​As a resident of Orange County you have probably visited the Laguna Sawdust Festival at one point during the summer. This being one of our favorite summer events, my husband and I always buy a season pass so we can go back often to enjoy a glass of wine, listen to the great local bands and browse the art and jewelry booths. Recently I discovered that the Sawdust festival offers a variety of art classes all year round which include painting, enameling, metal working and fabric dyeing. As someone always looking for new ways to have fun and be creative, I decided to sign my mother and I up for a beginning soldering class with Erin Proctor, a jewelry maker and long -time Sawdust class instructor. During the 3- hour, class Erin led us step by step through the soldering process in order to make our own silver and gemstone ring. I enjoyed the class so much that I have already signed up for the intermediate class where we fashion a silver ring with polished sea glass.
            These classes are great for birthday outing, date nights or just a fun evening out with friends! Check out the schedule at sawdustfestival.org and if they don’t have a time that works for you, give them a call and they will happily schedule your own private group class. 
 

Introducing our specialized catering for boating and private jets!

JAX In-Flight...and On The Water is a synergistic collaboration of Rebecca Clubb, owner of Whole Health Everyday and Campus Jax Restaurant owner Jack Jasper. With a combined four decades experience in catering as well as health and wellness this team delivers a new level of quality for in-flight meals. Catering on private jets + on your boat! JAX In-Flight features executive chef Fila Williams.  www.jaxinflight.com

​My favorite spot to work up a sweat is SoCal Bootcamp in Monarch Beach and San Clemente. I have been working out there for the past 3 years and I still love every class I take! They provide a “positive energy zone” where they focus on steady cardio and strength training in an indoor boot camp format. It is impossible to get bored because the workouts feature many different types of equipment including TRX straps, bikes, Bosu balls, kettle bells and battle ropes just to name a few. On top of that there are different exercises each day so every workout if unique.
            A second favorite is Shredz Gym in Ladera Ranch. Newly opened just a few months ago, this gym has state of the art equipment that I haven’t seen in other gyms. You can sign up to workout solo or take a group HIIT Class with one of their experienced trainers.   
            Also high on my list is Grit Cycle with locations in Costa mesa, Monarch Beach and Anaheim. Their spin classes combine great music and cool lighting effects with heart pumping dance moves all done on the bikes! I love to hit one of their classes on a Monday morning to get the endorphins flowing and set the mood for my week ahead. 

 I love it when I find a great new food product that helps me accomplish my healthy eating goals. I recently discovered the gluten free crispbreads at Trader Joes and I can’t get enough of them.  Made with oats, nuts and seeds, they are more substantial than a cracker with a tender, crispy consistency that is great with almost everything. I have one with a hunk of organic cheese and apple as a snack or quick breakfast, crumble them over my salads instead of croutons and use them as a base in place of bread for an open face sandwich or avocado toast. They best part is they have 6 grams total carbs and 3 grams fiber which means only 3 grams net carbs per crispbread, making them perfect for low carb and keto diet plans. Find them at your local Trader Joes next to the other crackers, and enjoy!
 

As a chef at Whole Health Every day and someone who tried to promote healthy habits, I try and keep up to date with the latest research on diet and nutrition. One of my favorite and most trusted resources for the most current health news is Foundmyfitness.com, the website founded by research biologist and health advocate Dr. Rhonda Patrick. The website aggregates articles on a wide variety of subjects related to health and fitness, and includes links to the original scientific study. One of the most interesting articles I have read on the website recently is titled “High Intensive Intermittent Exercise reduces markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.” If you are eager to learn what the latest research in health and nutrition has learned go ahead and take a look at FoundmyFitness.com or download the app on your mobile device. ​

​Touch your tongue to the top of your mouth. What you're touching is your palate.  We are born with more than 10,000 taste buds that send receptors to the brain that detect when you are eating.  Most taste receptors are on the tongue.  Your sense of taste can range anywhere from the simplest foods to the most intense flavors such as Caviar.  My favorite is Caviar and Champagne!  Caviar is Roe from Wild Sturgeon which are Beluga and Ossetra.  I top my Lobster Rolls with it.  Delicious!
I consider myself having a sophisticated palate.  I love a variety of foods with intense flavors.  Pleasing my palate satisfies my soul and I tend to find it hard to lose weight at times because I want more.  The key here is moderation and it only takes a little bit to satisfy your craving if you take the time to chew and taste your food.  Cleansing your Palate with sorbet before the next course can really make flavors more intense also.  Try adding in beverages such as wine, beer and spirits to the menu.  They enhance the flavors on your palate.  I often do food tastings that are not only eye pleasing but also pleasing to the Palate.  It is very important to carefully choose ingredients of high quality and taste.  Some of these high quality priced items are Truffles, Foie Gras, Kobe Beef, Caviar & various healthy oils.  In France “Amuse Bouche” which refers to “a single bite sized hors d’oeuvre” are just enough the palate.  As a Chef it is my job to create something beautiful to the eye yet pleasing to the Palate!

I recently read an article about how good hemp seeds are for you and how they’ve gotten a bad rap because of their botanical relationship to medicinal varieties of cannabis. Hemp contains a small amount of TETRAHYDROCANNABINOIDS (THC)  It has been researched extensively and science shows when it’s not smoked it can have substantial health benefits with almost no side effects.
The 7 benefits of Hemp seeds:
 
Rich in GLA-researchers have discovered that GLA supplementation is necessary for proper hormone health and can help greatly with PMS symptoms.
Arthritis and Joint Pain-researchers have concluded that hemp seed oil has anti-arthritic effects, which can help patients suffering from its symptoms.
Weight Loss-Hemp is a natural appetite suppressant and can help you feel full longer and reduce sugar cravings.  It’s recommended that adding 4 TB to your breakfast will help curb excess hunger the entire day.  This is because of all the fiber they have.
Digestive Health-High in insoluble and soluble fiber, hemp seeds provide more than enough bulk to keep your gastrointestinal system regular and feeds the probiotics in your gut to help secure a robust immune system. This means it can relieve constipation naturally.
Hair, Skin and Nails-the Oil in hemp seeds penetrates the inner layers of the skin and promotes healthy cell growth.  Since hemp seed oil is also good for skin disorders, such as psoriasis, and eczema, it’s a good ida to eat at least a couple tablespoons everyday to maximize these benefits.
Cancer-Because of its perfect fatty acid profile of omega-3 fats and GLA, hemp seed helps naturally balance inflammation levels and strengthen the immune system.
HEART HEALTH-Some of the key ingredients in building a healthy heart include fiber, plant-based protein, healthy fats and eating less sugar. Hemp seeds help in doing all of those things. 
 
I’m sure looking forward to implementing hemp seeds into my morning routine after reading about how healthy they are.  I know I could use all of these benefits!
 
 More ways to enjoy hemp seeds:

• Cut an avocado in half, sprinkle hemp seeds and pink salt - enjoy!
• Add hemp seeds to your morning smoothie and give your smooth some "chew"
• Mix hemp seeds into raw cacao+date+nut butter balls
• Sprinkle hemp seeds on top of muffins