Ann Marie
“When I was 25, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, adrenal exhaustion, and chronic respiratory allergies and sinus infections. I was young, but I felt like an 90-year-old woman. Getting out of bed was a challenge; I was constantly getting sick. I was exhausted and miserable.”
“By changing my diet, I was able to reverse all my symptoms. Instead of ending up in a wheelchair, I get to enjoy my life.”
–Ann Marie Michaels, Cheeseslave.com blog
I am reading a book right now called Dangerous Grains. It came out in 2002. I am shocked to see the numbers of health issues caused by grains, and then I find out today that Ann Marie Michaels regained her health on a gluten free diet. Here is my recent interview with her about her upcoming cooking e-class.
Interview with Ann Marie Michaels
Kimberly: How did you come to choose Surf and Turf for your first e-course?
Ann Marie: I wanted to teach people about organ meats, Sally Fallon Morell of the Weston A. Price Foundation is always talking about the importance of eating them. But then, I also realized that seafood, specifically shellfish has loads of nutrients, and people need to be eating more of that also.
I also got feed back from readers saying they didn’t know how to cook fish.
From a health standpoint, eating seafood once or twice a week can lower your chance of dying from heart disease by 36%.
Kimberly: How about the turf part?
Ann Marie: When folks start buying local, and buy grassfed meat in bulk, they end up getting strange cuts of meat that they don’t know what to do with. I felt this was an important gap to fill in their cooking knowledge.
And, so many people right now seem to be trying to avoid grains. Focusing on meat and seafood dishes is a good way to help them accomplish this.
For those on the GAPS diet, this e-course is totally GAPS friendly.
Kimberly: What are some examples of the dishes you will teach in the course?
My sneak preview is how to make ceviche, it is so delicious and no cooking is involved.
Another seafood dish we will be making is Sole En Papillote, it only takes 15 minutes. It is fish wrapped in parchment with lots of butter, veggies and herbs.
If people go to my Surf and Turf course page, they will see a list of all the other wonderful recipes available to the course participants. We will be using podcasts, videos, downloadable printed recipes.
One podcast I am particularly excited about is with Stanley Fishman, author of Tender Grassfed Meat. He has a new book on grilling meat coming out in November. We will learn of his art of grilling meat and avoiding carncinogens.
Another podcast is with a guy who calls himself “the Healthy Skeptic” we will talk to him about oysters and why fish oil is not enough.
Kimberly: Sounds so interesting! Why did you decide to create this course?
Ann Marie: I wanted to do this class because of attending a weekend workshop with Dr. Julia Ross, author of The Mood Cure. I learned from her that mental illness disability has more than tripled in the last 20 years in America. We obviously need to change the American diet, this is a costly loss to our society.
In the course I will give an introduction to the work of Weston A. Price, the famous nutrition researcher. I will also teach my class about the work of Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez with cancer patients.
Kimberly: What will your students get out of the class?
Ann Marie: Mothers will learn how to feed their families in a more nutrient dense way, but economically. We will have 2 classes on organ meats, one on stock, we will learn about delicious reduction sauces and gravies. We will also discuss “portable healthy food” like sandwiches and salads.
Kimberly: What does the course consist of?
Ann Marie: It has over 1000 recipes, 40 videos, and a bonus class on appetisers and snacks. In the bonus class you will learn how to make your own beef jerky, homemade clam dip and bacon wrapped dates.
The e-course is self paced. You will have 24/7 access to the materials on a password protected site. The week before each lesson, I will tell you what supplies you will need. Every class will include nutrition information.
Kimberly: What will experienced cooks get out of the class?
Ann Marie: Well, for one thing, cooking with grassfed meats is totally different than grainfed. The techniques are different, the marinades are different.
For those used to buying conventional foods, we will be learning how to shop, what to buy, and how to get it. Course members will also get coupons to buy grassfed meat and sustainable seafood online, since it may not be available to them locally.
Kimberly: Great talking with you and great success with your course!
For those who would like to register, visit the Cheeseslave Surf and Turf course page to sign up.
Kimberly Hartke is the publicist for Weston A. Price Foundation, a nutrition education non-profit.
To find grassfed meat, see the Hartke is Online.com Resources page.
