Ryan Arnold, MD, of Clava Health

In addition to cooking instruction, through his practice at Clava Health, Dr. Ryan Arnold will offer optional (and for an additional cost which may be covered by your insurance) individualized health assessments including blood tests, continuous glucose monitors, and imaging studies to establish baseline measurements and to track progress.

Apples to Zucchini is a member of the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative.

Please wear closed-toed shoes, as we will be in a commercial kitchen.

Total Number of Participants - 12