April Showers Bring May Flowers by hilloah

I keep saying this to people who are tired of the rain. We all love flowers and in May the roses should start to bloom as well as the rhododendrons. And we might still have iris and perhaps the daffodils.  Our dahlias are growing so soon we will have those as well. Yippee!

Then the fruits and veggies will start. Our peach, cherry, apple, and fig trees are all starting to blossom. Everytime we see a bee, whether one of our mason bees or honeybees,  near the trees, Archie goes up to them and points out the other blossoms and gives them directions to the other flowers to pollinate. How cute is that? Next will come the squash, corn, pepper, cucumber and tomato plants. Archie will be a busy man!

 Have any of you gone to Living Light’s salad bar lately? Man, it’s great! It starts with fresh mixed lettuce, then romaine, shredded carrots, shredded beets, cucumbers, shredded red cabbage, celery, cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts. And then each day has different selections: cooked and sprouted black or garbanzo beans, steamed rice, sauerkraut, or something extra like a mixed marinated veggie salad. Three or four dressings are available: Dijon Mustard dressing, Ranch, Liquid Gold, or Tomato Basil. I truly gorge on Living Light’s salad bar!

Snapdragons by hilloah

Archie and I were talking about what we were going to do on the weekend and I said I would weed out the snapdragons from our wine barrels as they were done. Then I started to think about it. Do they reseed themselves? Do I leave the roots and a few inches of the stalk above ground? It’s Google time! I went to several sites and basically found out that snapdragons can reseed themselves, however it is best to save the seeds and plant next year. Good to know!

 Well, I did not save any seeds as there were so many snap dragons still wanting to flower! I just weeded out the dead ones; looks better!

There are so many yummy choices in our Raw Food Café! My favorite, as everyone knows, is Tiramisu. The Pastry Chefs know to let me know when they bring it down to the café. Our next Pastry Arts – Unbaked! class is May 1st through 4th – I can’t wait.  My favorite non-dessert is the Not Tuna Sandwich. It doesn’t really taste like tuna, but has the same consistency and the flavor is outstanding! And just think, when you come to Living Light Culinary Institute you will get to learn how to make these yummy dishes!

Teach Me by mary elizabeth

As one grows older, one accumulates more tools for navigating life’s rough waters. We learn to handle things with grace and dignity rather than hysterics and panic. We can look at painful situations with a veteran’s seasoned eye knowing they won’t last forever. Our coping skills are honed. My birthday’s coming up and it always makes me wonder if I’m getting anywhere and I’m kind of feeling like the answer might be “yes”. I’ve actually learned some stuff and what’s more – I’ve assimilated it. Good for me. Being taught new stuff is one of life’s most exciting and most scary things. They say when the student is ready the teacher appears. I haven’t always felt all that ready, but looking back – I guess I was.

Here at Living Light, we not only teach people the art of raw culinary excellence, we also teach people to teach. To help our students along this path we make empowerment kits available to them. Each kit has a theme (i.e. comfort food, breakfast, holiday, etc.) and was developed by Cherie Soria and our own Jenny Cornbleet. Jenny has made a fabulous career for herself as a raw food chef and instructor – and she’s put her expertise into these kits and her new advanced instructor training. If you want to learn to teach – call me!

Make the Splash by mary elizabeth

Living Light is making donations to our local chapter of the American Red Cross for every student that signs up for our Advanced Raw Culinary Arts Instructor Training Certification. We as a company have always promoted positive planet change by promoting a healthy life style. Be a part of the solution and learn not only to prepare healthy food but how to teach others to make this positive change. Each choice for health – both personal and planetary – is another drop in the bucket of change. And all our drops can make a splash.

As we hear back from our former students in Japan, the tragedy comes closer to home. One woman wrote that while so many are subsisting on noodles and water, eating healthily seems almost a luxury to be put on hold for a bit. In their situation it probably is, but sadly, eating healthily is often a luxury right here at home. As a mother of two children, I can tell you by the end of some pay periods, healthy eating habits are put on hold. Organic produce and lunch box treats just can’t compete with name brand processed choices and non-organic food.  As a nation, we say that the health of our kids is a priority, but one can buy five giant boxes of FruitLoops for the price of one normally sized box of organic cereal. I really want to support organic farmers and companies putting out organic alternatives to comforting staples but when my family’s involved, if it comes to eating consciously or eating – I choose eating. As we Americans reach out to our brothers and sisters across the Pacific, let’s also be mindful of taking care of our own. We all have a voice and a choice. Let’s concentrate on making healthy choices accessible to all.

Leafy Green Revolution by kristin

photo m.i. suarez

It seems that everywhere we turn, the color du jour is GREEN. And methinks it’s not just because it’s March and the green wind is whistling through the trees. No, it’s bigger than that. It’s the collective consciousness making a huge shift for the better. Whether it is New York Times famous food writer Mark Bittman touting the glory of greens and simple vegan pleasures, or Ellen Degeneres giving Lady GaGa a Kale Bikini on her  TV show, or my friend Maria writing a wonderful book on sprouting in Spanish, the trend is clear. There’s no turning back now. It’s a leafy green revolution all the way.

Sometimes working at a raw food school it might seem that the rest of the world is taking awhile to catch up, but when you look around you’ll find them everywhere, and I don’t mean Leprechauns. I mean green revolutionaries. If you’d like to be a part of the green wave of the future, Living Light is the place to learn the tricks of the trade. As the revolution progresses. there will be many who want to learn the secrets of a plant based diet. Now is the time. The next full Gourmet Raw Food Chef Certification series begins March 19 and there’s only 5 spots left! 

Art or Science? by mary elizabeth

What’s you’re very favorite raw recipe? As I may have mentioned before, I tend to be pretty partial to raw desserts, but lately I’ve been branching out. I just spoke with my dear friend, Laura (a super fabulous artist, by the way), who has a recipe for raw beet and carrot salad. Doesn’t that sound good? We have a bunch of great recipes on the Living Light website, too. I want to try the Save the Salmon Cutlets. It’s  pretty ambitious for the likes of me, but if I enlist my daughter I’m sure it’ll be a success. If you’re at all intimidated by recipes, why don’t you take a class at Living Light? Our FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods is a great way to gain some confidence. It’s a one day adventure in raw food preparation. And we have two options available this month: March 5^th and March 19^th.

I can’t believe we’re already in March. There was quite a storm on the night of the first, so it came in like a lion. I couldn’t remember what that signified, so I googled it and the whole saying is something like, if March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb. But according to the article I read, it’s not a real scientific prediction but rather just a poetic saying about changeable March weather. Thanks, but that much I already guessed. I wish there was a little sentence like that on the salmon recipe….

A Happy New Year by hilloah

This is the last blog of the year. What will the New Year bring? Will Archie build the Great Room? If so, I get to get a piano, ooooooooooh! I can hardly wait!  So! What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

 Will you go raw for 30 days like some of the people in our office are doing? If you do, be sure to do so with a buddy so you will make the stretch.

  Living Light International is having another Hot Raw Chef Video Contest. This time, the theme is  Sweet Valentine. Send us your video starting January 1^st – we are giving away over $5000 in prizes! Details are going out today. If you have not subscribed to our free e-newsletter, do so now by going to our website, www.rawfoodchef.com, or for contest details visit www.hotrawchef.com.

 What are my resolutions? To enjoy each moment as it comes, and if they are not full of joy, to give them a kiss and wish them well.

Are We There Yet? by mary elizabeth

You know how certain strains of philosophy encourage us to enjoy the journey rather than fret about the destination? I think that’s a way better system than the more “end result” based ones, but it takes some practice. Sometimes it just doesn’t come naturally at all. I do my best, but if my mood isn’t in ship optimistic shape, the journey can seem pretty suckish. I have to think of it as a big, scary roller coaster. We don’t get on those for the end result – we get on for the ride. I guess it’d be easier if life were always as exciting as a big scary roller coaster.  The tricky part is to enjoy the journey even when it’s just hungry kids, overdue bills and lingering head colds. Maybe we need to bring along the emotional equivalent of a coloring book for the more ho-hum periods – making the journey more fun for ourselves. Or maybe I should just paint the wall of my cube with chalk board paint. What do you think?

Speaking of journeys – three intrepid travelers set off from Living Light to staff a booth at World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco last weekend. Martine, Amber and Brenda handed out yummy raw treats, recipes and information about Living Light. They also had a raffle and one lucky winner will get to come and take FUNdamentals here. It’s a great class, and it goes on journeys itself sometimes. It’s held on the road a few times a year, so if you’re not local keep an eye on our website – maybe FUNdamentals will come to you!

Living Light International by mary s.

One of the reasons I love working at Living Light is the opportunity to interact with incredible students from around the world! Our students come here with a wide range of experiences, skills and knowledge, but they share a common desire to embrace a healthy, vibrant and conscious lifestyle. I am inspired by the energy and creativity that emerges within a diverse group of students who share their skills and knowledge with each other.

On Saturday, July 10, our students arrived here for the FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods, the first course of an ensuing 10 week culinary and nutritional training.  Of the 34 students attending the FUNdamentals course, 50%  were from other countries:

A group of students hanging out after class

6  Canada
2  UK
2  Japan
2  Singapore
1  France
1  Belgium
1  Australia
1  New Zealand
1  India

The other 17 students were from the U.S. including all over California, Hawaii, Washington State, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida.

I see a radiant light and joyful energy shining from the students and I’m excited as they begin this culinary adventure and progress in their skills and knowledge of raw living foods.

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite at www.hotrawchef.com by July 21st!! Our first ever Hot Raw Chef Video Recipe Contest is a great example of the diversity and creativity that thrive in the raw culinary world.

Living Light Ambassadors and Raw Sweets Contest in Tokyo Japan

Jewel Box cake amazes Living Light Ambassadors

Living Light students are reaching out into the world again, and we are so proud of their achievements! In October, the Japan Living Beauty Association hosted a Raw Sweets Contest in Tokyo, and Living Light Ambassadors Jim Maurice, Beate von der Osten, Brenda Hinton, Masae Kitahara, and Makiko Asano were contest judges. Over twenty entries came in over the internet and the judges voted on the desserts based on photos, recipes, ingredients, and descriptions of the dishes. Eight finalists brought their desserts to the contest, and guests and students at the event were treated to demos and lectures by Living Light Ambassadors and Japanese students. Everyone got to taste the marvelous creations, and the grand prize winner was a cake called The Jewelry Box. The young (19 year old) winner of the contest, Moeko Shima had spent some time in Switzerland and wanted to create a traditional cake (a raw version of the Donauellen from that region). Judge Beate von der Osten from Germany well remembered tasting the delicious cake in Europe, and was SO impressed—she said it was exactly like the cake she remembered! A quote from Living Light Ambassador Brenda Hinton: “Needless to say this was an incredible adventure, an uplifting experience, and a beautifully heartwarming event. And this is only the beginning !! Moeko Shima dreams of coming to Living Light, and here’s what she said: “I am looking forward to go to America, to Living Light and to think and learn more things about raw food and also to meet Cherie Soria.” And if you would like to see more photos of Japanese students making raw food, click this link: http://rawsweets.blogspot.com/