Episode 116: Cooking with Foraged Food: How to Find Ingredients In The Wild with Chef Lorenzo Tavani Becoming Immune Confident

How can we re-connect with nature and improve our health through foraging?

In this episode, Dr. Kara Wada sits down with Chef Lorenzo Tavani, a forager, gardener, video creator, and all-around health nut. Lorenzo shares his journey from working in restaurants to becoming a passionate advocate for regenerative agriculture and local food systems. He discusses the importance of foraging, not only for its nutritional benefits but also for its connection to our human history and our well-being. Lorenzo provides practical tips for incorporating foraging into our lives, including intentionally getting outside, taking the same route and recognizing plants in different seasons, and learning from resources like field guides and online communities. He also shares insights on how to make mindful food choices, navigate food labels, and make meal prepping more sustainable through batch cooking and smart storage techniques.

EPISODE IN A GLANCE- Lorenzo's journey: From culinary school to regenerative farming and private cheffing.- What is foraging? Lorenzo explains the benefits of wild foods and how he incorporated it into his cooking.- The benefits of connecting with nature: How being outside can improve both our mental and immune health.- Practical tips for getting started with foraging: Starting with intentional walks in your neighborhood, recognizing plants in different seasons, and using resources.- Shopping for mindful food: Lorenzo's advice on supporting local food economies, understanding labels, and becoming an educated buyer.- Decoding food labels: Lorenzo breaks down what organic labels truly mean, and why it's important to be mindful of misleading claims.- Batch cooking and meal prepping: Making healthy eating accessible and sustainable through bulk prepping, smart storage techniques, and freezing.- The fundamentals of cooking: Using ingredients as roles, understanding salt, acid, fat, and heat, and cooking intuitively.- Where to find Lorenzo: Follow him on Instagram (@lorenzo__cooks) and visit his website (lorenzocooks.com) to learn more about his classes and events.

ABOUT LORENZO TAVANILorenzo is a chef, forager, gardener, video creator and all around health nut! After culinary school He worked many jobs in the food system from professional restaurants to a regenerative family farm. Lorenzo now hosts foraging classes with food, creates online cooking courses and works as an private chef in Columbus, Ohio.

CONNECT WITH LORENZO TAVANIWebsite → https://www.lorenzocooks.com/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo__cooks/ 

ABOUT DR KARA WADAQuadruple board-certified pediatric and adult allergy immunology & lifestyle medicine physician, Sjogren’s patient and life coach shares her recipe for success combining anti-inflammatory lifestyle, trusting therapeutic relationships, modern medicine & our minds to harness our body’s ability to heal.

CONNECT WITH DR WADAWebsite → https://www.drkarawada.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/karawadamd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/immuneconfident/ Podcast Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/becomingimmuneconfident/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/KaraWadaMD Twitter → https://twitter.com/CrunchyAllergy TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@immuneconfident 

SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER → https://www.drkarawada.com/newsletter  Get Dr. Kara’s weekly dose of a naturally-minded and scientifically-grounded approach to immune system health.

Bonus for Central Ohio Listeners: For those local to the central Ohio area, save $10 on one of Chef Lorenzo and Dr. Kara's favorites- a one-stop shop for local and sustainable whole foods delivered to your doorstep! Use this link for your discoun → https://yellowbirdfs.com/referral.php?id=20660