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This course uncovers the root of holistic cooking by demonstrating recipes, discussing holistic ingredients and their use, connecting specific foods with different systems in the body, and will inspire you to cook for yourself and others.
Hilary Brent is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Personal Chef and Food Stylist living in Vancouver, BC. Her passion for holistic wellness was ignited when a close family member was diagnosed with breast cancer. This newfound curiosity led her to fly across the country to British Columbia to study Holistic Nutrition. Having always worked in restaurants, Hilary decided to complete her co-op with a Private Chef in Vancouver. It was this experience that opened her eyes to the possibility of a dream career and an opportunity to have a tangible impact on the health of her clients and community. Hilary now owns and operates The Rooted Table - a bespoke holistic personal cheffing company where she and her team of chefs nourish clients across Vancouver and surrounding areas. She also works as a food stylist and recipe consultant for brands. Her hunger for continual learning and development led her to enroll at the University of British Columbia for a course in Food Writing. Her desire to have people gathered around a table to share a meal led her to launch Friends and Fare and Secret Handshake - two pop-up long table dinner series in Vancouver both with a focus on the celebration of seasonal eating. She has been the head chef for multiple retreats on Bowen Island and in Whistler. Her love of community led her to publish the PNW Eats Cookbook - a collection of community recipes contributed by chefs, herbalists and gardeners with 100% of proceeds being donated to two organizations. She has also worked as a holistic cooking educator - appearing annually on the BC Home and Garden Cooking Stage, as well as being an instructor for an online chef certification program and teaching cooking classes to corporate groups and in private residences. For Hilary, it always comes back to food. She believes what we eat is at the root of our health and ultimately, our happiness. She feels that food is the great connector - a catalyst for laughter, storytelling and love and she feels privileged to be able to work in a field that brings her so much joy.
Holistic cooking should not be complicated. When we begin to peel back the layers of what we’ve been told constitutes a healthy diet, we find that, more often than not, preparing high-quality whole foods is at the root of optimizing health. The key to figuring out what works for our unique system is learning to listen to our bodies’ signals about which foods are supporting our health and which ones are causing discomfort or disease. When we pair this intuitive process with the technical skills and knowledge required to prepare delicious, health-giving food, we come to understand the heart of holistic cooking.
This course is designed to educate and inspire every level of chef. Whether you’ve never picked up a knife or you’re already a culinary master, this course will teach you techniques that will take your healthy cooking to the next level. This course will equip you with easily adaptable recipes that can be used therapeutically to support different systems in the body.
Each recipe includes a live demonstration with an ingredient list and recipe methods. All ingredients are meant to be easily sourced and budget-friendly without requiring the use of any fancy cooking equipment. The course will also offer substitutions and alternative methods to ensure all students can participate in an equal fashion. Follow along as we dive into what makes these recipes so great. We will touch on the techniques that make these recipes taste delicious while also weaving in why these recipes are so good for our bodies and can support us for specific ailments or evolutions in our lives.
Upon completion of this course, you will have the ability to:
More important than anything, this course will supply you with the knowledge so you can get creative and exploratory in your own kitchen!
Cooking can be a celebratory experience, and this course will inspire you to find joy and ease in the art of holistic cooking.
Section I | An introduction to the art of holistic cooking
1. Introduction & course outline
2. Principles of holistic cooking
Section II | Getting started
3. Building your holistic pantry
4. Equipment
5. Knife skills & techniques/safety
Section III | Making food taste good!
6. Understanding flavour
7. Developing & building flavour
8. Flavour bases
Section IV | Meal prep for busy people
9. Batch cooking
Section V | Cooking in the spring
10. Spring breakfast recipe: Crunchy Buckwheat Granola & Rhubarb Compote
11. Spring lunch recipe: Cucumber & Nori Gazpacho
12. Spring dinner recipe: Wild Spring Salmon Cakes & Mint and Green Pea Pesto
13. Spring snack recipe: Roasted Garlic Confit
Section VI | Cooking in the summer
14. Summer breakfast recipe: Matcha Smoothie Bowl with Raspberry Jam
15. Summer lunch recipe: Hearts of Palm Ceviche
16. Summer dinner recipe: Coconut Cream of Corn Soup with Infused Oil
17. Summer snack recipe: Herb Infused Oil
Section VII | Cooking in the autumn
18. Autumn breakfast recipe: Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls
19. Autumn lunch recipe: Miso Soup with Kombu, Tofu & Vegetables
20. Autumn dinner recipe: Lentil Walnut Mushroom Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash
21. Autumn snack recipe: Mushroom Bone Broth
Section VIII | Cooking in the winter
22. Winter breakfast recipe: Black Rice Pudding with Pomegranate & Coconut
23. Winter lunch recipe: Miso Carrot Hummus
24. Winter dinner recipe: Beet Borscht
25. Winter snack recipe: Gluten-free Broccoli-Egg Bread
Section V | Conclusion
26. Course summary & conclusion