Ann Ziata — Chef-Instructor, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts

Tips for Having a Healthy Relationship with Sweets

msarill — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 19:19:38 +0000

Tips for Having a Healthy Relationship with Sweets msarill Wed, 06/12/2019 - 15:19 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/cake%20header.jpg.webp?itok=kvth4aA1 March 17, 2017

By Ann Ziata — Chef-Instructor, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts

As a natural foods chef who also loves to bake, I often get asked about “healthy desserts.” Do they even exist? Which is best: whole wheat banana bread, a raw date-nut cacao truffle or a baked apple? I say, choose whichever sounds most appealing to you.

What I’ve found is when eating “healthy desserts,” the relationship we have with food is just as important as the ingredients. So before you read the nutrition label, check in with your own label first. I’ve broken it down into three ways we can improve our relationships with sweets physically, emotionally and holistically.

Physically: Reset your palate

Cut back on the white stuff. This may be obvious but, if you haven’t already, wean yourself off white sugar (even if it’s organic). I once heard the taste of white sugar described as “an entire orchestra playing one note,” which is hauntingly accurate of its harshly sweet taste. It’s also incredibly addicting, so cut back gently. If you like your coffee sweet, instead of switching to black, gradually reduce the amount of sugar you use over the course of a week or so. It takes only 10 days to reset the human palate and your body will soon appreciate the more nuanced, natural sweetness found in real, whole foods.
Increase the amount of whole grains and cooked starchy vegetables in your diet. Not only do they provide sweetness, but their complex carbohydrate and B-vitamin content make them extremely comforting and relaxing to the body, which decreases the desire for sugary desserts like cupcakes. Grains to consider include oatmeal, polenta, and whole wheat pasta; vegetables include yams, winter squash, and beets.
Use natural sweeteners. The complex flavors of maple syrup, honey, and maple sugar are all naturally satiating, meaning that after the flavors hit your palate, the body pretty quickly registers that it’s had enough and doesn’t want more food. That “one-note” taste of white sugar provides no satiety, so our bodies crave more and more.

Emotionally: Honor desserts for what they are – a treat to celebrate life

Desserts are meant to be tasted and enjoyed, not eaten for nutritional sustenance. Don’t cram kale and protein powders into your desserts so you can justify having cookies for lunch. In order for the vegetables to be properly digested, your taste buds need to detect their inherent bitter and astringent flavors. These flavors stimulate digestive juices, and if we don’t taste them, our bodies don’t release the hormones needed get the metabolism going. (I won’t even get started about protein powders; one of the biggest causes of sweets cravings is from inadequate protein intake. Eat balanced meals with whole grains, beans, responsibly-raised animal protein, and good-quality fats, not just green juice, carrot sticks, and salads.)
When you do have dessert, own it. Practice choosing food from a place of power, rather than feeling like a victim to your cravings. Sit down, breathe, pour yourself some tea, and savor every bite. Pay attention to your thoughts – are they full of pleasure and gratitude (“Mmm! This is heavenly.”), or of shame and guilt (“Ugh, I have no self-control, I shouldn’t be eating this.”)? The energy you put into your food is going to be reflected in how your body absorbs it. Stress raises cortisol, the hormone responsible for increasing inflammation and visceral fat, while feelings of joy and relaxation decrease it.

Holistically: Look at the big picture

Taste the sweetness of life. Indulge in the pleasures of life by spending time outdoors, enjoying the company of friends, and doing what you love. Spoil yourself by taking a warm bath or buying yourself flowers.
Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep and keep hydrated. It doesn’t matter how well you eat, you can’t feel great if you are tired, dehydrated, or stressed.
Listen to your body. What does it really want? Do you feel fulfilled in your life, career, relationships, living arrangements and daily schedule? Cravings are a sign of imbalance. Ask yourself the big questions and trust your body’s answers.

Learn how to make some desserts that are natural, delicious and satisfying in one of our upcoming classes.

Desserts Natural Gourmet Center Health-Supportive Culinary Arts

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Chef Ann Cooks for the Community with First Descents

msarill — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 19:05:50 +0000

Chef Ann Cooks for the Community with First Descents msarill Wed, 06/12/2019 - 15:05 December 21, 2016

By Ann Ziata — Chef-Instructor, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts

NGI alumna and former chef instructor in the Chef's Training Program, Ann Ziata has been spending her summers with First Descents, preparing health-supportive meals for cancer survivors throughout the country. Here, Ann shares her humbling experience working as a chef with this nonprofit organization.

Up before the sun, I hum my way into the kitchen to get the coffee on. As I whip up some buckwheat banana pancakes, scrambled eggs and triple-berry smoothies, the First Descents participants and staff bustle around the cabin grabbing breakfast, packing their lunches and gathering their gear for the day. I make a mental note to have something other than a cup of French roast because I’ve got a full week of cooking ahead of me.

For the past two summers, I have traveled around the country (Oregon, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Upstate New York) to cook with First Descents. First Descents is a nonprofit organization that leads life-changing outdoor adventure retreats for 18- to 39-year-old cancer survivors. During each week-long program, the participants conquer outdoor challenges (including rock climbing, whitewater kayaking and surfing) to face their fears, building confidence and community along the way.

To say the energy stays high for the week is an understatement; while I’m at my cutting board slicing tomatoes for their wraps, I can hear them, full-grown adults, singing and laughing like kids away at summer camp. While it’s not surprising to see a dance party break out in the driveway before 9 a.m., it surely doesn’t make it any less magical. It’s the excitement of the participants (as well as the few pancakes I was able to sneak a bite of) that keeps me going throughout the day.

Once we get ahead on prep for the week, the sous chef and I will get a break from the kitchen and spend a morning hiking or climbing with everyone. Until then, we're menu planning, food shopping and cooking in anticipation for their arrival. They return from the river ready to hungrily demolish health-supportive yet familiar snacks like salmon and avocado sushi rolls, zucchini bread, and organic tortilla chips with homemade salsa and guacamole. It’s my job to introduce them to whole food meals while making it accessible to them. Nothing too foreign gets served (no hijiki caviar here!) The food has to be recognizable, comforting and energy-dense, since they are doing a lot of physical activity. It’s a fine balance between getting them a bit outside of their usual ways while still making sure that they feel satisfied from their meals.

Everyone arrives outside of their comfort zone. As their chef, I need to make sure that they feel supported and fed. I know that trusting all of your meals to be made by someone else, while a nice luxury, can also feel a bit nerve-wracking, especially to someone with unique dietary needs. So on top of making sure everyone gets enough guac, and that dinner is served at exactly 7 p.m., I need to make sure that Tats doesn’t have the salad dressing (which has cashews), Sunny gets the dairy-free pizza, and that no citrus ends up on T.T.’s plate. (By the way, it’s an FD tradition to go only by nicknames the entire week. To them, I’m not “Chef Ann,” but “Gem,” a name bestowed on me for always traveling with an amethyst for good luck.)

After dessert is served, the sous chef (who happened to be fellow Natural Gourmet Institute instructor Susan Baldassano, I mean, “Bumble Bee,” in New Hampshire) and I join them around the campfire. Getting to connect with the participants is the most rewarding part of this 70-hour work week. The strength and vulnerability they share through the stories of their day on the rock, as well as their lives back home, is just incredible.

The participants are all at various stages in their cancer treatments; some have been in remission for years, others return back to chemo on Monday. Most have never been rock climbing or kayaking before; for others, it’s their first time on a plane, first time away from their kids or first time meeting another young adult who has had cancer. By the end of the week, a group of 20-plus individuals has gone from strangers to family. It is not an exaggeration to say that these weeks have been a transformative experience for me.

The week following my flight back home to NYC, my coworkers, friends and even the cashier at Trader Joe’s have called me out for having a “glow.” I’m honored to be a part of the First Descents family, and, as a chef, to be of service to such a deserving organization.

This story was originally published by the Natural Gourmet Institute. Chef Ann continues to instruct at the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education.

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