New Leaf Community Markets’ upcoming classes & Aptos expansion

Artist’s rendering of Aptos Village green and New Leaf Community Markets store

Artist’s rendering of Aptos Village green and New Leaf Community Markets store

New Leaf Community Markets has news to share: it’s adding a location in Aptos, and it has a variety of appealing cooking classes this month including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

First, the expansion. The 17,500 square-foot store, expected to open by August 2017,  will be in the Aptos Village Project (Soquel Drive and Trout Gulch Rd.). The store will be New Leaf’s eighth, including six in Santa Cruz County, one in Half Moon Bay and one in Pleasanton. New Leaf plans to feature outdoor patio seating plus a large freshly prepared foods department with new, made-to-order options such as a wok and ramen bar. Like other New Leaf locations, there will be freshly-made juices and smoothies, local and organic produce, natural meats, sustainable seafood and local handcrafted products.

The store will be housed in the relocated, historic Hihn Apple Barn and serve as the anchor for the Aptos Village Project, which contains approximately 65,000 square feet of leasable commercial space and 69 homes (mostly townhouses and condominiums).

Interested in classes? There are lots to choose from this month across the county; here is a sampling of what the Westside location (1101 Fair Ave., 831-426-1306) is offering.

Global plant-based cooking class
Chef and cookbook author Lauren Hoover-West will lead a four-week hands-on cooking class, “Cooking Around the World,” on Wednesday nights March 9th-30th. All recipes will be plant-based and gluten-free; they include enchilada pie with spiralized carrots, walnut taco “meat,” paleo bread, crockpot veggie lasagna, and carrot muffins. Each class includes a full meal. Topics will include how to spiralize veggies and fruit, fermenting (coconut yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha and nut cheeses), veggie and bone broth making, and slow cooker and pressure cooker recipes and techniques. Preregistration is required. The series costs $219 until March 7, then $249. Wednesday classes are 6:30-9 p.m.

Homemade Pie Workshop
Celebrate National Pi Day by assembling sensational seasonal pies from scratch with nutrition consultant Madia Jamgochian. Teams of three will prepare winter/spring favorite pies that are gluten-free—lemon meringue, strawberry cream and apple marzipan—and then enjoy them. Monday, March 14, 6-8:30pm. Preregistration is required. Cost is $35 or $30 each for two.

Gluten-Free Italian Favorites
Join chef Amy Fothergil for a hands-on cooking class Tuesday, March 29, and learn how to make gluten-free Italian classics from scratch: pasta, chicken parmesan, focaccia and a special surprise Italian dessert. Class includes full meal and recipes to take home. Time: 6-8:30pm. Cost is $40 or $35 each for two. Preregistration is required.

Free Spring Bunny Photo Booth
In honor of Easter, customers are urged to “hop on over and snap a picture of your little loved ones with our furry friend.” There are two options: New Leaf can take a pic using their camera, and then send people a link to access it online (parents must sign a release, and New Leaf can use photo for promotional purposes) and/or people can take photos using their own cameras.
Friday, March 25, Noon-3pm, New Leaf, 1101 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz
Saturday, March 26, Noon-3pm, New Leaf, 1210 41st Ave, Capitola
Sunday, March 27, Noon-3pm, 1134 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

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