specialising in dietary requirements + allergies
personalised cooking
Attend a workshop
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FOOD FOR MIND + GUT
In this workshop at CERES Community Kitchen, trainer Melanie Leeson shares her knowledge of foods that can help you to build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. You’ll also learn how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet.
You’ll bring home recipes that use seasonal fruits and vegetables (such as blueberries, broccoli, leafy greens and avocado), fresh herbs, and spices (that add flavour and colour without any processed sauces, condiments and sweeteners) and are rich in healthy natural fats and oils from plant foods.
All the recipes are gluten- and dairy-free. They are not about following a particular trend or diet, they are about supporting beneficial homemade food. These meals and desserts are packed with nutritionally dense vegetables, ensuring that we load our bellies with as many varieties as possible, thereby removing the worry of counting preservatives, additives, emulsifiers, thickeners and flavouring enhancers.
You’ll leave feeling empowered and prepared to make an impact on your well-being.
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FERMENTATION AT HOME
Join Mel at the CERES Community Kitchen for an exciting, hands-on 3.5-hour workshop where you’ll dive deep into the art of fermentation!
Learn how to create your own sauerkraut, kimchi,
kombucha, kvass, and pickled vegetables while discovering the rich history and health benefits of these probiotic-packed foods. From supporting digestion to boosting immunity and enhancing flavours, fermentation is a delicious way to
improve your health.
Whether you’re a foodie, health enthusiast, or curious beginner,
this workshop will inspire and empower you to embrace the world of
fermentation. Come for the knowledge, stay for the fun, and leave with jars full
of goodness!You will learn:
How to prepare and ferment sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kvass, and pickled vegetables.
The health benefits of fermented foods, including improved digestion
and immunity.Troubleshooting tips to ensure your ferments are a success.
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GLUTEN-FREE KITCHEN SKILLS
How confident do you feel cooking gluten-free - really?
If you’ve ever followed a recipe to the letter only to end up with something dry, crumbly, gummy, or just a bit disappointing, this workshop is for you.In this hands-on class, trainer Melanie Leeson takes the mystery out of gluten-free cooking by focusing on the skills that actually make food work, not just swapping one flour for another. You’ll learn how gluten-free ingredients behave, how to build structure and texture without gluten, and how to adapt everyday recipes so they succeed the first time.
This workshop is designed for people cooking gluten-free for themselves or others, and for anyone who wants gluten-free food that feels like normal life food, not “special diet” cooking.
What you’ll learn:
- How gluten-free really works: ratios, moisture, binders- You will be introduced to a wide variety of gluten-free flours, but will mostly be using a core collection that can be used in a wide variety of items
- Blends vs single flours, and when each makes sense
- How to adapt a regular recipe to gluten-free with confidence
IMMEDIATE HELP
OUR SHOP
mETTLE + GRACE RECIPES
We have released ONE Digital Cookbook with recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner - it is completely gluten-free and dairy-free, with vegan and Low FODMAP suggestions.
‘'The Gluten-Free Club’’ Cookbook is OUT NOW.
how it
began
mettle:
a person's ability to cope well with difficulties
Sticking to even a ‘normal’ diet can be difficult. Add in the challenge of adhering to a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free or FODMAP diet and knowing what to prepare for your next meal can seem daunting, especially if you’ve only recently being recommended a new diet.
Time to relax, even get excited, as Mettle + Grace are here to show you how to enjoy preparing, cooking and eating delicious food that is beneficial for you and your body.
By including Mettle + Grace in your health plan you’re empowering yourself, taking control of your dietary requirements and having the positive impact you desire on your wellbeing. You will gain skills to cook efficiently and deftly, understand the benefits and seasonality of your ingredients and learn how to create incredibly flavoursome meals.
Our services involve an initial consultation, then personalised cooking classes in the comfort of your home. You can purchase bespoke personalised recipes; created with your particular dietary information in mind. Melanie, the talented chef behind Mettle + Grace, is experienced in cooking vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, raw, paleo, dairy free, OMS diet, low residue diet, FODMAP and sugar free meals.
As Melanie has suffered from severe IBS since she was 14-years-old she’s intimately aware of the dietary challenges you will face. After all, Mettle + Grace has been born from the knowledge she’s developed in using healthy eating to address her illness, as well as her experience in cooking for clients over the past 10 years in Melbourne, Canada, Italy, Ireland and Argentina.
An initial bio-resonance test informed Mel of the foods that were irritating her stomach – bringing direction in her diet. She taught herself how to cook without many regular ingredients, including; tomatoes, dairy products, legumes and grains containing gluten. A scrumptious demonstration of how Melanie can confidently address her dietary constraints is her incredible lasagne, which is made without tomatoes, gluten and dairy – not only does it taste really good, it’s nourishing and great at keeping your belly healthy!
GRACE: SMOOTHNESS and elegance of movement.
Mettle + Grace are here to assist in a smooth transition to your new dietary requirements, to educate and build confidence in the kitchen.