Paula is finding new ways to eat healthier
THE couple behind the successful Yeats Experience are starting new and interesting cookery workshops aimed at healthy eating.
Retired doctor and chef Paula Gilvarry says she was inspired to come up with the initiative making diet dishes delicious after losing close to four stone last year. Along with husband Damien Brennan, she devised an array of delicious dishes which she is now sharing with people in three workshops at their beautiful home in Broc House starting this weekend.
Paula told the Sligo Champion: “Damien is a great help as he’s a very good taster, he’s my sounding board when it comes to the recipes. We used to run Reveries restaurant in Rosses Point from 1985 to 1991 it was a few years ago but I worked as a chef there too.”
Last year Paula discovered a way to change the way she cooked to make it more healthier and with new recipes, far more inventive. “I lost 3 stone 2 pounds since last June, my aim is to reach four stone and I discovered new ways to cook, changing the way I cooked and making things more inventive with spices, herbs and all of that,” Paula added.
She explained that it’s about understanding how a whole pile of recipes can be adapted for more healthier eating. “It’s about using no sugar or very little, very few carbs and very little oil. For example the other night I made a chicken curry using two legs without the skin, put them in with onion, garlic, ginger and spices then added some coconut oil and miso and let that fester for hours and also used some brown rice. It was delicious. I think once you change the way you cook you also change how you think, there’s an array of ingredients that can be used.
“I’m at an age where I have to keep healthy, I’m in my sixties and I want to live as long as possible and what you eat is so important.”
Paula is running the delicious workshops for the next three Saturdays in Broc House. “They are from 11am until 3pm on each day (January 13th, 20 th and 27 th) here in Broc House and they will be lovely afternoons with the fire on and the views adding to the atmosphere.” Paula said swhe will see how the three events go before deciding on doing more. “When our season gets underway in March it will be extremely busy so we’ ll see how it goes. A few people have said I should write a cookery book so I might do that too.”
Paula said she’s feeling brilliant after losing the weight. “I feel fantastic. I lost seven pounds over Christmas, I’m celebrating here with a burger in Knox without the bun and a small portion of chips. It’s all about finding a diet that suits you and sticking to it,” she added.
All Inclusive three days attendance the cookery workshops is €200 per person, two days is €140 and one day is €80. Contact Paula on 087 2419174 or email pcgilvarry@ gmail.com.