COOK. LEARN. LAUGH. EAT

From April through October, Comox Valley’s Innisfree Farm is hosting the 2013 Food as Medicine Series, an exciting array of Friday evening cooking classes and Friday/Saturday workshops delving into a deeper understanding of food as medicine, as well as nourishment for body and soul.

Join us at beautiful Innisfree Farm to explore the power of the natural pharmacy in your garden and kitchen, under the expert guidance of Joseph Forest, Innisfree Farm Chef-in-Residence, cookbook author and food consultant; and Chanchal Cabrera, certified Medical Herbalist, Aromatherapist, Horticulture Therapist and Master Gardener.

Chanchal notes, “Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, herbs, spices and other plant foods are not only an excellent source of important nutrients and vitamins, they also contain phytonutrients that can significantly boost our immune system, reduce inflammation and help combat disease.”

Recent research in the emerging field of nutrigenics is revealing how the unique molecules called phytonutrients are able to directly interact with our DNA, switching off and on genes, altering metabolism, and influencing biological processes that support either health or disease.

With this growing recognition that nature’s edibles are loaded with anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories and other health-protecting compounds, science is rapidly illuminating what ancient cultures have long understood: food is potent medicine.

In the Food as Medicine Series you will learn to tap the medicinal benefits of everyday herbs like parsley, rosemary and sage, as well as discovering appetizing new ways to use them. Revel in the fragrant world of spices as you come to better understand their natural healing capabilities, such as turmeric as a powerful anti-inflammatory, or cinnamon’s ability to keep blood sugar levels in check. Investigate the myriad of ways the humble garlic clove lives up to its big health reputation, from reducing cholesterol to enhancing your Killer T cells and combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, to maintaining a healthy heart and strong circulatory system.

Discover the powerful anti-cancer foods that can help prevent or fight tumors, or help you live well while undergoing chemotherapy. Sample and learn to prepare mouth-watering foods that help combat aging, support heart health, control diabetes or boost low immune function. Learn how to integrate this knowledge easily into your daily life, and delight friends and family with your new culinary acumen!

Friday Evening Classes:

Evening cooking classes run 6-9 pm and include notes, recipes, plenty of sampling and guaranteed fun. Cost is $65 per class, tax included. 2013 spring classes include:

Friday May 3 – Herbs in Health and Cooking
Friday June 7 – The Spice Pharmacy
Friday October 4 – A Garlic Lover’s Feast

Weekend Workshops:

Weekend workshops begin Friday 6-9 pm and continue Saturday 9:30-5:00 pm. These weekend immersions are educational and hands-on culinary adventures, comprising in-depth lectures and lively discussions led by Chanchal, kitchen demonstrations and culinary skills instruction with Chef Joseph Forest, garden tours and farm foraging, lunch and ample sampling, plus all notes and recipes. This is an extraordinary opportunity meet new friends and try new foods that will beguile your senses, satisfy your taste buds and heal your body.

The cost for a weekend workshop is $125 including lunch and snacks, tea bar and taxes. The 2013 fall roster includes:

Friday Sept 20 & Saturday Sept. 21 – The Cancer Fighting Kitchen
Friday Oct. 25 & Saturday October 26 – Eat Well, Age Well

3 Class Discount!

Location:

Innisfree Farm, 3636 Trent Road, Courtenay BC, V9N 9R4,
Tel 250 336-8767

Instructor: Joseph Forest

Joseph Forest is a professional chef and author whose passion for cooking finds expression in the preparation, presentation and teaching of whole foods as a path to healing and well being. His understanding of food as medicine is the foundation of his current and expanding work.

Joseph has over 25 years experience in fine dining restaurants, hotels (including the Four Seasons), and as a caterer to Hollywood stars and film crews in the Vancouver film industry. His accomplishments include co-authoring the Canadian best-selling ‘Cooking Vegetarian’ with Vesanto Melina, RD, which was reissued in Canada (October 2011, Wiley) and in the USA (April 2012, Book Publishing Co.). He also revised the Wild Rose Herbal College ‘Herbal Detox Cookbook for Cleansing’.

Joseph’s many appearances on television, radio, and cooking stages across Canada and the USA are a source of learning for audiences, where he shines in his enjoyment of teaching people the merits of eating well to be well. He is currently Chef in Residence at Innisfree Farm (www.innisfreefarm.ca) on Vancouver Island, where he is collaborating with medical herbalist, author and educator Chanchal Cabrera, developing new recipes to showcase Innisfree’s bountiful farm-grown foods, and deepening his knowledge of food as medicine.

Instructor: Chanchal Cabrera, MSc, FNIMH, AHG

Chanchal assists people to improved wellness through the use of herbal medicines, aromatherapy, nutritional counseling and allied therapies. Her clinical specialty is helping people manage cancer. She has been a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) since 1987 and obtained her MSc in herbal medicine at the University of Wales in 2003.

Chanchal has held the faculty chair in Botanical Medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster since 2004. She serves on the board of advisors of Dominion Herbal College in Burnaby, on the editorial board of Medical Herbalism clinical newsletter and she publishes widely in professional journals and lectures internationally on medical herbalism, nutrition and health.

Chanchal is the author of the book ‘Fibromyalgia – A Journey Toward Healing’ published by Contemporary Books. She is also a certified Master Gardener and a certified Horticulture Therapist.

Registration: Food as Medicine Series

To pre-register for the 2013 Food as Medicine classes and workshops, print out and complete the Food as Medicine Registration Form and return it to us with payment, either online using Paypal (below) or by cheque.

If paying by cheque, please include two cheques made out to Chanchal Cabrera:

$50 non-refundable deposit plus
post-dated cheque to cover the balance of class(es) you plan to attend

*3 Class Discount of 10% if paid in full upon booking.
To arrange, call Chanchal at 250 336-8767.

Friday Class – $65 (includes tax and $50 non-refundable deposit)

Friday & Saturday Workshop – $125 (includes tax & $50 non-refundable deposit )

Questions?

call Chanchal at 250 336 8767
email chanchal@chanchalcabrera.com

Food as Medicine – 2013 Culinary Education Series