Commitment vs. Obsession by mary elizabeth

Have you ever become caught up in a book or television program or anything, really, that consumed you?  And even though you knew it was going to end and you were going to miss it when it did, you just couldn’t stop until it was over or used up?  According to my kindle, I am 46% of the way through the last “game of thrones” book.   And seriously, on so many levels – what a relief!   I mean, I’m enjoying them wholeheartedly and am sure that this last book will leave me hanging on a cliff of excruciating torment and I know I have to wait, like, three years for the next one.  But… I feel like I’m giving a whole lot of my disposable time, which isn’t that much anyway, to this series.  What about trashy TV?  And writing? And art projects?  Not to mention my kids, my boyfriend and Amanda.   Oh well – 54% to go.   Look for a follow up piece on the separation anxiety I’m sure to experience when I’m done.

Sometimes, we have to make a choice to put the rest of our life on hold for a greater purpose.  That’s what Living Light students do.  They come here and spend all day every day for up to nine weeks in class, preparing themselves for new lives as raw food chefs.  It’s overwhelming, and I’m so inspired by all of them.  Their commitment is commendable.  And I know that most of them, at some point, wonder if it’s all worth it or if they’ll even make it through.  But – it is and they do – hundreds of them each year.   As I’ve said before, it’s a labor of love – for themselves and for the planet.  I’m proud of our students and am honored to be a part of their commitment.

Peace on a Plate by mary elizabeth

Today is the start of the Memorial Day weekend.  I’m not sure what that means for me other than lots of yard sales and the permission to wear white clothes.  Although, a Google search of the holiday informed me that fewer and fewer people are following the white clothes rule and are “wearing white throughout the year”.  Well fine – go ahead, if you really want to.  Anyhow – it talked a bit about honoring those who gave their lives serving our country but basically called it the beginning of the summer season.  It’s interesting how things change.  Oh well.  The only veteran I know really well is my dad and he’s still alive and so has to wait to be honored until Veterans’ Day,  when I put my white clothes away again, by the way.   Anyhow – it’s a three day weekend for most of us Americans and that’s always nice.  It isn’t one here at Living Light, but that’s okay – we’re having one of our fun potlucks in the Admin. Office on Monday and that’s always nice, too!  So I guess, basically, I’m going to try and be mindful of our country’s history and the personal sacrifices that went along with it.  And – I’m going to rock my white pants on Monday.

Our students will be starting their Associate Chef and Instructor Training on Monday.  This two week course fine tunes their raw culinary skills and also empowers them to teach others to make their own raw food.  And that’s really what the light in Living Light is all about:  sharing the possibilities of a raw, plant based and cruelty free way of eating with the world.  As our Culinary Programs Manager, Martine Lussier, says, “Peace begins in the kitchen”.  Hey – what a great focus point for Memorial Day!    Have a deliciously peaceful weekend!

Fresh Start by mary elizabeth

Today, Living Light graduated its first Gourmet Raw Food Chefs of 2012.  I’m always so amazed by our students.  Some of them come so far and they all leave their homes to spend six weeks (sometimes longer) with us to learn how to prepare raw vegan gourmet food.  It’s a huge commitment of both time and money, not to mention how focused and ready to be taught they have to be.  It really is a labor of love.  Anyhow – I’m so proud of them and excited to see what they go off into the world to do with their new culinary greatness.  They are leaving us with a whole new way of looking at food, ready to take that knowledge home and recreate their lives.  What an adventure.

Everyday life can get monotonous.  It can get real routine and stale.  But I’ve found that I’m better able to get out of that reality and into a more adventurous one pretty simply these days.  I’m trying to focus on myself in a positive way.  I’m enjoying my kids for who they are and am overwhelmed by the wonderful individuals they are growing into.  I’m actually remembering to be grateful for all sorts of things every day.  I’m trying to relax and trust the universe to provide the things I think I need in its own time.  I’m trying to relax and trust the people in my life to be whom and what they present themselves to be.  I guess, basically, I’m just not wasting my time worrying.  And you know what?  Every day is an opportunity to recreate ourselves.   Everyday life can be an adventure, too.

Laughter and Tears by hilloah

This weekend I saw a play that made me laugh, and finished a book and a movie that made me cry.  No, not cry, but blubber like a basket case.  Anyhow – the play was Same Time, Next Year.  The movie was filmed up here on the Mendocino Coast years ago,  so we’re extra endeared to the story already.  I love going to our local theater productions as the talent here is very good.  We went to dinner with friends beforehand, then to the play.  It was a lot of  fun.

The book that made me cry was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  I now have read the book five times, and seen the last movie.  I just can’t seem to help it, though, when my favorite characters die (no, not Bellatrix or Riddle).  Poor Archie had to look at me weeping and blubbering.  He thought it was a bit stupid to still be crying, so he suggested we watch a movie.  I agreed and we proceeded to watch the last movie of the Lord of the Rings.  Oops!   Again, I was crying at the end of the movie.  Yes, I have read the books and yes, I have seen the movie several times – so?!   Oh well, at least I have not lost how to feel.

If you read The Raw Food Revolution Diet even once, you might cry tears of joy. Finally, a book that explains a raw food diet in laymen’s terms and makes you hungry just reading it.  No sadness here!   At Living Light, we bring a healthy, whole food diet home.  Like the book says: Feast, Lose Weight, Gain Energy, Feel Younger!  Why not start today?

Global Revolution by mary elizabeth

Here at Living Light we’re right in the middle of an Associate Chef and Instructor training and we’ve got students with us from all over the world. The countries represented include Australia, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, Norway, Sweden and Canada. And of course, we’ve got students from the good, old US of A coming from both coasts, the mid, south and north wests and even some locals!  It’s quite a bunch, indicative of the global aspect of the raw food revolution!

Living Light has been in existence for over twelve years and in that time we’ve had students from over forty-five countries. Our impact on the raw food movement is immeasurable. Our founder, Cherie Soria, had a vision of making the raw food diet compatible with real life. She wanted followers to be able to take it home with them and embrace it as not only a health and planet-friendly way to eat, but a yummy one as well. She wanted them to be able to successfully introduce it to their family and friends. Her dream was to make the raw food lifestyle possible for anyone willing to learn.  She has succeeded –globally – in every sense of the word!

Going Raw by hilloah

Several of the people in the office have gone “Raw for 30” days. I am so proud of them! Archie and I are not going raw; however, we are reaping the benefits of some recipes. 

Mary Elizabeth found a website that gives easy raw recipes  and made a lime mousse for her and her daughter who is also going raw. Her daughter, Bridget, is thirteen years old and we all are in awe of her tenacity to stay raw – it can not be easy. They both enjoyed the mousse and said it was delicious. Archie said it sounded good; so I went to the store today to buy the ingredients and we will  try it.

 Kristin, our Marketing Director, is also going raw and brought in some “to die for” mushroom crackers. When asked for the recipes she said, “Oh! I’ve been doing this forever. Let’s see, just marinate the mushrooms and onions separately in soy sauce, soak the flax seeds overnight, add veggie scraps, parsley, miso, lemon, lime or orange, stir together, and dehydrate. Then poof,  you have it!” Ah, ok. The best things are usually accidents; guess it is time for me to start.

Have you begun your Sweet Valentine video for the Hot Raw Chef Video Recipe Contest? We can hardly wait to see them and vote!

Flowers, Food and Fun by hilloah

This weekend we pulled the weeds from in front of one of our gardens. We knew there were a couple of Naked Lady bulbs there so we were very careful when pulling. To our delight there were at least nine bulbs that had already poked their leaves up through the dirt!  Archie took the Mantis and tilled the ground in front and around the bulbs while I took the weeds and added to the “berm”  we’re making by the side of the road. Then I brought a wheelbarrow full of horse manure and Archie tilled that in. Then we planted Daffodil bulbs in front of the Naked Ladies. I wanted to plant some crocuses in front too, but we didn’t have any left over from last year’s planting. Ah well, it’s gonna look gorgeous!

Speaking of gorgeous, next February/March we will be having the first Recipe Book Writing, Design, and Production Workshop. Cherie Soria, our Director and author of Raw Food Revolution Diet, Denise Vivaldo, author of The Food Stylist’s Handbook, and Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food, will be teaching this class. You will learn how to photograph your delicious raw dishes, how to plate them, how to write the recipes, and design and produce your own book either as an e-book or hardcover. How exciting is this?

I will be going to the Spunky Skunk Toy Store today. It’s not that I forgot my grandson’s birthday, because I didn’t. I just forgot to buy his present! I love toy stores, but I’ve never been in one like Mr. Magorium’s or the one in Home Alone 2. Man! Those are the best: planes, jets and balloons flying in the air, trains running around the whole store, a giant Christmas tree with marvelous decorations – that’s my kind of store! What will I get: Tinker toys, Lincoln Logs, or Lego’s? I have been purchasing books for him, but at age nine, perhaps it is time to get something else? Grandpa Archie and I had fun looking at all the toys available and choosing for Aiden’s birthday and Christmas and Nathan’s Christmas. I won’t say what we got in case the boys read this blog! (Hee hee!)

Mr. Magorium's Emporium

FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods with New Students by amber west

New students are here!

So much excitement is in the air!

As do many employees, I wear many hats at Living Light.  I work as an Enrollment Specialist downstairs in the front office; however I’m also doing a Teaching Internship upstairs in the kitchen and culinary studio.  Primarily I teach the FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods class (nicknamed FUN).  This is one of

Some of our Kitchen Staff and Angels sorting and washing the incoming Produce order

our most exciting classes.  We allow more students in this class than any other (maximum of 36) and it is the very first class you take at Living Light if you are a culinary arts student.  The excitement in the air is tangible.  Students show up with their new, shiny Living Light binders and pens ready. This is also one of our most intensive classes. It’s only a 1 day class, however it’s packed with information.  We demonstrate how to make tons of food and provide samples of everything we make to the students.  We cover loads of information and provide a lot of quick tips as we go. It is my favorite weekend to work.

Taking a break

This is the way I spent last weekend.  Though in the days leading up to FUNdamentals I end up at home at night with aching feet and my mind exhausted, come Sunday it was all worth it to see the students so inspired and uplifted. You can see their minds churning with recipe ideas, newly opened to just the beginning of all the possibilities that raw foods has to offer.  I love to overhear them talking.  Sharing ideas and secret recipes that they’ve made. The satisfaction that this gives me is unexplainable.

This particular group is especially amazing.  They are friendly and outgoing, supportive of each other and helpful.  Some classes are quiet, others ask so many questions you hardly have time to teach a demo.  This group is something special. They watch and listen, even smile a little at you while you’re teaching (a teacher’s dream) and then when Q&A time comes, they’re on it.  They have in-depth and well thought out questions.  It’s a great start with a great group.  The next three weeks are gonna be fun!!

I’ll let you know more next week!

~Amber West

Vibrant Living Expo and Culinary Showcase August 21-23

crystal bowl goddess

One of the most exciting things we enjoy about our annual Vibrant Living Expo and Culinary Showcase coming up August 21-23 are the amazing presenters and artists who share their talent and energy with us. Pictured here is Awahoshi Kavan, who makes a pilgrimage to our Expo to share the healing vibrations of her crystal bowls in concert. This year we’ll also have a special concert featuring Will Tuttle, renowned concert pianist and author of The World Peace Diet, along with headliner John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America, Healthy at 100, and The Food Revolution, and the Mad Cowboy himself, former cattle rancher Howard Lyman sharing the bill at the 800 seat Cotton Auditorium here in Fort Bragg, for a FREE concert open both to Expo attendees and the general public. Just another way for Living Light to create the buzz and get the word out about the Raw Food Revolution! Join us this summer! Register now !