Today we get the chance to talk with Katie Mae, a Nutritionist and Culinary Coach in Santa Rosa, CA. Passionate about helping others explore new foods, Katie Mae provides classes on how to make a plant-based diet easy, healthy, and delicious. Since 2011, Katie Mae has held weekly cooking demonstrations at True North Health Center, and frequently teaches at Dr. McDougall’s Health & Medical Center. Katie Mae holds a Master of Science degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University.
Katie Mae is the owner of Plantz St. in Santa Rosa, CA. Plantz St. is a culinary gym teaching culinary skills with an emphasis on fun, flavor and community. She’s also the creator of the Plantz Culinary Boot Camp, an online cooking course and the Plantz eCookbook Series.
Describe your path toward a plant-based diet and how it has affected your life?
My plant-based diet began when I started my Master’s program at Bastyr University. The school cafeteria was vegetarian, which I found intriguing and very tasty. At that time I had enjoyed 22 years on the “Standard American Diet”, and my body was finally crying out for more fresh and light plant foods. I hadn’t even realized the power of plant foods yet, but I knew I had to start eating more of them. Initially, I vowed to follow a vegetarian lifestyle for one year. However, after watching the film, Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days, I committed to eating 100% raw food.
After 4 months of eating a 100% raw vegan diet and volunteering at the Tree Of Life, a raw food healing center in Arizona where the Simply Raw movie was filmed, I was feeling healthy and light. Nonetheless, I knew I was only at the beginning of my detox from my previous SAD diet. One night, I happened to come across a video from Dr. John McDougall. He also teaches a diet based on whole plant foods, but the difference was he emphasized the importance of unrefined cooked starches, like sweet potatoes, brown rice and beans. He explained how all of the healthiest, leanest and longest-living populations throughout human history all ate a starch-based diet. Hmmm…the thought of cooked food actually being healthy—the diet of my ancestors was beginning to sound very appealing.
After reading and watching more from Dr. McDougall, I decided to experiment with eating whole grains, legumes and starchy veggies. I felt fantastic – light, free, and energized! Although I did feel 10x better with the raw foods than the standard American diet, my energy and digestive system improved even more with the unrefined cooked starches. I’ve since taken on a salt-oil-sugar free (SOS free) approach to eating, inspired by Dr. Alan Gold Hammer at the True North Health Clinic. While it may seem extreme, we get abundant amounts of natural sugar in fresh fruit, and dates are perfect for adding extra sweetness in recipes.
Long-story short: I fell in love with the way I feel on a whole food, plant-based and SOS-free diet. It’s had such a powerful impact on me that it’s become my life’s work to teach others how to embrace this way of eating so that it’s easy, healthy and delicious.
How did your business idea for Plantz St. come about?
After providing live cooking demonstrations at True North Health Center and leading a virtual coaching call for my online culinary training, I realized that the in-person connection and local community support was even greater than just having them online.
That’s where the business idea came in. My next move to bring the plant-based diet to the next generations is to create a plant-based culinary gym. I gave it a fitness theme to make cooking a little more fun and interesting. The fitness industry is growing faster than ever and our society is starting to realize how food may have more of an impact on our health than cardio and weight training. Plantz St. will be a local hot spot for learning how to eat and cook healthy whole plant foods. It will bring more joy, flavor, and community to this lifestyle so that it’s truly sustainable.
Related to your business, what surprises have you encountered along the way so far?
In a way they seem endless, but I think the biggest surprise is that I decided to open and I now have a brick and mortar location. I had a vague idea it might happen years from now, but never expected it to happen so soon. Within two weeks of having the light bulb idea, I signed the lease and two weeks later I moved in. The doors opened on August 22, 2015.
Congrats on your new business space! Can you tell us more about it and what’s next for you?
Thank you! Plantz St. in Santa Rosa will be the first of many locations throughout the country. We will provide cooking demonstrations, hands-on cooking lessons, and nutrition education. A class at Plantz St. will be a joyful, energizing culinary experience that builds fitness, drives community, and maximizes flavor. We may also sell select cooking equipment and plant-based educational material.
What is the most common question people ask during your cooking classes and how do you respond?
Most people are confused about oil and ask, “Why should we avoid high-quality oil when our bodies need fat?” We all know whole foods are healthier than processed foods. White cane sugar is made from a fresh, whole plant, but because it has been highly refined and has most of the beneficial nutrients removed so it is no longer a health-promoting plant-food. Well, all extracted oil, including coconut oil is the “white sugar” of the fat world. Whole plant foods containing large amounts of fat are nutrient-dense and part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, when it’s highly refined into oil, most of the beneficial nutrients have been removed. The bottom line is all oil IS highly processed.
Regardless of what type of fat it is, all oil is 120 calories of per tablespoon. With an average of 1-2 tablespoons per meal, that’s more than 1 pound of excess weight on your body per week just from oil, a highly processed food containing little nutrition.
What is the first piece of advice for someone who wants to add more plant-based meals into their day-to-day life?
Plant-based milks can be used to substitute dairy milk in a 1:1 ratio for skim or low-fat milk, whether it’s being used raw, in cooking, or in baking. Depending on what you’re using the milk for, some types may be a better match than others. Many people like the first plant-based milk they try, but for others it may take a little experimenting. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Remember that what you may love in your cereal may be different than what you want to use in a savory dish. With a little effort, you will succeed in making the switch.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure the sides are covered. Cut slits in the corners of the paper so that it overlaps and lies flat.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of the rolled oats with cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder. Mix and set aside. Place bananas, apple juice and vanilla extract into a blender. Add the remaining 1 cup of rolled oats and blend until creamy. Add the dates to the blender and pulse a few times until the dates are in small pieces.
Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredient bowl. Mix well. Stir in the blueberries and walnuts.
Using a spatula, pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1
Written by Heather Borders, dietetic intern, with Sharon Palmer. RDN
Loading...