Good Food Meets Good Business

One of the greatest criticisms of the organic/farmer's market movement is that it is for the elite. It costs more to eat well, and so isn't really a way of eating that is free and available for everyone.

Is this true?
How can we change that?

This was the question I set out to answer as I began developing the mission of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. The goal with my school is to teach people how they can share the empowering benefits of really good food- and that when it is made simply and from scratch, it is not only cost saving, but health saving.

How can we take the knowledge and privilege we have to choose our food and lend that opportunity further and wider?

As much as I love writing books, sharing the best smoothie recipes, crafting up fun Youtube videos and all the other projects that come with my work, I also recognize that the state of health is a global crisis and the majority of the people we share this planet with don’t have the privilege to turn on their computer and watch a video, let alone have access to the food, tools and opportunities they need to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

When I launched the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, it was for this reason I decided that taking action towards a positive global shift would be a fundamental part of what we’d be doing.

Our students range from stay-at-home moms looking to improve their health and that of their families, to executive chefs, health coaches, nutritionists, pharmacists, PhDs, journalists and more, the one goal that links all of us is the spark we all have to inspire positive change in our communities and in the world.

It is now tradition that we come together once a year and create the From Scratch Cookbook.

This is a 100% not-for-profit project. All of the recipes in this book have been lovingly and generously donated by our Culinary Nutrition Experts. My in-house writing/editing/design experts put together a gorgeous e-book and then we donate every penny this book earns from your support.

In 2014 we raised over $10,000 for Organics4Orphans and Charity:Water with our first edition of From Scratch. These initiatives provide sustainable food and water security to communities that are in need- with exponential opportunity for these communities to develop, grow and enable self-sustaining opportunities.

This year, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Kiva, a lending program that helps people around the world kickstart their own businesses, which empowers them to take control of their lives and create their own opportunities (yes!). What we love aboutKiva is that the money keeps on giving: the people who take loans are expected to pay them back over time, allowing the money to then go and support more people who need it. This is truly a giving project that keeps on giving.

This is good karma business. Start cooking for karma.