What, why, who, and...why again!?

Hello, my name is Natasha. 

I describe myself as: an educator, poet, baker, artisan; 

a lover of words, nature, books and compassion. 

And a student of life always! 

This past year I went back to school to study in an intense in-class program certifying as a holistic nutritional consultant. I graduated in September 2019.

What does a professional certified in holistic nutrition do?

I use clients’ food and lifestyle, along with their reported symptoms, to identity imbalances in their body systems, then develop a customized wellness plan for them. These plans include food/nutrition, lifestyle and supplement recommendations and are based on each client’s individual body biochemistry, while helping to support the client’s unique needs and goals.


Why choose a Certified Holistic Nutritional Professional?

Education: Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultants™ (C.H.N.C.) have over 250 classroom hours of direct instruction learning solely about nutrition and related topics. In addition, we enhance our education to keep up-to-date with the latest research through professional continuing education courses and workshops.

In addition to the 250+ hours, I have personally:

• logged more than 50 practical hours in class learning about specific health topics and how to approach and assist clients with these health needs (i.e.: heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and many more)
• done 25+ additional hands-on practical hours in workshops on topics like fermentation, cooking with a local plant-based chefs and restaurateurs, elixir crafting, foods for optimizing brain health and good mood foods
• am currently enrolled in a program that teaches the basics of nutrition according to Chinese medicine principles, a system that has been used for over 2000 years 

Evidence-based: certified nutritional consultants are evidence-based; meaning we learn principles that are rooted in the scientific process and have validity in scientific inquiry. As a university science graduate, learning nutrition through an evidence-based lens was very important for me.


CSNN graduates are multi-faceted, bringing knowledge and backgrounds from many different areas. All of my instructors hold advanced degrees as diverse as dietetics (RD program), chemistry, genetics, naturopathic doctors. My classmates/colleagues also come from many different fields: food science, rehab medicine, health coaches, personal trainers, entrepreneurs, food industry professionals, educators, sociologists, energy practitioners to name a few. 

As certified holistic nutrition professionals, our main job is to educate the public about nutrition. After graduating from the University of Alberta with a science degree focusing on genetics and brain development, I worked as an educator for most of my career primarily in the non-profit educational sector: 

• with young children and their families coordinating and teaching preschool programs, facilitating parent-child literacy programs, and hands-on science units for elementary school children
•  coordinating and facilitating workshops and classes for adults and seniors with low literacy, in many areas including financial and health literacy
• facilitated trainings and workshops for fellow literacy professionals

Collaborative: Certified holistic nutritional professionals believe in a collaborative approach to clients’ health needs. Along with food and supplement recommendations we provide our clients basic lifestyle suggestions and recommend referrals to and work alongside other practitioners like family doctors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, personal trainers, counsellors, etc., when a client would benefit from a collaborative team of professionals.

Scope: We adhere to strict codes of conduct in staying within our scope of practice as natural health practitioners. We do not claim to treat, heal, diagnose or prevent any conditions another reason why we believe in referring our clients to others in the health field.

We do not make bold claims about preventing anything – no one can make these guarantees in health – there are so many variables that determine health outcomes and everything is very individual. That’s one of the main things I’ve learned: that health and diet are unique to each person and there are as many ways to eat as there are people in the world. What works for one person may actually be detrimental for another.

“One man’s meat is another man’s poison." ~ Thomas Middleton.

This is the reason it’s so important to have a personalized plan that’s specific for your individual biochemistry, health history, lifestyle needs and goals. And is especially important if you've been diagnosed with any disease (cancer, diabetes, heart disease) or any other chronic condition - your health and food plan need to take who YOU are into account! This is also why Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches to health and food resonate with me: their principles are based on individual constitutions.

My Why:


When I burned out several years ago, I realized it was partly due to not fueling my body the way it needed nor finding time to nurture my creative spirit, along with underlying unresolved childhood trauma and grief. I found living holistically with attention to my mind, body and spirit, helped me feel better creatively and wholly. My degree in genetics and brain development cemented my love for learning about both the body and the brain and especially how they work together. I truly believe they are one and the same, and when we find what makes both flow, is when our health and creativity thrive. I fell in love with meditation as a way to centre myself and in 2017 I was certified to teach meditation and mindfulness. I've always taking an interest in health and the nutrition and the program from CSNN was a natural fit for me. When I’m not writing or tinkering in the kitchen, you’ll find me reading, in a yoga class, going for walks to inspire my poetry, volunteering, painting abstract masterpieces or taking photos of clouds and insects!


I’m excited to share with you what I’ve researched and learned over my career and the past several years in the topics of mindfulness, brain development, self-compassion, creative expression and of course nutrition, to help you live wholly with your mind, body and spirit. I have interests in the areas of Chinese medicine, mental health, art therapy, maternal/post-partum health and children’s health and I’m excited to see where my journey takes me.

P.S.: I’ve always been a bit shy about my overbite; when I was a teenager the orthodontist told us they’d have to surgically move my jaw forward in order for braces to work for me - so no braces! Over the years, many dentists have given me different versions of doom-and-gloom scenarios about my teeth and mouth. This past spring, I went to a new dentist and he was impressed with my teeth. He said he would have expected a lot more wear and tear based on my bone structure and said I was doing a great job of taking care of my teeth. He said no one can predict what may happen to my teeth over the next decades as I age, but said not to worry about it too much, as long as I can chew properly and I’m not in pain. At the end of the day don’t get hung up about how things look:  health is all about how you feel and how you function.

Find me here:

    http://kooksinthekitchen.blogspot.com

         https://www.facebook.com/kitchenkooksedm/

@natasha_writestuff

**Disclaimer: Please talk to your doctor before changing your diet and exercise routines or for questions about your medication. I am a holistic nutritional professional, not a physician – I cannot diagnose or treat any diseases or medical conditions.

In health and creativity,

The Hallway Cafe: Education, Employment & Outreach

Good Morning on a soggy Edmonton Sunday, here's something that's sure to brighten your spirits:

Yesterday I went to a food photography class organized by #urbanyeg - a homegrown group of photography enthusiasts. Our workshop was facilitated by Jessica of #yeg.menu a food blogger/instagrammer.  It was held at The Hallway Café, a local outreach/education/employment initiative with E4C and the City of Edmonton to help at-risk and homeless youth gain skills, learn and go to the school while having meaningful employment.

Take a peak through the Hallway.

From The Hallway Cafe's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thehallwaycafe/

"The physical restaurant space has been redesigned as a teaching kitchen space where the youth will work side by side with professionally trained chefs to attain hands on experience with the tools and techniques of the hospitality industry.  The specific stations and modules are matched to traditional settings in a restaurant but will also focus on specific employment “soft” skills and skills that translate to everyday living.

From the social program we have expanded our ability to serve more youth within the employment skill development program as well as through our outreach services.  These changes have helped us to develop an assessment phase for all youth to be sure that when they enter into the employment aspect of the program they have the right tools to succeed, and to help those work towards attaining these skills."

Outreach: why eat here?

This is the first time I've been to the Hallway Café and I fell in love with the whole concept. The ambience is beautiful as are the people that work there. The food is gorgeous, presented so lovingly, not to mention absolutely delicious! Have a look through some of my photos from the workshop - these are actual menu items - and please stop by The Hallway Café to lend your support and your taste buds to this wonderful community enterprise. 

The Hallway Café is located in Edmonton City Hall and is open Monday-Friday 7AM - 3:30PM. 

{July 2019: There is currently a lot of construction in the area, parking is best found south or north of city hall, east of Sir Winston Churchill Square or take the LRT.}

Education for at-risk youth at the City Hall high school.

The table is set - join us!

Le Menu - Part Un

Le Menu - Part Deux

Scones: Cheddar Jalapeno + Blueberry White Chocolate chip; 

Scones come in two sizes, pictured is large.

Natural light with a view on construction - a soon to be garden

Cranberry Lemon Muffin - comes in 2 sizes, it was delicious!

Southwest Brisket Pizza

Inviting table-scapes

Dining and art

The breadbasket

Local art walls

One turn deserves another: Need one, take one.

Roasted Beetroot and Farro Salad

Pizza close-ups: Red Pepper Hummus and Southwest Brisket

Brisket Biscuit with Breakfast Potatoes

Baked goods waiting for you to join the tea party.

Breakfast or lunch - bring your belly.

Catering is available for your next event.

Local photographers hard at work.

Setting the scene and styling is important in food photography.

Shine on.

Scones up!

Quiet kitchen. Closed on the weekends. 

Open M-F 7AM - 3:30PM

Fresh & Local: Good for the Soul.

Pizza's waiting for you, drop by soon!

Ith gu leòir and to your health,

~ Natasha

© Kooks in the Kitchen. 2019.

How to be a Baller...

… a snack baller that is!

See the Ball, Be the Ball

I'm sure you’ve all heard of these delectable snacks before; they come in different incarnations called power balls, protein balls, energy balls...somehow the word 'balls' just doesn’t quite accurately describe these snack gems for me, and depending on the age of who you’re serving them to you can get some little snickers on the side! I've also heard of them being called bombes too, but for my nonviolent soul, the word bomb whether it’s bombs or bombes just doesn’t quite sit well with me (could I get away with calling them balms?) 

Raspberry Fruit and Nut Orbs

I took it as my challenge to come up with a different word. I write, poems mainly, and as you know poetry is all about the words, the language usage, finding terms that are not colloquial and I often find myself sitting at my kitchen table composing a poem and stopping to say: 

"Hey Google, what's another word for _____?"

Usually google helps me, but often I have to go search manually because a synonym for something is just given as the same word with a -y or -ing added to the end of it. Not helpful Google, not helpful at all. So, I decided to call these little babies orbs. The dictionary definition of an orb is a spherical body, a globe; as a verb it means to encircle or enclose. These tiny spherical bodies enclose a burst of freshness and flavor.

Blackberry Fruit and Nut Orbs

I've adapted a recipe I found on Healthy Mummy, adding in cacao powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Cacao, rich in antioxidants, is among the most mineral dense foods and as I recently learned in my unit on nutrition and mental health, one of the top 13 foods for mental health. Almonds made that list too, as did berries, called a special mental health food for their antioxidant all-star status. In any case, chocolate and berries are a beautiful pairing. The cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar spikes that sweet treats can cause, and of course it simply tastes delicious not to mention goes well with both berries and cacao. Lastly, I added in a pinch of sea salt to boost the natural sweetness of the dates: yes, a pinch of salt is sweet! Packed full of fibre, protein and flavor, these little orbs will add a big smile to your day and make your tummy feel happy.

Fruit and Nut Orbs are lovely tucked into your bag as a snack for those hangry afternoons, they add a zaazaa to a fruit tray and make a big oomph on a healthy dessert platter.

Splash the orbs haphazardly onto a healthy dessert platter for a dramatic look.

Fruit and Nut Orbs

1 cup raw almonds
½ cup flaked coconut, unsweetened (plus more to roll in)
1 cup frozen blackberries (or raspberries) - not thawed, keep frozen until ready to use
3 medjool dates, use the plump ones, seeds removed
1-2 teaspoon cacao or cocoa powder, depends on how juicy your dates are (plus more to roll in)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt

1. Blend the almonds in food processor - you can do them fine or leave them a bit crunchy, according to your tastes.

2. Add remaining ingredients to food processor and whirl to combine. Stop and scrape down sides of the food processor as needed, then continue to process until desired consistency and when the dough starts to hold together.

3. Once well combined, roll into balls, of approximately 1 -2 tablespoon each. Place in fridge or freezer to set, about 30 minutes.

4. Once set, roll them in coconut, cacao/cocoa/beet powder or crushed nuts. You can also dip them in melted chocolate.

5. Store in the fridge or freezer. Makes about 24 orbs.

Raspberry Orbs rolled in coconut and beet powder

Bonus recipe: I made and named these before I fell into the Fruit and Nut Orbs. Notice the name 😏 
Power Ballz add a nice touch to fruit and dessert platters and are perfect for those looking for protein-rich, refined sugar-free options.

Peanut Butter Power Ballz on a fruit and dessert platter

Peanut Butter Power Ballz 

1/2 cup Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter or almond butter (plus 1-2 tablespoons more if needed)
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 cup large flake rolled oats
1/4 cup each sunflower and pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup each Chocolate Chips & raisins
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
pinch sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

1. Mix peanut butter and maple syrup in medium bowl until blended. 

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. If it’s a bit too dry add in a bit more peanut butter to bring it all together.

3. Refrigerate for about 30 min. 

4. Roll into about 20 balls, about 2 Tbsp each. Store refrigerated.

Adapted from Kraft Canada.

Eyeing the puffed rice squares on the healthy dessert platter? Find the link on my blog's facebook, here:
https://m.facebook.com/863769550300014/posts/2276259949050960?sfns=mo

Ith gu leòir and to your health,

Natasha

© Kooks in the Kitchen. 2019.