As the fall rain creeps in and Halloween approaches, so too do people's ghastly eating habits return.
But, through motivation and guidance, Adam Hart is helping people break their unhealthy food habits by integrating whole foods into their lives.
"Eating whole foods, which are foods that have not been broken down, altered or transformed in any way, offer superior nutritional value compared to the often over processed foods found within the 30,000 to 60,000 choices in our average local grocery store," said Hart.
A nutritional researcher, motivational speaker and professional life coach, Hart invites locals to take the whole foods cooking class he offers every Wednesday night from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Gelato Carina.
"Each class is full of simple steps for eating more nutrient rich foods that fit any budget. I really try to put an emphasis on kid friendly meals so parents can increase the nutritional value of food for their kids," said Hart.
The hour and a half long class focuses on a different whole food ingredient each week, and Hart teaches participants how to use whole foods to create family meals.
"There are six types of whole foods: nuts and seeds, grains and legumes and fruits and vegetables. I try to make it easy for people to know what the foods are and how they can use them," said Hart.
"The other week we made homemade power powers. Making your own power bar takes less than five minutes and cost less than 25 cents per bar."
Having developed a poor relationship with food a young age, Hart decided to gain control of his health after being diagnosed as a pre-diabetic at age 26.
Hart moved from Toronto to British Columbia, where his career as a nutritional researcher began. He has been teaching classes in Squamish for five years, but this is the first year his classes have been offered to the public.
"I have noticed a big shift in Squamish. More people are seeking out a healthier way of doing things and they want it to be as easy as possible," he said.
Participants will make Pad Thai in next Wednesday's class (Oct. 28), learning how to substitute zucchini for processed noodles.
Hart posts a monthly calendar of his classes in Carina Gelato. Each class cost $20 with a five-dollar discount for those who bring a friend.
