Cooking with Chef AJ

INSANE german chocolate cake made with dates and no flour or sugar or processed ingredients.

I just took a cooking class on Sunday that was kinda life-changing.  Taught by Chef AJ, a devout Vegan, entertaining speaker and a pleasure to listen to.  She sang and danced and did headstands throughout the course of the day, stopping here and there to blend up a green smoothie with kale and banana or give a lecture on what really happens at a dairy farm.  

I have read Skinny Bitch and  followed Alicia Silverstone's blog and read her book which I love.  So I know a thing or two about slaughterhouses, making veal, dairy farms and the like.  It breaks my heart every time I'm reminded of what happens to animals and yet I keep going back to an animal protein diet.  I think I've come far though.  I DO NOT purchase any meat unless it is Organic, and I know the background on the farm it was raised on.  I have significantly cut down my animal protein intake to around 4x/week, mostly fish, and am happy substituting a plant-based smoothie for my typical egg white omelette breakfast.  

I think any change is good and baby steps are key.  If you swear everything off you come back full force with mad cravings.  My friend and Spiritual healer, Nadia, told me as soon as we decide we are going to take something out of our diet that we enjoy, the body rebells, needing that thing like an addiction, and you end up overcompensating with other things.  I know on my cleanse that I ate a LOT of sweet potatoes, avocado and bananas because I felt deprived and bummed I couldn't eat chocolate and cheese.

But back to Chef AJ.  She is an energetic, passionate soul.  I admire anyone who:

1. Can go completely vegan based on their animal rights views

2. Can sing and dance for a room of strangers their own lyrics (about food nonetheless)

3. Can leave you thinking hard about your choices and how you might change your life for the better.

She taught us how to make yummy kale salad instead of buying it for $6 at Whole Foods, educated us on high powered blenders, juicers and pressure cookers and  how bananas and dates are all you really need for a sweet fix.  AND good quality cocoa powder.  If you're not addicted to it.  Check it out.  I'm definitely going to start making some new choices this week.