This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, you must register here or by emailing carla@smithcenter.org

with Chef Kara Garrett

Join Chef Kara for a fun morning of virtual cooking where she will demonstrate and guide you through cooking a plant-based, protein-packed brunch to start your day. We will make a vegan tofu scramble that can be customized to include any of your favorite veggies on hand. We will also prepare a chocolate-almond mug cake that is healthy and easy to prepare – you can even cook it in the microwave if you don’t want to heat up the oven!

Chef Kara will share tips on incorporating more plant-based proteins into your daily meals and answer any questions you have on ingredients or cooking techniques. Most importantly, we will join together to enjoy our brunch and discuss our kitchen challenges and successes.

This is an interactive class and you are welcome to simply watch for new ideas, or to choose which of the items you would like to prepare along with Chef Kara.

Menu Items:

• Veggie Loaded Tofu Scramble
• 15-minute Chocolate-Almond Cake

Note: The tofu scramble recipe will prepare 4 servings and the cake will be one serving. Recipes are easy to adapt to any serving size.

Note: Please have all ingredients and supplies out and ready to use before joining the class. Contact Chef Kara prior to class for any questions regarding ingredient or equipment substitutions.

Tofu Scramble Ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Smoked Paprika
• Turmeric powder
• Black pepper
• Nutritional yeast (optional, but adds “eggy” flavor and vitamin B12)
• Milk of choice
• 2-3 vegetables of choice (Chef Kara will be using red bell pepper, broccoli, and
• cherry tomatoes)
• Optional serving choices: avocado, toast, tortilla, scallions, hot sauce

Chocolate Mug Cake Ingredients:

• Almond Flour (or 1/3 cup almonds or pecans, ground in food processor/blender)
• Cocoa powder
• Maple syrup
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Milk of choice
• Vanilla Extract
• Optional garnish: chocolate chips, coconut flakes or chopped nuts

Kitchen supplies:

• Cutting board and knife
• Sauté pan
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• 2 mixing bowls
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk
• Ramekin or coffee mug (if using microwave)

About Chef Kara Garrett

Kara is a health-supportive chef based in Washington, DC. Following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2013, she embraced the challenge of finding a balance between her foodie lifestyle and eating well with cancer. She has adopted a flexible diet plan that focuses on plant-based, sustainable whole foods, but does not restrict indulgences of things she loves. She is passionate about working with others to encourage healthier food choices that energize the body and the soul.

Kara graduated in August 2017 from the Chef Training Program at Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC and spent one month as the sous chef at The Ananda Ashram Yoga Society of New York in Monroe, NY. She is currently enrolled in the Developing Healthy Communities: Nutrition, Behavior, and Physical Activity graduate program at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.