We’ve Got a New Blog URL

Hi Everybody – Just a quick post to let you know that our RawFoodChefBlog has a new url – it is now hosted on our website at RawFoodChef.com/blog

We’ve set up a site redirect on this blog so you can still keep up with all the happenings at Living Light, and you can subscribe to our posts via email there, too! Look forward to seeing you over on RawFoodChef.com/blog!

It’s Pumpkin Season at Living Light! by kristin

We enjoyed a foggy morning here on the beautiful Mendocino coast of northern California. Dan and Cherie have returned from a five-week jaunt which took them to the northeastern United States, then off to Europe – swinging London, the canals of Amsterdam, a whirlwind tour of Berlin, a memorable Ann Wigmore memorial in chilly Lithuania, followed by a VERY long flight to hot and steamy Malaysia and finally back to home sweet home.

As usual, there is a lot going on here at Living Light! We currently have a full class of students for our Associate Chef and Instructor training, and they are eagerly preparing for their first raw vegan culinary demos next week, under the expert tutelage of Cherie, Martine Lussier, Jennifer Cornbleet, and our Living Light staff instructors. We have some interesting local events here too, including the 2nd Annual Soup and Chili Cook-Off to benefit the Fort Bragg Food Bank (we won with our vegan, organic, gluten free Creamy Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder last year – beating out even a Lobster Bisque!

La Dia de los Muertos at Living Light Café and Marketplace

October 28 to November 1

For the fifth year, Living Light will participate in the Mendocino Coast Day of the Dead Celebration. The Day of the Dead, or La Dia de los Muertos, originated in Mexico. It celebrates our ancestors, friends, and family who have passed on. We will create a company altar, with mementos and photographs, which will be up from October 28 – November 1.

We’re delighted to offer “A Fiesta of Chocolate”on November First: Mexican Spiced Chocolate Milk, Ancho Chili Chocolate Truffles, and Coconut Dream Bars $5.00 (includes a $5.00 coupon good toward a purchase at Living Light Marketplace). Chocolate Trio available all day while supplies last.

Gearing up for Gourmet by kristin

We’re getting ready to begin our Gourmet Raw Food Chef™ certification series on June 22, which includes our five-day advanced training available just three times a year. The advanced courses include Ethnic Flavors in Recipe Development, Raw Fusion Gourmet Spa Cuisine, and Raw Event Catering and Elegant Entertaining, and now we’ve added a day six: Food Styling—wowza! 

“Ethnic Flavors” is so much fun…just think of getting a personal culinary tour of the world—from India to Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, and other exotic places. Your teachers at Living Light will make each region come alive, and you’ll explore the tastes and textures of each locale as you prepare its cultural cuisine.

“Raw Fusion” is designed to support an active lifestyle—you begin with simple, light and luscious fresh ingredients and learn how to combine textures and flavors to produce a wide array of exotic dishes and gourmet feasts! You’ll also learn how to develop your own recipes and make delicious dishes without using a recipe.

In “Catering” you’ll learn how to cater events from intimate gatherings to elegant weddings and beyond. Wouldn’t you love to learn how to organize, budget, negotiate a contract, plan menus and manage a catering team? And the crowning achievement of this course is catering an organic gourmet raw vegan lunch for the public!

In Food Styling, you’ll learn how to plate and style recipes using color, texture and contrast, and make them “camera ready” for your website, blog, flyers and other publicity purposes. When you complete our gourmet raw food chef training, you’ll feel like the professional you are! Call our enrollment department for a personal consultation today! 707-964-2420

“I enjoy the professional way of teaching and all of the helpful staff at Living Light. I especially enjoy the creative challenge and freedom to explore recipe development in Ethnic Flavors and Raw Fusion and having all my dear classmates around me. A big hug to Living Light.” 

-Christine

“The level of organization and orderliness here is something I will carry with me the rest of my life – as valuable as the techniques we’ve learned. Truly outstanding!” 

-Ariel

Passionate About Pastry by kristin

Our raw dessert guru/diva has just arrived back in Fort Bragg, which always creates a lot of excitement with both students and staff.

Vinnette Thompson is an amazing teacher and a remarkable person who brings a smile to everyone’s face – and not just because she makes terrific desserts. She also makes creating the desserts a memorable experience. Students learn how to work with a variety of ingredients – Pastry Arts classes are a combination of theory, culinary demos, and practical hands-on training, from a master in the art. Learn how to use binders, thickeners, emulsifiers and gelling agents; how to choose the right sweeteners and fats for a variety of classic pastry recipes and discover the secrets of making exquisite raw desserts that taste even better than famous cooked desserts!

It’s definitely a thrilling class for people, because they’ve learned a lot of fundamental skills in our other classes, and they can now translate those skills into unbelievable confections. The Pastry Arts – Unbaked! course is definitely its own reward…mmmmm.

The good news is that Vinnette is going to be here for an entire month. She’ll be teaching during all of our advanced courses, including Ethnic Flavors in Recipe Development, Raw Fusion Gourmet Spa Cuisine, and Raw Event Catering and Elegant Entertaining. Her bright spirit is a wonderful tonic for everyone who meets her! Yay, Vinette – we’re glad you’re back! And if you are interested in a Pastry Arts Certification, you can start with FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods May 16 and stay through Pastry Arts – Unbaked! June 16- 19 – what fun! Call Mary Elizabeth or Amanda in enrollment for all the details: 707-964-2420

A classically trained chef, Vinnette earned her culinary arts degree from the Culinary Institute of America and is also a graduate of the Living Light Culinary Institute, where she now teaches a variety of classes. Vinnette has two culinary passions, vegetarian cuisine and culinary education. A chef for over 25 years, she caters privately and teaches culinary arts for the Palm Beach school district in Florida.

Sleep Well by mary elizabeth

I know I’ve talked about the tarot cards Terilynn and I are making before.  Each week we draw a card from the deck and recreate it on an artist card – or re-purposed playing card.  We’ve got a lot done and are really liking where this project is taking us and where the cards are going.  We are getting into the whole genre of artists’ cards in general, actually.   In fact, she and her daughter are doing a card a day for thirty days.  Isn’t that cool?  So – Bridget and I are going to do the same next month.   Anyhow – my tarot card for this week is the nine of swords.  This card is all about guilt and remorse.  Yikes.  I’m happy to say that a pretty rigorous daily spiritual program keeps me less abused by these feelings than I used to be.  But – the images this card in invoking for me are a little troubling.  Funny how just the memory of a feeling can powerful.  Our feelings are pretty darn strong forces in our lives, aren’t they?  Goodness.   Anyhow – a lot of the images traditionally associated with this card have to do with lying awake in bed.  Isn’t that fitting – nothing like a sleepless night to bring  on the guilt and remorse with super hero strength.  I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a sleepless night.  Age plus exercise I guess.  And maybe a pretty clear conscience.  That’s what I’m loving about this project – it’s not just about being a little creative each week – it’s also about exploring an aspect of the human condition for a minute that I may not have thought about in this way.  What will next week’s be?

Here at Living Light, the foundation of all our culinary programs is our Associate Raw Food Chef and Instructor certification.  This super comprehensive training will equip you with all the skill and confidence necessary to begin a whole new life as a raw food chef.  We have a training starting in May that still has a couple spots left.  I’d hate for you to lose any sleep over the regret of letting this chance pass you by.  And – there’s some super special savings involved if you act now.  So – act now!

 

 

Steps to Success by kristin

When we imagine a new life for ourselves – one that is in alignment with our core values as well as our hopes and dreams, it might seem as though the steps to reaching our goals are steep, if not impossible. The future stretches out; we have our daily round of responsibilities and must do lists. How do we take the first steps to making our dreams a reality? This is a question that comes up every day at Living Light. Our enrollment advisors, Mary Elizabeth and Amanda, talk to eager students from around the globe and hear many fascinating stories. The great part is that we help many of those who call our office find a way to take those first steps to success by attending our school. They are inspired to weave their dreams and plans together and make what seemed like far off possibilities a reality – often very quickly.

Our graduate success stories are truly amazing, and its encouraging to see that even those students who have completed only our first level certification, Raw Culinary Arts Associate Chef and Instructor Training™ are already moving forward with new careers! Next associate chef session begins May 25, and we have a special offer when you bring a friend. Check it out here! Sometimes it’s more fun to take the first steps with someone you know.

 

Learn from the Best by kristin

Living Light Triple Win at Sedona Raw Living Expo!

It’s official! Dan and Cherie looked glamorous and were absolutely beaming as Living Light was acknowledged in three categories at the Sedona Raw Living Expo February 22-24, coming away with the  Best Raw Chef Training Program, Best Eco Raw Company, and a special “Peer to Peer” award for Achievement in Culinary Arts Training.

As someone who has worked in the company for nearly eight years, I was so happy to see them rewarded for years and years of hard work getting the word out about a gourmet raw food diet.  Cherie has been teaching vegetarian cuisine for 40 years! And finally, they’ve published a book together, too.

Raw Food For Dummies is their first collaborative writing project. Dan has been behind the scenes, behind the camera, and supporting the businesses with his tech savvy, so it’s heartening to see him in the spotlight these days, too.

Raw Rocks! Tour Rocks California Next

So now they’re in LA at the big NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO WEST event, and will be touring the state in their mobile home – covering lots of territory in California through the month of March. It’s a nice time of year to see the state and connect with raw restaurants and healthy venues, and most of all the people. Cherie says that meeting with people in the various communities is so rewarding – everyone is excited to meet them and learn about raw food, our school, and all of the amazing things Living Light graduates are doing in the world.

Raw, Raw, Raw by mary elizabeth

Have you ever won anything?  I’m trying to think if I have, and I’m not coming up with anything.  I’d like to say I won the Living Light employee valentine haiku contest last year but I didn’t.  Kate did.  Anyhow, guess what?  Living Light won “Best Culinary Arts Training” in the Best of Raw Awards at the Raw Living Expo last month.  This is really cool because these awards are decided by popular vote (that’s people like you and me), rather than bestowed by some mysterious board somewhere, proving that we really and truly are the best raw culinary school there is.  And we have been for fifteen years now.  That’s something to be proud of.  Cherie gave the keynote address for the weekend which is a great honor and something to be proud of, too.  What an impressive place Living Light is – and how fortunate I feel to be a part of it!

Last Friday was my four-year anniversary of working here, speaking of being a part of it.  That’s a while, for the likes of me.  What’s the difference?  Well – obviously – I’m much more grown up and settled than in the past.  But beyond that, this company has really taken the time to work with me and find a place where I fit and can continue to be an asset and all that good stuff.  And as they even continue to pay me for it; it’s a mutually beneficial relationship.  Congratulations, Living Light, for being voted the best.  And thanks for making me a part of the Living Light family for such a long time!

50 by mary elizabeth

So – in about a month I’ll be turning fifty.  FIFTY.  I mean, it’s no big deal, and just a number, and you’re only as old as you feel, blah, blah, blah.  I get all that.  But – if fifty is indeed the possible midpoint, then I could conceivably have as much to do as I’ve already done.  Yikes!  That, dear reader, is a bit daunting.  I mean, I’ve already done a lot of the time fillers like school, college, having little kids, etc., and I’ve already got a lot of the mistakes out of the way as well, knock on wood.  So what – I have a whole lifetime’s worth of beauty and wide open possibility ahead of me?  Far out.  I guess.  What are my goals?  Do I even have any?  And are goals called a bucket list now?   I don’t know – maybe write another book, only this time make it one someone might actually want to read.  Is it too vague to say, “be the sort of woman I’ve always wished I were”?  Actually, vague or not, I’m sticking with that one, in hopes that all good things will naturally follow.

If you have somewhat more concrete goals, and Living Light figures into them, why wait?  We have a lot of wonderful classes coming up.  Or maybe you just want to add some living benefits to your diet.  Why not come into our Café for a wheat grass shot a couple times a week?  Or maybe you just want to read up on raw food.  We have all of Cherie’s books available in our Marketplace at a discount if you buy them all together.  Making a commitment to a more planet friendly way of eating on any level is a beautiful and noble thing.  Living Light would be honored to be a part of it.

Feels Like Spring by kristin

The past couple of days have been relatively warm and sunny – in the low 60s here on the Mendocino coast. Hardly any frost on the ground for the past two mornings, after several weeks of frost covered grass. I’m sort of obsessively monitoring the daffodils in my yard – waiting for the first golden bloom to emerge. The paperwhites I forced on my kitchen windowsill have kept me company during the cold, frosty mornings, but they are nearly finished, and I noticed that the alyssum, which appeared nearly dead as I transplanted it in a few key places last fall is popping up all over. Success! Spring is in the air, if only temporarily – but it is on the way. Hooray!

Besides bringing flowers, Spring showers and longer days, maybe thoughts of Spring cleaning – or better yet, a Spring cleanse. It is the perfect time of year to renew not only our spirits but our bodies. Drinking plenty of green juices and a adding a squeeze of lemon to fresh water first thing in the morning cleanses the liver and removes some of the sluggishness we might feel from eating some heavier foods to keep us warm and spending more time indoors during the long winter. That puts a spring in our step and the longer days motivate us to get outside and get our mojo working again!

If you’d like to know more about how to be the healthiest you can be, why not sign up for our Science of Raw Food Nutrition™ series with those inimitable gurus of green – the Drs. Dina! Honestly, the feedback we get from students about their classes is amazing. Drs. Rick and Karin have a way of making even the most complicated scientific information seem accessible and even fun! And they are both approachable – no question is too complicated or too simple – you’ll see! Series begins March 16!