Protein, Fiber & Flavor- Plant Based Cooking Adventure

I’m someone who’s been on quite the food adventure! Growing up, I had a mom who was passionate about health and plant-based eating, and in high school I even took health classes that taught the importance of proper nutrition. Of course, like many young adults, I decided to ignore most of that wisdom and embraced what I like to call the “college poor” diet—ramen, pasta, bread, and anything cheap and easy!

Everything changed in my early 40s when I was diagnosed with diabetes. Determined to avoid medication, I dusted off the nutrition knowledge I already had, added advice from my wife and mother, and committed to a very strict diet. The results were life-changing: I lost over 100 pounds, and through diet alone, I brought my A1C down to around 5.7.

Even with that success, healthy living is still a journey, and I continue to work on maintaining my weight and making good food choices. That’s why I love being part of communities where people share similar health goals. I’m passionate about exchanging recipes, kitchen shortcuts, and the practical tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way.

When I’m not teaching or working, you’ll likely find me outside camping, swimming at the lake, or getting creative with all kinds of crafts. My hope is that participants walk away with great recipes, clever kitchen hacks, and at least one new insight about health they didn’t have before. After all, learning to eat well should be useful, inspiring, and maybe even a little fun!

I love to eat and it is gratifying to me to share delicious plant-based foods for sampling during our cooking classes.  Many seem incredibly surprised that healthy plant-based foods are so easy to prepare and much easier on the budget than foods in the typical Standard American Diet.  A big plus for me is that learning goes both ways and I learn so many valuable tips from the participants during our time together.