Wells Reveals Secrets to Using Spices to Boost Flavor and Reduce Fat in Spa Cuisine, Grilling and Low Carb Meal Preparation
January 29, 2004 – Monterey, CA – David Wells, professional chef and founder and president of Wholearth Spice Company, will be giving a series of three cooking classes at the Salud Room at Whole Foods Market in Monterey starting February 20. In each class Wells will demonstrate that great tasting food can also be healthy. The series consists of “The Best of Spa Cuisine” on Feb 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., followed by “Luscious Low Carb Cooking, the Right Way” in March and “California Grilling” in April. Registration is available by calling 333-1600.
One of Wells’ fortes, developed during his 24-year career as a professional chef, is combining and using organic spices from around the world in savory dishes to tantalize the taste buds without added fat, sugar or salt. Using spices to create flavorful meals without the fat is a valuable part of each cooking class. According to Wells, people are afraid to use spices because they aren’t sure how to use them. When people do use spices, they use too little and don’t incorporate them at the right time or in a balanced way. Spices require a medium to release their flavor and the best medium is a small amount of hot oil. “What some people don’t realize is that spice is a flavor-boosting technique that doesn’t require much fat, in fact you can reduce the amount of fat that you use. For example, one tablespoon of oil is all you need to flavor a whole pot of soup with the right spices,” Wells said. In addition to reducing calorie intake with less fat, cutting fat has another benefit — fat coats the taste buds which keeps the tongue from experiencing the full flavor of food.
Wells’ love of cooking with spices goes back to when he was 17. Working as a chef at his family’s restaurant in Mendocino, on the north coast of California, he used spices to create a very flavorful, nutritious granola made with nuts, seeds and grains, with no sugar or salt. This granola became a major draw to the family Bed & Breakfast and along with his evening culinary fare (which won him Bon Apetit magazine’s Restaurant of the Year) helped put Albion River Inn on the map as a destination with more than just beautiful ocean vistas. Wells continued to perfect his granola and in 2001 founded Wholearth Spice Company and introduced Grandma Dave’s Organic Granola to the Central Coast of California. Today Wells’ granola is distributed throughout California by Falcon Trading under the SunRidge Farms/Grandma Dave’s label. “Wholearth Spice Company products fit with SunRidge Farms’ mission to provide the healthiest products to our customers by producing foods without highly processed or refined ingredients,” said Morty Cohen, president, SunRidge Farms, based in Santa Cruz.
Wells starting developing organic spice blends in 1998. In the late 1990s, while working as the head chef at George Lucas’ Sky Walker Ranch in Northern California. Wells was invited to the renowned filmmaker’s ranch to help change the lunchtime diet of employees so they would no longer fall asleep at their computers after lunch! Wells introduced energy-sustaining lunches that were flavorful and fresh, with little fat or processed carbohydrates. Early each morning Wells would create his organic spice blends for that day’s meals, drawing from thirty five mason jars filled with spices. Today, the Wholearth Spice spice blend line includes Italian, Cajun and Latin American. Other spice blends are in the works such as Middle East, Asian Fusion, Mediterranean, and Korean Barbecue Rub. Wholearth Spice is also bringing out a line of vinaigrettes to be released in the Spring of 2004. The Lemonagrette and Super-Citrus-Salmic vinaigrette, the first two in the series, are a result of intense consumer demand after Wells’ used them as a complement to his spice-filled barbecue and grilled culinary creations during demonstrations.
Mothers Illness Was Well’s Catalyst for Founding Businesses
When Wells’ 63-year old mother was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in 1990, Wells was working as Executive Chef for his own restaurant. His focus switched immediately to learning everything he could about cancer, and its treatment and prevention through nutrition. He learned about the benefits of ingesting various whole foods and supplements, and how they could compliment traditional medicine. We now know that foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids such as flax seeds, and phyto-nutrients in foods such as tomatoes (it’s the phyto-chemical lycopene that makes tomatoes red), and combinations of herbs such as Essiac Tea (made from burdock root, slippery elm bark, sheep sorrel, and turkey rhubarb root) are proven to fight against various diseases. Wells took charge of his mothers diet and developed recipes to boost her immune system and give her energy after her chemotherapy treatments. Two years later, his mother showed no sign of cancer. She significantly beat the odds, as 90% of advanced ovarian cancer patients live only two to three years.
As a result of dealing with his mothers cancer, Wells founded NutraCoach Services (www.nutracoach.com.) His goal: to coach people who are dealing with illness, and support others to lead healthier, more energized lives through nutrition, exercise and a balanced lifestyle. Whether it is through his personal consultations, cooking classes, or corporate presentations, Wells’ goal is to help people achieve their own health potential through his unique products and services. Wells gained the nickname, “Grandma Dave,” for his nurturing way with clients. When he became frustrated with the shortage of flavorful, healthy foods –foods that weren’t loaded with sugar, animal fats, trans fats, and/or excess salt — to recommend to his clients, he founded Wholearth Spice Company. In addition to using spices from around the world to create satisfying,Wells incorporates a variety of ingredients in each product that are carefully chosen for their nutritional value, balance in flavor, and purity. “Every culture has its signature spices which are treasured. Using spices from around the world literally brings diverse cultures together. That’s a beautiful thing, with so much conflict around the world today,” stated Wells.
For more information about David Wells visit www.wholearthspicecompany.com
and www.nutracoach.com.