JULY 14, 2016 // 7
Learn to cook with whole foods
Jennifer Visser to
lead cooking class
at Tolovana Hall
CANNON BEACH — Jennifer
Visser struggled with low-
er-back pain. On the advice
of a naturopath she cut sugars
from her diet. The results
were remarkable.
“Three days later my
A.D.D. cleared up,” Visser
says. “I was amazed. I’ve
never, ever been able to focus
like that. It was incredible. I
was hooked.”
A few days later, her back
pain subsided too. “It changed
my life,” Visser says.
Ever since she’s been
spreading the word: We need
to eat less sugar.
As the owner of the
Healthy Hub Massage and
Wellness Center in Seaside,
Visser has led numerous
cooking, diet and food-relat-
ed workshops in the region.
She’s also championed the
annual 10 Day Sugar Detox
Challenge, which has con-
verts trumpeting the virtues of
more mindful eating.
At 5 p.m. Saturday, July 16
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Jennifer Visser will lead a
hands-on cooking class July
16 at Tolovana Hall.
at Tolovana Hall in Cannon
Beach, Visser will present
a hands-on cooking class
entitled “Whole Foods Made
Easy: Cooking for Health &
Disease Prevention.” Visser
will begin with an informative
session then move into the
kitchen to share some of the
building blocks of sugar-free
dining. The evening will
conclude with a three-course
meal, including an appetizer,
main course and, yes, dessert.
The goals of the class are
twofold: to eat not only with
health in mind, but to make
those meals delicious.
“People think: ‘Well,
what do you eat?’” Visser
says. “I eat very, very well.
I love food. You can make a
great meal with just meat and
veggies.”
Cutting sugar isn’t just
about skipping dessert. It’s
about removing or reducing
foods that metabolize into
sugar in your body — starchy
foods like potatoes, breads
and dairy are all high on the
glycemic index.
“A baked potato is just as
high in sugar as soda pop,
conversion wise,” Visser says.
“Grains convert into sugar.”
Though sometimes you
wouldn’t know it, many
processed foods also include
sweeteners. For instance: just
about every hot dog and sau-
sage at the grocery store lists
corn syrup in the ingredients.
“The number one calorie
consumed by Americans is
high-fructose corn syrup,”
Visser says.
Cutting sugar intake has
numerous beneits, includ-
ing reduced inlammation,
increased energy, weight loss
and more.
The solution: Cook with
whole foods.
“Last night I had an
amazing dinner that was sugar
free,” Visser says. “I had and
elk burger. It was so easy and
fast. I had greens, avocado
slices. And then a hamburger,
just frying up a patty. Then I
sautéed mushrooms and on-
ions and put that on there and
I made a chipotle aioli with
herbs. It was so good, it was
so yummy, and it was easy.”
Saucing is a big part of
Visser’s cooking, and she’ll
go over a number of recipes at
the class. Participants should
expect to roll up their sleeves,
and they should come with an
appetite.
Class size is limited, and
RSVP is required. To register,
contact the Tolovana Arts
Colony via email, at tolova-
naartscolony@gmail.com, or
by phone at 541-215-4445.
Tickets are $50, and include
food costs. The class runs
approximately two-and-a-half
hours.
“People are going to walk
away having become more
food conscious,” Visser says.
“That is important because
knowledge is long-lasting.
Losing ive pounds is not.”
Bridge anniversary committee invites all to join the fun
ASTORIA — The Asto-
ria-Megler Bridge 50th An-
niversary Celebration Com-
mittee is inviting businesses,
organizations and members
of the public to participate
in this year’s festivities by
inding their own ways to
embrace the theme.
The committee is hoping
the community will come
up with creative ways to
join the fun, whether it’s
picking up the 50th anni-
versary theme for annual
area events, dreaming up a
bridge-themed culinary treat
or beverage, or running a
special deal on merchandise,
lodging, etc.
“The Astoria-Megler
Bridge is incredibly import-
ant to this community, and
we want everyone to pitch
in to make 2016 a year-long
celebration of what the
bridge means to us,” said
Clatsop County Historical
Society Executive Director
Mac Burns, who helped
form the committee.
Burns and the committee
have been meeting since
late 2015. Funding for 50th
anniversary-related events,
including a reenactment of
the dedication ceremony
and an engineering day for
local students, was secured
from the City of Astoria
in December 2015. Small
sponsorship packages are
also available to those who
would like to contribute to
the events.
Several area organiza-
tions and businesses have
already assisted in mak-
ing 2016 the “Year of the
Bridge” by centering their
events on the 50th anniver-
sary of the structure. The
Astoria-Warrenton Area
Chamber of Commerce
celebrated the bridge at their
annual banquet in January,
encouraging attendees to
dress as bridge construction
workers or Great Colum-
bia Crossing runners. The
Astoria Regatta picked the
Astoria-Megler Bridge
anniversary as the theme for
its week-long celebration
in August, using the tagline
“Bridge to Everywhere.”
“We’ve had several local
businesses and organizations
approach the Committee,
asking for permission to use
the 50th anniversary logo or
participate in some way, and
we always respond ‘Abso-
lutely!’” Burns said.
Construction on the bridge
began on Nov. 5, 1962,
following a ground-breaking
ceremony on Aug. 9. The
bridge was inaugurated on
Aug. 27, 1966.
More information about
the Astoria-Megler Bridge
and the calendar of 2016
festivities can be found at
www.astoriamegler50.com.
Don’t run a business or
organization? Members of
the public can join in on the
fun daily by posting photos
of the bridge on social media
and using the hashtag #asto-
riamegler50.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Paul McKenna Band, a traditional folk band from Scotland,
will perform July 21 at the Armory.
Scottish band brings
tunes to Astoria Armory
ASTORIA — On Thursday,
July 21, Coast Community
Radio will host an appear-
ance by The Paul McKenna
Band, a group The New York
Times calls, “The best folk
band to have come out of
Scotland in the last 20 years.”
The band is on its 10th
anniversary tour through
Australia, Europe and North
America — and will perform
in a concert and dance at the
Astoria Armory at 7:30 p.m.
The Armory, located at 1626
Exchange St., will offer
beverages and food.
There are ive members
of the Paul McKenna Band,
playing guitar, bouzouki,
lute, whistles, bodhran,
cajon, banjo and iddle —
and they all sing. Group
members combine their love
of folk and traditional music
with original songs.
The event is a fundraiser
for Coast Community Radio
(and a recognition of the Ar-
mory’s past when it hosted
USO shows for the troops
during World War II.)
Tickets are $17 in ad-
vance or $20 at the door. Ad-
vance tickets are available at
coastradio.org
CUBA
for ADVENTURE
15-day tour exploring Cuba
$
1,999
(plus airfare)
Come learn more
July 20 – 6 pm to 7 pm
at WineKraft
– 80 10 th St. – Astoria
www.cubaforadventure.com