Know someone that deserves a free holiday meal this Thanksgiving or Christmas? Click here to nominate them to win a free Deluxe Holiday Meal from Whole Foods Market!  Our store is drawing 4 winners for each holiday.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/minneapolis/deserving-dinners.php

With Chef Ani

Give your breakfast a passport to Paris when you learn how to make “petit dejeuner” the French way! In this class, you will learn how to mix up your very own French style omelet, how to cook it and how to flip, then follow it up with yummy crepes with a variety of fillings. You’ll learn some really good skills for cooking and eat a tasty brunch too. Class is appropriate for ages 5-14. Pre-registration is required.

One of the hardest times of the year for those who live a gluten free lifestyle is the holidays, when many are working to feed a crowd and there are tons of events and festivities without gluten free options.  Join us at our monthly Gluten Free Group of Friends meeting to discuss holiday recipes and strategies, sample new gluten free products and try some delicious gluten free holiday stuffing and sauces.  By attending the class, you are also entered in a drawing to win a year’s subscription to Living Without (a gluten free publication), a value of $23!  Class is dairy and gluten free.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Gluten free bread stuffing
• Gluten free wild rice stuffing
• Gluten free gravy
• Gluten free cranberry relish

With Chef Ani

Popeye had the right idea: spinach helps build healthy bodies.  It’s high in calcium, iron, antioxidants and Vitamins A, C, E and K, which support good health.  Spinach is just one of several dozen common greens that provide good nutrition and can be used in many popular kitchen classics.  Today, we will take our greens on a voyage to Italy and enjoy spinach, kale and swiss chard in four dishes.  Class is vegetarian friendly.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Tuscan kale “chips”
• Roasted garlic infused spinach
• 3 greens soup with pistou
• Homemade swiss chard ravioli

With Chef Ani

Carrots capture the slightly sweet, earthy, savory flavor of autumn and winter vegetables like no other item in the produce department.  They are inexpensive, easy to work with and are widely available.  They’re even kid friendly!  What more could you want from a vegetable?  How about great nutrition and even better flavor?  Join Chef Ani to celebrate the carrot in its many guises- salad, soup, side and dessert, just to name a few.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Carrot slaw with lemon Dijon dressing
• Carrot bisque with dill
• Lavender roasted chicken with honeyed carrots
• Lilly’s 24-Carrot Cake Muffins

With Chef Ani

Anyone who has visited this California bay city knows that San Franciscans are serious about food.  San Franciscan cuisine is hearty and delightful and full of regional flavors from the San Francisco bay and valleys of the West Coast.  Their rich culinary heritage began with the Gold Rush in the 1840s and continues to be a shining example of “California cuisine”.  You will enjoy a three course, seafood rich menu and bring home a special treat!  Pre-registration is required.

On the menu:

• San Francisco style chopped salad with Green Goddess dressing
• Cioppino (Italian influenced fish stew) with homemade sourdough
• Oven roasted crab with blood orange and thyme
• Warm chocolate cake with coffee crème anglaise

Plus, we're hosting a series of holiday menu tastings so you can give some of our seasonal foods a try.  Swing by our deli department on this day to sample a few of our favorites!

Fixing the family feeding dynamic doesn't mean making smiley faces with fruit or introducing carrots 10 times before your child will eat them. it means creating a plan and changing behavior - your child's AND yours. Katja Rowell, MD, can help you end the battles waged in the name of nutrition, and help your child find confidence and joy in eating. learn the "how" of feeding your family within a context of trust, limits and common sense.

With Chef Ani

From Kazikstan to the University of Minnesota, people are crazy about apples.  And why not?  Apples are plentiful, healthful and taste great.  Apples are a great cold weather treat, contain vitamins, calcium and antioxidants and come in hundreds of different varieties, many of which were cultivated locally.  Apples can be eaten out of hand or used in cooking and baking, and are a wonderful way to enjoy the fall harvest, from appetizer to dessert.  Pre-registration is required.

On the menu:

• Goat cheese crostini with apple and caramelized pecans
• Arugula with apple, blue cheese and red onion
• Crockpot pork chops with applesauce “gravy”
• Apple walnut biscuits with local honey and homemade apple butter
• Tarte Tatin

With Chef Ani

Sushi, the original Japanese fast food, is not just found at your local sushi bar, or sushi-ya.  Become your own itamae, or sushi master, in this fun hands-on class.  You will learn about the history of sushi, go over sushi jargon and etiquette and how to select your ingredients.  Chef Ani will show you how to make maki, or rolls, and nigiri, little ovals of rice with fish or vegetables on top and then you’ll jump in and make your own with a selection of fresh seafood, vegetables, even fruit.  At the end of the class, you will take home extra rolls and your brand new sushi rolling mat.  This class fills up very quickly, so sign up right away!  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani and Ms. Amanda from Art-rageous Adeventures

In honor of Thanksgiving, Ms. Amanda from ARTrageous Adventures will read a Native folktale, teach a traditional song and craft while Chef Ani guides children into making a special dish for friends to share.  Appropriate for ages 5-12.  Pre-registration is required.

With Pastry Supervisor Blythe

Come and discover the art of cake decorating!  Learn how to assemble and frost a layer cake, and basic piping techniques, too.  Class is hands-on.  Sign up early, limited seating!  Pre-registration is required.

The holiday season is here and it’s time again to warm up your kitchen with the sweet smell of baking cookies.  Before you get cooking, you’re invited to come try a few of this town’s finest holiday cookies at our second annual Holiday Sweet Swap!  The cookies featured will be recipes entered by local customers and baked by Whole Foods Market.  While you’re here eating sweets, enjoy complimentary coffee or milk and pick up some recipes, too.  Cast a vote for your favorite cookie and be entered to win a $50 gift card!  Winners will be announced at 7:15 p.m.

Do you have the winning holiday sweets recipe?

Enter to win a $50 Gift card!

You are invited to enter the Sweet Swap recipe challenge! The top five entrants' recipes will be featured at the Holiday Sweet Swap on November 19^th . Attendees will vote on their favorite recipe and at the end of the night the winner goes home with a $50 gift card! Contestants must be present for the whole event in order to win. If your recipe entry is selected, join us to represent your treats at the Holiday Sweet Swap.  To pick up an entry, visit our Customer Service Desk.  Entry deadline and selection is Thursday, November 5th. 

With Chef Ani

What if you could EAT rain, snow, wind and sunshine? In Judy Barrett’s 1978 book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, you can do exactly that. In Barrett’s world, all weather is made of food, from the wind to the sea. What would the rain make in your world? How would fog taste? We’ll have a great time making fun food weather maps and enjoying spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce and garlic bread! Class is appropriate for children 5-14. Pre-registration is required.

This year, let Whole Foods Market help you enjoy more time with loved ones, with less time in the kitchen.  Our deli department offers freshly prepared dishes during the holidays and the days leading up.  You can even order a full holiday meal by visiting us online or placing an order at our holiday table.  Did we mention we have vegan and vegetarian options as well?

Plus, we're hosting a series of holiday menu tastings so you can give some of our seasonal foods a try.  Swing by our deli department on this day to sample a few of our favorites!

With Robert in Whole Body

Looking for natural ways to age gracefully?  With so many health tips and options out there it can be difficult to find your own way to promote healthy aging.  Robert will share a number of healthy practices for aging gracefully. You’ll also sample a variety of items from our Whole Body and Grocery departments such as Cell Food, Goji Berries, and Apple Cider Vinegar.  Plus, he will show you how easy it is to incorporate these healthy foods into your diet.  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani and Meat Department Team Member

Join Chef Ani and Meat Department Team Leader Roger to discuss how to select, store and cook your Thanksgiving turkey to perfection.  Come with questions!  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani

If you’re planning a huge holiday feast, you want to see every morsel of your delicious cooking gobbled up, but sometimes leftovers happen.  Make sure you’re getting every delicious dime out of your great family dinner by using leftover turkey and other popular Thanksgiving dishes in new delicious ways that go beyond the ever popular Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich. Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Roast turkey Waldorf salad
• Turkey shepherd’s pie
• Turkey breakfast hash
• Cranberry granita

With Chef Ani

Nothing is as magical as mousse:  fluffy, light and airy, and no mousse is better than chocolate, especially around the holidays.  Join Chef Ani to learn the skills necessary to make a delicate chocolate mousse that you can make in no time and is a wonderful treat for many occasions. Class is hands-on, vegetarian friendly.  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani

If you're looking for new ideas to liven up your Channukah Seder table, this class is for you!  Join Chef Ani as she prepares a variety of traditional Jewish dishes that can, for the most part, be prepared quickly for a large crowd and can add a new sparkle to your feast of old favorites. Please note - This is not a kosher class, as we do not have a kosher kitchen.  However, all dishes are made with as many kosher ingredients as possible and kosher rules will be observed.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Feta and pomegranate dip
• Root vegetable latkes with microwave apple sauce
• Sour cherry soup
• Roasted beet salad with mint
• Duck breast with walnut and pomegranate
• Poppy seed challah
• Hungarian "Pancake Torte"

With Chef Ani

Sushi, the original Japanese fast food, is not just found at your local sushi bar, or sushi-ya.  Become your own itamae, or sushi master, in this fun hands-on class.  You will learn about the history of sushi, go over sushi jargon and etiquette and how to select your ingredients.  Chef Ani will show you how to make maki, or rolls, and nigiri, little ovals of rice with fish or vegetables on top and then you’ll jump in and make your own with a selection of fresh seafood, vegetables, even fruit.  At the end of the class, you will take home extra rolls and your brand new sushi rolling mat.  This class fills up very quickly, so sign up right away!  Pre-registration is required.

With Pastry Supervisor Blythe

For many, gingerbread houses epitomize family togetherness during the holidays. Continue the tradition with your loved ones at our how-to workshop. We’ll provide the frosted gingerbread house and candy, you bring the creativity! All ages are welcome.  We are also holding this workshop on Saturday, December 12th, 11:00-12:30.

With Chef Ani

Calling all kids!  Grab your parents and come on in to Whole Foods Market to make and decorate holiday cookies a-plenty.  You'll mix up, roll out and cut out holiday sweets, then mix up icing with all natural food coloring and decorate like crazy.  Remember to wear clothes you don't mind getting a little messy and get ready for some holiday fun!  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani

One of the hardest times of the year for those who live a gluten free lifestyle is the holidays, when many are working to feed a crowd and there are tons of events and festivities without gluten free options.  Join us at our monthly Gluten Free Group of Friends meeting to discuss holiday recipes and strategies and sample new gluten free products.  You will also try four gluten free appetizers and gluten free holiday cookies prepared by Chef Ani!  By attending the class, you are also entered in a drawing to win a year’s subscription to Living Without (a gluten free publication), a value of $23!  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani

Cranberries are a classic presence on any holiday table, adding tart flavor and serious nutrition to whatever dish they are added to.  If you've never explored cranberries and what they can do, you're in for a real treat!  You will learn all about cranberries and how they add a helping hand to your body during the stressful holidays.  Class is vegetarian friendly with opportunity for hands-on participation.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Mock Cosmos
• Whole berry cranberry sauce
• Spinach salad with gorgonzola and cranberry vinaigrette
• Cranberry scones with cranberry butter
• Cranberry orange goat cheese ravioli with brown butter sauce
• Cranberry granita

With Chef Ani

Think the days of making candy at home are over?  Think again!  Candy making is quite easy, rewarding and homemade candies make great, inexpensive gifts.  Of course, they're also delicious, and when you make them yourself you cut out artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and lab chemicals you simply don't need.  Join Chef Ani as she guides you through making four classic candies suitable for the holidays or any time, as nibbles or as gifts! Class is hands-on and vegetarian friendly. Please wear clothing you don't mind getting a little messy or bring an apron!  Pre-registration is required. 

You will make:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
• Pate de Fruit (gummy candies)
• Peppermint bark
• Salted caramels

Plus, we're hosting a series of holiday menu tastings so you can give some of our seasonal foods a try.  Swing by our deli department on this day to sample a few of our favorites!

For many, gingerbread houses epitomize family togetherness during the holidays. Continue the tradition with your loved ones at our how-to workshop. We'll provide the frosted gingerbread house and candy, you bring the creativity! All ages are welcome.

With Chef Ani

Muffins are super yummy for breakfast time or any time, but that muffin tin can do a lot more fun stuff too. Join us for another round of the Whole Kids Club Breakfast Club as we put our muffin tin to lots of great uses like Superkids Morning Muffins and Muffin Cup Egg Bakes. Class is appropriate for ages 5-14. Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani

Ginger isn't just for gingerbread people and sushi!  Ginger has been used for thousands of years in Asia for its healthful heat and delicious flavor.  This class is truly a celebration of ginger, from appetizer to dessert!  You will delve into ginger, discussing how to buy it, store it, peel it and use it, how it can be eaten to maximum benefit and prepre a six course ginger menu in addition to a special ginger treat to take home! Class has opportunity for hands-on participation.  Pre-registration is required.

On the menu:

• Homemade ginger ale
• Beet and ginger dip
• Hot and sour ginger soup
• Beef satay with ginger glaze
• Shrimp potstickers with ginger butter
• Winter fruit and ginger trifle

With Kim Dirr, Creator of Uppercrust Baking Company

Cooking with family and friends can be so much fun.  Join Kim Dirr as she shows you fast, easy and fun ways to embellish baked goods perfect for the season!  Using her Uppercrust baked goods, she’ll demonstrate various ways to personalize ready to bake dessert items including cookie dough, sweet breads and brownies or “blondies.”  In this hands-on class you’ll be able to get creative with these goodies and take your creations home to enjoy.  Pre-registration is required.

With Chef Ani

If you’re planning vegan holiday gatherings or are looking for some fabulous vegan dishes to please your whole family, try this class on for size.  Through hands-on participation, we will veganize some holiday classics to make a great cruelty free menu for all to enjoy.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Stuffed broiled tomatoes
• Vegan “cheese”ball
• Salad with roast beets, shallots and candied pecans
• Vegan meatloaf
• Caramelized onion and fennel smashed potatoes
• Vegan mint chocolate mousse

With Chef Ani
With the holidays just around the corner, everyone has potlucks, cocktail parties and other events to attend, and plenty of entertaining to do on their own as well.  It can be a little overwhelming, but with some great appetizer tricks up your sleeve, you can make memorable appetizers with just a little bit of effort.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Baked brie en croute
• Miniature crab cakes
• Zucchini ribbons with goat cheese
• Italian marinated olives and fresh mozzarella
• Sweet and spicy caramelized mixed nuts
• Prosciutto and puff pastry pinwheels
• Bruschetta with four toppings
• Cheese and chocolate fondues

With Chef Ani and Miss Amanda from Art-rageous Adventures

Bring your holiday cheer and a sweet tooth as we read the tale by Jan Brett, Gingerbread Friends.  Ms. Amanda from ARTrageous Adventures will bring a cooperative art project for the kids to work on while Chef Ani guides them in making their own gingerbread creations.  Appropriate for ages 5-12.  Pre-registration is required.

 This year, let Whole Foods Market help you enjoy more time with loved ones, with less time in the kitchen.  Our deli department offers freshly prepared dishes during the holidays and the days leading up.  You can even order a full holiday meal by visiting us online or placing an order at our holiday table.  Did we mention we have vegan and vegetarian options as well?

Plus, we're hosting a series of holiday menu tastings so you can give some of our seasonal foods a try.  Swing by our deli department on this day to sample a few of our favorites!

With Chef Ani and Ms. Amanda from Art-rageous Adventures

Celebrate the shortest day of the year with winter crafts and stories with Ms. Amanda from ARTrageous Adventures.  Chef Ani will guide the children in making edible snowballs and mixing a fantastic cocoa to drink.

With Chef Ani

Celebrate the holidays or any day of the year by serving one of America’s favorite desserts:  cake.  Cake may take a little time, but it’s impressive and delicious, and comes in about 1,000 varieties.  We’ll make and frost some of America’s favorite cakes, discuss baking tips, cake pans and best practices for artful frosting.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Pineapple upside down cake
• Rum soaked Bundt cake
• Angel food cake
• Old fashioned coconut cake

With Chef Ani

Everywhere from small town diners to five star gourmet restaurants, pie rules.  Not only is it fast and delicious, but many can be made ahead of time and served cold.  In this class, you will learn how to make three different types of crusts, how to make a lattice top, how to make meringue and how to make three delicious desserts that are as American as, well, apple pie.  Class is hands- on.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Minnesota apple pie with cheddar crust
• Lemon meringue pie
• French silk pie

With Chef Ani

With bitter cold Minnesota winter bearing down, nothing says dinner like soup.  It’s easy to make, economical and warms up your kitchen!  Most soup recipes make batches big enough not only for dinner, but lunch the next day, which guarantees a nutritious school lunch or work treat. Additionally, when you make soup yourself, you can control the quality of ingredients and the nutrition of your soup.  Come hungry!  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Chicken noodle soup
• Beer cheese soup
• Split pea soup with ham
• Italian wedding soup

With Chef Ani

Spicy, exotic and utterly unique, the cuisine of Morocco is not often found on American tables. This is about to change - it’s easy to make and uses common ingredients to create extraordinary flavors.  If you’ve never even thought of Moroccan food, come and learn about an exotic cuisine that celebrates the distinct flavors of the Middle East and Africa.  Pre-registration is required. 

On the menu:

• Fig paté
• Moroccan roasted chickpeas
• Peanut stew with collard greens
• Lamb tagine with orange scented couscous
• Ghoriba (shortbread cookies with sesame)