Des Moines Raw Food Week: August 20-26

Get ready for Raw Food Week in Des Moines!

The perfect way to recover from the deep fried coma induced by the Iowa State Fair is to treat your body to some healthy goodness! A full week of inspirational speakers, classes and networking await anyone interested in a healthy lifestyle during the week of August 20-26, 2012.

The week starts out with a special screening of Forks Over Knives at Fleur Cinema in Des Moines, Monday night at 7 pm. Forks Over Knives is an eye opening movie providing solid, evidenced based facts about our culture and the current lifestyle we live.

Skip ahead for the BIG event everyone needs to get out to on Wednesday, August 22. Hear the inspirational story of Dave the Raw Food Trucker. Dave lost over 200 pounds and helped to fight off life threatening diseases like cancer, diabetes, and more simply by changing his lifestyle and diet. Dave will be speaking at Event Center West from 6-8 pm, tickets are $20.

Area restaurants specials will celebrate Raw Food Week:

Above: A raw pasta dish from Fresh Cafe

Check out the fabulous restaurants who are offering specials as part of the week's activities:

• ALBA Chef Jason Simon, 524 East 6th Street, Des Moines
• CAMPBELL’S NUTRITION, 4040 University Avenue, Des Moines
• GATEWAY MARKET, Chef Bill Overdyk, 2002 Woodland Avenue, Des Moines
• LUNA BISTRO + CATERING, Chef Kris Van Tuyl, 621 Des Moines Street, Des Moines
• NATURAL THIRST, 1000 Grand Avenue, Des Moines

Plus, there are special raw carry-out meals available all week long at Fresh Cafe! If you haven't been to Fresh, you need to jump in your car and go!
1721 25th Street, Suite 110, West Des Moines, Iowa or call ahead to 515.440.4700

You can get a whole week of meals at one time thanks to Chef Brandy Lueders. She is creating a menu of entrees, sides and desserts for pre-order and pickup. For Raw Food Week, Brandy’s menu is entirely raw and vegan. Orders are due by 5:00 p.m. Monday, August 20. Pickup is Wednesday, August 22 between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. For details email
luedersbrandy@gmail.com before August 20.

Schedule of Events:

MONDAY, AUGUST 20 Movie Night FORKS OVER KNIVES 7:00 p.m.    Fleur Cinema, 4545 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa | $5 
Could it be there’s a single solution to all of our health problems? A simple remedy that doesn’t require a prescription or create horrible sideeffects? FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the claim that most of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled—or even reversed—by changing our present diet of animal-based and
processed foods. Join us for an exclusive Raw Food Week screening of this profound documentary. While you’re there enjoy a special concession menu of healthy raw snacks and treats.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, ENDLESS SUMMER: CAPTURING YOUR GARDEN’S BOUNTY, Sheree Clark, Fork in the Road 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.  Walnut Ridge, 1701 Campus Drive, Clive, Iowa | $20
Wondering what to do with the last vestiges from your garden? Wishing you had healthier snack options for the kids? Or do you simply want to transition to better eating, without a lot of work? There are lots of ways to preserve the current harvest for future use, so you’ll have tasty snacks on hand into the fall. This presentation is sponsored by Women of Worth (WoW), a monthly networking group that charges no membership fees. If you’re a woman businessperson looking for opportunities to meet others, WoW is worth your while.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22 DAVE-THE RAW FOOD TRUCKER-ROLLS THROUGH DES MOINES 
6:00-8:00 p.m.   Event Center West, 1701 25th Street, West Des Moines | $20
Over a period of 13 months, Dave reshaped his life by losing nearly half his body weight: going from 430 pounds to 230. During this time, Dave was successful at weaning himself off 24 of the 25 prescription medications he was taking. Join us for this life-changing live presentation.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23 Meals That Heal, Dr. Jean M Lorentzen, MD, DO 
7:00 p.m.   All Play | Master Party Room, 615 Third Street, Des Moines, Iowa | $10
Dr. Jean Lorentzen, DO, is passionate about the role nutrition plays in good health. In this candid and invigorating presentation, you’ll hear startling information about how prescription and over-thecounter drugs can deplete your body’s nutritional balances. More importantly, you’ll learn what you can do about it—including which foods can help reverse symptoms of chronic illness and disease.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 24 Healthy Happy Hour 
5:00-7:00 p.m.   Jasper Winery, 2400 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines | $10
Did you know that wine is technically a “raw” food and—in moderation—can even provide
some health benefits? Come support a local winery, nibble on some raw treats and mingle
with other Raw Food Week participants. Who says eating healthy is boring?

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26 Raw Sunday Brunch; 
2 Seatings: 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Echo Valley Country Club, 3150 Echo Valley Drive, Norwalk, Iowa
$29.95 for adults | $14.95 for children under 12.
Come celebrate the grand finale of Des Moines Raw Food Week while you treat yourself to a luscious four-course gourmet raw vegan Sunday brunch. Let us capture your heart and soul with this bounty of good food and good health. Join us at either 11:00 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Wine and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Reservations required and can be made at www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM.
Call 515.314.2031 for information.

*All event concessions prepared by Fresh Cafe

Keep up to date on all of the upcoming events: https://www.facebook.com/RawFoodDSM
For more information or to RSVP for an event visit: http://www.meetup.com/RawFoodDSM/

http://www.freshcafeandmarket.com/

As a side note, I am proud to be friends with the two raw food chefs who helped inspire this week long celebration of healthy goodness and who are also sponsoring activities throughout the week. Thank you Sheree Clark and Kerri Rush! You two are ROCK STARS! Check out their vegan and raw food friendly businesses:

https://www.facebook.com/ForkRoad

Vegan 101 - Part 1

This blog post was just taking shape when I received a message from a Vegan Iowa reader seeking advice and resources to get started with her lifestyle change. The timing could not have been more perfect! Her questions helped to shape some of the information included in this post. 

Are there any local resources or people to consult with when changing your diet?

YES!

Balance! Don't lose your balance and keep at it!

Where do I start? This three-part, Vegan 101 guide is a compilation of information, tips, tools and resources to help make the transition to living vegan a little easier. This particular blog post will focus on nutrition.

I’m including a disclaimer here to say that I am not a professional nutritionist. My primary goal, in sharing the information and resources below, is for you as a reader to seek out professional advice on nutrition. However, I have read extensively on nutrition and have improved my own personal nutrition immensely by taking steps to increase nutrient dense foods in my diet.

The reader who emailed me expressed she was feeling sluggish and had a lack of energy. This is a common side effect of making a dramatic change to what your body is using to fuel itself. Think detox! Your body is ridding itself of the chemicals, hormones and antibiotics ingested when eating factory-farmed meats and drinking homogenized milk. This sometimes lasts a few weeks, and it is really easy to fall back to eating these products to relieve the sluggish feeling. As your body is detoxing, fight back by pumping yourself full of nutrient dense foods like spinach, sweet potatoes, flax seed, chia seed, bananas, cocoa, and blueberries. It might help to add a little extra vegan protein powder to a smoothie to help give you a boost in the morning.

One of the ways to make sure your body is getting the primary nutrients it needs is to keep a food diary. There are a few food diaries you can use as apps on your phone. I use My Net Diary. This tool tracks the protein, fiber and vitamin rich foods your body needs, and gives you a status update on what you have consumed. In this way you know from the beginning whether or not you are consuming enough protein, etc.

Food Diary Apps:

My Net Diary (free download on an iPhone)

www.FitDay.com

There are tons of misconceptions about being vegan. There are ways to make sure you are getting your B12 intake, Iron, Omegas, etc. Personally, I love root vegetables like organic carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes. One of the natural sources of B12 is in the soil where they vegetables spend their time growing. When I had my B12 tested last it was higher than most people who are NOT vegan! My doctor and I were both a little surprised.

So as you sort through information and begin to change your diet, here are some local resources and books that you might find helpful:

Burt Family Food Services – Iowa City/Cedar Rapids

Just getting started on a vegan diet and trying to figure out what to eat? Look to Chef David Burt, former owner of the Red Avocado in Iowa City, for fabulous food! Nutritional counseling is available by appointment. Burt Family Food Services specializes in weekly meal plans, available in single and double portion sizes. 

Some of the most amazing vegan food you will ever eat will be available at your fingertips each week. Chef Dave uses nutrient dense foods and balances out grains, greens and proteins in his meals. If you are new to being vegan, this is a great way to SEE wholesome vegan meals and what types of foods go well together. I have a meat-eating friend who chooses the weekly meal plans as a way to simply add healthy food to his diet. This very affordable option is just $40 for single portion sizes or $80 for a double portion.

Chef Dave also teaches vegan-cooking classes at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, and at New Pioneer Co-op in Coralville. I took the Vegetarian Sushi class a few years ago and it was a lot of fun!

https://www.facebook.com/BurtFamilyFoodServices

http://burtfamilyfoodservices.com 

burtfamilyfoodservices@gmail.com

Fork in the Road – Des Moines

Sheree Clark provides one on one nutritional counseling as well as group led classes for people looking to change their lifestyle. Sheree is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York. With the knowledge of what makes your body tick, Sheree has been providing educational presentations to the community for years. Her classes are fabulous and I highly recommend the juices and smoothies class for anyone just getting started.

http://fork-road.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ForkRoad

Visit a Farmer’s Market

Look for vendors who use organic or traditional growing methods. There are some vendors who are not certified organic because of the long, expensive, tedious process of becoming USDA Certified. Fresh organic produce really does make a difference.

Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups thrive on YOU! A CSA is the perfect way to get the seasons best farm fresh produce on a weekly basis.

Local Harvest has a complete listing of Farmers Markets, CSA’s and much more. You can search by your specific city or region.

http://www.localharvest.org/

Dr. Jason Bradley, ND, DC, DABAAHP, FLTCHP, MA

Dr. Jason Bradley practices out of Washington Street Wellness Center in downtown Iowa City. Visit Dr. Bradley to look at your body’s nutritional balance and make sure you are getting what your body needs to be healthy and active. He has experience in working with patients who are vegan, raw vegan, gluten free, etc.

Dr. Bradley is the first person I have worked with who actually HELPED me through stress and anxiety in a natural way. After some blood tests, I discovered my Cortisol hormone was highly elevated, and that my Vitamin D levels were well below what is considered the “low range.” These two nutritional levels being so far off balance in my body, were likely the main reasons I was experiencing anxiety and depression. After one month of adrenal support and Vitamin D, I felt an amazing shift in my energy and everyday mood.

Washington Street Wellness Center

319-466-0026

Dr. Jason Bradley

General Practice Traditional Naturopathy

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement and Balancing
Acute and Chronic Pain Management

Certified First Line Therapy Provider

Board Certified, American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine

DNP Candidate, Excelsior/ Frontier School of Nursing Medicine, Community Family Practice (May 2013)

American Society for Nutrition - Professional Member

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists - Professional Member
American College of Lifestyle Medicine - Professional Member
American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine - Professional Member

Institute for Functional Medicine - Professional Member

ACA Council on Nutrition - Professional Member

Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine - Professional member

From My Book Shelf:

Thrive and Thrive Foods, Brendan Brazier

These books have great information on combating stress, dealing with adrenal fatigue, and identifying nutrient dense foods for your body. Brendan has developed some great recipes and tips for Vegan athletes. The information is helpful whether you are athletic or not.

http://myvega.com/

Vegan With a Vengeance, Isa Chandra Moskowitz

This is my favorite cookbook of all time. As proof, my favorite recipe pages are covered with food.

The Completed Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions: Veganize it! Foolproof methods for transforming any dish into a delicious new Vegan favorite, Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman

Look for more information coming soon!

~ Vegan 101 - Part 2: Stock Your Vegan Kitchen

~ Vegan 101 - Part 3: Recommended Vegan Websites and Other Tools

Fresh Cafe - A Vegan Paradise

Fresh Café is a breath of fresh air. Literally, when you walk through the doors it smells like a fresh spring garden with a few spices blended in. This is because they specialize in wheat grass and so everything smells fresh! They have modern seating, with a light and comfortable atmosphere. What a fabulous hidden jewel in Des Moines! I have bemoaned the fact I couldn’t get fresh baked vegan goods in Des Moines and it was right by me all this time!

My co-worker Sara ventured out with me for a wonderful lunch! In case you have not been to Fresh, it is tucked behind a few shops off of University and 25th. (The road across from Toys R US). Kerri Rush, the owner of Fresh Café, greeted us and told us about the background of the restaurant. Fresh Café has been around for seven years, and has been vegetarian/vegan/raw for about three years.

The menu features sandwiches, entrees, drinks and of course dessert! All of the menu items can be made vegan and there are a few raw dishes as well. Their vegan black bean brownie is a hot seller and sounds like it may not be a dessert but it is phenomenal! YUM! All of the baked goods are vegan, and you will also be able to pick up raw treats as well. There was a very steady lunch crowd and everyone complimented their food.

For lunch I tried the raw pasta dish and Sara had the apple melt. Admittedly, this is where I am mad at myself for losing the take home menu – because I can’t remember the name of the actual dishes – but at least the essence is here. The base of the pasta was a zucchini “noodle” served on a bed of spinach with a tomato and pesto sauce on top. This is the perfect cool down dish for a hot summer day, and it worked just fine on a winter day in January as well. Delicious!  

Sara's sandwich served on honey wheat from Big Sky Bakery, was topped with melted cheese, spinach and apples. This sandwich can also be made vegan – they sub my favorite vegan cheese, Daiya. 

Sara is a meat eater with a teenage daughter who has become vegetarian. She took home some ideas for meals with her daughter and was already making plans to visit again while we were eating.

Then came dessert…

This is the whole reason we were there. We got to taste test a few cupcakes, the black bean brownie, a chocolate chip truffle and WOW! The cupcakes are the lightest, fluffiest vegan baked cupcake I have EVER had. It was melt in your mouth good. We tried three flavors, chocolate, vanilla and apple cinnamon. I’m a sucker for chocolate and it did not disappoint. The apple cinnamon had great flavor and would make a good fall cupcake. They were a teeny bit crumbly but made up for this by being so delectable. Fresh Café does cater cupcakes for parties, weddings, or any special day!

In case you were wondering, the black bean brownie does NOT taste like black beans. It tastes like a really fabulous soft chocolate brownie treat, and the fact it is healthy and vegan is a huge bonus. They are sized very generously and are pretty much guilt free in my book.

We left with more goodies, full stomachs and huge smiles. Sara got a treat for her daughter and another co-worker. Let’s just say our co-worker finished off the cupcake in 3 bites with a HUGE smile on her face. Yes, it was a good cupcake even for non-vegans!

Kerri is considering expanding, so we may see another Fresh Cafe pop up locally and this will only spread the goodness through the metro. Visit Fresh Cafe and enjoy!

Fresh Cafe

1721 Twenty Fifth Street Suite 110 

West Des Moines, IA  50266

515-440-4700 

http://www.freshcafeandmarket.com/