I'm not sure how many readers are aware of Placer Adult School's nutrition class and cooking lab on Friday mornings at the DeWitt Center, but students create some excellent dishes during this class, and often take leftovers home with them.
I attended the class a couple of weeks ago, and was delighted to be served a sample of the Greek chickpea salad teacher Kathy Kaplan obtained from the American Council on Exercise.
This is a vegan recipe, but I'll confess, I added feta cheese when I made it for my family, and it was delicious!
Honestly, Greek anything without feta is like pancakes without syrup! But, even so, it was superb without it, too, and works for vegans, who by definition only consume plant-based foods - nothing of animal origin, including eggs or dairy products.
Kaplan, a vegan herself, loves her students and they adore her and her recipes.
"It's really Kathy who makes this class," Carolyn Edmondson said. "I've tried other similar classes, but didn't stick with it. Kathy keeps us interested and pumped about what we're doing here."
Lynn Flaherty said she likes the class because she's learning about different foods she'd never heard of or explored in all her years of going to the market.
"It's a whole new flavor experience," she said.
Kathy has helped Aghavini Davis improve her knowledge about diet and healthy eating.
"There's always room to learn more," Davis admitted.
And for Noel Gregorian, who travels from Placerville to attend this class, he just enjoys being there learning new recipes, sampling good food and conversing with other students.
Kaplan, who has a bachelor's degree in nutrition, is also a long-time aerobics instructor. Though this is just the second year of the nutrition program, she's taught exercise classes to all levels for years.
She offers classes in easy stretching, strength training, step aerobics, Latin dance and clogging, all through the Placer Adult School.
If you get the opportunity to join the group on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. you'd be welcome. The class takes place every Friday through the end of May and community members can join anytime.
There is a nominal fee for food supplies.
For questions or more information, please contact Placer Adult School at (530) 885-8585 or visit Web site www. placeronline.org

- Greek Chickpea Salad
Serves 8
This salad made entirely of veggies is dressed with a scant amount of olive oil and quite a helping of lemon juice.
The seasoning derives from very thinly sliced basil and green onions. You may wish to further season with salt and pepper.
Ingredients
2 16-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
3 plum (or Roma) tomatoes, diced
3 celery stalks, finely diced
3 scallions, finely diced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
8 basil leaves, chiffonade (shredded fine)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 3 lemons
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Combine the chickpeas in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Toss well and taste for seasoning.
2. Serve at room temperature or chilled (can be made in advance and stored for three days)
Source: ACE Foodfit (American Council on Exercise)
Susie can be reached at suziven@hughes.net