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Class In Session: The Greenheart Shop with The Dynamic Wellness Duo

By Carrie Becker in Food on Feb 17, 2010 5:00PM

We feel the best way to get to know where your food comes is to begin working with it and going straight to the source. So, we've been excited to start up our series of cooking class reviews to fine-tune our skills, share with you and get a little more knowledge on what goes into what we eat. With this week's review, The Greenheart Shop exceeded our expectations on the educational front.

For the month of February, every Tuesday, the Dynamic Wellness Duo, Erin and Alee, are hosting workshops teaching people how to live happier, healthier, and more passionate lives. On our visit, we learned all about eating sustainable both for the environment and your pocket-book. The Duo featured three recipes, one for each meal of the day, using whole grains like quinoa, amaranth and couscous. The grains are deemed sustainable because the are grown and harvested for long-term maintenance. Erin and Alee tell us that whole, unprocessed and unaltered grains are the ultimate sustainable food. Since animals and cultures rely on these grains, the quality of the grains grown directly influence the reset of the food chain.

The Dynamic Wellness Duo really know their stuff and were able to field some great questions from the group of 12. We were a bit cramped around a small space but it made for a closer, intimate experience and the free-trade wine that Greenheart provided made the night even more enjoyable.

Recommended: Yes, check this out for an inexpensive way to learn more about your food and sit in a cute cozy kitchen. Plus, you can grab some great sustainable and free-trade ingredients at the shop to make your recipe at home.

Stolen Cooking Tip: Whole grains can give off a bitter taste so make sure to soak them in water and maybe a little salt before cooking. The grains can also be mixed together to pack your meal with protein. By whipping up a batch of cooked grains early in the week, you can feast for a few bucks for several days.

Class Format: Interactive, work-shop (not hands on)
Cost: $15 per person (includes food and wine)
Location: Greenheart Shop, 1911 W. Division
Upcoming Classes: Tuesday, Feb. 23rd (6:30-8pm) 'Cooking for Creativity' (RSVP info@greenheartshop.org or 312-264-1625)