Cooking
Health and Well-Being
More Great Stuff

Meet the instructors

Classes

Healthy Connections Classes

The Co-op offers cooking and health and well-being classes throughout the year.Each season includes several free classes, so there's something for every budget. Cooking classes emphasize whole and organic ingredients, and when possible, fresh local produce.

All classes (unless noted) are held in the Co-op Connection Building on the south side of the parking lot on Forest Street. Please park off site if possible.

To Register for Classes

Registration requires payment in full. Stop by the co-op service desk in person, or call (360) 734-8158 (credit card payment only). For any other information, contact Kevin at 734-8158 or email kevinm@communityfood.coop.

Pre-payment is required to secure your space. Some classes have limited enrollment, while others may be cancelled due to low enrollment, so it is recommended that you register as soon as possible.

To Receive Healthy Connections E-Mail Updates

If you would like to receive weekly e-mail updates on Healthy Connections Classes, email kevinm@communityfood.coop. Type in the subject "HC updates", and in the text of the message, just type your name. The update will include descriptions of upcoming classes in the current week and the week after, changes in the schedule, alerts about classes that are filling up or in danger of being cancelled, as well as some news about classes on the horizon.

Cooking 

The Yoga of Food
with Laura Smith and Juliet Wade of Ayurvedic Health Center
Thursday, May 15, 6:30-9 pm
$15 members, $18 non-members
Ayurvedically, food is the fundamental tool for correcting imbalance and building health. Food carries the intelligence of nature’s elements that becomes the intelligence of our bodies and minds. In this class we will explore the ancient Ayurvedic knowledge of the union of the six tastes, the subtle qualities of different foods and their digestive and post digestive impact. We will share Ayurvedic ways of preparing and eating that work with the forces of nature to encourage proper assimilation. And we will cook one dish three different ways to demonstrate how to modify a food’s effect to align with your unique constitution.

The Bites of Spring
with Mary Ellen Carter
Tuesday, June10, 6:30-8:30 pm
$24 members, $28 non-members
for wine option, add $6
Using the freshest seasonal ingredients from the garden--asparagus, herbs, morel mushrooms, baby greens, and strawberries and rhubarb--we will be creating a spring tonic soup with tender baby greens, a Morel mushroom gratin, Spot Prawns in lime tarragon sauce wrapped in lettuce leaves, creamy lemon risotto with asparagus and a strawberry rhubarb tart. Join us to celebrate primavera! A six-ounce portion of wine is $6.

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Health and Well-Being

Effective Weight Loss and EFT
Kathryn Lyons, LMHC, CDP
Tuesday, May 20, 6:30-8:30 pm
$5 members, $6 non-members
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a powerful energy psychology technique that can eliminate barriers to effective weight loss and management.   Easy and fun to learn, EFT involves gentle tapping on acupuncture meridian points.  It impacts the underlying emotions that may be implicated in craving and loss of motivation.  Simple and versatile, EFT can be used to address other emotional, physical and psychological issues, as well.  You will leave the class with a tool that works, no matter how discouraged you may feel  due to past attempts at weight loss.

Qigong of Tai Chi for Health & Vitality
with Robert Fong
Thursday, May 22, 6:30-9 pm
$20 members, $23 non-members
Practice and learn special breathing and movement techniques to improve your overall health. Find out how to do a gentle self massage to strengthen your life energy and mind.
Also an introduction to Hsing Yi and Flying Eagle Qigong.Fong has been teaching Chinese healing and martial arts for more than 30 years.

Rolfing Clinic for Children
with local Rolfing practitioners
Saturday, May 31, 12–4 pm
Drop-In Clinic—No Registration Necessary
A no-charge treatment clinic for children 14 or younger. Rolfing is a method of structural assessment and restructuring that uses the inherent mobility of the fascial system of the body to enhance balance and movement. This hands-on manipulation has great potential for working with children, before patterns of injury and misuse are deeply embedded

Making Herbal Tinctures and Salves
with Nancy Swanson
Thursday, June 5, 6:30-9 pm
$15 members, $18 non-members
First we will discuss how to make salves and tinctures without destroying the medicinal properties in the process.  We will discuss the merits of the various carrier substances (vinegar, alcohol, or water for tinctures; oils for salves).  Many people add non-herbal ingredients as preservatives and emulsifiers.  We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various non-herbal ingredients used in making salves and creams.  The instructor will then demonstrate the steps in making salves and tinctures using pre-prepared ingredients in various stages of production so that we can proceed from start to finish.  Each participant will take home a small sample of the finished product.

Wild Goose Qigong
with Robert Bates and Marjorie Scarlett
Monday, June 9, 6:30-7:30 pm
Free event—registration requested
The system of exercises known as Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong embodies the spirit, strength, and fluidity of the wild goose in its daily routine. Based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, these enjoyable exercises are designed to strengthen the body, revitalize the mind,  cultivate good health, and promote longevity. We will demonstrate “The First 64 Movements” and teach some basic moves that you will be able to practice at home.

Healthy Aging with Ayurveda
with Laura Smith
Tuesday, June 12, 7-9 pm
$5 members, $6 non-members
Aging opens you into a phase of life that can be rich with poignancy as your changeless spirit shines through the cracks of worn-out self images. Ayurveda offers a great deal both physiologically and spiritually to assuage the suffering that often encroaches upon the aging process. In this class we will talk about common complaints such as joint pain, memory loss, weakening senses, indigestion, dryness, inflammation, insomnia and anxiety. Ayurveda provides support through its rich pharmacopoeia of herbs, dietary modifications, oleation therapies, yoga and mediatiton. Come learn some nurturing techniques and perspectives to help you or a loved one ease into conscious aging.

Intuitive Medicine
with Heidi M. Hawkins, MAc, LAc
Wednesday, June 18, 7-9 pm
Free event—registration requested
Heidi M. Hawkins became a medical intuitive through an in-depth study of the mystical element of traditional Chinese medicine. Medical intuitives can help you gain insight into tricky medical problems, especially if those problems derive from more subtle causes. Bring your questions and come to this free, informal discussion of medical intuition and Chinese medicine.

Balancing Hormones Naturally                 
with Marie Tsiang, LAc
Thursday, June 19, 7-9 pm
Free event—registration requested
Marie Tsiang provides a holistic approach to women’s hormone-related health concerns.This talk will provide you with basic facts about how hormones, blood sugar and stress affect health.  In addition, you will learn about various natural treatments for PMS and menopause, which will help you make an informed decision about the most appropriate treatment for your symptoms.

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More Great Stuff

Dream Work, Soul Work
with Anne Fons, MA, MPM
Wednesday, May 21, 7-9 pm
$5 members, $6 non-members
Dreams are a rich source of meaning and inspiration. Many dreams, however, resist easy understanding. Come to this class for ideas that will help you to use your dreams as a means to dialogue with your soul. Anne Fons is a licensed counselor in private practice with over 15 years experience working with dreams to support people on life’s journey.

Songbirds of Whatcom County
with David Drummond
Saturday, May 31, 6-9 am (yes, early in the morning!)
$20 members, $24 non-members
Together, we will listen to the peak song time of resident and migrant singing birds. Learn to recognize these colorful neighbors by voice and sight!  Subtle cues to family, genus and species identification will be conveyed. We also will explore in-depth their biology, ecology, habitats, behavior and conservation. Bring your curiosity, notebook and binoculars. The class meets on the Interurban Trail, at the rotary just west of 20th Street and Old Fairhaven Parkway.

Native Plant Identification
 with Suzanne Jordan
 Sunday, June 1, 1-4 pm
 $20 members, $24 non-members
 From the tallest tree to the deepest root, medicinal plants are all  around us. Join us as we identify dozens of native plants, including  nettles, Oregon grape, hawthorn, willow, wild mustards and ferns. Learn  medicinal and culinary benefits, ethno botany, ethical harvesting  methods and applications. Find out when to harvest each plant for optimum vitality,  potency and nutrition. Dress for the weather, wear good walking shoes,  and bring snack and water. Meets rain or shine. NOTE: This class will  meet at the pond in Fairhaven Courtyard on the southern end of the WWU .campus

First Gear
with Everybody Bike teaching team
Monday, June 2, 7-9 pm
Free event—registration requested
Get the tips and secrets that make bicycling safe, comfortable and fun for getting around town. Learn communication and positioning skills that make traffic or trail riding easy and stress-free. First Gear, part one of the four-part Full Cycle course, is a great introduction for getting back on the bike or a refresher for those already biking

Fermentation Workshop
with Sandor Katz
Tuesday, June 3, 6:30-9 pm
$10 members, $12 non-members
Come experience how simple it is to make your own kimchi, kefir, and other fermented delicacies. Learn about the healing qualities and nutritional importance of live-culture ferments, as well as their illustrious history and integral role in human cultural evolution. Empower yourself with simple techniques for fermenting these healthful foods in your home. Be part of the fermentation revival! Sandor Katz travels widely teaching and sharing fermentation skills. He is the author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods and The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America's Underground Food Movements. For more information visit www.wildfermentation.com

Making Herbal Tinctures and Salves
with Nancy Swanson
Thursday, June 5, 6:30-9 pm
$15 members, $18 non-members
First we will discuss how to make salves and tinctures without destroying the medicinal properties in the process.  We will discuss the merits of the various carrier substances (vinegar, alcohol, or water for tinctures; oils for salves).  Many people add non-herbal ingredients as preservatives and emulsifiers.  We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various non-herbal ingredients used in making salves and creams.  The instructor will then demonstrate the steps in making salves and tinctures using preprepared ingredients in various stages of production so that we can proceed from start to finish.  Each participant will take home a small sample of the finished product.

Sea Vegetable Harvest
with Ryan Drum, PhD
Saturday, June 7, 12-5 pm
$30 members, $34 non-members
Ryan Drum returns to Bellingham to lead a seaweed safari!  The class will learn to identify delectable sea vegetables and how to harvest them in environmentally friendly fashion. Along the way, Ryan will entertain us with seaweed anecdotes and more. Bring rubber boots, a bucket, and a cheap pair of stainless steel scissors.
Note:  The class will meet in Marine Park in south Bellingham. It is necessary to obtain a shellfish-harvesting license before class--available at sporting goods stores for $ 11.

Wild Goose Qigong
with Robert Bates and Marjorie Scarlett
Monday, June 9, 6:30-7:30 pm
Free event—registration requested
The system of exercises known as Wild Goose (Dayan) Qigong embodies the spirit, strength, and fluidity of the wild goose in its daily routine. Based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, these enjoyable exercises are designed to strengthen the body, revitalize the mind,  cultivate good health, and promote longevity. We will demonstrate “The First 64 Movements” and teach some basic moves that you will be able to practice at home.

Cut the Clutter
with Molly Zalman
Tuesday, June 17, 7-8:30 pm
Free event—registration requested
Learn the “Home Organizing Process”, a simple effective process for organizing any area of your home. This step-by-step system can bring dramatic results by helping to eliminate clutter and create a peaceful, harmonious environment.

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