Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Raw Happenings In Beautiful Sydney...
Welcome to Gaia's Table: the support group for practicing vegan raw foodists in Sydney, established in July of 2005. We welcome people who are interested in the pursuit of this lifestyle and hope you enjoy your stay. Regular potluck gatherings happen each month, we look forward to seeing you at one of them. Kindest thoughts, Gay
Gay Campbell, Founder
email: gay@gaiastable.com
web: www.gaiastable.com
There are 700,000 species of animals on earth yet humans are the only species that cooks its food. We started cooking food about 10,000 years ago, which is relatively recent considering that we have lived on raw foods since our evolution between five and eight million years ago. We began to apply heat to our food because we were forced to move away from the tropics, our natural home, because of over-population. The tropics provided us with natural foods (mainly tropical fruit) which were eaten raw. Once forced into cooler climates we had to substitute our natural diet of fruits with tubers, other complex carbohydrates and meat, all of which require cooking.
Even then, foods that did not need to be cooked were eaten raw until 1878 when Louis Pasteur published his highly influential book, The Germ Theory of Disease, which proposed that microorganisms are the main cause of disease. As a result, doctors recommended that people cook their food for safety, and so people began cooking everything (even apples). Fear of microbes became a phobia for many people and is still commonplace.
Cooking allows otherwise unappetising meats and grains to taste good and become palatable so we continue to set fire to products which we then call food. We have not actually adapted to eating cooked foods as it takes between 50,000 and 500,000 years for an evolutionary change to occur in mammals. While it is still possible to sustain ourselves on cooked food, we risk dire health consequences. Certainly fire helped us survive the Ice Age, but what are the consequences of the continued use of fire on our food and, inevitably, our health?
THE EFFECTS OF COOKING ON OUR FOOD AND OUR HEALTH
Different methods of cooking produce various toxins which the body must then eliminate. Consumption of cooked foods causes enlargement of the pancreas and damage to most other organs including the liver, heart, kidneys and the thyroid and adrenal glands. Cancer, heart disease and diabetes are all associated with cooked food consumption and, while the body of scientific evidence to support this is already overwhelming, new evidence is still being found.
Cooked foods cause degenerative changes in most aspects of blood chemistry, a phenomenon called ‘digestive leukocytosis’. Our immune system reacts to cooked food in the same way as it does to a pathogenic attack [a pathogen is a disease-associated microorganism]. The body attacks the food particles by sending an army of white blood cells to deal with the onslaught in the digestive tract, leaving the rest of the body vulnerable and less protected by the immune system.
EFFECT OF COOKING ON NUTRIENTS
Because heated foods are nutritionally compromised, we are likely to overeat them. Our stomachs may feel full but our cells are still starving for the nutrients which cooking has damaged and destroyed. Foods can only withstand as much heat as a human can. When you apply fire to your hand, you quickly move it away because it kills your skin cells. The same damage happens to food.
Cooked Proteins
Heating proteins creates coagulated protein molecules which putrefy and allow bacteria in the body to feed upon dead organic matter. This forms faecal ammonia, phenols, indoles, amines, N-nitroso compounds and sulphides which have been shown to exert toxic effects on the bowel, leading to colorectal cancer. The natural population of beneficial intestinal flora becomes outnumbered by putrefactive bacteria, resulting in colonic dysfunction and absorption of toxins from the bowel. This phenomenon is called ‘dysbacteria’, ‘dysbiosis’, or ‘intestinal toxemia’ (‘toxicosis’).
Gas and unpleasantly smelling faeces are due to anaerobic putrefaction by bacteria as they break down undigested proteins. Rotting proteins have been shown to be responsible for various colon diseases such as colitis, polyps and especially cancer. Additionally, nitrosamines are formed from the nitrogen oxides present in gas flames. These compounds have mutagenic (gene damaging) and carcinogenic potency and end up in meat and fish that has been heated in gas ovens or on barbecues that expose the food to direct flames. Heterocyclic amines are formed by heating amino acids or proteins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed by charring meat. Both are carcinogenic.
Cooked Carbohydrates
Starchy carbohydrates must be heated in order for them to be broken down during digestion. However heating caramelises complex carbohydrates, fusing them into a sticky substance. It is no coincidence that dextrin and starch are vegetable-based adhesives used as glue for packaging and wallpaper. Only 70% of the energy potential of cooked starchy foods can be used by the body as fuel. Caramelised carbohydrates dramatically elevate blood sugar levels. This is especially true for refined carbohydrates that have had their fibre component removed. Further heating, which produces the ‘burnt bits’, such as browned crust on toast, is very carcinogenic.
Cooked complex carbohydrates are fermented when eaten in combination with fatty and sugary foods. Gas, alcohol and acetic acid (vinegar) are produced by the fermentation process and these are toxic poisons. Acrylamide, a known neurotoxin (toxic to nerves) and carcinogen, is also produced by cooking carbohydrate-rich foods.
Cooked Fats
Fats are very delicate and vulnerable compounds that become rancid on exposure to oxygen, light and especially heat. In fact, plant fats are so sensitive that once a seed or nut is cracked and the oil within is exposed to the elements, it should be consumed immediately or it becomes rancid. Rancid fats are very toxic to our cells and are carcinogenic. The longer they remain shelved or uneaten, the more toxic they become. High temperatures such as are used for deep frying, roasting and barbecuing induce fats to produce carcinogens such as acrolein, epoxides, hydroperoxides, hydrocarbons, nitrosamines and benzopyrene (one of the most carcinogenic substances on Earth).
Unsaturated fatty acids contain double bonds that can exist in either of two forms – the ‘cis’ conformation (a parallel double bond) has the two parts of the carbon chain bent towards each other like a boomerang, and the ‘trans’ conformation (a cross-over double bond) has the two parts of the chain almost linear. Unsaturated vegetable oils in their natural state have their double bonds in the form of cis bonds, but when oil is hydrogenated, some of these are converted to trans bonds. During hydrogenation, oil is heated and subjected to hydrogen with a catalyst while under pressure. This process is commonly used to make margarine, to extend the shelf life of edible oil-based products and to improve food texture. Trans fatty acids are considered to be one of the most dangerous dietary health hazards of our time.
Hydrogenated fats cannot be utilised by the body and are highly oxidative, leading to cardiovascular disease. Trans fats are incorporated into cell walls and interfere with cellular respiration. They reduce the amount of oxygen delivered to our cells, tending to create an environment for cancer growth.
Effects of Cooking on Water, Minerals and Vitamins
Vitamins and minerals need to be consumed in an organic, naturally chelated molecular form (such as is found in raw fruits and vegetables) in order to be absorbed, assimilated and utilised by our cells and tissues during normal metabolic processing. Cooking profoundly affects the absorption and utilisation of certain minerals because it cleaves their complexes, rendering them less available. Heat also interferes with the molecular arrangement of vitamins and minerals – they are returned to an inorganic, ash-like form like that found in soil. This makes them bio-unavailable with a tendency to be toxic to our cells.
The Effects of Cooking on Enzymes
Enzymes are protein compounds that are present in large numbers in all living tissues. When food is cooked, the enzymes are denatured and become inactive. Digestion is a process by which enzymes break down food constituents into smaller units. When we eat cooked foods, our body has to produce its own enzymes in order to digest them. Even then, they are unable to work properly on the coagulated proteins and carbohydrates. This leads to a vast amount of energy being wasted on digesting the food rather than fuelling our body with it. This is precisely why we feel tired after eating a large cooked meal. In contrast, raw foods posses their own enzymes which are released when the food is chewed, saving our body from having to produce and waste its own enzyme supply. As a result we feel revitalised after a raw meal.
Just as there is only a finite number of heart beats available to us, so too is the body's capacity to make enzymes finite. Dr James Sumner, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Emeritus professor at Cornell University, said:
“Living creatures are born with a fixed enzyme potential. This potential diminishes with time, subject to the conditions and pace of life. Animals eating dead, enzymeless food, use up a tremendous amount of their enzyme potential in lavish secretions of the pancreas and other digestive organs. The result is reduced vitality, reduced longevity and reduced resistance to all types of stress.”
Our 'enzymatic potential' is a bit like an enzyme bank account that we are all born with. While our individual genetics decide how much is in the account when we are born, what we eat and how we live determines how long it takes to deplete that account. Most of us go through life spending lavishly just to digest our cooked-food meals. When the bank balance reads zero and we are repossessed, we die.
THE BENEFITS OF EATING RAW
The first effect of eating raw foods is to cleanse the accumulated toxins harboured by your body. As a result, you may experience symptoms of detoxification, which will vary depending on how seriously the toxins have affected your body and how concentrated they are. Once you stop loading your body with any more toxins from the foods you eat, the accumulated toxins will gradually be expelled from cells and tissues into the bloodstream to be removed.
Most detoxification symptoms are mild. These can range from tiredness to runny nose, headaches, digestive challenges, skin conditions, drops in blood pressure and weight loss. More serious detoxification effects can include diarrhoea and vomiting, as well as the recurrence of past disease symptoms to complete a healing process that has been interrupted by medical drugs or any other treatment. These effects should be looked upon favourably as they indicate that the body is healing.
Since most processed foods contain stimulants such as salt, sugar, spices, preservatives, sweeteners and caffeine, the body of the consumer of these foods is essentially constantly on some sort of ‘high’. Once the transition is made to a raw food diet the body goes from a state of excitation or stimulation to sedation. This means that many people experience tiredness as they are ‘coming down’.
After the toxins are removed from the body, vital energy is freed up for healing and cleansing. Cleaner blood and healthier red blood cells become more efficient at transporting oxygen around the body, leading to increased tissue and organ healing as well as more efficient removal of the wastes from cellular respiration.
Eating raw foods allows maximum nutrition because your body is able to process the readily available nutrients, absorb them and deliver them to all of your cells. Digestion becomes more efficient, with transit time decreasing to a maximum of 24 hours. Because the colon recycles toxins, it is essential to digest and eliminate as fast as possible. Cooked or processed foods transit on average for 72 hours or more, literally rotting in the bowel and producing both toxins and flatulence. When you eat raw foods, these digestive problems cease, as do bad breath and constipation.
When your body cleanses itself and begins eliminating properly, all aspects of your life will improve – physical, mental and emotional. However, you need also to get enough sleep, sunshine and exercise. Additional benefits include weight loss, less mucus discharge, better sleep, clearer skin, increased energy and heightened mental clarity.
When you eliminate salt, sugar and other condiments, you will lose excess water (which has been stored in your body to dilute toxins) and fat fairly quickly, but you will not lose lean muscle tissue. If you want to gain muscle mass, eating mostly sweet fruit will supply the best possible fuel source.
In the next article, I will discuss in detail the work of Dr Douglas Graham and the 80/10/10 diet plan, different caloronutrients, their form, their sources, the percentage of each that we require and the effects that each has on our health.
In July this year, I will be conducting an eight-week course on the effects of our food choices on our health and the environment, and including details on the principles of the raw diet. The venue will be the Ku-Ring-Gai Community College at Hornsby in Sydney. See www.hkcc.nsw.edu.au.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
'Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases' (2003) WHO Technical Report Series 916 (www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/who_fao_expert_report.pdf)
Hughes R, Magee E.A.M and Bingham S, (2000) 'Protein Degradation in the Large Intestine: Relevance to Colorectal Cancer', Current Issues in Intestinal Microbiology, 1:51-58.
WHO Technical Report Series
Swirsky Gold, et al, (1995) 'Sixth Plot of the Carcinogenic Potency Database: Results of Animal Bioassays Published in the General Literature 1989 to 1990 and by the National Toxicology Program 1990 to 1993', Environmental Health Perspective, 103:3-122, Supplement 8
The Raw Pleasure website and forum (www.raw-pleasure.com.au) allows you to contact and interact with other raw food eaters.
THE WRITER
Sandra Tuszynska graduated with first class honours in Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the University of Sydney. She completed a PhD in cell biology at the University of New South Wales and continued postdoctoral studies at Rutgers University in the US, researching nutrient transport. She has published her findings in renowned international journals. Her biggest passion is education, providing the public with biological facts in simple language. She has had many years of teaching experience at university level and has a Diploma in Professional Practice in Adult Learning and Teaching (UNSW). Sandra’s aim is to bring awareness to the community about the impact of foods and other products available in supermarkets on our health and the environment.
September 29, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Running Ultra-Marathons as a Raw Vegan by Grant Campbell
I'm one of those crazy folk who race alone through remote bushland for up to 24 hours on foot covering distances of 100km or more. And I do it fueled by 100% raw vegan food. No cooking, no heavy processing, no additives...I eat my food 100% raw as provided by nature...no animal cruelty required. Where did my running start out? In high school I'd be hunched over with a stitch halfway through a 3km cross-country run. In my mid-20s, I went vegetarian and gave up dairy products which got rid of my morning congestion. Over the next 18 months I found myself eliminating consumption of every animal product from my life, one at a time until I found myself vegan. I didn't even know what a vegan was and it was to be another 5 years before I met one. My changes were motivated by the feeling of self-empowerment through consciously choosing healthier and more ethical options to fuel my body and feed my consumerism. I vividly remember the incredible feeling of freedom that came with the realisation that I was no longer dependent on the abuse of animals to meet my daily needs. I spent the next 6 years as a cooked vegan learning about human health and nutrition. During this time I found myself taking on more and more activities including swimming, running, rock climbing, canyoning and surf lifesaving. A cooked vegan diet clearly provided me with more energy than the "meat & 2 veg" I was raised on, but raw food took it to another level. It takes a lot less energy to digest raw plant foods, leaving more energy available to be active. "You are what you eat" certainly rings true. Eat living foods and you feel more alive. During my studies of raw eating I often came across radical claims by the raw gurus and through experience I found they were generally true. Eating like we would have done in nature makes a lot of sense. No other animal cooks their food or drinks milk from another species and only domestic animals eating our heavily processed and cooked products die from the diseases we suffer from. I've been eating raw vegan for 2 years now. My diet is low fat, high leafy greens and high fruit (80-10-10 for those who know of Dr Douglas Graham). I don't eat any grains as they push your body into a more acidic state and grains contain opiates which are addictive. Try giving up bread, rice and pasta and you'll see what I mean. I'm always varying what I eat, love eating seasonally and enjoy making a meal out of a single food. Since transitioning to raw foods and getting enough sleep, I've noticed many changes in my body including increased hydration, alertness, mental clarity, endurance, flexibility, tolerance to the sun (no sunscreen for me) and faster recovery. I don't get regular colds any more and no longer get deep muscular soreness a few days after long races. I don't believe we can over-sleep. I don't wake to an alarm. If we ever feel tired, we need more sleep. When I get enough sleep, I have my maximum energy available. The night after a big race is typically a 12 hour sleep. In the week leading up to a race I aim for at least 10 hours sleep per night. In the days leading up to a race, instead of carb-loading, I nutrient-load. I get as much leafy greens and fruit into me as my stomach (acid) allows. I use a blender to turn most of this into "green" smoothies (e.g. banana, celery and water) which are simple to digest and ensure I'm fully hydrated. I blend whole foods rather than juicing, as the soluble fibres (guar and pectin) slow the absorption of sugars. When we are active we deplete our body's stores of water, sugar and salt. If we don't replace them in the ratio in which we use them, we suffer heavy legs, dehydration, cramps, etc. I often blend dates, celery and water as a natural electrolyte drink. The dates give me the simple sugars my body needs, and celery is naturally high in sodium and perfect for replacing the lost salt. Yesterday's nutrition also goes a long way. Whenever you're not fully hydrated or don't have the right balance of mineral salts (K, Na) your body can't efficiently get nutrients in and out of it's cells, preventing you from being your best. I avoid too much fat (nuts, seeds, avocado) as the fat stays in your blood stream for a long time and interferes with the process of insulin releasing blood sugar to your cells. I make sure I get sunlight every day, as it reacts with the oils on our skin (if we haven't destroyed it with soap or detergent) to produce vitamin D which is necessary to effectively get the required oxygen into every cell of our body. This year I've bought mostly organic produce and the difference is astounding. I certainly feel I get more satiation and nutrition for my dollar than on conventional produce. My reasons for being a repeat offender in ultra-distance trail running are: the great sense of freedom (heightened by society's obsession with safety), the instinct to explore (it excites me to run alone through places I've never been) and bringing my focus to the present moment (a peaceful mental state). In a typical week I run 30-40km which is pretty low in ultra-marathon circles. Keeping a healthy, injury-free body long-term is what I value. I've completed 12 ultra-marathons in the last 2 years and carry my fitness from race to race, taking it easy during the recovery period. My short term training goals include applying the Chi-Running technique, cycling, strength work and barefoot training. My long term goal is to complete a 100 mile race when I'm 100! Keep it real. Keep it raw. Raw to the core! All feedback welcome at: rawaussieathlete@gmail.com http://www.myspace.com/RawAussieAthlete http://rawreference.com Grant is running a Raw Health & Fitness Retreat in April - please see more details in the Raw News section of this webisite!
June 21, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Raw and Loving It! by Joy Mozzi
Coming from a background with a traditional English influence, my memories of Sunday lunches are ones of long, lazy hours, the family draped around the table. Sleepy and bloated after a huge roast with all the trimmings, potatoes roasted in the oil and fat from the meat, vegetables cooked till pulpy and covered with thick gravy. This was followed by a trifle drowning under whipped cream or a lemon meringue and, as we children became adults, liqueurs and coffee. The afternoon was a write-off, adults nodding in chairs or watching television, impossible to get any movement out of them. Even worse, we were all smokers and in those days smoked indoors. We were oblivious to the harm we were causing our first daughter who was surrounded by 6 adults, all smokers. Naturally I continued in the way of my English mother providing meat and cooked vegetables every single night. We all knew what was supposed to be 'healthy' for us and that included big glasses of milk. My first daughter suffered with continual bronchial problems getting worse each winter, poor child. Both my daughters became vegetarians as teenagers and, watching them, I gradually began to realise there was a better way to eat. In my mid-40's I was overweight, tired and taking medication for a thyroid problem. I saw an advert in a magazine for a health centre in Queensland and decided I deserved to look after myself for a change. That week changed my life. Raw vegan food has turned back the clock for me by at least 10years. I have lost 15kg effortlessly while still continuing to eat as much as I like whenever I like. There is no starvation or deprivation, only vibrant, colourful fresh foods in abundance. My hair stopped going grey, the pre-arthritic pains in my knees disappeared and my flexibility is that of 10 - 15 years ago. I have also switched to a natural thyroid hormone extract and am filled with energy. I am passionate about sharing my experiences with others especially mothers with growing children. I realize now that my genuine efforts to provide healthy cooked meals for my children, was destroying up to 80% of the vital nutrients and minerals that are needed for growing bodies. Childhood allergies, diabetes, obesity and cancers have risen dramatically over the past years, some of which could be linked to the fuel (food) we put into our bodies. Many parents are concerned, confused and unsure what to do with the information overload about today's nutrition. Incorporating more fruit, vegetables and nuts into your daily diet is not difficult to achieve. Toddlers love to be in the kitchen. From an early age, playing in the pots and pans drawer, banging wooden spoons and squashing sweet, sticky fruits all ove' themselves, cupboard, door stand and floors. The love affair with food begins early. Encourage the senses - tasting, touching, seeing and feeling a soft banana, biting into a sweet nectarine, chewing on carrots and celery. Pre-school children are old enough to help with food preparation: washing produce, tearing up lettuce leaves, throwing a combination of colourful ingredients into a salad bowl or serving each one separately on a platter. If children help to prepare meals they are more likely to try a bit of everything. And as they get older and become more competent in the kitchen it will save you time. School canteens in many areas are now starting to offer more healthy alternatives. Primary school children might find it challenging to enjoy healthy home packed lunches or to buy healthy food from the canteen, Especially if their peer group are all munching on junk food. Again the home environment plays a large part - encourage conversation about different foods and their benefits. Get the children actively involved in packing their lunches. Take advantage of the fruit in season to make frozen sorbet and, colourful sweet smoothies. High-school children face even more dilemmas with peer groups. If they are armed with enough information and confident in their choices, they might even be able to convince their friends to enjoy a juicy pear or crunchy apple. Teenagers are vitally interested in their appearance. Knowing some of the benefits that may be experienced by consuming fresh foods will assist them in making choices. Benefits could include: - maintaining a healthy body weight - clearing up acne - helping with body odours - an increase in energy levels and alertness in classes Many parents and especially mothers try to be superwomen. This is an impossible goal to live up to. Remember that any small step in the right direction is a beginning. www.fruvenu.com.au fruvenu@optusneLcom.au Ph: 02 9636 2268 - based in Sydney Courtesy of Natural Health and Vegetarian Life Magazine - Summer 2007/08 issue
June 20, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Scrumptuous Vegan Raw Food Cakes & Pies!
Scrumptuous Organic Vegan Raw food Cakes & Pies!
The oh so talented Julie Mitsios of Conscious Choice is now making her fabulous organic vegan raw food cakes and pies available by pre order for your next special occasion!
June 19, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)
But how do you make a raw pumpkin pie?
A review of the Winter Comfort Creations Class.
by Jamie Louise Bloom
That's what my friends wanted to know when I was telling them about the yummy raw winter class I'd attended yesterday.
I was raving about how delicious the Spiced Pumpkin Pie was, but they couldn't quite get their head around how it could be raw.
"But isn't the pumpkin hard?" they questioned, looking puzzled. "How do you turn a raw pumpkin into a pie?"
"No, it's not hard, it's processed in a food processor," I explained. "The consistency is just like that of a cooked pumpkin pie, only it tastes so much better."
"Ahh," they said, clearly not believing me.
It's a common response I receive when people hear about the raw food diet: they assume it's all about munching on carrots and celery, and can't imagine that food could taste as good as, let alone, much better than, cooked food.
It's times like those I wish they would come to one of the raw food creation classes held by Julie Mitsios of Conscious-Choice. I attended my second class yesterday: Winter Comfort Creations, and it was just what I needed to lift me out of my cold-weather slump.
First on the menu was breakfast: Apple, Almond and Cinnamon Spiced Porridge, which I could easily imagine eating while still in bed under my covers, on a day too cold to leave the house. Even though the almonds required soaking overnight (to release their enzymes, a popular practise for raw foodists), the porridge itself took only minutes to prepare. It reminded me of another misconception my non-raw friends have about raw food: that it takes too long to prepare. This was a perfect example of a raw version that took much less time to prepare than a traditional cooked porridge, in fact, it would even rival the speed of the horrible two-minute microwave porridge packages. And did I mention it was divine?
Next, was lunch. Julie showed us how to make a three-part meal of chili, bread and salad. This was another perfect example, this time of how raw dishes can be indistinguishable from the cooked versions, only better tasting. The Hearty Chili was easily the best chili I've ever tasted and was scrumptious when accompanied by the Herbed Brazil Nut and Linseed Bread and the Spinach, Kale and Avocado Salad with Chipotle Chili Dressing. The meal was so moreish that I was glad I remembered to leave room in my tummy for dinner and dessert, else I might have burst.
Fortunately, we had a break to enjoy our lunch and give us time to digest, at which point I took notes on the raw food equipment that Julie was recommending. I already had what I needed, however was interested to hear her explanations for people new to raw food. She suggested that a blender was the most important item (either a high-powered Sunbeam or if your budget allowed, the ultimate commercial-quality Vitamix), then a food processor (she said Cuisinart was by far the best) and finally, a dehydrator.
I quickly looked through the recipe booklet and was pleased to see that only one recipe -- the bread -- required a dehydrator. While my new dehydrator was on its way, I was happy that she had decided to keep the class accessible to people who didn't have one. And as if she read my mind, Julie pointed out that while many raw foodists used their dehydrators to warm their food in winter, there were other techniques: such as using warm water in the recipes and placing the dish in a sink full of warm water (or an low-temperature oven turned off) before serving.
Not only was she a great presenter, but she was also very practical.
And, before I knew it, it was time for dinner. Julie chose to demonstrate a simple, quick but very comforting dish of Baked Macaroni and Cheese. As I tasted her creation (made from zucchini noodles and cashew nut cream, with nutritional yeast for the "cheese" flavour), I wondered how millions of people in the world could eat the cooked version when they could have something so delicious and healthy instead. The only answer I could come up with was that they simply didn't know it existed.
Just as I was pondering a world-wide raw Macaroni and Cheese revolution, Julie started preparing what I had been waiting for: the dessert of Spiced Pumpkin Pie. I am an unashamed lover of desserts, particularly chocolate ones, but I like to think that I'm unprejudiced towards any after-dinner treat, so long as it's sweet. And this one certainly was.
I was already salivating as Julie expertly created the pecan-fig crust in a food processor, and then switched to the blender to make the pumpkin filling and cinnamon-cashew creme. I was suddenly so glad that she had left her career as a cooked Pastry Chef to apply her culinary talents to raw food! And I also wished that my non-raw friends could be there to see how quickly and easily she had made a pie that they thought would be either impossible or incredibly time-consuming to make.
At last, it was time to taste the mysterious raw pumpkin pie. As you could already guess, it was too-good-for-words. It may have been even a little too sweet for some, but for those used to cooked desserts, and for sweet tooths like me, it was heaven. With each bite, I was imagining how many cold winter evenings I was going to spend eating this comfort treat, and I was imagining a lot.
It was a fabulous class, and I'm so glad I went along. Next on my agenda is of course Julie's Organic Raw Vegan Chocolate Indulgence Class, which is on next Sunday 1st May 2-5pm at the Intuitive Well at Bondi Junction. If you're interested in coming, get in fast, so as not to miss the incredible chocolate experience. And if you want to attend the Winter Comfort class for yourself, check out the details below.
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The Winter Comfort Creation Class is designed to show you recipes for a full day meal plan.
Cold Winters make it difficult to maintain a predominatly raw diet. This class is designed to give you an infinite number of possibilities to enjoy in the winter time that are warming, filling and nutrient dense. Learn how to make warm, filling and satisfying foods for the winter whilst still preserving all the natural enzymes. Nothing is heated above 44˚C.
For more information: www.conscious-choice.com
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The Organic Raw Vegan Chocolate Indulgence Class gives hope to chocoholics everywhere! You can turn cravings for cooked chocolate into super-nutrition. All chocolate indulgences are made from the raw cacao bean: pure unprocessed chocolate.
The raw cacao bean is one of nature's most fantastic superfoods due to its wide array of unique properties. Cacao contains many nutrients that enhance physical and mental well-being, including an incredibly rich supply of magnesium. It may increase your focus and alertness and even contains nutrients to keep you happy.
In this uniquely presented class, you will learn how to create amazing raw chocolate dishes, including
Smoothies, Sauces, Raw Vegan Ice Cream, Chocolate Truffles and Chocolate Fondue.
For more information: www.conscious-choice.com
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Images copyright Montalbetti & Campbell. Used with permission.
For more articles by Jamie Louise Bloom, visit www.woowooland.com.
June 18, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Plant Based Rawfood Potluck Gatherings
Join us for our next Raw Vegan Potluck! Celebrate World Vegan Day with this combined NSW Vegan Society, Sydney Cooked/Raw Vegan Meetup Group and Gaia's Table Raw Vegan Group picnic. Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at 12 noon in Centennial Park. Please RSVP to Gay for more details. Members please go to the Members Only section of this site. Please read the potluck guidelines and bring your favorite vegan rawfood dish to share!
Introduction to Organic Raw Vegan Desserts
Sunday, November 23rd, 2008, at The Intuitive Well, Bondi Junction. Cost $80.00 pp. Includes comprehensive information and recipe booklet and generous tastings of every dish created. Register Now>
Raw Holiday Celebration Class!!!
Sunday December 7th, 2008. Held at The Intuitive Well, Bondi Junction. Cost $94pp. Eat delicious holiday food while staying healthy and feeling great!! Learn how to create holiday dishes that taste better than the real thing. Enjoy preparing holiday foods while staying healthy and feeling great! The Living raw food diet promotes the consumption of food that consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. These raw foods provided by nature are packed with minerals, vitamins and enzymes the fountain of youth as they are never heated above 44 degrees. Cost includes generous menu samplings and a comprehensive information and recipe booklet. Class sizes are limited so register early. Bookings are essential for catering purposes. Register Now>
Perfect Food For Perfect Health
It is no longer a secret that you are what you eat. Eating in accordance with the body's nutritional requirements has been shown to assist the body to mobilize and cure itself out of the most deadly diseases such as diabetes,cancer and heart disease. This course is designed to provide you with facts about today's food chain supply and with latest scientific findings on correct nutrition so you can obtain perfect health, weight and wellbeing. Let Sandra Tuszynska show you just how simple and effortless eating the perfect diet can be! Learn how to eliminate the adverse effects of your eating habits on your health, wallet and the environment. Select the above title bar to link for dates and further details. Register Now>
Raw Food Workshops with Joy
"Everything I have ever tasted that Joy has made has been a JOY and become part of my culinary repertoire". - Lotus. Next workshop TBA. From 12:00 noon for a 12:30 start till 3:30-4 pm. Workshop will be held at Dural, northern Sydney. $60.00 per person includes, tutorial, all the food and notes. For those of you wishing to come along please call Lotus on 9651 6720 or email lotusblossom@iinet.net.au to RSVP and confirm your place.
Detox for the Body & Soul - kitchen gardening Class
Sunday, February 15th, 2009. Held at The Intuitive Well, Bondi Junction. Cost $88pp. The rejuvenating and life-giving properties of sprouts may be one of the greatest health secrets of our time. Learn how to grow wheatgrass, green leafy sprouts without the use of messy soil. How to create salads and dressings using your garden sprouts. How to create fermented almond cheese and sauerkraut providing beneficial bacteria to your digestive system. Living on a high enzyme raw diet will detox and rejuvenate the body and give one a general feeling of well-being. Register Now>
Living Foods Essentials for Everyday
Sunday, November 16th, 2008. Held at The Intuitive Well, Bondi Junction. Cost $88pp. This class focuses on providing you with information on the benefits of the vibrant living food lifestyle, how you can begin to incorporate more organic living foods into your diet and will empower you to make the steps necessary to begin the living food journey. Here is just a sampling of what you will hear, see and taste: *Practical information on how to incorporate and prepare living foods into your lifestyle *Essential equipment and supplies used in a raw food kitchen *Helpful suggestions to make food preparation easier and faster *The importance of sprouting nuts and seeds *The creation of 6 exciting living
