The Natural Epicurean Blog

Internship Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:43:00 +0000

Hello Dear Friends,

Tina Brackins is leading up the kitchen at the Amala Foundation's Global Youth Peace Summit and would love some some macro company! This is a great opportunity to gain internship hours, work with a service-oriented community, international youth, and to enjoy a natural setting as well.

About Global Youth Peace Summit:GYPS is a week long camp for international and American youth. Teens are taught community, leadership, and non-violent communication skills at a rural camp outside of Wimberly, TX.

More info on the summit:http://www.amalafoundation.org/gyps.html...and the Amala Foundation: http://www.amalafoundation.org/amala.html

NE Internship hours or Assisting Hours Credit:

Hours are available August 1-6 helping coordinate food donationsand/or in the kitchen August 7-16. Shifts available are breakfast (for 100), or dinner (for about 60). Meals will be vegan and macro-based (good minerals!) You would be in the kitchen with Tina Brackins and at least 2 other volunteers. You are welcome to come for anywhere from 1 or 2 days to all week. Volunteers housed in a community cabin, are fed 3 meals daily and have access to the camp for swimming, hiking, etc.

Please call Tina if you have questions or would like to help out. Amala is having an informational meeting next week also.

Many thanks,
Tina Brackins

Need Inspiration for your Internship?

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:51:00 +0000

Senior student Naomi Perryman is set to graduate this fall. I would like to share a written account of her community involvement these past two years while attending The Natural Epicurean. Naomi is a true inspiration! She is preparing to take a tour of the Northeast and hopefully she will keep us posted on new projects. We will miss you!

Internship at Hands of the Earth Farm
www.handsoftheearth.com
My internship began May 1, 2008 and will end on August 5, 2009. Throughout the internship I camped on the farm and received a small weekly stipend in exchange for an average of 40 hours of work a week. Working at HOTE gave me the firsthand experience of growing organic vegetables, maintaining a CSA program, and selling homegrown produce at the Sustainable Food Center’s farmer’s markets. During the extent of my internship I also got lots of experience teaching different skills involved with organic hand farming to volunteers and fellow employees, which further cemented my knowledge. HOTE also introduced me to many amazing people and the Urban Roots program.

If you have the desire to work at an organic farm it is not hard to do. I started by googling “organic farm internships” which pulled up a very helpful website- http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/ - in which I was able to sort through farms by geographic region. It is possible to work on farms all over the world by joining WWOOF or by directly contacting farms. I would recommend choosing a place according to your preferred climate, especially if you’re considering becoming a full time farmer yourself. Marysol Valle, my friend and employer at HOTE, may possibly be seeking interns in the future. Her website is www.handsoftheearth.com, where you can find her contact info and updates on the farm.

Another cool thing that I’ve learned about while farming is CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Many small organic farmers choose to do CSA, in which a person can become a member by purchasing a season’s worth of produce up front, thus providing the farmer with the capital to buy seeds and supplies for the vegetables in which the member will soon partake. Joining a CSA ensures that you get the freshest and most local food available and that you have a connection to the source of your food. Eating according to what is available seasonally and locally challenges your cooking creativity and is very rewarding. If you’re interested in becoming a CSA member you can search the Internet for available farms or talk directly to farmers at the Austin farmer’s markets.

The SFC Farmer’s Market at the Triangle
www.sustainablefoodcenter.org
While working at HOTE I have worked this farmer’s market, which is sponsored and run by the Sustainable Food Center, probably 40-50 times. This involves transporting all of the goods from the farm to The Triangle, setting up the farm booth and creating an appetizing display of vegetables, helping customers and answering questions, and then packing everything back up into the truck and heading home.

This market is held on Wednesdays the whole year round except during extreme weather. It is located in the park at the center of a triangle shaped group of condos and businesses where Guadalupe St. meets Lamar Blvd. In summer the market runs from 4pm to 8pm, and at some point in the fall it switches to 3pm-7pm to account for the shorter, colder days. There are a variety of vendors selling vegetables, prepared food and snacks, bread, honey, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, coffee, tea, and fruit, and usually there’s live music. This is a major hot spot for families, kids, and dogs. Farmer’s markets are a great way to meet local farmers and artisans and ask questions about their arts. You can get the low down on all the SFC Farmer’s Markets and check out volunteer opportunities at www.sustainablefoodcenter.org. They’ve got lots of great stuff going on throughout the Austin area.

SFC Farmer’s Market at Republic Square Park
This market is similar to the Triangle market except much bigger and more bustling. It is held every Saturday from 8am-12pm, weather permitting. In spring, winter, and fall it runs from 9am-1pm. I’ve worked around 10-15 of these markets all told. Vendors include the usual suspects times ten, plus those selling pastries, t-shirts, potted plants and ceramics. This is another great way to revel in the Austin community of farmers and small business owners.

WIC Farmer’s Market by the SFC
www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/default.shtm
Another program that the SFC set up is weekly farmer’s markets that are held at various WIC offices and recreation centers throughout Austin. WIC stands for “Women Infants Children” and is a state-funded non-profit organization that offers financial assistance with the purchase of certain WIC approved foods and various services to low-income women who are pregnant or have children. Only one farmer is present at each market because there is such a limited amount of customers. The SFC organizes when and where and who. Farmers accept WIC vouchers, food stamps, checks, or cash at these markets, and are often known to mark down their prices to accommodate their customers. Personally I’ve only worked one of these markets, which was 2 hours long. It was cool to talk to the employees at WIC who drifted by and I got to practice speaking Spanish. If you’re interested in WIC check out www.dshs.state.tx.us/wichd/default.shtm

Urban Roots Volunteer Crew Leader
www.youthlaunch.org/programs/urbanroots.php
An offshoot of Youth Launch, Urban Roots is a non-profit organization that teaches leadership skills, community involvement and social justice to high school aged folks through the medium of organic farm internship, activities, field trips and community service. Mike Evans and Max Elliot, the two main supervisors, are both immensely talented in the fields of teaching and farming. Participants must apply, do an interview, and be specially selected to become involved. Each year there are more applicants than there are spaces available. Interns are paid for all of their work and receive a bi-weekly paycheck. This year 18 interns were hired, including 3 that were rehired from the previous year (also the first year of the program) to expand their individual leadership skills by each directing a team of new interns. Urban Roots’ garden occupies a portion of Hands of the Earth Farm while in session from February to mid-August. There are plans for U.R. to expand their operation over the entire farm starting in January of 2010.

As a VCL with Urban Roots I volunteered for 11 weeks of the spring on Saturdays from 8:30am to 12:30 pm. My job was to work with Vivian, one of the ACLs, and her crew of interns, to support her while she stretched her leadership muscles. This gave me the opportunity to be more closely connected with the Urban Roots program and people, which was an immense pleasure. UR brings so much laughter, enthusiasm, and inspiration to the farm, and the transformation that each intern undergoes as they become more confident with the tasks of farming and the less tangible skills imparted by Mike and Max is amazing and moving to witness.

Urban Roots Community Volunteer Days
These are held on various Saturdays throughout the summer season, and usually involve a group of people who may or may not know each other coming out to the farm from within a particular community, such as Whole Foods employees or paralegals. During Community Volunteer Days, first year interns take turns testing their public speaking and leadership skills by directing a team of volunteers, demonstrating farming techniques and guiding them through fieldwork all morning. Volunteers and Interns play team-building games together and are encouraged to discuss their ideas and experiences with each other while they work. By lunch time the farm is much improved from all the extra care and everyone is tired and satisfied. I volunteered at two of these Community Days and would recommend them to anyone who craves a firsthand experience with farming and/or is excited by the amazing things UR is accomplishing. To learn about volunteer opportunities and read more about the program check out www.youthlaunch.org/programs/urbanroots.php. You can also request to be placed on a mailing list to receive notices about Community Volunteer Days or other UR events. You can also check out Urban Roots at their booth at the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays at Republic Square Park throughout the summer until mid-August.

By Naomi Perryman

Graduate Maria Rios presents Enchiladas Potosinas

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:07:00 +0000

Join us every second Wednesday of the month for a free cooking demonstration and lecture at Casa de Luz.
Culinary Program students are required to take a favorite recipe or dish, analyze it based on the Five Transformation Theory, make it healthier, and then present their converted dish to the public. This demonstration is a timed test and the physical culmination of their Culinary Program experience.

Congratualtions Maria and best wishes on more delicious creations!

Enchiladas Potosinas
By Maria Elena Rios
Natural Epicurean Graduate 2009
Red Sauce
Step 1
1 medium organic Kabocha Squash
1 medium organic rutabaga, quartered
1 small organic red beet
2 organic carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks
1 TBS unrefined sea salt, SI recommended

Step 2
1 large organic onion, diced
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
4-6 cloves organic garlic, minced
1 TBS organic expeller pressed sesame oil
2 tsp of cumin
4 tsp Mexican Oregano
4 TBS of umeboshi vinegar

Directions
Step 1
Place the vegetables in the pressure cooker and add water to half the height of the vegetables.

Add salt and cover pressure cooker, bring up to pressure, and cook for 15, minutes.

Remove from heat and let pressure come down. Pour cooked vegetables and broth into a large bowl to cool. When cool, puree vegetables and broth in a food processor or blender. (Do not blend when the vegetables are hot.) Add salt to taste.

Step 2
Warm the sesame oil over a low flame in a large pot. Saute garlic to season the oil. Add the onion. Add enough salt to season the onions well. Keep in mind the overall saltiness of the puree and onions combined. (If too salty, you can adjust later.) Add the herbs to the onion and saute briefly over a medium flame. Add the vegetable puree to the onions and herbs. Cover and bring to a simmer. Do not overcook or the red color will disappear. Add umeboshi vinegar and stir. (If the sauce is too salty, you can use less umeboshi vinegar or substitute rice vinegar.) Set aside.

Enchilada Stuffing
Step 1
Tofu Mayonnaise Recipe
12 ounces organic firm tofu, Mori Nu Brand
½ tsp organic prepared mustard (whole grain or Dijon)
1 tsp organic brown rice vinegar
1 tsp organic lemon juice
¼ cup organic cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, or less to reach desired consistency
1 TBS umeboshi vinegar
¾ cup safflower oil or less to reach desired consistency

Step 2
1 ½ lb organic firm tofu, pressed
2 TBS organic unpasteurized white miso
½ cup Tofu Mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 TBS)
3 leaves of organic kale
4 organic scallions, cut into diamond shape

Directions
Step 1
In a blender, puree tofu until smooth. Add seasoning and puree. Leave the food processor running slowly and pour oil down shoot until thoroughly incorporated. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Step 2
Remove stems from kale and cut into small pieces. Soak the leaves in water to remove dirt. Shred leaves finely.

Bring small pot of water to a rolling boil. Quickly blanch kale. Allow to cool. Squeeze out excess water.

Mash tofu in bowl. Add miso, tofu mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Add kale stems, leaves, and scallions. Set aside.

Garnish for Enchiladas
Step 1
½ lb of organic green beans, ends trimmed
2 lb of organic carrots, cut into thick matchsticks
1 organic cauliflower, cut into floret size
3 leaves of lettuce, cut into rings
1 daikon, finely grated or cut

Step 2
Cilantro Green Goddess Dressing
½ pkg Silken firm tofu
2 scallions, chopped
2 tsp rinsed capers
2 TBS organic fresh lemon juice
½ cup of organic fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup of organic fresh cilantro, chopped
1 TBS of agave nectar
¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
1 clove
1 tsp of vegetarian worsthershire sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 TBS daikon, minced

Directions
Step 1
In boiling water, quickly blanch the beans, carrots, and cauliflower. Be sure not to overcook the vegetables. Set aside to cool.

Cut the lettuce in ring and place in cool water. Set aside.

Pickle the daikon in a little bit of salt. Massage salt until water is released. Set aside.

Step 2
In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Assembly of the Enchiladas Potosinas

24 organic corn tortillas
Prepared Red Sauce
Prepared Filling
Blanched Vegetables
Lettuce Rings
Pickled Daikon
Cilantro Green Goddess Dressing

Brush all the tortillas with the safflower oil. In a hot frying pan, place 3 at a time to heat and soften. Dip the tortilla in the red sauce. Fill the tortilla with the prepared stuffing. Do this with all tortillas. Place in the oven to keep warm.

When ready to serve, place 2 at a time on a plate. Cover the lettuce, blanched vegetables, and drizzle cilantro green goddess dressing on top of the vegetables. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Macrobiotics and Miso

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Epicurean) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Miso Miso Miso!

Why does the Macrobiotic Diet seem to emphasis miso so much?

spent many years treating atomic bomb victims and Ito at Hiroshima University's Atomic Radioactivity Medical Laboratory. Dr. Ito found that when he fed Miso's health/medicinal benefits are vast. Perhaps one of the most famous miso stories is about a doctor named Shinichiro Akizuki at St. Francis Hospital in Nagasaki during WWII. Dr. Akizukideveloped a theory as to why he and the other medical staff never suffered from the radiation they were exposed to. Miso soup. The staff of the hospital drank it everyday. In 1989 this "miso soup" theory was supported by Dr. Akihiromiso to rats they were 100 to 200 percent less likely to become ill.

Some other healthy qualities of miso include:

It's high in iron, calcium, protein, potassium and B vitamins
Miso aids in digestion. A well-prepared miso soup will also enrich the intestinal flora of healthy bacteria and hence support immunity. You MUST NOT BOIL the miso to obtain these benefits. Simply simmer for a few minutes. This stops the fermentation process so that the miso will not produce gas in your stomach but keeps the healthy bacteria intact
Certain types of cancer (including prostate and breast) are less likely to occur in people who eat miso on a regular basis
It lowers both total blood cholesterol and heart friendly
Miso contains many powerful antioxidants
Since it's high in calcium, miso is a great dairy-free way to prevent osteoporosis

Note: To obtain these health benefits you must be sure you're buying high quality, traditionally made (not chemically produced) miso. When shopping be sure to look for phrases such as organic, traditionally made, naturally aged and be sure that sea salt listed as an ingredient instead of table salt.

Miso can be more than soup! Here are some sites that provide new ways to try out your miso:

Veggies with miso
Dressings, Dips
Even Miso Desserts!

To promote miso and The Natural Epicurean, we recently hosted a miso tasting here in Austin.

Samples included a brown rice, cucumber, avocado, spring onion sushi rolls that were dabbed with miso instead dipping them in soy sauce.

Our quaint but appetizing set up for the miso tasting.

Zucchini and summer squash steamed and grilled with miso.

We hope these health benefits and recipes will help you incorporate miso in your diet but if you should have any additional questions please feel free to email us!

Valentines Bake Sale Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Epicurean) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:41:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Bake Sale and Valentines class this weekend. For those who couldn't make up I've got some pictures worth DROOLING over.

Chocolate Raspberry Crush Love Bites

Mint French Kissed Love Bites

Choco-coconut Bliss Love Bites

Carrot Pecan Love Muffins

Hope to see everyone at our next event!

Valentines Bake Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Epicurean) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:19:00 +0000

I mentioned last post that we're having our annual bake sale this weekend. The menu is set and ready to be doled out unto the masses. Here we go!

Baklava
Petits fours (gluten free) 3 flavors: Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Cashew/Coconut, Chocolate Mint

Preview of the petits fours from a school potluck

Hello Dolly Bars
Carrot Pecan Cupcakes with a Cashew Cream Frosting (gluten free)
Cheesecake (gluten free) with your choice of 4 toppings: Chocolate Hazelnut, Blood Orange, Ginger Pineapple, and Blueberry

We're also adding a new savory item:
Spanakopita

As always all items are VEGAN and handmade by students of the school. The sale is at our school located HERE.

Please feel free to stop by, say hi and pick up some treats on Saturday Feb 14th from 10am to 2pm or until we sell out!

Hope to see you there.

Valentines Aphrodisiacs Class

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Epicurean) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:56:00 +0000

The Natural Epicurean is holding a speciality cooking class and bake sale on Saturday February the 14th!

APHRODISIACS - COOK TO LOVE, LOVE TO COOK
When: February 14th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: Casa de Luz - Cielo Room
Cost: $55.00 for a single attendee and only $27.50 for a friend or family member who enrolls and attends with you. $82.50 per couple.

According to The American Heritage Dictionary, "aphrodisiac" is defined as: adj: Arousing or intensifying sexual desire. noun: Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect. [Greek aphrodisiakos, from aphrodisia, sexual pleasures, from Aphrodite.]

In this vegan and macrobiotic cooking class, we'll talk in detail about foods that are considered aphrodisiacs, but we'll also explain how presentation, ambiance, good health, and serving our partners affect our ability to arouse, to become aroused, and to fully enjoy this most delightful and precious part of our humanity. And then we'll cook and eat some delightful and sensual food.We explain that "love foods" can be divided into two categories: biochemical aphrodisiacs that have a direct physiological effect on our sex organs and the more important psychophysical group. (After all, there is no sexual organ more important than the mind.)You'll learn to cook a complete meal to delight your Valentine's Day sweetheart and then have the opportunity to taste this exceptional food.

The menu:

Artichokes with Lemon Butter
Porcini Mushroom Soup with Chestnuts
Tempeh Italiano and Toasted Pine Nuts over Seasonal Greens
Risotto Milanese (this is made with saffron)
Maple Roasted Winter Squash with Apples and Fennel
Chocolate Amaretto Mousse with Almond Tuile and Kumquats

After the class you can step outside and purchase some delightful vegan baked goods from our annual bake sale. More on what we'll be serving soon!

free cooking demo, lecture and open house - oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:50:00 +0000

on the second wednesday of each month, the natural epicurean (located at 1701 toomey road, at casa de luz) hosts a free cooking demonstration from a senior student and a lecture entitled 'how food affects your health and emotions'. past cooking demonstrations have included saag paneer spanakopita, picture perfect pecan pie, the ultimate birthday cake and mochi-rella sticks. it's all vegan, it's all natural and it's usually mindblowingly delicious. recipes are given out during the demo... and did i mention that it's all FREE?

this month's is june 11th and marissa castello, a senior student at the school will be presenting her recipe conversion for 'edamame succotash'. if neither of those words mean anything to you, it's all the more reason to come down and try it out!

you can register/sign up on eventbrite:

http://www.eventbrite.com/org/58452322?s=1

also, rosa, our wonderful student coordinator is starting regular open houses for prospective students interested in checking out the school and getting more information. these open houses will also be on the second wednesday of each month and rosa will be available to answer any of your questions, give you a tour of the campus, introduce you to current students and help you with filling out your application! ;)

austin is wonderful

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:16:00 +0000

... and those of you who aren't blessed enough to live in this amazing city may not realize just how wonderful it is. i've heard time and time again from people who live here how austin is a very 'green' city and virtually 'recession-proof' and well, there's actual data backing up these claims.

in a recent survey/study conducted by popular science magazine, ranking cities on criteria including electricity, transportation, green living and recycling/green perspective, austin ranked in the top ten greenest cities in the united states and the greenest city in texas. austin ranks highest in the recycling/green perspective category with nearly a perfect score. surely, there's room for improvement in other areas, but these issues are actively being addressed by capital metro's efforts for increased ridership and austin energy's greenchoice program.

us news and world reports has also called austin one of the top ten green cities to retire in. these polls put austin in the company of such great cities as portland, chicago, and albuquerque.

austin is also considered by forbes magazine to be one of the top ten most 'recession-proof' cities in the country with its low unemployment rates, affordable housing prices and a growing tech sector.

with all these factors, i couldn't imagine that you'd want to live anywhere else. :)

Register Online for Classes!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:35:00 +0000

Coming soon, you'll be able to register and pay for Natural Epicurean classes online! I'm working on getting the schedule for the rest of the year up on our Eventbrite site, which you can check out here.

There will be a small fee for signing up for classes through the website, but it's quicker and easier than calling in the office and you can do it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Enjoy!

Student Demo: Saag Paneer Phyllo Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:23:00 +0000

This Wednesday at 6pm, I'll be doing a demonstration before the free lecture on my Saag Paneer Phyllo Bites. This recipe combines the flaky, light pastry of spanakopita with a classic hearty North India saag paneer. Everything will be vegan and everything will be delicious!

Join us and learn how to make this impressive and incredibly easy party appetizer. If the group is small enough, we may even do some hands on work! ;)

For more information on our monthly free cooking demonstration and lectures, visit our website and click on the 'Events' link.

Vacation!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:41:00 +0000

Rosa (student coordinator) and Winnie (marketing coordinator) will be out of town this week. If you need anything, please contact Karen (outreach and operations coordinator) in the store - (512) 476-2276.

Karen's Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:59:00 +0000

As of today, Karen Gifford, our wonderful and always helpful store clerk, is now the Operations and Outreach Coordinator. She will be using her years of organizational and community building skills to manage the Natural Epicurean stores (both Casa de Luz and Seton Williamson Good Health Commons locations), develop new community-based volunteer opportunities and in general, do awesome things for the school. Thank you, Karen for all your hard work and we all hope you flourish in this position!

New Website is Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:34:00 +0000

After a recent and unfortunately timed computer crash (are they ever fortunately timed?), I'm back up and running and have made some huge strides. The Natural Epicurean now has a brand spanking new website, complete with an events and class calendar, a cleaner navigation system and a lovely carrot flower banner. Check us out!

www.naturalepicurean.com

Also, please do let me know if there are any errors on the site or if you have a suggestion!

winnie at naturalepicurean dot com

the natural epicurean flickr group

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:20:00 +0000

for more pictures of the lovely foods we make and the lovely people we call students, check out our flickr pool...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/naturalepicurean/

contact me (user name: angelinger) if you'd like to join and contribute some pictures!

Natural Epicurean Tee Shirts!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:48:00 +0000

They're finally in!

100% Organic Cotton American Apparel tees in both men's and women's sizes! The front sports our lovely "The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts" flower logo and the back has our motto - "Better Food for a Better Life".

All current students of the Natural Epicurean receive one for free and can get additional ones for the low low price of $10. They are available to the general public for only $16.

Stop by the store and pick up yours today!

New Cooking with the Five Elements Class

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Dawn and Tina Brackins have developed a new series for the Cooking with the Five Elements Series. Any student who has taken the 5 Elements class, as well as teachers are invited. This class starts this Thursday, February 28th, so if you would like to add your name to the roster call the office or e-mail me at culinary@naturalepicurean.com.

Check out the class descriptions below:

Five Transformation Theory Applied to Your Cooking
This series provides an in-depth review of the 5 Transformations and their movements. We will learn how to harness that energy for your everyday life. Through discussion and group activities, we will cover cooking for each season, cooking for condition, pulling out past accumulations, menu planning, and how to make a smooth transition from season to season. We will incorporate a bit of feng shui and ki gong, too.

French Meadows Summer Camp Work Exchange Program

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:57:00 +0000

Receive internship credit! There are many positions available, please contact Rosa for the application.
For more information about the event, http://www.gomf.macrobiotic.net/gomfcamp/fmsc/index_ns6.html.

The George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation cordially invites you to the 39th Annual French Meadows Summer Camp to be held in the majestic Tahoe National Forest, July 11 - 20, 2008.

The major emphasis of French Meadows Summer Camp is education.
Each day, three sessions--one in the morning and two in the afternoon--are set aside for a lecture, cooking class, or workshop. All sessions encourage participation, dialogue, and questions. At least one session each day is designed specifically for beginners. Join teachers and students from around the world for an exhilarating, outdoor experience like no other:
So far, teachers who have committed to the 2007 camp include Bob Carr, Patrick McCarty (in the photo), Hugh Tinling, Dawn Pallavi, Carl and Julia Ferré, Mike and Maria Chen, Laura Stec, Barb Jurecki-Humphrey, Bhumi Russell, Mary Lore Simmons, Kerry Loeb, Shirley Tung, Bob Ruggles, Patricia Murray, Kaare Bursell, and Lenny Rubin.

Health Spa to Go

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:46:00 +0000

Help Vanessa Vaughan facilitate a “health spa to go” class for a Girl Scouts Program book called "Possibilities" which is given out to over 1,500 girls in the Austin area. This opportunity would involve planning before events and working the day of the event. It would be best if you were available for both dates.

Event Dates Session 1: Sunday, 3/1/08 9am-1pm
Session 2: Sunday, 4/13/08 9am-1pm

Cadette & Senior Girl Scouts
Casa De Luz invites you to discover ways to care for your body and mind with help from students from the Natural Epicurean Academy. Take an introductory yoga class and try out basic stretches and positions. Experiment with unique home remedies and make a facial mask from natural ingredients found in your own home and backyard. Learn to make healthy vegetarian snacks and then chow down on your yummy creations!

Please contact Rosa or Vanessa to get involved.
Vanessa can be reached at travelingnecha@yahoo.com.

Celebrate Green Living at Hostelling International-Austin!

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Vanessa Vaughan is not only a student at the Natural Epicurean but she is also the director of the Hostelling International-Austin. Vanessa has a lot of great projects going on and she has invited the Natural Epicurean to be a part of the Hostel's celebration of green living on Saturday, February 23rd. (See invite below)

We need a couple of students to help represent The Natural Epicurean and promote green living at this local event. Winnie Hsia is organizing this project as part of her internship and she needs help from a couple of students. Travel Foods is on the menu and students who assist will receive Techniques Credit. These are the shifts we need filled:

prep on Friday night, February 22nd, 6-9pm
Demo and represent school at the event on February 23rd from 12:30-3:30

Please contact Winnie at winnie@naturalepicurean.com or Rosa at rosa@naturalepicurean.com for more information.

We hope to see you there!

Several Local Organizations to Join Hostel in Celebration of Environmentally Conscious Lifestyles
Austin, Texas, February 15: For more than 20 years, the Southwest Texas Council of Hostelling International-USA (HI-USA) has provided an economically and environmentally conscious home for tens of thousands of travelers from around the world.

On Saturday, February 23rd from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Southwest Texas Council's HI-Austin hostel will team up with several environmentally-friendly organizations from around the city to celebrate another successful year of green living.

The celebration will be an afternoon filled with delicious organic foods, homegrown music and exhibits extolling sustainable living from organizations like Ecology-Action, TreeFolks, Ten Thousand Villages, Austin CarShare, Austin EcoNetwork and The Natural Epicurean Academy.

Food donated by White Mountain Foods
Music performed by local favorite band "The Lennings".

WHO: Hostelling International-USA, Southwest Texas Council and

local environmental organizations

WHAT: A Celebration of Green Living

WHEN: February 23rd, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Hostelling International-Austin, 2200 S. Lakeshore Blvd., Austin

For more information, contact Vanessa Vaughan, Director of HI-Austin, director@hiaustin.org, (512) 444-2294.

ATX Vegan Knitters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:38:00 +0000

ATX Vegan Knitters

The wonderful employees of Dhaba Joy/Toy Joy have put together a vegan knitting circle right here in Austin! Join the MySpace group and come to the first February meet-up this weekend.

Sunday February 17, 2008
7-9 pm ish
Dhaba Joy
2900 Guadalupe

Bring a friend! We'll have extra needles and yarn if you are a beginner!

What-a-Bake Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:45:00 +0000

Okay, I have to brag, this Bake Sale was fantastic and excellent. It was truly decadent and rich with Strawberry and Blueberry Tofu Cheesecake and Fluffy Chocolate Cake with Creamy Orange Icing or Chocolate Coconut Mint Icing! Gooey Hello Dolly bars and if you don't know what a hello dolly bar is - you missed out. We had beautiful strawberry tarts, brownies, and cookies too.

I have to give many praises to the students who participated and thank you to Christina Terriquez for her delicious recipes and to be honest, big thanks to myself for organizing it.

Julie Danehy, Maria Rios, Winnie Hsia, Christopher Jolley, Andrea Alchin, Tina Brackins, and Naomi Perryman whipped it up on Friday night at the Kitchen Space. Tina Brackins decorated and garnished on Saturday giving our baked yummies an elegant, beautiful, and enticing presentation to lure in our unsuspecting clients. Winnie and Christopher helped out and boxed it up and sold it to happy customers.

And it worked! This bake sale was very successful and we will be donating a percentage to The Sustainable Food Center and the rest goes towards a movie night for all students of The Natural Epicurean. I will post more info on the date, time, and location of this event.

If you haven't had enough sweets don't forget about the demo on Wednesday, February 13th. Brooke Northcutt will be demonstrating The Ultimate Birthday Cake. Give your fellow student some support and get a free taste and recipe.

So that's the update, we will definitely do it again.

Let there be rice!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:09:00 +0000

After a whirlwind weekend with Warren Kramer, our little store was depleted of many of our key selling items including, of all things, brown rice! I'm happy to report that we are now fully stocked with your favorites: Field Ripened, Pearl Short Grain, Akitakomachi Short Grain, Rose Medium Grain and Jasmine Long Grain. Stop on by and buy some rice!

Also, our supplier has finally come through with the much requested Dried Lotus Root! I know some of you still have lingering colds, so come on in. We're also fully stocked again in Hokkaido black soybeans and azuki beans, zeni-fu, hato mugi, mochi and your other favorite macrobiotic staples.

1701 Toomey Road
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 476-2276

Casa seeks Volunteers!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Volunteer Opportunity at Casa on Fridays, 3-9 pm

Friday is India night and the volunteer would be working with Rachel Hedrick. Rachel is a wonderfully creative cook who is more than happy to answer questions and share her knowledge.

We are in need of someone who is friendly, outgoing and able to think on their feet. This volunteer will also have a lot of customer interaction as a Runner (person who delivers plates), Kitchen Prep, and dishwashing, so patience, kindness and ability to take direction (from customers and kitchen staff) is very important. This opportunity to develop into more responsiblilty and a paid position as you gain experience.

If anyone should need further information, please call Natalia at 476-2535 x4.

This could count towards internship hours for Natural Epicurean students and you get free meals at Casa!

Saturday's Potluck

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came to Dawn's place on Saturday! All the food was awesome and the company wasn't so bad either. ;) A couple of people asked me for the recipe for my Butternut Squash phyllo triangles. I'll have to take pictures of the rolling process, but the filling was a simple mix of:

1 medium butternut squash
1/4 cup of thompson raisins
1/4 cup of rice syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pinch of dried orange peel
1 pinch of salt

I roasted the butternut squash - cut into large pieces, skin on and after about an hour at 375, they were soft enough to just pull the skin off and mash. Mashed in with all the other ingredients and let cooled before assembling the phyllo triangles. Let me know if you have any questions or want to see how to make phyllo triangles!