Amanda Strombom, President of Vegetarians of Washington, gives regular cooking classes to support those interested in moving toward a plant-based diet and learning new ways of preparing food avoiding animal products. Each class focuses on a different aspect of going veggie, whether it’s on specific food groups, on a particular health topic, shopping or even holiday cooking.  Plenty of samples to taste are always provided. See the schedule below.

Classes will be held at East Shore Unitarian Church, Bellevue, 7pm unless otherwise noted. A nominal charge of $5 per class helps us cover the cost of the ingredients and materials. Shopping tours are free.

Wed May 8^th       Save the Earth with a Plant-Based Diet!

One of the best things each of us can do to help take better care of the Earth is to change the food we eat away from animal products.  How does a plant-based diet help? We’ll talk about the damage animal agriculture causes to the soil, the water, the air and our climate.  Plus you can taste some delicious dishes and get recipes to help you make the switch.

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Wed June 12^th– Where do you get your protein from?

The first question many people ask when they’re thinking about cutting out meat is about protein.  In this class we’ll discuss the benefits of the various plant-based sources of protein available and make some delicious dishes using both beans and meat alternatives.

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Wed July 10^th      Avoiding cancer

We’ll talk about how a plant-based diet can help protect you against getting certain kinds of cancer, and which nutrients are particularly beneficial for fighting cancer.  We’ll make delicious dishes using a rainbow of different vegetables to give as many phytonutrients as possible.

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Wed Sept 4^th      Cleaning out your arteries

Eggs are loaded with cholesterol which clogs up your arteries. We’ll talk about how cholesterol, present in all animal foods, impacts your health, particularly your arteries, and we’ll discuss alternatives you can use to eggs in various recipes. We’ll make some delicious egg-free recipes and even try the amazing Vegan Egg.

Wed Oct 2^nd        Reducing pain with food

Several chronic painful conditions can be helped with a plant-based diet.  We’ll discuss how certain foods can help reduce inflammation and reduce pain.  Then we’ll make some tasty recipes with anti-inflammatory foods such as chia seeds, mushrooms, turmeric and walnuts.

Wed Nov 6^th       Healthy Cooking for the Holidays 

We’ll talk about how to handle the many issues that come up at holiday times when cooking for or eating with your meat-eating family members, and discuss ideas for special vegan holiday dishes.  We’ll make some delicious dishes that all your guests can enjoy.

Wed Dec 4^th        Shopping for Plant-Based Foods

We’ll meet at Fred Meyer, Bellevue, to tour the Natural Foods section, and learn about label reading, choosing fresh vegetables, and finding some new favorite foods. This class is free.

Wed Jan 8^th         Losing weight, Defeating diabetes

We’ll talk about what foods are most helpful in losing those extra pounds, and how the same foods can also reduce your insulin resistance and treat Type II Diabetes.  We’ll make some really simple starter plant-based meals to get you started on a new way of eating for the New Year.

Wed Feb 5^th        Ditching Dairy

Dairy products often contain surprising amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, and come from cows forced to give birth frequently.  We’ll talk about the many alternatives to dairy that are available these days, we’ll taste samples of some commercial products and make some simple cheese alternatives of our own.