Food Demos

Jan Kemp

Jan Kemp, MS, is a health and fitness educator, helping people make lifestyle changes to promote improved health and longevity. She has a Masters degree from the University of Michigan in Exercise Science and also studied Nutrition Science through the School of Public Health, is certified through the American Academy of Sports Dieticians and Nutritionists as a Nutrition Specialist, and is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer.

Since 2005 Jan has worked in our local communities as an Instructor for the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, teaching nutrition education and plant-based cooking classes for Cancer Prevention and Survival. In 2010 she joined Whole Foods Market in Ann Arbor as the Healthy Eating Specialist, promoting the Health Starts Here program and the four pillars of healthy eating: Whole Foods, Plant-Strong™, Nutrient Dense, and Healthy Fats.

The Whole Foods Market Health Starts Here program is reaching thousands of people in Michigan through cooking classes, 28-day healthy eating challenges, and in-store events. The cornerstone of this program is: Promoting the Health of our Stakeholders though Healthy Eating Education, which is our 7th Core Value at Whole Foods Market. As the point person for the Health Starts Here program in Michigan, Jan has the opportunity to assist all of the stores with healthy eating education.

Tina Miller

Tina Miller, MS RD is a Meijer Healthy Living Advisor for East Michigan and Northern Ohio. She has 20 years of experience as a registered dietitian and educator.

Tina believes in realistic, simple steps to achieve and maintain good health, providing menu planning tips and recipes that are easy and enjoyable, and offering sound nutrition advice that is based on current and credible research.

Family is at the center of Tina’s busy life. Her family enjoys a variety of foods and believes in the power of health promoting foods to positively impact health and well-being.

Thomas Lasher
Executive Chef, Inn Season Café

The face behind the award-winning food at Royal Oak’s venerable Inn Season Café is Executive Chef Thomas Lasher. Chef Thomas’ history with the café dates back nearly to its beginning when, working at the London Chop House in Detroit, he met one of the founders of the just-opened Inn Season Café. He started working the line and has been creating delicious vegetarian and vegan fare ever since, serving as the restaurant’s sous chef before being named executive chef in 2002.

Inn Season Café celebrates 32 years of natural, locally sourced, organic, vegan and vegetarian cuisine.  Frequently named “Best Vegetarian” and “Best Vegan Restaurant” by the local media, the café was also recognized by Health magazine as one of six independent restaurants in America with an innovative, healthy menu.  Offering certified kosher cuisine including gluten-free, wheat-free and soy-free options, Inn Season offers a vast menu of house-made soups, salads, stir-fries, desserts and more, plus inspired daily lunch and dinner specials.

Making connections with over 25 local, organic farmers, knowing your food sources, and using the purest ingredients are key to Chef Thomas’ passion for creating high-quality, delicious dishes that correspond with the growing season. He enjoys using ingredients in new ways and particularly likes transforming meat dishes into healthier, more substantial and tastier meatless masterpieces.

Chef Thomas became vegetarian while an undergrad at the University of Michigan, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology.  His other interests include bread baking, art, music, golf and competitive Frisbee.

Note: Information is subject to change.

Recipes from VegFest2013

Savory Mushroom Rice Bowl

1 Tbsp. Meijer extra virgin olive oil

½ cup sliced red onion

4 cups (about 12 oz.) sliced mini bella mushrooms

½ cup Meijer Naturals vegetable stock

6 cups Earth Bound Farm organic mixed baby kale

¼ cup dried cranberries

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or ¾ tsp. McCormick dried thyme)

4 cups cooked Meijer instant brown rice

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

1. Lightly toast pine nuts in small skillet (3-4 minutes) on stove over medium heat

2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat about 1 minute. Add onion and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté 3-4 minutes.

3. Add broth and kale, cook and stir about 3 minutes, until kale wilts.

4. Stir in cranberries and thyme. Lightly season again with salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes, until cranberries begin to plump.

5. Divide warm rice evenly into 4 bowls and top with mushroom mixture. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Caramelized Pineapple Crumble

4 cups sliced fresh pineapple

1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar

2 Tbsp. wheat flour

1 cup granola

3 Tbsp. coconut flakes

1 Tbsp. Earth Balance spread, melted

1/3 cup Meijer unsweetened pineapple juice

1. Preheat broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spread pineapple in a single layer on baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Broil 6 minutes until pineapple slices begin to brown and caramelize. Remove from oven.  Let cool 10 -15 minutes.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

3. Mix crumble topping; In a small bowl combine granola, coconut nd Earth Balance spread. Set aside.

4. Sprinke pineapple with flour.  Spoon  pineapple evenly into 4 ovenproof baking ramekins. Drizzle evenly with pineapple juice.  Top each with crumble mix. Bake 6-10 minutes (or longer) until topping is browned and crunchy.

5. Remove from oven and serve.

TANGY BEAN SALAD WITH CARROTS AND GREEN ONIOnS

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar 
1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari
1 teaspoon mustard, preferably German 
1 tablespoon sesame tahini 
3 tablespoons water 
2 1/2 cups cooked and drained no-salt-added garbanzo or cannellini beans
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions 
1/2 cup grated carrots 
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

Method

Whisk together vinegar, tamari, mustard, tahini and water in a medium bowl. Add beans, green onions, carrots and parsley, toss to combine and set aside at room temperature to let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.

                        For a delicious lunch, fill pita bread halves with this tangy bean salad and top with shredded lettuce.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Serves 6

This rich ganache is a great dessert for those that love chocolate.  It can also be used as a frosting or as a coating for fruit, such as bananas and strawberries.  This recipe exemplifies how healthy food can make a wonderful treat.

Ingredients

¾ cup pitted medjool dates (10-12), soaked in 3 cups of water for 2 hours; reserve soaking liquid

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup almond butter

½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract

¾ cups soaking liquid (divided into ¼ cup amounts)

Method

Using a slotted spoon transfer the softened dates to a high speed blender (or food processor) and reserve the soaking liquid.  Add the cocoa powder, almond butter, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of soaking liquid to the blender.  Cover, and whirl on high speed until smooth and creamy, adding more water ¼-cup at a time until the desired consistency is achieved, about 2 minutes.   As a frosting the ganache should be thick, but as a dessert it should have a slightly softer consistency that will firm up when placed in the fridge.  If using it to coat fruit, add a little more water for a slightly thinner consistency.

SouthWestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

4 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup fresh corn

1 cup carrot diced

1 cup red onion diced

1 cup sweet pepper diced

3 cup cooked black beans

1-1/2 cup fresh mix chopped herbs -

(cilantro, basil, chives)

3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

 Dressing:

3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 shallot minced

1 garlic clove minced

1-1/2 teaspoon mild chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1) Wisk all dressing ingredients together and set aside

2) Lightly saute the corn in olive oil – set aside to cool

3) Mix all ingredients together – then toss with dressing