Aqila Norris talks about “cheffing” it up plant-based style in Italy
Written by Aqila Norris
This winter I took a tour of Europe to explore and study food.
Some of the places I visited were France, Germany, Switzerland and Portugal. However, I spent the majority of my time in Italy. My first introduction to Italy was in Sicily, which enlivened my senses with its beautiful landscape. Lemon, orange, grapefruit and olive trees were all within an arm’s reach from the room where I stayed. The fruits were refreshingly tasty and every day I ate them for breakfast and snacks. I found the food to be fresh and flavorful. This is primarily due to the short distance between the farms and residential areas. the What’s cool is this immensely reduces the shelf life of the produce that Sicilians eat, which means they are even more nutritious food.The community markets used and relied on the local produce.
Once I left Sicily I traveled north to Florence where the bulk of my studying occurred. I took a 3 week course titled “Nutrition and the Sports Industry.” To my delight, I discovered that it was a culinary cooking class designed to teach ways of preparing nutritious meals for an athlete. During the class I learned that more students and athletes were requesting vegan options. These requests generated classroom discussions on the pros and cons of the vegan diet as well as what it actually means to be vegan. The opinions varied, but the one key takeaway I learned was the distinction of a eating plant-based diet and calling oneself a vegan. My professor explained this in part due to one’s preference for alcohol or other lifestyle habits, including articles of clothing etc.
The plant-based/ vegan foods we made during class were pumpkin risotto, quinoa salad, amaranth salad, energy bars, sushi, seitan, pastas, ganache and more. All of these options are so practical and easy to make. Having the opportunity to make plant-based/vegan meals under the guidance of a master chef was a life changing experience. This opportunity plus the gift to join my CSC family on this PBA journey has inspired me to cook practically everyday. To put this into context: Before this journey I cooked maybe twice a week. Now I am enthusiastic about being creative and replicating the recipes that I learned in Italy. Although many of these recipes called for the use of animal products, I’m having fun learning to make them with plant-based/vegan ingredients. I already practiced making a vegan carbonara which was excellent. In Italy it’s typically made with duck or pork.
Initially I did not know this class was about culinary arts and yet it was pleasantly aligned with my intention of supporting my practice of wellness arts such as yoga, dance and flower essences. Practicing mindfulness with daily choices about my food consumption makes a significant difference in my life. With the continued support of this growing CSC community I look forward to having plant-based food being the paramount feature on my plate.
