Culinary Art Therapy

02/21/2024

CAT is partnering up with Bright Spot Counseling to offer this amazing opportunity for couples to connect. Please share, ask questions and sign up by March 15!

02/19/2024

Great things to think about, join us for our Connection Couples Retreat, April 5-7!

One common reason couples therapy can feel exhausting is that most couples often wait until the eleventh hour to seek help. By the time they walk through the therapist’s door, years of unresolved issues and pent-up emotions have taken their toll. It’s like trying to put out a forest fire with a garden hose.

Read on to find out why a couple's retreat may be just what you're looking for- and GREAT NEWS! We have one coming up in April- register today by calling 248.296.3104 or email [email protected]

Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today!

https://brightspottherapy.com/why-couples-therapy-can-be-exhausting-and-how-a-retreat-can-help/

02/02/2024

So excited to share this!

12/08/2023

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah. The Festival of Lights. We are suppose to remember the miracles of this holiday. It is another occasion that marks the fact that someone wanted to kill the Jewish people and they were not successful. It hits home just a bit different this year. And yet we celebrate, we honor the holiday and we light our candles and focus on the good. Knowing that the holiday would begin tonight, and feeling the struggle of celebrating while 137 people are still held hostage and so many more suffering, I turned to my usual- food. I knew the day would be a little easier and a lot sweeter with these jelly donuts, one of the traditional foods on Chanukah. I kneaded my dough, tested the batter, fried, filled and sprinkled. It worked. We lit candles and loudly and proudly recited the blessings and a sang songs. The kids, and the rest of my family enjoyed the sweets together. Baking was a great way to help focus on the good, the light and the joy.

12/05/2023

What a great event! Cooking & community! Thanks for having me The Jewish Federation of Detroit!

11/19/2023

Sunday dinner. Instead of giving in to the “Sunday scaries” how about bringing everyone together around the table for a meal that took 10 minutes to prep, got tossed in the oven, filled the house with warm, welcoming smells and got devoured in record time. It’s a great chance to sit together, recap the weekend, plan the week ahead and feel connected and prepared to take on the week.

11/04/2023

09/27/2023

Let’s talk dinner. I know so many people out there hate making dinner. Hate the thought of making dinner, the planning of if, the shopping for it, and on and on it goes. For every. Darn. Day. I get that it can be daunting and stressful, but I want to also propose a new approach. What if every now and then dinner could be seen as an opportunity. What if you could look in the pantry and the fridge and pull together some ingredients to make a meal that you saw as a chance to invest in yourself. Mise en Plas is the French phrase that chefs use for prepping and origami zing their ingredients. Literally it means “all in its place.” Sometimes making dinner is a chance for us to put everything in its place emotionally. Today I came home after some appointments, meetings and errands and I felt overwhelmed by the day. There was a bit of stress thinking about all the to-do’s of the week, and all the planning and ideas swirling around in my head. I need something quiet and calming that would bring me back to the moment and feel some sense of “everything in its place.” So I made dinner. I pulled out some noodles from the pantry, some veg in the crisper drawer and a piece of salmon that was waiting to be cooked. I made beautiful, even, steady cuts of julienne carrots, peppers, onions and asparagus. I mixed some miso paste, garlic, ginger, soy to make a quick sauce and I tossed it all together with a side of roasted salmon. Dinner was delicious but what was even better was the sense of calm that it’s preparation brought me. I hope you’ll give it a try!

09/26/2023

✨exciting announcement! ✨ I’m so excited to tell you about this free, virtual event that I am participating in. Sunday, October 29 at 1pm EST Kittch is hosting a panel discussion that will include some AMAZING women from the US, UK, and Canada. All of are involved in the CAT space in different ways and can’t wait to share our experiences with you! Be sure to sign up and join us for this free event. Link to register in my bio.

08/30/2023

My fall session schedule is here! Take a peak into a few virtual sessions I am offering this October/ November. All sessions are on zoom and run 60-90 minutes long depending on the session. A special 4 part series this fall will focus on how to lower anxiety and depression and allow for more joy in your life. To get more information on any of the sessions, please reach out anytime! I hope you’ll sign up!

08/24/2023

Sometimes makes us so funny things, especially for our kids! We are sushi lovers in this house and my daughter and I love all the variations and trends. So this sushi sandwich was a must try. It came together really easily and tastes as good as it looks! It’s great timing for back to school since this will make a great packed lunch. This is such a great example of easy it is to connect and bond over food. My kids and I have so much fun cooking, creating and enjoying new creations in the kitchen. What new fun things have you discovered with your kids in the kitchen this summer?

07/30/2023

Today is my parents 51st wedding anniversary. They are the most incredible example of what a marriage should look like. True partners, they are not perfect, but they are real. They argue, they disagree, they are different and they are perfectly imperfect. But they love each other, they respect each other, they are always on the same page about loving their kids and family with everything they have and they make each other better people. My sister, and I have always felt so grateful that they are ours. So what do we do to celebrate them? I cook for them of course! Brunch is the perfect way to kick off a day to celebrate and express love and gratitude. Some sweet, something savory and always delicious when enjoyed with loved ones.

07/22/2023

Breakfast for one please! My kids are at camp for a few weeks. Now I get to wake up to quiet and drink my coffee in peace. The last few mornings I have either skipped breakfast, been out, or just make a piece of toast. Why bother cooking when it’s just for little old me, right? Wrong! This morning was a quiet Saturday. Husband sleeping in, and I had delicious leftovers from dinner. So I decided I’m worth using some effort and creativity and for a change I can enjoy something solo. I sautéed some leftover roasted veggies, cracked an egg on top, and made my fav toast with melted cheese and sat down at the table like a deserving human and I enjoyed my breakfast. I think the small things like this can go a long way to reminding yourself that you are worth it. I matter. It’s not always about doing for others, only investing effort to show love to your kids or partner, but sometimes it needs to be about self care and treating yourself. So I hope this post will inspire you to do something nice for you today!

07/18/2023

The kids left for summer camp 🏕️yesterday (insert cheering) and me and the hubs have almost a month to ourselves. Last night I jokingly said we were having cereal for dinner, the chef was off duty. (Don’t worry, we had grilled cheese instead.) today I was looking forward to a full day of uninterrupted, full attention given, sit at my computer, zoom, sessions, the works! After a few hours in, I realized I still needed a creative outlet. I needed a way to unwind, practice some Mindfullness, and lose my thoughts in some chopping and stirring. So this off duty chef loving texted my husband and offered two options for dinner. I offered two things that we use to make often before we had kids and it was all about us. A few minutes later the phone rang and my husband said he felt so pampered. I remembered that sometimes cooking and feeding someone is a necessity. Sometimes it’s a daunting, never ending, never what WE want task that must. get. done. THREE TIMES a day no less! …and sometimes it can actually be about a way to show you care. A way to stroll down memory lane and make someone feel good. And sometimes it can actually take only 15 minutes to make rice, sauté some veg, open a can of beans and throw together a simple way to bring you and your partner to the table together and catch up, check in, and connect. Will you try my beans and rice?

07/02/2023

Let’s discuss the dinner flops. Not all meals can be executed exactly as planned. They don’t all turn out five star worthy, and they don’t need to be everyone’s fav meal. Some times there are benefits even when they aren’t the *most* amazing. Take this meal, I had two eggplant that I wanted to make eggplant rollatini. When I started slicing the eggplant I saw some parts that didn’t look so good. So I had two choices, I could scrap the eggplant and give up all together wasting food and letting my frustration get the best of me OR I could problem solve, manage being annoyed and make a plan B. Plan b won out and I made this baked pasta that was almost as good as my original idea. I used most of the same ingredients and problem solved how to combine them without the eggplant. Dinner still got made, my stomach was pleased and my brain got a good executive function workout. I would say overall this was a win.

06/25/2023

Growing up, my mom made dinner every. Single. Night. We all sat down together to talk about our day, vent about the frustrating parts, problem solve together and best of all celebrate each other’s successes. The dinner table was a place to show love, share, support and be a family. It was the best. So I always knew this was something I wanted to prioritize with my own family. As my kids have gotten older, it’s even more special because the days are even busier and everyone has so much going on. They have also come to enjoy this ritual and are able to contribute in their own way. Tonight we all rolled Moroccan ci**rs together; they help cook, and clean up and this makes meal time even better. No matter what meal is served, it is always shared with love.

06/06/2023

We all have those days where you feel like nothing goes as planned, you aren’t as productive as you’d like. Nothing feels like it’s working… and then on top of it, you are hungry! Nothing makes for a better sense of success that going in for a good fridge dive and seeing what you can come up with. When you are in need of just a tiny win in life, my clinical suggestion to you, is make a salad. Yup. That’s what I said, clean out the veggie bin, chop those ingredients up and toss them with a great dressing. I am telling you, it will make you feel like a super hero and you will feel more inspired to take on other tasks. Small wins lead to bigger wins. It really all needs to start somewhere. Give it a try like this Asian inspired cabbage slaw with spicy, sweet peanut dressing.

05/16/2023

Big announcement to all my CAT followers… you’re invited to a really special NEW 3 part virtual cooking series that I will be co-hosting with two time cookbook author ! Leanne wrote an amazing book called “Good Enough.” This beautiful book embraces the joys of imperfection and practicing self care in the kitchen. Hello!l ! Leanne and I have a shared love for therapeutic cooking and we can wait for you to join us at 10:30 am EST on June 14, 21 & 28. We will be cooking three stunning recipes from Good Enough that Leanne will walk us through and I will be your guide to a discussion on how these recipes can help enhance life skills like and learning to by playing with your food! Cost is $100 per person for all three session. Register by clicking on the link in my bio or send me a message with any questions. Can’t wait to cook and chat together!

01/18/2023

Join us on Tuesday, January 31, at 7:00 PM EST for “From Kisvárda to the Kitchen: A Story of Survival and Healing,” a virtual baking event.

Julie Ohana, founder of Culinary Art Therapy, will invite viewers into her kitchen while she recreates her grandmother's recipe for a traditional Hungarian pastry.

Julie’s mother and daughter will help her bake, highlighting the importance of sharing memories—and recipes—across generations. A granddaughter of a Holocaust Survivor, Julie is passionate about food and its ability to help us navigate the healing process.

Register to attend this virtual event and receive your list of ingredients to bake along with Julie and her family: www.holocaustcenter.org/january

09/06/2022

Fall sessions now open for registration! DM or email me to sign up!

05/28/2022

When I was a little kid, most of the summer was spent in my Grandparent’s back yard. They had a round, above ground pool that we loved swimming in. They also had a garden with lots of beautiful pink and purple pansies, a vegetable garden filled with peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. They also had a covered glider swing that we would sit wrapped up in a towel and a wet bathing suit. While we were drying my Grandma would bring out a giant bowl filled with cherries and stone fruit. Apricots were my favorite. I can still feel the sticky sweet juice drip down my hand and all over my face. Those summers were the best. So when my family bought the house we live in now, and my husband wanted to plant fruit trees I was so excited. I knew i would need to be patient because the baby trees would need plenty of time to grow before they actually gave us fruit. 8 years later, this beauty finally has apricots! I can’t wait for my kids to be able to pick fruit from our own yard and create beautiful backyard memories in our home! I see lots of juicy apricots in our future! (And maybe a crumble or crisp too 😉)

05/20/2022

Dinner tonight will be my mom’s shnitzel. She is the best shnitzel maker in our family, but I am the mashed potato queen. My secret is making them just like my Grandma did. I love making them because not only do the pair perfectly with shnitzel but because they bring me closer to my Grandma who I miss every single day.

05/07/2022

Friday is family night in my house. Every single week, we come together to share a meal. I try to remember that although the food is what brings everyone together, it’s the people, the time spent, the meaningful conversations and connections that matter. I hope this classic meatloaf will inspire you to enjoy more family meals together. Your kids will thank you, and you won’t regret the quality time together.

05/05/2022

Did you ever give thought to how meal prepping can actually be something that is good for YOU? Spending some time each day or week meal prepping can help you to practice being present in the moment. People like Dini at know what I’m talking about! 🥰 Try it out and see how it makes you feel!

05/04/2022

Visit page to get this simple and delish recipe for mushu pancakes. And give this video a watch to learn WHY making them will enhance your overall sense of . Cooking does so much more for us than just putting food on the table. Learn more reasons why cooking is good for your mental and physical health.

05/04/2022

My kind of Fashion!

03/29/2022

For some reason I usually think salads are better when someone else makes them. Maybe it’s the element of surprise that I like or the certain ingredients that I don’t usually have at home that are a treat in a salad. But this one is 5 ⭐️! Since I was super busy today I didn’t have the time or desire to be in the kitchen for a long time making dinner. My husband brought a pizza for a treat for the kiddos but I was feeling like something with a bit more greens. To I threw together the best taco salad! Threw some mixed greens on a plate and topped it off with a row of chopped tomato, green onions, black beans, shredded cheese, roasted corn (the only cooked ingredient on the plate) and some quick sautéed corn tortilla. The best part of the salad was this amazing dressing. Combine the zest and juice of 1 lime, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1t smoked paprika, 1T honey, 2T Mayo, 1/2 t salt, dash of pepper, 1/4 cup neutral oil. Mix well and drizzle over the salad. The best part of this salad is the joy you’ll feel after creating something easy, healthy and so tasty. Makes you feel like extra satisfied to treat yourself with something so good after a busy day. Give it a try!

02/25/2022

Fridays are for making Shabbat family dinner. I try my best to put work aside (as much as possible) and my day really revolves around making Shabbat- welcoming in the Jewish sabbath as my parents, sister, husband, and kids all gather around our table filled with all sorts of delicious food. I remember back in my 20’s my grandma would tell me she’s so proud of me every time I cooked something or contributed in some way to gather our family. I never really understood this to be honest. It even kind of annoyed me. I thought of all the things I work on, she’s “proud” of me making a salad or roasting a potato? Really? But as I’ve gotten older and built my own family and really invested in educating my kids about where they come from, I understand my grandma better. Today my kids and I went to hear my amazing, articulate Mom speak to a group of teenagers at our local Holocaust Memorial Center. She has been doing this for 30 some years. She tells my Grandfather’s story because he is no longer here to tell it. So we went to listen and support her and share in her pride for where we come from- who our grandfather was. Then I came home and got to chopping, roasting, cooking to make Shabbat dinner. As I’m doing all of this, I heard my Grandma… “I’m so proud of you mumaleh. (Yiddish for sweetheart).” I had finally realized where she was coming from. Each Shabbat dinner that I make helps to gather my family and instill a sense of who we are, where we came from, and what is important. This is the value of a home cooked meal shared with loved ones. My Friday routine means so much to me and I know my kids will grow up to be better people for having experienced this each and every week.