By Pamela Stern
In Coach Legros’ latest two installments in his Nutrition and Cooking Lessons he began the first of a two part segment in the importance of Celery. The first part was called C4 over Rice and the second segment the following week was called Celery Trio. During this two part lesson he explained the benefits of celery.
Coach Legros’ Cooking and Nutrition lessons are joined by Chef Marvin and Chef Dana of Fork Flavor. Chef Marvin and Chef Dana start the segments by instructing the class how to prepare their items that they will be cooking with Coach Legros from how to select fruits and vegetables and what to look for when they go into the store to purchase their items to make sure that they are selecting the best items. They are also teaching the class the proper way to cut the produce items and how to safely prepare them and get them ready for their weekly lesson.
Not only do Chef Marvin and Chef Dana teach the class the proper and safe way to cut their vegetables but also they make it fun so that they students will enjoy the lesson. In the latest Cooking with Coach Legros, Chef Marvin and Chef Dana show the children how to dice the tomatoes, and other vegetables while showing them how to properly cut the celery into 2 inch thick pieces.
Coach Legros then comes into the lesson and the class already has their vegetables prepared, cut and in some instances precooked for the lesson. This allows Coach Legros more time for him to explain the benefits of the items that he is using in the evening’s lesson. In this particular lesson Legros stressed the fact that there are many benefits of celery. Legros explains that everyone should have celery cooked or raw. He stresses the fact that organic vegetables are better and healthier to have. He explains that there are three components to celery, first the seeds, secondly the leaves, and thirdly the stalk. Legros encouraged everyone to have all three parts of the celery. All three parts of a celery stalk are beneficial to your body. Legros told the class that celery lowers your blood pressure, and also has a lot of vitamins.
Ingredients for the Celery Trio are: celery, chickpeas (canned), peanut butter, celery seeds, tomatoes, lemon, and the infamous legrosspices. Legros started the lesson with boiling ¼ teaspoon of salt, and then rinsed his hands. Once the water has boiled Legros turns off the heat and takes ¼ teaspoon of celery seeds and places it into the boiling water he explains that if you would like it to be a little stronger that you can put another ¼ teaspoon into the pot. Once it boils Legros turns off the heat. Legros cuts the celery stalks stems and saves them for a soup. Legros proceed to show everyone how he eats a raw celery leaf. He tells everyone that you need to take care of your body if you want your body to take care of you, then he washes his hands. Legros proceeds to cut up cherry tomatoes, avocado, and sprinkles vegan cheese it into the bowl and then he stirs it then he blends the chickpeas and places them in the bowl. He then takes the garlic powder (which will make it thick) and places it into the bowl and stirs it, then he puts turmeric into the bowl and stirs it, next the black pepper gets put into the bowl and it is stirred in, then the cumin is put in ad it is stirred, then the cayenne pepper is put in and it is stirred. He then takes a coffee strainer and pours the tea through the strainer (there are now no celery seeds present) and into a glass tea cup.
Next Legros takes the stalk and pours it into a paper cup and puts peanut butter on top. He explains that the chickpeas and the peanut butter are the proteins.
The second segment of Legros’ Celery Nutrition class will be in the next issue of the Spring Creek Sun on June 14th.
Screenshots by: Pamela Stern
