"Cooking for Life: Grains, Beans & Veggies for Disease Prevention and Weight Management" class begins at Laconia Adult Education January 27

LACONIA — “Cooking for Life: Grains, Beans, & Veggies for Disease Prevention and Weight Management,” a new six-week class taught by Louisa Dell'Amico, will be offered by Laconia Adult Education from 6 — 8 p.m. beginning Thursday, January 27.

Dell’Amico, who has been eating a plant-based whole food diet for more than 40 years and has an A.A.S. in dietetic technology, plans to do cooking demos for spinach lasagna; vegetable pot pie with seitan; garlicky kale with chick peas; quinoa with mushroom/ tomato sauce; black bean, corn, and edamame salad; and healthy cookies.

In addition to a cooking demo for each class, Dell'Amico will briefly cover a topic for each night including: Weight Management, Mindful Eating, Disease Prevention, Antioxidants, “Good” Fats vs. “Bad” Fats, and Exercise.

“Many Americans are relying more and more on fast food restaurants and processed, prepared foods from supermarkets, and we are paying an enormous price in terms of increasing incidences of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer,” Dell'Amico said. “It’s very difficult to eat healthy, nutritious food when we’re surrounded by foods that are high in saturated fat, refined carbohydrates, and salt. It’s like running through an obstacle course every day, and very few of us make it to the end without stumbling and being tempted by things we know are not good for us.”

Dell'Amico emphasized, "This isn’t about food restrictions and going on a diet. It’s about changing our tastes and food preferences and learning how to appreciate food that’s fresh and not laden with disease-causing ingredients. This is a celebration of food, of health, and learning how to take better care of ourselves.”

Cost for the class is $50 plus a $25 Lab Fee. To enroll or receive more information, call the Laconia Adult Education office at 524-5712.

CAPTION: Louisa Dell'Amico will teach "Cooking for Life: Grains, Beans & Veggies for Disease Prevention and Weight Management," a new six-week cooking class offered by Laconia Adult Education beginning January 27.