A Man and His Pan   –  Markus Schramm

Do you think you are too busy to make delicious and nutritious meals for your families? During this easy and interactive cooking demo, learn from organic baker Markus Schramm how to make a tasty breakfast dish - vegan French toast. He will also demonstrate how to make quick savory tofu cutlets served on artisan sourdough bread. Add a quick salad and you will have a delicious meal!

Markus Schramm was born and raised in Bavaria, Germany. After receiving his Industrial Engineering degree in Munuch, he relocated to Naperville, IL in 1993. Markus is the founder and CEO of Manna Organics, LLC — a certified organic, commercial bakery in Lisle, IL.

Eating Healthy with a Raw Diet  –  Mona Grayson

In this demo, you will learn how eating a raw diet can help you transform your life. You will hear Mona’s story and learn how to make simple, delicious recipes. Samples will be distributed.

Two years ago I weighed almost 200 pounds and was wearing a size 16. Even though I was vegan, I wasn’t healthy. I suffered from brain fog, fluctuating moods, and had severe intestinal/digestive issues. On most days I’d have to take a nap after lunch. Rather than thriving and having an amazing life, I was just dragging through my days feeling tired and dull. Can you relate?

When I chose to start eating more fresh raw foods, everything changed. I started feeling better, had tons more energy, and was so much happier. My skin became smooth and youthful. And get this — I also lost 46 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 6!

My transformation caught the eye of people around me who wanted to know what I had done. They started coming to me for raw food advice, coaching, and inspiration. Now I travel the country teaching and coaching people on how to make their lives more wonderful by eating raw food. It's a beautiful thing!

Want to know more about how you can eat raw foods and start feeling better emotionally, physically, and have more energy too? Stop by my website and pick up some of my favorite raw food recipes (for free!) SomeLikeItRaw.com.

Vegetarian Cooking Made Easy  –  Nicole Villenueve

Are you new to vegetarianism or want to include some vegetarian dishes that your family will like because they are close to the taste and texture that your family is used to? Please join Nicole Villeneuve as she explores textured veggie protein. She will show you a simple but tasty dish that your family will enjoy because it is already familiar to them.

Nicole Villeneuve was born in 1959 and was raised in and near Montreal. Creative arts have always been a part of her life, learning them from her family. Her father creates beautiful gardens and her mother is a talented seamstress. Nicole has always used her creativity in her life as a caterer, a personal chef, an estate manager, and as the owner and resident artist of an art gallery. At her gallery, PlayfulZen , she continues to explore artistic horizons by trying different techniques. She loves to combine found materials into her paintings, objects plucked from the obscurity of the alley and sidewalk, recognizing them for their complex forms and how they fit into the entire motion of society. As a cook, she uses these same traits to explore different cuisines to create delicious and exotic meals.

Vegetarian Fitness  –  Ravi Nagubadi

Many people think athletes need a meat-based diet for optimum performance. Not true! Many famous athletes have competed as vegans or vegetarians. The famous Olympian Carl Lewis, tennis champ, Martina Navratilova, and the great hoopster, Bill Walton are just a few. This demo will share recipes and techniques for using a plant-based diet for the athletes in your family.

Ravi Nagubadi - owner of Trestle LLC - IT Consultant firm, has a real passion for cooking after growing up watching his mother cook. Ravi has been a vegetarian for over 10 years because he feels that it is a stepping stone on the spiritual path. Ravi is also a triathlete and is very interested in the vegetarian diet's benefits for athletes.

Winter Salads  –  Mary Pomerantz

As winter approaches, when we want to serve a salad, we think of heartier fare and this often means incorporating grains into the dish. Mary Pomerantz will present two dishes that are easy to prepare and sure to please your family and your guests. You will learn how easy it is to combine simple ingredients and be able to taste these delicioius salads Quinoa Tabouli and Wild Rice with Cranberries and Pecans.

Mary Pomerantz learned the art of cooking from a tender age. As the oldest daughter in a family of nine, she was expected to help out in the preparation of meals. When she became a vegetarian, a whole new world opened up for her, literally, as she explored cuisines from all over the world. Her greatest enjoyment comes from discovering a new spice that she has never tried and finding ways to use it while cooking for her husband. Mary regularly conducts cooking classes at the Science of Spirituality Center and coordinates all the food demos at Veggie Fest Chicagoland.