“Things get dull, so it gives you an idea for something else, and on a healthy level.”
That’s Laurie Messina of Fort Myers.

Messina is learning to cook healthier meals at the Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health. The classes are offered two or three times per month for just $5 a class. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations.

“Keeping things simple, keeping it lighthearted, making sure it’s fun, and of course giving everyone a sample of food. People love samples," she said.

The day we attended, she was demonstrating healthier versions of sweet treats like peanut butter balls, sweet potato brownies, and fruit salad with honey lime dressing.

Galeos says she is constantly innovating and won't repeat a class topic within a year.
“I would say 70 percent of my classes are health conscious, and the other 30 percent, we’re just teaching you the technique and we’re making authentic foods,” she said.
She occasionally brings in guest chefs, too.

“Here I’m bringing someone from Italy that’s going to cook authentic eggplant parmigiana.”

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Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health at Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.offers cooking classes. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations. On this day she was making healthier alternatives to “Sweet Treats”. A peanut butter ball, a sweet potato brownie, and a fruit salad with a honey, lime and mint dressing. Attendees, watch the instructor make the treats, get to ask questions, and then a sample of the food is handed out at the end.

Andrea Melendez/WGCU

2 of 11  — WGCULeeTeachingKitchen111825AM

Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health at Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.offers cooking classes. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations. On this day she was making healthier alternatives to “Sweet Treats”. A peanut butter ball, a sweet potato brownie, and a fruit salad with a honey, lime and mint dressing. Attendees, watch the instructor make the treats, get to ask questions, and then a sample of the food is handed out at the end.

Andrea Melendez/WGCU

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Three TV screens give a view from above as the instructor cooks. Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health at Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.offers cooking classes. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations. On this day she was making healthier alternatives to “Sweet Treats”. A peanut butter ball, a sweet potato brownie, and a fruit salad with a honey, lime and mint dressing. Attendees, watch the instructor make the treats, get to ask questions, and then a sample of the food is handed out at the end.

Andrea Melendez/WGCU

9 of 11  — WGCULeeTeachingKitchen111825AM

Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos squeezes limes as a participant helps roll peanut butter balls. Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health at Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.offers cooking classes. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations. On this day she was making healthier alternatives to “Sweet Treats”. A peanut butter ball, a sweet potato brownie, and a fruit salad with a honey, lime and mint dressing. Attendees, watch the instructor make the treats, get to ask questions, and then a sample of the food is handed out at the end.

Andrea Melendez/WGCU

10 of 11  — WGCULeeTeachingKitchen111825AM

Three TV screens give a view from above as the instructor cooks. Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health at Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.offers cooking classes. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations. On this day she was making healthier alternatives to “Sweet Treats”. A peanut butter ball, a sweet potato brownie, and a fruit salad with a honey, lime and mint dressing. Attendees, watch the instructor make the treats, get to ask questions, and then a sample of the food is handed out at the end.

Andrea Melendez/WGCU

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Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos talks about roasting a sweet potato for the brownies. Healthy Life Center Teaching Kitchen at Lee Health at Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.offers cooking classes. Registered Dietitian Aikaterina Galeos teaches the very popular cooking demonstrations. On this day she was making healthier alternatives to “Sweet Treats”. A peanut butter ball, a sweet potato brownie, and a fruit salad with a honey, lime and mint dressing. Attendees, watch the instructor make the treats, get to ask questions, and then a sample of the food is handed out at the end.

Andrea Melendez/WGCU

Admitting that eggplant parmigiana is not necessarily healthy, Galeos says that cooking at home—not eating processed and packaged foods—gives you a leg up on healthy eating.

“Everything we’re doing is from scratch. I think if people can understand: If you’re cooking from scratch, you’re doing good,” she said.

The Teaching Kitchen, located at Lee Health Coconut Point, also offers hands-on culinary classes, as well as longer-term classes for people in cardiac rehab.

Here’s participant Laurie Messina again:
“There’s also a certain amount of camaraderie that comes from these classes. A lot of the people are the same faces, and you get to know them. And it’s just a nice community based thing that everyone can partake in,” Messina said.

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