I started my Natural Chef Program at Bauman College last week. It’s been a whirlwind. In less than two weeks, we’ve learned from three different natural chefs – a raw food specialist and a macrobiotic chef as well as a classically-trained culinary expert. All skilled and knowledgeable and eager to share their insight with students who are so passionate about learning about what they’ve come to share.   You’ll see many more posts inspired by school in the coming months. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I wanted to share the top 10 tips I’ve noted since starting the class. And we’re less than 10% of the way through!

1. Soaking stuff is good.
All sorts of stuff is easier to digest if you soak it in water first. Nuts, beans, quinoa, seeds…and it will help your body absorb more of the  nutrients these foods offer.

2. Heating oil is bad.
Lots of oils create free radicals at high temperatures. Free radicals can cause cancer. Lots of high temperatures and oils exist in the mainstream processed food industry. You do the math. Know your oils and their maximum temperatures and stick to it! Coconut oil is best for sauteeing at high heat. Extra virgin olive oil also works well at medium or lower heats.

3. Eat with SOUL.
Try to adapt your recipes to use foods that are Seasonal, Organic, Unrefined and Local (SOUL). Visit the grocery store and seek inspiration based on what you find there. There’s even a local-only grocer in Denver I found out about in class.

4. Stay Alkaline Baby.
Most diseases thrive in acidic environments. Your goal is to maintain an alkaline balance (80% alkaline/20% acid).

5. Eat Your Way Around the World.
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms offers volunteer assignments on organic farms around the globe. I’m sold. I just need to figure out when and where I want to go.

6. Know What You’re Eating.
I stopped reading the Nutrition Label when I went vegan and opted instead to focus on the Ingredients label. Now thanks to Nutrition Data, I can keep focusing on ingredients and refine my recipes to optimize the nutritional value. Amazing.

7. When You Soak, Soak with Kombu.
Kombu is a seaweed that I’ve only cooked with sparingly in the past, reserving it for Japanese soup dishes. Turns out the flavor is very mild and you can throw it in just about anything to provide a significant nutrient boost.  Soak and cook dried beans with kombu or throw it in with rice, chili, stews and soups. The leaf will get soft as it soaks. Cut it up at the end and add it right to your meal for an extra boost of nutrients and unique texture in your dish.

8. Paper or Plastic? I’ll Take Glass.
Store foods in glass jars. Label with ingredients and date. It cuts down on plastic waste and ensures the nutritional integrity of your food. Plus, it looks really good on the shelf and makes for much more organized, efficient cooking. BTW, did you know powdered spices have a shelf life of about 6 months? I guess I’m going to have to throw out the ones I’ve been lugging around for 6 years …

9. Move Over Morton’s. I’ll Take Something Meatier.
You are hereby forbidden to eat table salt, sea salt or any other kind of salt where the minerals have been taken out of it in order to create really expensive mineral supplements. Instead, explore the exotic flavors and textures of healthier salts – himalayan, celtic, black lava and more. Who knew salt could be a garnish? Try black lava salt on Carrot Mandarin Soup. That was one of our recipes from last weeks’ classes. Yum.

10. Say Goodbye to Boullion.
What? You can make your own vegetable broth? No more processed jars from the store, no more buillon cubes or carton waste. And wait – you can use a whole bunch of those vegetable scraps you’ve been throwing away or composting too? So yes, that means its’ free too. I haven’t made it yet. I learn that next week. More to come.

Tags: healthy eating, natural cooking