Dec 15 in Palo Alto: Cool Cuisine for the Holidays and the Planet, with Laura St

[Guest guest]

On Monday, December 15 at 8 pm, the Peninsula Macrobiotic Community

hosts Laura Stec, who will speak on Cool Cuisine for the Holidays and

the Planet. With a growing awareness of how food choices affect the

environment, and the emphasis on food during the holiday season--what

should we serve at our holiday feast? We'll explore this topic with

a festive presentation by chef and author Laura Stec. On the heels

of her and climate scientist Dr. Eugene Cordero's recently released

book--Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming--Laura asks

whether a vegetarian world is the next best thing after " peace on

earth, good will to all, " or if this perspective is inherently

flawed. We'll compare carbon footprints of holiday veggie and non-

veggie meals (such as Tofu Turkey vs. Prime Rib), learn tips for

green dinner parties, share favorite vegan holiday recipes and sample

her new Christmas cookie recipe, Cherry Chocolate Nib Walnut

Cookies. Bring your favorite seasonal recipe to share and come ready

to debate! Laura will bring copies of her beautiful new book, Cool

Cuisine, which make wonderful holiday gifts! For more information,

see http://www.globalwarmingdiet.org.

 

Laura Stec is a classically trained chef and caterer with more than

25 years of experience, specializing in seasonal, local, organic, and

whole (SLOW) foods. Laura trained at the Culinary Institute of

America, the School of Natural Cookery, and the Vega Macrobiotic

Center. She has worked at Bay Area restaurants, taught at cooking

schools, and is a Culinary Health Educator for the weight loss,

Lifestyles, and other programs at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center.

Laura offers a unique perspective on the role our diets play in

personal and planetary health, and enjoys turning students on to the

artistry and energetics of healthy cooking. For more on Laura, visit

http://www.laurastec.com.

 

Lecture Details:

• Monday, December 15, 8 pm (no reservation necessary)

• $5-10 donation or book purchase suggested

• The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant,

Palo Alto, 1/4 mile East of Alma and the California Avenue Caltrain

Station

• before the lecture, enjoy a Gourmet Vegetarian Dinner at 6:30 pm

(dinner reservations: call 650 599-3320 by 9:30 am)

 

GOURMET VEGETARIAN DINNER MENU, DECEMBER 15, 6:30 pm

WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION, CHEFS JAMES HOLLOWAY AND GARY ALINDER

Warm Spiced Apple Cider

Gingery Kabocha Squash Soup

Tempeh Stroganoff Stew

Whole Grain Bruschetta with Parsley Pesto

Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Chestnuts

Sautéed Collards and Kale with Fennel and Red Cabbage

Winter Greens Salad with Local Persimmons and Walnuts

Cranberry Orange Spice Cake

Choice of Teas and Grain Coffee

 

Dinner Details:

• Monday, December 15, 6:30 pm

• $18 sitdown, $16 takeout for this special dinner (normally $15)

• please reserve for Dinner by Monday morning, 9:30 AM (650 599-3320)

• The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant,

Palo Alto, 1/4 mile East of Alma and the California Avenue Caltrain

Station

• for more Monday dinner menus, visit http://peninsulamacro.org

 

 

MONDAY GOURMET VEGETARIAN DINNERS IN PALO ALTO

 

The Peninsula Macrobiotic Community serves a Gourmet Vegetarian

Dinner every Monday (except major holidays) in Palo Alto. This is a

full vegan dinner which includes soup, grain, beans or bean products,

vegetables, dessert, and beverage, prepared by expert natural foods

Chef Gary Alinder, our Chef since our inception in 1987.

 

WEBSITE: http://peninsulamacro.org - featuring newsletter, dinner

menus, and related information.

 

DINNER RESERVATIONS: please try to make your Dinner reservations by

Monday morning, 9:30 AM; call 650 599-3320. If it's after 9:30 and

you're still interested in coming, call and leave a number for the

manager to call you back if there is space. It is not necessary to

reserve for the After-Dinner presentation.

 

TIME: dinner is served at 6:30 pm every Monday except major holidays;

the after-dinner presentation (once per month) starts at 8 pm.

 

PRICE: $15 for Dinner (the special Winter Solstice dinner on December

15 is $18 sitdown, $16 takeout), $5-10 donation suggested for after-

dinner presentation (usually once per month)

 

LOCATION: The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at

Bryant, Palo Alto, 1/4 mile East of Alma and the California Avenue

Caltrain Station.

 

AFTER-DINNER PRESENTATION: each month we feature an After-Dinner

Lecture or Event, described in the newsletter and website. Lectures

are usually on macrobiotic or other health related topics, by a

variety of speakers including macrobiotic counselors, medical

doctors, cooking teachers, and people who have dealt successfully

with serious diseases using macrobiotic or similar approaches. Other

events have included performances by folk singers and vegetarian

Chinese acrobats. We have a pass-the-hat policy for our events; we

suggest a donation of $5-10.

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: all are welcome at our Dinners, vegetarian or not.

The Dinners are particularly helpful for those who want to eat in

healthy ways, but may not know how to get started. Many who attend

may have the same health concerns you have. Also, choosing locally

grown, vegetarian foods is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon

footprint on the planet.

 

Dinner attendance ranges from 40 to 100, with a full spectrum of ages

spanning newborns to grandparents, including quite a few interesting

singles. Come with a friend or by yourself; singles easily integrate

into our friendly group, where seating is communal. Many long-term

friendships have started at a Monday Dinner, and are renewed every

week!

 

We hope to see you at a Monday Dinner! Please forward this message to

friends who may be interested.

 

Gerard T. Lum, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster

Peninsula Macrobiotic Community, http://peninsulamacro.org