Guest Post: Lettuce Choose Healthy

Another day, another guest post.  This one comes from Julie at Lettuce Choose Healthy and this girl is just as cute (if not more so) than her blog name and she’s a culinary student to boot!  In other words, I envy her.  This post had me drooling and I’m sure by the end, you will be too! 

Hi everyone. Lauren was so kind to ask me to guest post while she is away.

My name is Julie. I am new to the blog world. I just recently started Lettuce Choose Healthy. I am a senior at Johnson & Wales University. I have about two weeks left of the school year until I graduate!

A lot of people ask what it’s like to be at culinary school.

First off all you get to wear these cool uniforms to class every day. Jealous? Everyone needs to wear them to academic classes as well as the cooking labs. I actually really like wearing a uniform. I never have to decide what to put on in the morning.

In order to get into the Bachelors Culinary nutrition program you must complete the Culinary Arts Associates degree. During this degree you learn all the fundamentals and different types of cuisines. Some of these classes are a health freaks nightmare.

My favorite classes in culinary arts were nutrition and sensory analysis where you learn mainly the techniques of poaching and steaming. It focuses on how to create natural fresh flavorings through food combinations. Beverage class was a lot of fun too. Every student’s “desk” was a bar set-up. The bottles were filled with colored water. Our practical was to make 12 mixed drinks in 6 minutes. I also really liked the baking classes.

My least favorite class in culinary arts was meat cutting. Vegetarians looks away…
The class was in a cooler. It was SO cold. We learned the different cuts of meats on each animal and how to break them down like a butcher. I was so happy when that class was over.

After finished my Culinary Arts Associates degree I applied to get in the Culinary Nutrition program which I got into. All classes are nutrition focused. We get the same science background education like other nutrition majors get like taking organic chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology. We learn about nutrition in classes like Medical Nutrition Therapy, Lifespan Nutrition, and Nutrition Assessment. What makes it different from other Nutrition programs is we also learn about nutrition and food. Some of the classes in Culinary nutrition are Food Science, Vegetarian Cuisine, Athletic Performance Cuisine, and Lite and Healthy Desserts.

(smoked tempeh and potato sausage on chickpea latkes with potato, red lentil and brown onion hash)

(Making energy bars in Athletic Performance Cuisine – certain nutrition parameters for different athletes)

(mini vegan fruit tarts)

I absolutely love going to culinary school.

After graduation I am completing a really awesome internship over the summer (more info to come soon to my blog!!) I hope to get a job after that in a field of nutrition education. I like to help and show people that eating healthy can be easy and delicious. Check out my recipes in my page J

(spring salad with a light citrus dressing)

(3 ingredient oatmeal pancake)

(Black bean burger)

What school do/did you go to? What was your major?

Thanks again Lauren for letting me guest post! I hope you are having fun in New Orleans!!

Thank you, Julie!!  I would tell you all my school and major but I’m pretty sure I’ve already beat you over the head with that information for the past few weeks 😛