Nutrition with Sierra: The Science & Art of Nutritious Eating

Eating for Awesome Energy

Most of us have probably experienced the mid-afternoon energy crash, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, or feeling too wired to sleep at night. Imagine if you could wake up in the morning feeling energetic and ready to go, sustain that level of vitality all day long, and then sleep soundly through the night? Increasing your energy level is easier when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you'll discover how to eat to build and sustain your energy levels with specific foods.

All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious. Q&A time included!

REGISTER

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 9
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
Where: Eugene Family YMCA Don Stathos Campus | 600 E. 24th Ave
Who: Ages 18+
Space: Camas Teaching Kitchen & Kalapuya Community Room
Cost: $45 for Y members | $65 for Community members 
*If program fees are a barrier to participation, please seek financial assistance. 

CANCELATION POLICY

Requests for session refunds must be submitted no later than 72 hours prior to the start of each session. In the event the Y must cancel a session, the participant will receive a refund for the canceled session. Refunds will not be issued for sessions missed by participants.

Email requests to Kendall McCauley, Program & Operations Assistant.

Allergy-Friendly Cooking

Food allergies and sensitivities are on the rise and their prevalance affects us all. Even if you don't have a food allergy yourself, you probably know someone who does, or someone who must follow certain dietary restrictions at the office or at schools to keep other people safe. Allergen-friendly eating is effortless when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Cooking allergen-friendly food doesn't have to be difficult or stressful - you can learn to cook with ingredients that help with allergy symptoms and how to make recipes you and others can eat with confidence. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you'll discover how food can play a role in allergy relief, how your immune system and digestive tract are involved, as well as learn how to create delicious allergen-friendly recipes. All of the recipes are: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, wheat-free, soy-free, peanut-free, egg-free, corn-free, and vegan. Q&A time included! 

REGISTER

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, May 11
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
Where: Eugene Family YMCA Don Stathos Campus | 600 E. 24th Ave
Who: Ages 18+
Space: Camas Teaching Kitchen & Kalapuya Community Room
Cost: $45 for Y members | $65 for Community members 
*If program fees are a barrier to participation, please seek financial assistance. 

CANCELATION POLICY

Requests for session refunds must be submitted no later than 72 hours prior to the start of each session. In the event the Y must cancel a session, the participant will receive a refund for the canceled session. Refunds will not be issued for sessions missed by participants.

Email requests to Kendall McCauley, Program & Operations Assistant.

Fall 2026 | A Hands-On Nutrition Class for Mental Wellness

About

Discover how the foods you eat can support your mood, focus, resilience, and overall mental well-being. In this engaging 90-minute class, you'll learn the science behind the connection between nutrition and mental health, including how key nutrients influence brain function, stress response, sleep, and emotional balance.

Through a live cooking demonstration, participants will engage with simple, delicious recipes featuring ingredients that nourish both the body and the brain. You'll leave with practical strategies for incorporating mood-supportive foods into your daily routine, easy recipes to recreate at home, and a better understanding of how small dietary changes can have a meaningful impact on mental wellness.

Whether you're looking to improve your energy, manage stress, support emotional health, or simply enjoy cooking with others, this welcoming class offers evidence-informed nutrition education and practical skills you can use right away.

Participants will learn how to:

• Understand the connection between nutrition and mental health.
• Identify key nutrients that support brain health and emotional well-being.
• Build balanced meals that promote steady energy and mood.
• Prepare simple, affordable, brain-healthy recipes.
• Apply realistic nutrition habits to support long-term wellness.
• No cooking experience is necessary. Recipes, educational handouts, and tastings are included.

Event Details: 

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
Where: Eugene Family YMCA Don Stathos Campus | 600 E. 24th Ave
Who: Ages 18+
Space: Camas Teaching Kitchen & Kalapuya Community Room
Cost: $45 for Y members | $65 for Community members 
*If program fees are a barrier to participation, please seek financial assistance. 

Fall 2025 to Spring 2026

Here's a look at the 2025-2026 class lineup, to give you a sense of what Sierra offers:

Class 1: Tuesday, Sept. 9

Inspired Anti-Inflammatory Eating 

Time: 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. 
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Imagine if your aches, pains, and discomforts could be reduced, prevented, or even healed simply by adding some key healthful foods into your diet? An anti-inflammatory diet is effortless when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience where you'll discover the important role food plays in inflammatory conditions. Learn what to eat in order to support your health, as well as gain practical experience cooking recipes from start to finish. All of the recipes are anti-inflammatory, gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious. Q&A time included! 

Class 2: Tuesday, Oct. 1

Cooking for Great Digestion 

Time: 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. 
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Our digestive tract has a special barrier that absorbs beneficial nutrients and filters out dangerous toxins. When this barrier isn't working properly, our gut develops holes that allow large food particles, bacteria, and toxins into our bloodstream. Imagine if your leaky gut could be reduced, prevented, or even healed simply by adding some key healthful foods? Repairing the digestive tract is effortless when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you'll discover the important role food plays in the digestive tract. Learn what to eat in order to support your gut health, as well as gain practical experience cooking recipes from start to finish. All of the recipes are digestive-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious. Q&A time included!  

Class 3: Tuesday, Nov. 4

Eating for Awesome Energy 

Time: Cancelled
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Most of us have probably experienced the mid-afternoon energy crahs, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, or feeling too wired to sleep at night. Imagine if you could wake up in the morning feeling energetic and ready to go, sustain that level of vitality all day long, and then sleep soundly through the night? Increasing your energy level is easier when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you'll discover how to eat to build and sustain your energy levels with specific foods. All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious. Q&A time included! 

Class 4: Tuesday, Dec. 9

Family Favorites

Time: 4:30 to 6 p.m. 
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Imagine if you could make nutritious and easy family meals that everyone will love - without complaints, struggles, or spending hours in the kitchen? Family meals are easier and more delicious when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you'll discover how to make a variety of kid-approved, family-friendly recipes, as well as gain practical experience on how to cook recipes as a family and strategies for handling picky eating. All recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and delicious. Q&A time included! 

Class 5: Tuesday, Jan. 13

Meal Prep Made Easy

Time: 4:30 to 6 p.m. 
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Set aside the takeout menus and join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience. Throughout the class, you'll discover techniques of how to meal prep with minimal effort, optimize your budget, and organize you kitchen time efficiently, as well as gain practical experience cooking recipes from start to finish. Meal prepping is a lot easier when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, kid-approved, and super delicious. Q&A time included! 

Class 6: Tuesday, Feb. 3

Allergen-Friendly Cooking

Time: Cancelled
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Food allergies and sensitivities are on the rise and their prevalance affects us all. Even if you don't have a food allergy yourself, you probably know someone who does, or someone who must follow certain dietary restrictions at the office or at schools to keep other people safe. Allergen-friendly eating is effortless when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Cooking allergen-friendly food doesn't have to be difficult or stressful - you can learn to cook with ingredients that help with allergy symptoms and how to make recipes you and others can eat with confidence. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you'll discover how food can play a role in allergy relief, how your immune system and digestive tract are involved, as well as learn how to create delicious allergen-friendly recipes. All of the recipes are: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, wheat-free, soy-free, peanut-free, egg-free, corn-free, and vegan. Q&A time included! 

Class 7: Tuesday, March 10

Best Healthy Breakfasts 

Time: Cancelled
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: The old adage is true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It replenishes us with nutrients after a long night of fasting, and offers us the energy and focus we need to tackle the day. Eating a healthy breakfast every single day is much easier when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious nutrition experience, where you will discover how to make a variety of nutritious breakfasts with minimal effort that eases the morning rush, fueling you and your family for the day ahead. All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious. Q&A time included!

Class 8: Tuesday, April 14

Brunch & Blends

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: The old adage is true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It replenishes us with nutrients after a long night of fasting, and offers us the energy and focus we need to tackle the day. Eating a healthy breakfast every single day is much easier when you have the best foods, recipes, and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious nutrition experience, where you will discover how to make a variety of nutritious breakfasts with minimal effort that eases the morning rush, fueling you and your family for the day ahead. All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious. Q&A time included!

Class 9: Tuesday, May 12

Fearless Fermentation

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
Presenter: Sierra T. Nordquist, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Functional Nutritional Therapist 
Summary: Fermented foods are beneficial to our health, and can also be intimidating to make at home. While there is a degree of unpredictability with fermentation, once you get the hang of it, there is so much possibility with seasonal ingredients and local flavors! Fermented, probiotic-rich foods are easier to make when you have the helpful recipes and culinary skills to accompany you on your health journey. Join us for a delicious culinary nutrition experience, where you will learn how to ferment with confidence in your own kitchen. All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious.