• 4 nights of cozy accommodation in a private cabin with private bathroom and screened porch where two hammocks await you

• 4 yoga classes with meditation practice in a beautiful space

• Yoga props and accessories

• 4 daily four-hour hands-on culinary workshops 

• Johanne's cookbook which contains more than 100 recipes (PDF)

• Nutrition coaching

• A visit to a local market

• 3 delicious & nutritious meals a day

• Free time for swimming in the lagoon or to relax in your hammock

• Transfer to and from the local airport by mototaxi (20-minute drive)

​

This program is designed for one or two people maximum for an intimate experience and personalized instruction.

 

Get a real taste of vegetarian cooking with this perfectly blended five-day retreat.

​

If you prefer the option without the yoga classes included, please inquire.   

​

Vegetarian cuisine is both tasty and culturally diverse and this retreat aims to show you just that. You will experience time and again how wholesome food prepared with love and good intention is exquisite, eye-pleasing, and fulfilling. Johanne holds a vegetarian nutrition certificate and is a coach in mind-body nutrition & the psychology of eating. She worked as the cook in a hostel in Costa Rica for over a year and at Tambo Ilusión Wellness Retreat Center for over 3 years and made a name for herself as a great cook. Johanne is happy to share her knowledge and passions with her guests. Johanne will teach you how to prepare and eat more plant-based foods and raw foods without the dogma and the fanaticism often associated with them. Her goal isn't to convert anyone to vegetarianism but to encourage and inspire people to eat a balanced diet.

 

If you already follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you might become savvier and will come away with tasty recipes, as the possibilities of vegetarian dishes are endless. There's so much you can do with fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, lentils, and peas), whole grains, sea vegetables (seaweeds) nuts, and seeds, which are all part of a balanced vegetarian diet. Come learn to transform these ingredients into delightful dining experiences that are sure to excite your palate and engage your senses.

 

The content of the cooking workshops within this retreat is informative, easy to understand, and digest. You will learn to prepare and enjoy various dishes daily. You will receive hands-on experience preparing food, practical tips and tricks, as well as savor delicious and nourishing food. You will hopefully discover new foods like locro de zapallo, Johanne's vegan take on a popular Peruvian dish.

​

You will learn to prepare healthy breakfasts, learn about superfoods, sprouting, juicing, fermenting, dehydrating, making smoothies, nut and seed milk, raw desserts, and much more. You will get to ask questions as you prepare meals from start to finish. The workshops are fun, relaxed, and practical.

​

Before your arrival, you will be asked what foods you love, what foods you dislike, if you have any food allergies, and if you want to focus on lacto-ovo vegetarian recipes (no meat, no fish, and no animal tissue products), vegan recipes (only plant-derived foods), or raw vegan recipes. The recipes and menus are then further customized to honor such requests. 

​

Eating nutritious foods and moving our bodies are two of the most important ways in which the actions we take on a daily basis contribute to our overall health and well-being. Thus, this program would not be complete without yoga practice and a walk in the protected forest.  

​

​

Sample daily schedule:

​

08:30   Hands-on cooking workshop preparing breakfast

09:30   Nutritious breakfast

10:00   Cooking workshop preparing the midday meal

13:30   Nutritious lunch

14:30   Free time

16:30   Yoga class with meditation practice

18:00   Free time

19:00   Nourishing supper and conversation followed by free time to             observe the stars

​

You have the option to accompany Johanne to a local market in the early morning once. The market experience is one that should not be missed while traveling. You will visit a food market so you can be part of the local scene and get a feel of the local culture. You shall get to explore regional cuisine and witness the variety of produce offered. You'll see the locals, including what they eat, how they dress, how they relate to each other, etc. This little adventure will enrich your travel experience as you practice your language skills, take a few pictures, and maybe buy a few souvenirs.

​

Johanne has created a cookbook including her recipes that are most popular among her guests. You will receive this cookbook (in PDF format) by partaking in this fun cooking vacation.  It will be a souvenir to cherish and relish that will keep you inspired to nourish yourself and your loved ones!

​

Join Johanne at Tambo Ilusión for this fun and nourishing culinary adventure.