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BY ANNE McGREGOR
Alot of “potential” sounds like a great thing, but it can sometimes feel like a burden. For me, that’s especially true when it comes to my yard. It could be so pretty. Why, I could even grow my own food! But it’s so much work. That’s why I so enjoyed chatting with landscape architect Anne Hanenburg at SPVV for expert tips on ways to design a yard that’s practical and also delightful. It’s unfortunate, but “spring is in the air” has a negative connotation for those dealing with seasonal allergies. In our Health section, Carrie Shriver checks in with local experts for advice on dealing with allergies, including new options for preventing and treating serious reactions. And veterinarian Matt Mason shares important info about a new-to-our-region health issue for dogs and cats: heartworm.
In our Lifestyle section, E.J. Iannelli pays a visit to the folks at Spokane’s Blue Door Theatre to learn about how their School of Improv is helping students overcome their jitters and teaching them much more than how to tell a joke. The lessons learned are often life-changing.
And Inlander food writer Dora Scott stopped in at Skewers to talk with chef/owner Mirak Kazanjian about the downtown Spokane restaurant he designed (and that started as a food truck) to cure his own longings for home cooking, Armenian style.
Cheers!
COLTON RASANEN is an Inlander staff writer regularly covering education news and arts & culture. In this issue of Health & Home he spoke with two local interior designers with decades of experience between them to uncover the ways that home design is evolving — including the use of bright colors, bold accessories and hidden tech features.
DORA SCOTT is an Inlander staff writer in charge of food coverage. In this issue, she profiles Mirak Kazanjian, the owner of the Armenian-Lebanese restaurant Skewers. “My favorite thing about food is that it teaches us about other cultures. Skewers is a great example of this. It’s a place of community for local Armenians and brings attention to the challenges Armenians face to this day,” she says.
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BY MADISON PEARSON
There’s no better way to kick off Women’s History Month than by attending a showcase of women-led music groups contributing to our local scene. The Chameleon is hosting a show titled “Women in Music” featuring three women-led groups in Spokane: the always-energetic Sugar Bear, the free-flowing Aspen Kye (pictured) and the downright groovy Mister Sister. Rock out while thinking about these talented women’s impact and influence on Spokane and their lasting musical legacy. Fri, March 14 at 8 pm, $15-$20, The Chameleon, chameleonspokane.com
If there’s one thing Spokane loves more than marmots, it’s college basketball. March is the month for college basketball with the March Madness tournament dominating television screens everywhere. Spokane is hosting eight Division 1 women’s basketball teams as they battle for a spot in the Women’s Final Four. Though the teams are undetermined as of our publishing date, there’s no doubt it’s set to be a fiery competition featuring some of college basketball’s most talented female athletes. March 28-31; times vary, $28-$69, Spokane Arena, spokanearena.com
When times feel uncertain or scary, sometimes looking back on history can get us back on track. Lin Manuel Miranda’s smash hit musical Hamilton is a tune-filled and thoughtful reminder that it takes work to come out on the other side. Follow Alexander Hamilton as he navigates life as an immigrant in the earliest days of America and aids in the formation of the United States as we know it. Through catchy songs, raps and phenomenal storytelling, Hamilton reminds us all to embrace differences and use our voices to speak up for what we believe in. April 8-20; Tue-Fri at 7 pm, Sat at 1 pm, $50-$20, First Interstate Center for the Arts, broadwayspokane.com
Rising from creator Thomas Lauderdale’s distaste for the “boring” music played at political events, Pink Martini churns out stunning music with a group of 12 musicians with songs in 25 languages that is anything but boring. This performance with the Spokane Symphony combines Pink Martini’s “little orchestra” with the Lilac City’s “big orchestra” to perform songs spanning jazz to cabaret to retro pop. You won’t want to miss this special 30th-anniversary performance with the beautiful voice of China Forbes at the forefront. Sat, April 5, 7:30 pm, Sun April 6, 3 pm, $61-$128. foxtheaterspokane.org
BY MADISON PEARSON
Spokane has had many famous residents over the years: Bing Crosby, Sydney Sweeney, Craig T. Nelson, Myles Kennedy, and the list goes on. However, there’s one Spokane native who is often left off of these lists and deserves a moment in the sun.
George Nakashima was born in Spokane in May 1905, and though it’s not known how long he called the Lilac City home, his life was forever molded by his experiences in the Pacific Northwest.
After attending the University of Washington and graduating with a degree in architecture and earning his master’s degree in the same subject from MIT, Nakashima packed up and began work on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. After returning from architectural escapades in Japan and India in 1940, Nakashima began making furniture and teaching woodworking in Seattle, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor he was relocated to an internment camp like many others of Japanese ancestry at the time. Through poetic prose and illustrations by
WToshiki Nakamura, author Holly Thompson’s picture book Listening to Trees explores Nakashima’s relationship with nature and his experience as an internee at Camp Minidoka in Hunt, Idaho, during the World War II.
It begins by detailing Nakashima’s love of trees (as documented in his book Soul of a Tree: A Woodworker’s Reflections) and goes on to discuss Camp Minidoka, Nakashima’s life after he was granted freedom and the current state of his studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania, which is maintained by his daughter, Mira, to this day.
hile Romeo and Juliet sort out their ill-fated romance on the main stage at the Spokane Civic Theater this spring (March 28 - April 13), theater supporters are invited to a special evening to ensure the continued success of the Civic, which was founded in 1947 and has produced more than 800 shows.
CELEBRATE CIVIC, the theater's third annual fundraiser, includes not only dinner served by Beacon Hill Catering and Events, but also special performances from Season 77, including excerpts from Romeo and Juliet and
After establishing his studio in New Hope in 1943, Nakashima became a force in the woodworking world. Best known for his sleek, modern designs with a hint of Japanese flair, Nakashima built homes and furniture for people like Nelson Rockefeller, designed furniture for Knoll and did it all while maintaining utmost respect for the trees that lent their wood to his designs.
Nakashima died in 1990, but his legacy lives on thanks to people like Thompson who have preserved his life in her book (and the tree that made the pages of the book possible).
Carousel. Live and silent auctions and the formal reveal of the lineup for Season 78 will proceed under the guidance of emcee KXLY weather anchor Mark Peterson.
The theater had critical success in 2024 with its production of Cats winning best musical and costume design, and Heathers: The Musical winning best scenic design at the 2024 Broadway World Seattle awards. Funds raised at the celebration will go toward supporting regular operating expenses, outreach activities, maintenance (including replacing half-century old lighting) as well as a new education director set to start work in July.
“Being Civic’s third consecutive event of its kind,” notes Executive Director Jake Schaefer, “the cashflow increase is critical, empowering and encouraging.”
— ANNE McGREGOR
Celebrate Civic • Sat., March 29 • $100-$140, Boxcar Room, 116 W. Pacific Ave. spokanecivictheatre.com
How to plan an outdoor space that’s beautiful, functional and manageable
BY ANNE MCGREGOR
Ahouse perched on a swath of green grass with cute little green balls of shrubbery may represent “home” in emoji-world, but landscape design has moved well beyond that childlike impression.
For homeowners, grappling with yards beyond that stereotype requires a series of decisions reflecting potentially competing goals. What uses should the outdoor area accommodate? Which plants will be suitable? How expansive will the grass lawn be — or will there even be any grass? Will water features make the cut? The list goes on. For Anne Hanenburg, principal landscape architect at SPVV in Spokane, there’s an obvious place to start.
“One of our first questions is, ‘What are your maintenance abilities? Do you have the resources — the financial resources and the manpower resources — to be able to maintain it?’ Because we can design the Taj Mahal for someone, but if they can’t maintain it, then they won’t be happy with it.”
Kentucky bluegrass is considered a cool climate lawn that offers winter hardiness, while creating a luxurious and lush deep green lawn in the summer. Lawns aren’t just for looks or play though. Lawns extending at least 30 feet around the perimeter of a building seem to provide substantial wildfire risk reduction. But bluegrass requires plenty of supplemental water. Rather than eliminating grassy lawns, choosing tall fescue or clover can be a good option. Both are slower-growing — meaning mowing can be less frequent — and they don’t require as much fertilizer or irrigation as bluegrass.
Alternatively, some or all grass can be replaced by drought-tolerant and native plants to reduce irrigation needs. But Hanenburg says homeowners need to exercise caution.
“One of the things that concerns us, from an industry standpoint, is that we’re moving toward more drought tolerance and less water, but the reality is that we have an urban forest around us already with these huge trees. They’re providing us shade, they’re providing mitigation — when we do get rainfall — with erosion. And now all of a sudden we’re being asked to cut back on the water. And what’s happening is a lot of our [urban] forest is dying.”
While Hanenburg has experience working with designs to suit all different levels of moisture, from storm swales to drought-tolerant and native plants, she emphasizes that
...continued on next page
newly planted native or drought-tolerant vegetation will still require water for three to five years.
“And then at that point, if it’s well-established, you can go ahead and terminate water, however not entirely” she says.
“There will be times where it’s important to still provide a little bit of supplemental irrigation.” She points to two recent plant die-offs: In the summer of 2021, the Inland Northwest experienced a heat wave that lasted several weeks, resulting in the loss of a lot of trees and vegetation. And during the pandemic, while office and public buildings were unoccupied, landscaping suffered from lack of water and care.
Although new drought-tolerant plants may eventually require little irrigation, Hanenburg stresses that long-established trees still need to receive supplemental water.
Avoiding the issue of irrigation altogether by installing hardscape in the form of rocks or gravel may start to seem attractive, and it does offer some benefits: Hardscape can require less maintenance. But the tradeoff during hot summers can be extreme as these materials will absorb and then reflect back significant amounts of heat.
Lighter-colored rock is a better choice,
Ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do, is create a sense of place that people connect to that they make memories in. “ ”
We start by bringing you in for an initial consultation with our Nurse Practitioner Zelda Swain to determine if you are a good candidate for medical weight loss. If you’ve had lab work done in the past 6 months bring that in, or we can draw them in office. If you’re a good candidate, you will receive your first injection at your initial consultation.
We then have you come in bi-weekly to check your progress/body compostition and decide on your personalized dosage. We administer 1 shot in house, and send you home with your second. We also recommend regular at-home supplements as well as weight lifting to help offset any side effects and aid in muscle growth.
Average duration to reach goal is about 4-5 months depending on the patient. We then transition into a maintenance dose of one injection per month. While still maintaining diet, exercise and supplements. BENEFITS
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but bark or wood chip mulches will absorb and reflect less heat, keeping the soil cooler. As for weeds, no matter what material is chosen, “I’m just going to be straight up. You can put weed barrier down, and weed seeds will still germinate. You’re not going to eliminate weeds,” Hanenburg says.
Choosing plants is where landscaping gets fun. First, of course, consider the microclimate to come up with a variety of suitable plants. But also think of other elements: Does the plant attract pollinators (and who doesn’t love to watch butterflies in a spring garden?). Does the plant contribute a lovely fragrance? Is there a particular sentimental attachment to a plant that will add meaning to the garden? And don’t forget to assess how the area will look in every season — including winter. Plants with berries are not only pretty but attract birds. Deciduous trees can offer shade in the summer and distinctive silhouettes in the winter. Trees
with colorful or peeling bark offer interest year-round.
One of Hanenburg’s favorite design elements — something she says can “make or break a landscape,” — is lighting. When directed toward trees or outdoor art, “You can create shadows, you can cross light something or backlight something and really create drama.”
And in the end, landscape ought to offer more than just weekend-warrior maintenance duties. Hanenburg, whose work has included designing memory gardens for people with dementia, knows firsthand that the opportunity to interact with and enjoy an outdoor space can have a profound impact.
“It reduces our heart rate. It reduces our cortisol levels. Our pain thresholds go up when we have access to nature. Even if it’s just looking through a window, we’re actually being immersed in the garden environment, and there’s a physiological and psychological benefit,” she says. “I personally would measure a successful landscape in terms of: Is it used? Is it loved?”... Ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do, is create a sense of place that people connect to, that they make memories in.”
BY ANNE MCGREGOR
Strolling through the display garden at Rosarium Garden Center on a frosty but sunny January morning, Becca Schmidlkofer talks about the center’s namesake plant with admiration. And she wants to dispel some bad PR these fragrant flowers have endured.
“They are really hardy plants that want to grow… They’re really not intimidating,” she says.
Becca and her husband, Ryan, are the third owners in charge of tending to the gardens at the Rosarium, purchasing the garden center and on-site house in the fall of 2024.
“What the Rosarium has become known for is expert gardening advice… from landscape architects to master gardeners and experts at companion planting, those kinds of things,” Becca says. “That’s what keeps people coming back.”
With some basic knowledge of pruning and planting — including how to situate a rose — Becca says these storied flowers can fill a garden with scent and showers of blooms for many years.
The “own root” roses offered at Rosarium differ from grafted roses in that the whole entire plant, including the rootstock, is one variety. Instead of fall pruning, own-root roses can stand tall throughout the winter, providing rose hips and delicate perches for visiting birds while creating an interesting and livelier winterscape. The roses then just need a clean up in the early spring to take off. In the event of a late freeze, they can cut back to the ground for a fresh start.
“It feels unethical to sell a rose that’s meant for a different climate, because it’s not going to perform well, and customers
want roses that perform well for years and years,” Becca says, adding that roses can have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
“I think a lot of that stigma in this area [regarding roses] is from grafted roses, when some of the — not neglect, but maybe incorrect care — over the winter kind of results in an angrier [plant],” Ryan says.
Among other varieties, the center offers David Austin English roses, known for their old-fashioned fluffy blooms and often intense fragrance.
All the bare root roses will get started in the greenhouses, with plants ready for preorder and purchase in the spring; weather permitting, the center will open April 1.
And while roses are a specialty, Becca emphasizes that the Rosarium is a full-service garden center, offering shrubs, perennials and some annuals. “And this year, we’re really excited. We’re getting a curated selection of trees that are especially hardy in the Inland Northwest,” Becca says.
Aside from tending new plants that are ready for sale, the Schmidlkofers nurture multiple onsite display gardens that showcase mature and established plants. One of the oldest areas is, of course, devoted to a collection of mature roses. Last year’s “cottage garden” featured plants that could be used for dyes. There’s an area adjacent to a line of poplar trees that the couple will devote to drought-tolerant and native plants. And one of the more spectacular features is the archway dripping the brilliant yellow blossoms of laburnum, a plant also known as golden chain, each year in May. It’s part of what Becca calls a “very small venue that we’re starting.” The space is available for weddings or other celebrations. “Because we don’t have a lot of the infrastructure that a lot of the larger venues do, we don’t charge as much. So for brides or anyone who likes to really make it their own, it’s a good option for that.”
In the fall, Rosarium hosts an immensely popular dahlia festival featuring displays, classes and food trucks that attracted more than 4,000 visitors in 2024. While they do grow some of the dahlias that are showcased, Becca says the festival is an important way to connect with other growers. “There’s a lot of people that have really great small farms that we love to support.”
Though both Becca and Ryan grew up south of Spokane and became friends in eighth grade, each ended up moving to Bellingham, where they went to college. After college, Becca began working as a teacher and Ryan started out in retail management. They ended up moving back to Spokane, and the opportunity to own the garden center was too good to pass up. As the daughter of a landscape architect, Becca says, “I grew up from before I can remember just out in the gardens working. It’s just one of those things that I take for granted, but it’s just been a part of me.”
One of Ryan’s earliest jobs was in landscaping, and he’ll focus on the management of the greenhouses at the center, though he notes that as a family business, “We’ve had to dive in head first so quickly and into so many different things.”
When they first arrived on the property, they set their toddler down. “She just took off,” Ryan says. “[She had] no fear and just ran through all of the paths.”
Becca finishes, “So that’s our center, you know, the joy of it all. For us and for her. People get a lot of joy out of getting outside and in the dirt.”
BY COLTON RASANEN
Home design, much like fashion, operates under a set of trends that dictate what looks good… and what doesn’t. But unlike fashion trends that generally update seasonally, home trends often stick around for years.
Rather than being bound by trends, home designers generally work to create spaces that feel unique yet timeless. But that doesn’t mean things are static. We checked in with two Spokane designers to see what’s on their minds.
Like fashion, interior design is often inspired by the world around us. That’s why it’s no surprise that after the pandemic people are looking to infuse some vibrancy into their homes.
“People are so over the white,” Erin Haskell, owner of Design for the Ppl, says, referring to the neutral, minimalist decor that’s dominated homes in the last few years.
While there isn’t technically a way to go overboard with maximalism, Haskell recommends getting staple furniture — sofas, tables and cabinets — in neutral colors and then going a little wild with accessories, even to the extent that some might consider excessive.
This could mean getting a set of bright, modern chairs to surround a neutral table, or a snazzy lamp and ample wall hangings to accompany that sofa.
In bringing back excess, Tammie Ladd of Tammie Ladd Design, is reaching for gorgeous jewel tones and warm woods.
“It started coming back slowly with warmer floor colors and then warmer wall colors,” Ladd says. “Now really rich blues and greens in jewel tones are definitely in our near future. Artwork, pillows, rugs, throws, you know, just bring in one of those colors to play and everything will brighten up.”
A fairly seismic shift is underway in new home design: The closed floor plan — in which the kitchen, dining room and living room are isolated from each other — is making a comeback.
“Open floor plans are practically gone,” Haskell says. “Functionality is the most important thing overall.”
To approximate the effect without major construction, consider rearranging furniture to enclose spaces. For example, a pair of bookshelves can be placed strategically between two spaces to effectively create a wall.
Just as home offices became trendy during the pandemic when many had to work from home, rooms for reviving one’s own mental and physical health are becoming popular.
For some people, that might look like a home gym or a space to meditate, Ladd explains. For others it could even be the laundry room.
“One of my favorite rooms to turn into a high-energy space — that people actually want to spend time in — is the laundry room,” Ladd says. “Laundry rooms are typically relegated to the basement or some dark area.”
Haskell says clients are interested in home libraries as a sort of wellness space.
“It’s kind of a multipurpose room,” she says. “People are looking to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or a conversation.”
Pro-tip: Libraries are also the perfect place to take those first steps into maximalism. Add books, trinkets and tchotchkes to your heart’s content, and watch as the space just gets more inviting.
“Lighting is one of the most important elements of design,” Ladd says. “It’s a big component of what we’re working on in our designs, because in a room without light you can’t even see [the design].”
For a quick fix, Ladd recommends upgrading light bulbs throughout the home to take advantage of new lighting technology that allows selection, right on the bulb or through an app, among various tones and colors. So for a room filled with predominantly cool-toned furniture and accessories, lighting can be selected to match that. Similarly warm-toned rooms can benefit from warm lighting.
But it’s not just the light bulbs that are changing. Haskell says light fixtures also offer an opportunity for expression. Gone are the days of the nipple light, that common ceiling fixture that, just as the name implies, looks like a ceiling boob. Instead, look for detailed fixtures, even chandeliers, and more whimsical or fun styles.
From big elements, like statement chandeliers to little ones, like light bulb selection, lighting is a focus of designers’ attention.
While maximalism offers the opportunity for plenty of color and design elements, there are some things we are tired of looking at. So designers are finding ways to hide or camouflage them.
The smallest of these examples, Ladd says, are electrical outlets.
New outlets can be installed in a way that almost hides them by removing the rectangular trim that they normally exist within. An added bonus of removing that eyesore, she says, is that disguising an outlet can make it safer for young children.
One of the more difficult design elements, but something that is a must-have for most homes, is the television, which often looks like a big black box in an otherwise beautiful space.
But there are ways to conceal the TV. Ladd likes Samsung’s line of televisions that have a picture frame around them, allowing the TV to display artwork when it’s not in use.
She also works with a company called C Seed that makes very high end televisions that can actually be folded and tucked away in their own console.
“The funny thing about trends is that they seem impossible now, but you will begin to see more of these types of things as time goes on,” she says.
BY CARRIE SHRIVER
Aaa...aaa...choo!
Ah, the sound of allergies, accompanied with a runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and other unpleasant problems. When your sneezing is incessant, and loud enough to make a bobblehead wobble, these probably don’t feel like mild symptoms. And some allergies are no sneezing matter, since severe reactions can lead to death if not treated immediately.
“Allergies are a sensitivity to certain antigens, such as pollens, tree, grass, weed pollens, dust mites, molds, pet dander, at least on the environmental side,” says Chad McCormick, a physician at St. Joseph’s Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Clinic in Post Falls.
There are also allergies to foods including dairy products, eggs, and of course, nuts.
So how do you know exactly what’s causing your symptoms?
“As far as absolute testing we do allergy skin testing, and that way we have accurate results, and we have them right away,” says David McGarry, a physician at Advanced Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, located in Spokane Valley. “Within 15 minutes we can know if somebody is allergic and make a plan immediately.”
For skin testing, a pricking device with a small needle tip on the end is used to scratch the skin (barely breaking the surface) with an allergen to see if a reaction, similar in appearance to a mosquito bite, occurs.
“Historically people have had to use lots of needles or things like that,” McGarry says. “But now we don’t have to use those sorts of things because some of the testing devices they’re a lot more pain free.”
Some people have an actual food allergy, while others have a food sensitivity. Here’s the difference: Dietary allergies can cause immediate, life-threatening reactions. The symptoms include everything from hives to shortness of breath to “a sense of impending doom” — which is when someone feels like they’re going to faint (and not the sense that the world is about to end).
Food sensitivities or food intolerances, on the other hand, don’t cause anaphylaxis — a severe life-threatening reaction — but may come with a whole host of other unpleasant effects. These include abdominal pain, nausea, bloating and sometimes diarrhea. People who are lactose- or gluten-intolerant fall into the food sensitivity category.
McGarry cautions people against spending money on over-thecounter genetic tests since they’re expensive, and tend to focus on food intolerance or sensitivity and not on actual allergies. Worse, the results are often inaccurate.
For those suffering from true food allergies, which can be severe, doctors now have a couple novel treatments to offer.
“There are new medications called biologics that can be very helpful,” McCormick notes. He warns that they can be expensive, sometimes costing $30,000 or more a year and are not always covered by insurance.
These biologic medications are injected and work to decrease the patient’s reaction to an allergy, something that can dramatically improve a patient’s quality of life.
A biologic medication called Xolair decreases the risk of anaphylaxis in patients with food allergies. It’s a maintenance medication, not a cure, and it works to prevent allergic reactions, not to ...continued on next page
treat them when they’re occurring. Approved for patients 1 year old and older, Xolair is injected every two to four weeks. It’s usually administered in an allergist’s office due to the risk of an allergic reaction.
There’s also good news for treating reactions, especially for people who hate needles.
“Even bigger though, and is a complete change, is what’s called nasal epinephrine or ‘Neffy,’” says McGarry. “They can now use a nasal epinephrine spray so it avoids them needing to use an epinephrine injector.”
Neffy is used for “anaphylaxis due to bee stings or food allergies,” McGarry says. “This is something that’s completely new.”
The FDA approved Neffy in August 2024 for adults and children weighing at least 66 pounds. Neffy is used in situations where someone would normally use an EpiPen. So, if you’ve ever hesitated to use an EpiPen because of the needle, there’s now a less traumatizing option.
Immunotherapy offers the opportunity for long-term change in
...continued on page 28
Epinephrine nasal spray is an alternative to injectable Epi-pens.
If you’re noticing your allergies last longer than usual, you aren’t the only person still sneezing.
“As we see environmental changes, changes in weather patterns,” says David McGarry, a physician at Advanced Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, located in Spokane Valley, “allergy seasons are longer and a little bit more severe.”
“In North Idaho, Eastern Washington,” says Chad McCormick, a physician at St. Joseph’s Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Clinic, “the pollen seasons can start even in late February for tree pollen and can go through early June. Grass pollen can go from April into July. Wheat pollens generally from July through October.
“Indoor allergens and perennial allergens — which are the dust mites, molds and pet danders — are year-round, but sometimes worse in the winter months when we all go inside because of the cold weather,” he notes.
— CARRIE SHRIVER
Nutrient-dense foods, like lean beef, contain highquality protein, iron, zinc, choline and B-vitamins. These essential nutrients help build strong minds, strong bodies and tasty meals.
As a registered dietitian, wife, mother and Spokane local, Erica Baty loves sharing simple strategies for making meals nutritious, fun and doable on her blog, It’s A Flavorful Life. As a mom, meals that are quick and simple are a must, as a registered dietitian food should pack a nutritious punch. Including beef in the context of lots of vibrant veggies, satisfying carbohydrates and heart-healthy fats is what Erica prioritized for these beef recipes in partnership with the Washington State Beef Commission. Discover more nutritious delicous beef recipes at wabeef.org.
how someone reacts to allergens and may, in some cases, even eliminate their allergies altogether.
Immunotherapy takes the form of giving the patient a series of shots or oral drops that correspond to various allergens.
McCormick warns that the treatment carries some risk because of the possibility of inducing anaphylaxis, so it has to be administered in a controlled setting, like an allergist’s office, where a patient can receive immediate help if there is a serious reaction. The process of desensitization requires many office visits and takes from three to five years. It is often covered by insurance.
“Environmental allergy immunotherapy — where we’re giving them allergy shots — nearly 80% of people will be able to sail off into the sunset, live happily ever after, and not have allergy symptoms anymore,” McGarry says.
Regrettably for people with food allergies, immunotherapy doesn’t offer a cure, though it can reduce the body’s response to the allergen.
If you suffer from allergies and the right treatment hasn’t come along yet, don’t give up.
“It’s a very exciting time,” McGarry says. “There’s lots of research. There’s these new products that are available, and there’s going to continue to be new things that are available.”
Even better than being treated and tested for allergies would be avoiding them altogether, if possible. Unfortunately, we’re heading in the wrong direction. “We don’t understand why food allergies are more common than they’ve ever been,” says David McGarry, a physician at Advanced Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
One theory on why this may be happening is called the hygiene hypothesis.
“Fifty years ago or more, there was probably a lot more outdoor activity. For kids, playing in a sandbox, in a playground, getting dirty,” says Chad McCormick, a physician at St. Joseph’s Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Clinic in Post Falls. Today’s kids may be less likely to experience all that on a regular basis. “The thought is that if people aren’t getting their immune system stimulated by being outdoors and exposed to things, that the immune system sometimes just doesn’t develop perfectly well and can result in an increased incidence of allergies, which we’re clearly seeing.”
Though pregnant women were once instructed that avoiding certain foods could decrease the likelihood of future allergies for the
child, that advice was rescinded in 2008, when research showed that children of women who frequently consumed peanuts and tree nuts were actually much less likely to develop nut allergies than those whose mothers who didn’t.
Similarly, avoiding exposing children under the age of 1 to some food products, like peanut butter, in an effort to avoid future allergies is also no longer what doctors recommend.
Instead, thinking has dramatically shifted. “Introduce things on an earlier basis when [age] appropriate,” McGarry says. “Don’t shy away from them, and if there’s a concern, discuss it with a pediatrician. If the pediatrician has a concern, then they’ll refer the patient to an allergist for further evaluation.”
But exposure to potential allergens, indoors or out, still isn’t a guarantee that someone will become allergy-free.
“At the end of the day, there’s those families and individuals that are going to be allergic and those that are not. A lot of that is genetic,” McGarry says.
BY MATT MASON
Not long ago, a cat or dog catching heartworm disease in the Inland Northwest was so unlikely I once thought I could go my entire career without ever diagnosing one. It used to be that unless you were vacationing with your pets in warmer areas where the parasite can thrive, heartworm medication wasn’t recommended by most veterinarians in the Pacific Northwest.
Those times are changing because, as annual temperatures in our area rise, so do the number of heartworm cases at clinics in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. At the very least, whether or not pet owners decide to treat their animals against another added parasite, they should be aware of their options and the rising threat in our region.
Heartworm is a nasty parasite that can grow up to a foot long and is known for infesting and clogging an animal’s heart, lungs and associated blood vessels.The infection occurs when mosquitoes spread
from an infected dog into the bloodstream of a new host via mosquito bite, but completing the parasite’s full life cycle takes a perfect storm.
Temperatures must be above 57 degrees for at least 45 consecutive days, and during at least two of those weeks temperatures must exceed 80 degrees, according to the American Heartworm Society.
More than 1 million animals, mostly in the southern United States, are diagnosed with heartworm disease annually. For the Inland Northwest, what’s most concerning isn’t just the rising number of cases.
by local veterinarians and shared via word of mouth; they are well documented every three years by the American Heartworm Society. If trends fall in line with the past two decades, cases will only rise.
Cats and dogs with the disease may cough or wheeze, struggle to breathe, and experience a loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea or death.
In recent years at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, several owners of animals that contracted the disease said they had never left the area with their pets, suggesting that Washington’s and Idaho’s warmer months may be suitable for the deadly worms and the mosquitoes that spread them and help them prosper.
Heartworm cases aren’t just observed
With different pockets in the Inland Northwest experiencing different weather patterns, owners can consult their primary veterinarian on the threat in their community. If the vets are seeing heartworm disease locally, they may recommend preventatives.
As a pet owner who has only treated my dogs when traveling to warmer destinations, I am considering when the time to regularly treat, and to recommend my clients also do that, is coming.
Don’t be surprised if your veterinarian suggests the same.
Matt Mason is a staff veterinarian at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
BY SUMMER SANDSTROM
For over 35 years, the nonprofit Artisans has worked to help others find work.
“We provide employment services to individuals with varying abilities throughout the community,” says Polly Maxwell, Artisans chief executive officer. “We also provide community services to individuals that are just learning some job skills and that are at retirement age but want to do some volunteering and those kinds of things in the community.”
ARTISANS theartisans.org
220 W. Francis Ave. Ste B and
200 E. Second Ave. Ste A
Started in 1987 with a focus on providing employment opportunities centered on woodworking, over the years Artisans expanded to include jobs and training in other fields, such as computer science and culinary skills. “One thing that sets us apart as far as an employment provider in this industry is that we specifically hire individuals that have experience in the field that our clients are interested in,” Maxwell says. “We don’t hire staff just to oversee individuals, we hire staff that have the skills that are needed to support individuals in varying industries.”
Artisans assists individuals through every step of the employment process and offers services to high school students who are making their way into the workforce as well. And they can help individuals access various public support systems such as housing, food and financial services.
Another main focus of the nonprofit is community building, which they foster through their programs and various events.
“We do some classes, like cooking classes, and various activities
throughout the week to ensure that our clients get the skills needed for employment,” Maxwell says. “We started that during COVID when our individuals were not able to get out into the community or have interaction with others, and so we did some virtual things where we mailed out cooking supplies, we mailed out art supplies, we mailed out bingo prizes after we did virtual bingo, and we did some of that to keep everyone connected during COVID.
“When we came back into the offices, we were going to take those programs away, and what we found was people were really disappointed,” she adds. “We’ve left those in place, and we fund those by donations from private individuals only. We just do a lot of different programs like that to make sure that our individuals have the skills and the resources they need to be successful in employment.”
Artisans is always accepting donations and new volunteers. More information about getting involved can be found at theartisans.org.
318 E. Rowan Ave. Ste. 208
Advocating for Latine individuals who are experiencing or are survivors of domestic and sexual violence, Mujeres in Action — or MiA — provides a plethora of resources and programs. MiA was founded in 2018 by Hanncel Sanchez, and the nonprofit has bilingual advocates trained to assist with crisis intervention, assistance with finding housing to leave dangerous home situations, and educational resources for both survivors and those working with survivors. To donate or volunteer, visit miaspokane.org
2718 E. Sprague Ave.
Fifteen years ago, Project Beauty Share started with the goal of making cosmetic and hygiene products more accessible to women who would have difficulty otherwise buying them. “We’re a nonprofit organization that provides personal hygiene, beauty and cosmetic products to other nonprofit organizations that are serving women overcoming abuse, addiction, homelessness and poverty in order to provide hope and dignity for them,” Executive Director Julie Farley says. Food assistance doesn’t cover hygiene products such as toothpaste or tampons, which is one of the main gaps Project Beauty Share helps to bridge. The annual fundraiser Evening en Blanc will happen in August. Donations of brand new to gently used products are accepted year-round, and there’s also an Amazon wishlist. To donate, volunteer or for info on upcoming events, visit projectbeautyshare.org
101 W. Eighth Ave.
Providence Inland Northwest Foundation is the fundraising arm for the six Providence hospitals in Spokane and Stevens counties, providing some funding for other local Providence clinics and programs as well. The foundation is primarily funded through donations, and Chief Philanthropy Officer Colleen Fox adds that all of the money the foundation receives is invested back into the community. “The financial challenges facing health care are well known and are particularly acute here in Spokane and Stevens County,” she says. “Really the vast majority of any sort of new innovative equipment or technology, kind of supportive programs that we have — like at our Children’s Hospital, we have an arts and healing program that promotes art for patients in our hospital — all of those sort of extra things that really make our hospitals exceptional are possible because of the community’s investment in our foundation.” To donate to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation or to find out about volunteer opportunities, visit foundation.providence.org/wa/eastern
F or older adults, vision and hearing loss can increase the risk of cognitive decline, including memory loss and dementia. While forgetting details or missing bills is often linked to cognitive issues, sensory health is just as important.
Experts believe the connection between sensory health and cognition stems from the brain’s structure. The brain regions responsible for hearing and sight are close to areas affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Deteriorating vision and hearing can reduce brain activity, leading to cognitive decline. Additionally, social isolation from difficulty seeing or hearing often worsens mental health and increases dementia risk.
Vision impairment affects over 25% of adults over 70. To protect eyesight:
• Get regular eye exams.
• Update glasses prescriptions as needed.
• Wear sunglasses and take breaks from screens.
• Take breaks from screens.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are good for eyesight, such as leafy greens and carrots.
Hearing loss affects 65% of Americans over 71, with 96% of those over 90 experiencing it. To protect hearing:
• Have your hearing tested regularly.
• Avoid using Q-tips and stay up-to-date on vaccinations.
• Lower the volume of your television and devices.
At Sullivan Park Senior Living, we support residents by helping with vision and hearing tests, focusing on overall health and well-being. To learn more or schedule a tour, visit us at sullivanparksl.com or call (509) 561-2355
At
the Blue Door Theatre, improv
isn’t just for getting laughs — it’s also offering a framework for life skills
BY E.J. IANNELLI
Not too long ago, Becky Torvik was studying to be an American Sign Language interpreter. There was just one small problem: An audience larger than one left her feeling terrified.
“I was so scared to get up in front of people,” she says. “I mean, my body would be physically, visibly shaking. And I just thought, this is something I’m going to have to do all the time in my career. I need to get over this fear.”
Inspired by a class that her preteen daughter was taking at the Spokane Civic Theatre, Torvik signed up for an eight-week Improv 101 workshop at the Blue Door Theatre’s Spokane School of Improv.
But then, just as the very first class was about to start, she was consumed by self-doubt. She hesitated outside the front door.
It was a safe place to just completely be myself. “
“I was like, ‘Why did I do this? I don’t even want to go into the building.’ I didn’t know anybody there. I wanted to leave.”
Fortunately, she persevered.
“Within 10 minutes of the class starting, I was completely calm,” she says.
“I wasn’t shaking. I wasn’t scared. I was laughing with complete strangers.”
That rapid transformation from crippling nervousness to relaxed composure was, according to Torvik, a result of the complete absence of judgment that she felt in the room.
“It was a safe place to just completely be myself. I didn’t have to worry about being seen as kind of weird or if I say the wrong thing or whatever, because everybody was doing that together.”
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Improvisational theater has long been associated with self-confidence, spontaneity and teamwork. Those qualities perhaps find their purest expression in the genre’s well-known mantra of “Yes, and…” — a phrase that’s rooted in positive thinking. When it’s the default response to any given situation, “Yes, and…” helps to maintain forward momentum and foster creativity.
It can also be a powerful builder of trust. Lawra Gosselin-Harris, a longtime Blue Door performer and instructor, has seen how quickly the bonds can develop not only among the theater’s regular troupe of improv players but also its workshop participants.
In one of the classes that she teaches on improv and self-care, Gosselin-Harris saw a young woman with severe social anxiety form strong friendships with her classmates.
“She enjoyed the fact that she was just sharing her ideas with this improv team and everyone was supporting her. It’s just such a healing thing,” she says.
In another class, Gosselin-Harris taught a couple who initially took a directorial approach to improv exercises. They tried to control how
...continued on page 38
the scenes played out instead of letting other participants shape the way the scenes developed.
“By the end, I had taught them to listen to each other, to listen to others. And they were telling me that it was helping them in their own relationship. You learn to trust each other, to listen and to accept offers to be validated,” she says.
Gosselin-Harris has even brought Spokane School of Improv classes into unlikely places — with similarly encouraging results. While leading a weekly class at the Airway Heights Corrections Center for the first time, she saw a transformation in the group of inmates the moment she started making funny gestures as an icebreaker.
As the weeks passed, the group coalesced in ways that challenged the common stereotypes of prison life.
“I would see them do the exercises where one guy would make an offer. Then the next guy would accept it, furthering the offer. And then they would go back and forth, a little like volleyball, finding a story,” she says.
“Even when they weren’t in the scene, they would listen and be actively watching. They would actually be clapping for each other, laughing for each other. And if someone wasn’t doing well, they would pat them on the back and stuff.”
Anecdotes like these are familiar to Blue Door Theatre Executive Director Jim Mohr. One of the reasons the theater launched its Spokane School of Improv was because the improvisational toolkit can be used in poetry as naturally as it can be applied to the legal profession or mindfulness training.
“We use improv as the strategy for teaching these other kinds of topics, whether it’s leadership, communication, creativity, innovative thinking or strategic planning. It can all be done through improv,” he says.
And the perks of improv aren’t limited only to the players or participants. As Gosselin-Harris notes, its ad hoc nature engages spectators differently than scripted or choreographed performances do. Even if the audience isn’t being asked for prompts (although that certainly drives Blue Door shows like Multiple Choice), there’s a feeling that they’re both watching and interacting with something that’s unfolding before their eyes.
“As an audience member,” she says, “when you see these connections happening, it builds a sense of community in that moment. Everyone’s laughing, and they’re all participating in something that only they will experience. Because the next time we do that show, it’ll be completely different.”
Interested in taking an improv class or catching a show? Here are some that are happening soon.
319 S. Cedar Street, Spokane bluedoortheatre.org
March 7-28 (Fridays)
Blue Doors and Dragons
A fantasy adventure in which a roll of the dice changes everything.
April 4-25 (Fridays)
Poets Up
Local poets compose in the moment, and the Blue Door players improvise their words.
May 2-30 (Fridays)
Multiple Choice
Your suggestions drive the twists and turns of an improvised choose-your-own-adventure story.
Check the schedule at spokaneschoolofimprov.org
Intro to Improv
An eight-week introductory course that’s designed for veterans and newbies alike.
Scenework: Beyond the Basics Building on Intro to Improv, this class focuses on scene development, attentive listening and committed contribution.
Summer Youth Camps
Various workshops (All-Day Improv, Sketch Camp, Fun with Improv) designed for ages 7-9, 10-13 and 14-18.
BY SUMMER SANDSTROM
Finding a wine you love shouldn’t be a daunting task. Assisting in the search is why Cathy Hand and her daughter Justine Recor opened Cellar & Scholar.
Hand’s love of wine expanded while working at a winery in her 20s. When her daughter embarked on sommelier education, Hand joined in.
“I started studying with her, but really didn’t have the intention of becoming a sommelier — I just was doing it for fun,” Hand says. “It’s so fascinating because it’s a cross section of history, geology, geography, chemistry and agriculture.”
This summer, plans include opening a patio and expanding the mocktail menu, to ensure there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Both Hand and Recor enjoy finding wineries that focus on sustainable and organic practices.
cellarandscholar.com
15412 E. Sprague Ave. Ste. 17, Spokane Valley
“We found through our studies that we love organic, biodynamic, sustainable wine — just like organic fruits and vegetables, the fruit tastes a lot better, so the wine is a lot better,” Hand says. “We’ve met a lot of winemakers in our travels too, and the ones that are sustainable and organic, always love the earth more, they always take better care of the fruit, so we just love supporting them.”
Both Hand and Recor are now certified sommeliers, and after years of living outside of Spokane, the pair decided to return and open a wine shop.
Cellar & Scholar has a menu of small plates and appetizers that pair well with the wines in the shop, and frequently holds events where attendees can deepen their knowledge of wine-centric topics.
For wine club members, Hand and Recor choose wines for individuals based on palate preferences.
“Wine can be kind of intimidating, and it really shouldn’t be. All we need to know is what you like, and then we can kind of put it in our little database in our head and say you’d probably also like this, this and this,” says Hand. “We’re able to steer you to what you like.”
203 N. Washington St.
Located in the Liberty Building right next to Auntie’s Bookstore, Pottery Place Plus houses a myriad of handcrafted gifts and art created by local artists. The store was started in 1978 by a group of potters who were searching for a way to sell their works. Since then, it’s expanded to host jewelry makers, glass artists, photographers, painters, potters and much more. “Some people would call us an art gallery, but we sell the art; other people say it’s a high class handmade gift shop, but either description really fits who we are and what we do,” says Steve Whitford, a woodworker who’s part of the Pottery Place Plus artist co-op. “Pottery Place Plus is where people in Spokane come to get special gifts for special people.” For more information, visit potteryplaceplus.com
2810 N. Monroe St.
For the past eight years, Kings Quality Menswear has been providing shoppers with a variety of high quality clothing for men. Carrying various brands including Filson, The Howler Brothers and The Unbranded Brand, shoppers will find flannels, graphic tees, outerwear, jeans and shorts. Plus accessories including hats, gloves, duffle bags, socks and shoes. Alongside apparel, Kings carries handmade goods, and to add to the fun, various beers from local breweries are available. To shop online, visit website kingsdelivered.com
15409 N. Newport Hwy., Mead and 2424 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene
Dixie Lee DeRocher attended various garage sales and markets with her family, fostering her love for all things vintage. It’s a passion that fueled her business. As the owner of Rebel Junk, DeRochers sources antiques, fun furniture pieces, upcycled and handcrafted items, new and used clothes, and a variety of unique gifts to stock at her two storefronts. Additionally, Rebel Junk holds markets and attends various events. Rebel Junk Vintage Market arrives at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d’Alene on March 28 and 29. Visit rebeljunk.com for store and event details.
Skewers’ owner, Mirak Kazanjian, advocates for Armenia, one plate at a time
Skewers, a restaurant in downtown Spokane on West First Avenue, has rightfully gained recognition for its fresh and authentic Armenian-Lebanese cuisine. However, for owner Mirak Kazanjian, Skewers means so much more than great food.
Two flags hang in Skewers’ windows: one Armenian and the other representing Artsakh, a disputed land that was historically Armenian but was taken over by Azerbaijan in 2023.
“There’s Armenians that have lived here that came here as refugees almost 30 years ago. And for the first time, they are seeing Armenian flags in Spokane, and for the first time they’re meeting other Armenians, and they’ve lived here for 30 years,” Kazanjian says. “It’s cool that [Skewers] has kind of become almost like a beacon, like a bat signal.”
favorites through trial and error. Kazanjian grew to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for this culture’s cuisine — learning more about the origins of each dish.
Kazanjian is a third-generation refugee. His grandparents survived the Armenian Genocide during World War I, fleeing to Lebanon, and his parents left for Los Angeles during the Lebanese civil wars. He grew up in a large Armenian community in Los Angeles, attending an Armenian school and learning the language and culture, and then moved to Spokane for college.
Though the Inland Northwest suited him more than the big city, Kazanjian craved authentic Armenian-Lebanese food. At the time, Spokane had no eateries that could scratch the itch of homesickness.
“I didn’t know how to make anything. I know what they are supposed to taste like. I really, really wanted what they are supposed to taste like,” Kazanjian says. “My goal was to recreate those flavors and those dishes. Originally, it was just for me, and then I started sharing it with friends.”
Kazanjian’s aunt back in Los Angeles was one of his culinary influences and had the “perfect pitch” for food. Give her a bite of something, and she’d be able to recreate it. Memories of her dishes guided Kazanjian’s cooking journey.
The first dish Kazanjian tried to replicate was dolma, stuffed grape leaves, to his dissatisfaction. From there, he tried to recreate numerous other childhood
“The more friends I shared with they would be like, ‘You should open a restaurant.’ And it’s like, ‘No, I’m not going to open a restaurant.’ And then, here we are,” Kazanjian says.
I realized that just making it fresh with fresh ingredients was the difference.
But working at a coffee shop throughout college did solidify his interest, so he decided to try doing a food truck.
“I really enjoy cooking. I enjoy serving people, and there’s a lot of those elements in it,” Kazanjian says.
“Shawarma was one of my favorite foods growing up, and there was nowhere in Spokane that was making it at the time,” Kazanjian says.
He wanted to do the Middle Eastern street food
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justice, though. Kazanjian proceeded to jerry-rig a home barbecue he bought on Craigslist for $15, turning it into a contraption that could emulate the vertical rotisserie system for the shawarma.
Falafel is also a Middle Eastern staple. Kazanjian had never been the biggest fan of the fried chickpea blend, but he was determined to make a variation of the dish that he also enjoyed.
He uses both fava beans and chickpeas, which are respectively used in Armenian and Lebanese cuisine. Fresh herbs give the inside of the fried balls their iconic green color.
“The first batch that I made I was really happy with. My recipe has changed so little even just from that because I realized that just making it fresh with fresh ingredients was the difference,” Kazanjian says.
Kazanjian still swore up and down that he would never open a restaurant. In 2023, however, there was an opportunity too good to pass up when chef-owner Michael Wiley decided to shutter Scratch Restaurant and Rain Lounge in downtown Spokane.
As coincidence would have it, Wiley ran into Angela Schutz the same day he informed landlord Jerry Dicker about the closure. Schutz, well connected with the local restaurant industry, immediately thought of Kazanjian, whom she’d been nudging about opening a restaurant for years.
“I was like, ‘I don’t have any desire to open a restaurant, but it would be cool to meet Michael Wiley,’” Kazanjian says.
Though Kazanjian had his hands full with the food truck’s peak season, Wiley convinced him to open in September to hit the ground running before the winter slow season. The restaurant is his main focus now, but Kazanjian still operates the food truck seasonally.
Kazanjian had mixed feelings when opening Skewers’ doors. Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, also known as Artsakh, renewed in 2020. The week of opening, Azerbaijan launched an “anti-terrorist” bombardment of Artsakh, displacing thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to Armenia and neighboring countries.
Despite being one restaurant across the world from the current Armenian struggles, Skewers is a home away from home for many local Armenians.
“We’re going to be proud, we’re going to hang our flags, and we’re going to represent our culture well and make sure that everyone knows who Armenians are and not let it be just another part of history that people forget,” Kazanjian says.
TRY IT YOURSELF
Chef Mirak Kazanjian says this dish is one of his favorites. “I remember being in elementary school, and if my mom packed me Eech for lunch I would be so excited… It’s very filling because it is wheat based, but it has unique flavors too.”
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 regular yellow onions, minced
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper*
• 4 tablespoons of red pepper paste
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 3.5 cups of crushed tomatoes (or 28-ounce can)
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups fine bulgur**
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
• Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat a large pot with the olive oil.
2. Add the two onions, cooking until light golden.
3. Add the spices and mix well.
4. Add the tomato paste and pepper paste, incorporate well, and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add crushed tomatoes and lemon, bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the water and bulgur. Stir everything together, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Remove from heat, and immediately transfer to a shallow dish (9x13 pan works well). This dish looks best without being transferred after cooling, so cool in the dish you plan to serve in (as long as it can handle the initial heat).
8. Refrigerate until completely cooled (a few hours or overnight).
9. Before serving, top with extra virgin olive oil, green onion, parsley and Aleppo pepper.
10. Garnish with Romaine lettuce leaves and lemon slices.
*Aleppo pepper is a specialty spice with both smoky and sweet elements. Substituting a mix of cayenne and paprika can also work in this recipe.
**Bulgur is cracked wheat. It can be found at most grocery stores, but especially at Middle Eastern stores. You want a “fine” bulgur, but larger bulgur can work for this dish.
— RECIPE COURTESY OF MIRAK KAZANJIAN
Our wines are made to enhance gatherings and create lasting memories through shared experiences.
BRING THE FLAVORS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE TO YOUR TABLE.
A new cookbook is chockfull of vetted recipes that make healthy eating easy
BY ANNE MCGREGOR
Desperation may be the cause of many “less than optimal” food choices. Hunger has a persistent way of asserting itself, calling to us to latch onto what is available and satisfying in the moment. Hence, the drive-thru and all its glories. And though we all know that’s not the best way to fuel our bodies, what’s the alternative? Figuring out a recipe, going to the store, hauling it all home and cooking?
Two health care providers in Spokane may have a solution.
“It’s been my experience that people want to do the right thing,” especially after a scary event like a heart attack or stroke, says Brea Seaburg, a doctor of nursing practice at the Prevention Center for Heart
and Brain Health in Spokane. But for her clients, doing the right thing, both immediately and long term, can be a frustrating struggle.
Seaburg and her colleague, dietitian Monika Jacobson, struggled to find a single resource that they could hand out to provide a quick and easy way to create healthy meals without a lot of fuss. Finding nothing that aligned with their goals, they teamed
easy-to-digest suggestions along the way. A simple round graphic assigned to each recipe reveals at a glance the parts of the balanced plate it contains; quite a few recipes contain all the elements, and it’s easy to spot what’s missing to fill in the gaps on others. Recipes are easy to follow and don’t require elaborate technique; ingredients are, for the most part, familiar and inexpensive. But while it all appears rather straightforward, the recipes are carefully crafted and vetted, not just for flavor (by the duo’s coworkers and young kids), but also for optimum nutritional value.
“For my whole career, people would come to me and say what do you think
“When you balance your plate, you have the fiber-rich carbohydrates, you have your protein, you have your healthy fats...”
up to create their own evidence-based cookbook, The Balanced Plate: A Simple Formula for Building Nutritious Family Meals
Featuring recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and yes, even dessert, the book is designed to assist rapid yet healthy meal planning, while offering educational,
of the keto diet, what do you think of the carnivore diet, what do you think of the ‘diet du jour,’” Jacobson says. “And I always come back to this balanced plate concept… With our book, we wanted to lay out that concept in the beginning and then teach people how to use that as a
template for building their healthy meals moving forward.”
The balanced plate contains one-quarter plate of fiber-rich carbohydrates, one-quarter plate of protein, one-half plate of non-starchy vegetables, with a little dollop in the center for fats.
“We do talk a lot about healthy fats, which for us means unsaturated fats for the most part,” Jacobson says, noting that healthy fats are found in olive oil and avocado oil, as well as fatty fish like sardines and salmon.
“Fat is dense in terms of calories per gram, but we actually need fat. It’s good for our satiety, it helps our stomach hold food a little longer so we feel fuller,” Jacobson says. “Our brains need fat. You need fat to soak up all the goodness of certain nutrients and vitamins.”
Carbohydrates, often vilified, occupy a quarter of the plate. “We don’t shy away from carbs in this book, but we focus on naturally gluten-free grains, fruit, starchy vegetables and use the nutritional density of those foods as healthy foods that we want people to feel like they can eat,” Jacobson explains.
Minimizing blood sugar spikes is an important element of the recipes. Seaburg, who discovered she has Type 1 diabetes in 2019, notes that at least 80% of the U.S. adult population has at least one marker of metabolic dysfunction, a condition that can progress to diabetes.
“One of the things we’re really focused on, and I think is just huge right now in terms of overall health and chronic disease, is blood sugar stability,” Seaburg says. “When you balance your plate, you have the fiber-rich carbohydrates, you have your protein, you have your healthy fats and your non-starchy vegetables, you’re going to have a much more stable blood sugar response to that.”
All the recipes are gluten-free. That’s not because the duo believe everyone needs to avoid gluten. As they note in the book, “Due to the growing number of people living with non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), we wanted our recipes to be accessible for every person in the household.”
It can all quickly become rather complex, and that’s where The Balanced Plate shines: The authors have done the behind-the-scenes work for you. Just pick a recipe and eat with confidence.
The Balanced Plate is available at Wishing Tree Books, Kizuri, Eclipse Yoga, Pleasantries, and the Prevention Center for Heart and Brain Health
“I grew up with a version of this muffin,” says Spokane dietitian Monika Jacobson, co-author of The Balanced Plate. “My mom made them and called them Bloomsday muffins. They’re really filling because they’ve got good fiber, they’ve got good fat. I wanted to tweak it and make it a little bit more nutritionally dense, with a little bit more protein and fiber, and gluten-free. And I think this one turned out better than the original, if I do say so myself!”
• 1½ cups almond flour
• 2 cups oat bran or oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup millet
• 1¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup avocado oil
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin cups. Lightly spray the cups to ensure the muffins don’t stick.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix well with a whisk.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the wet ingredients. Stir well.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Once mixed, fold in berries.
5. Fill each muffin cup (mounted up over the brim). Depending on the size of your muffin tins, you may need to use two tins.
6. Bake muffins on the center rack of the oven for approximately 22-25 minutes, until they are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. HOT TIP: Add a hard-boiled egg on the side or a serving of Greek yogurt for extra protein with this meal.
— FROM THE BALANCED PLATE COURTESY OF MONIKA JACOBSON AND BREA SEABURG
STORY BY DORA SCOTT • PHOTOS BY ERICK DOXEY
In an epic version of the “honey-do list,” Clint Janson became a pastry master to fulfill his wife Christie’s dream of owning a bakery.
“For a year, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life was trying to perfect croissants,” says Clint, who grew up in Deer Park and had to incorporate his knowledge of the local climate and altitude to perfect Leaven Bakery & Patisserie’s baked goods.
To get a taste of the Deer Park bakery’s most popular items — croissants and cinnamon rolls — be sure to set your alarm to an ungodly hour, especially if you have a decent drive to arrive at the location north
of Spokane. Many days, these bestsellers are gone before 10 am.
Christie, a full-time nurse supervisor, pops in on mornings and off days to make her famous cinnamon rolls. Scones, cookies and a large selection of sourdough bread are also favorites.
French bakery, with circular marble tables, white tile backsplashes and wrought iron bistro chairs.
Supporting other local businesses is important to the couple: Wacker Coffee Co. supplies their coffee; the honey is from Greenbluff Honey Farm and flour is from Shepherd’s Grain in Palouse. Leaven is reminiscent of a modern
“I wanted to bring something that Deer Park could embrace, but that would also elevate what people think of Deer Park,” Clint says.
7 S. Main St., Unit B, Deer Park leaven-bakery.com, 509-710-4276, Tue-Wed and Fri 7 am-2 pm; Sat 8 am-2 pm
“We are not just this tiny farming community, which we have been forever — and that’s great — but we are also a place where you can go and get really good stuff, and it’s good to be a part of that.”
4902 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley, 509-251-3459, open daily 10 am-9 pm
When war broke out in Syria in 2011, Abdulkareem Mahmoud had to leave his life and his family restaurant behind. He’d grown up in the food industry, starting at age 8 when he began helping his father in their family business that specialized in savory pastries.
When civil war broke out between Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime and rebel groups, Abdulkareem fled with his four children and wife to Jordan until they were able to move to Spokane with the assistance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2015.
Abdulkareem worked at Feast World Kitchen, serving up authentic Syrian food every month until he could assist his two sons, Maher and Mohammad, to start a family restaurant.
The family’s new restaurant, Arabian Palace, opened Jan. 4 in the corner space of a small retail complex on East Sprague Avenue in Spokane Valley.
Arabian Palace’s entire menu is made fresh daily by hand, with nothing frozen, ensuring high quality for reasonable price points. Though you can’t go wrong with choosing classic Middle Eastern options like shawarma, Maher encourages customers to expand their taste palate and try dishes like their lamb ouzi and savory pastries. If you want a drink with a sour and salty kick, try the aryan, a yogurt-based drink.
1507 E. Sprague Ave., Instagram: @pateralounge, 509-906-4973, Tue-Fri noon-8 pm; Sat-Sun 10 am-8 pm
The newest addition to the Sprague Union District is Patera Temperance Lounge, a place for a festive no-alcohol night out. Owner Annie McGuinness’ first step into the botanical beverage world was her pop-up business Loving Libations. Patera offers pop-up menu favorites like her Lavender Libation, served hot or cold, in a coupe glass garnished with a sprig of lavender.
There is also a selection of elixirs crafted with kava, a plant root traditionally prepared and drunk ceremoniously in Polynesian culture. The plant is anti-inflammatory and is known for the slight tingle and numbness it brings to the mouth.
Other drinks include hand-blended herbal teas and coffee from Peaceful Valley Coffee Co.
Patera also serves food — the menu is all-vegan and includes the popular mango chai tart for dessert.
10115 N. Newport Hwy., Instagram: @eddieskitchentavern, Wed-Sat 11:30 am-9 pm, Sun 11:30 am-8 pm
Spokane restaurateur Kevin Pereira has teamed up with his wife, Julie, to open Eddie’s Kitchen & Tavern in North Spokane, near the North Division Y.
The restaurant features an amalgamation of the things that worked in his two other businesses, Lost Boys’ Garage and Summit Kitchen & Canteen, like fish & chips, mozzarella sticks and jalapeño poppers — which have gluten-free variations. The most popular item so far is Eddie’s Signature Burger, a half-pound Angus beef patty with gouda cheese and thick-sliced crunchy bacon on a brioche bun. For a hearty meal, you can’t go wrong with the lasagna or the mac and cheese.
History buff Chuck King is fascinated by the
that shaped the region — and wants to share them with everyone
BY E.J. IANNELLI
Chuck King has always been a collector of things.
As a kid he’d gather rocks. Then he turned his eye to stamps and coins. After that, the objects of his attention morphed into photographs, souvenirs and curios.
“Pretty soon they got bigger and heavier, and I needed trailers and friends to help carry them,” he says. Some of the bigger, heavier items include ticket booths and 16-foot-tall signs from area drive-in theaters that projected their last movie decades ago.
Asked about the urge to collect, he reflects for a moment.
“It’s because of the memories probably more than anything. Without someone to capture the artifact, those memories do fade, culturally and personally.”
King turned his private hobby toward the public sphere back in the early 2000s, when Spokane Valley was looking to get its Heritage Museum off the ground. He would end up helping co-found the museum after making an unannounced house call to its future director, Jayne Singleton. They’d never met until he showed up at her front door, eager to discuss the whys and wherefores of local cultural preservation.
“That was kind of my start with actually doing something with my interest in history,” he says.
Later, in another fateful intersection of paths, King would meet local musician and history buff Garrin Hertel.
In 2011, Hertel had bought Nostalgia Magazine, a periodical devoted to chronicling the stories that shaped the Inland Northwest in ways large and small. But after a few years the print magazine found itself facing the challenges of a changing media landscape. Hertel thought that Nostalgia could benefit from someone with King’s passion and expertise.
Over lunches at the iconic — and recently fire-ravaged — Skyway Cafe, they hit upon the idea of an edutainment video series called Chuck King’s Guide to Spokane History, better known as The King’s Guide.
“I remember saying, ‘We need to do videos that are less than a minute.’ And of course we just couldn’t. We’d have at least seven- or eight-minute videos,” Hertel says, chuckling. Occasionally the episodes would stretch close to feature length. Neither he nor King could bring themselves to leave out the interesting and unusual details that seemed to accompany every story.
And those stories have been wide-ranging. Since its launch in 2017, The King’s Guide has covered everything from landmarks and labor movements to locomotion. Popular episodes have profiled influential but unassuming figures like E.J. Brickell, dubbed Spokane’s “forgotten founder,” or
veered off the beaten path by examining, say, the once thriving bordellos of North Idaho’s mining towns.
It’s led to The King’s Guide taking on a life beyond — and ultimately outlasting — Nostalgia Magazine. Hertel says that part of what keeps it fresh and fun is allowing King to follow his curiosity.
“When I do research, it starts basically with one thing, whether it’s an artifact or a story I see in the paper,” King says. “If it’s a historic building, I want to know who built it, who’s the architect, who they bought the property from. As a history buff, you want to go back as far as you can go, to the very beginning.”
Each video sees King meeting up with a specialist who typically accompanies him on an outing in a classic car. Hertel, an amateur videographer with the flair of a professional, single-handedly records,
edits and produces the videos. He isn’t shy about drawing inspiration from the well-received web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
Most recently, King hopped into Jess Walter’s 1963 Lincoln convertible for a guided tour of the locations that informed the Spokane author’s historical novel The Cold Millions.
“Chuck is a treasure,” Hertel says. “You might say he has an Indiana Jones kind of personality. He’s an academic, but he’s also an adventurer. The artifacts are important, but for him, sharing the history is its own reward.”
To watch the videos in The King’s Guide series and learn more about the people, landmarks and events that they cover, visit kingsguidespokane.com or youtube.com/@thekingsguidespokane.
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