Whether you have been eating raw foods for some time or are new to it and curious about this dynamic food movement that emphasizes optimal nutrient absorption and bioavailability, these classes will provide the basic principles of a cuisine that preserves and optimizes vitamins, minerals, and enzymes along with techniques for raw food preparation such as dehydrating, soaking, juicing, sprouting, and the many uses of a Vitamix blender, juicer, and dehydrator.

# 72 An Exploration and Celebration of (Mostly) Raw Chocolate (NEW CLASS)
demonstration

Once, chocolate was a kiss we peeled from its foil wrapper. Now, there are various types of raw and non-raw bars and chips, cacao powder, cocoa powder, cacao nibs and carob. Choosing chocolate is not as simple as it used to be. Let this lively and informative class melt away your chocolate confusion! You'll learn helpful definitions and distinctions, make sense of raw and non-raw sweeteners, watch nuts become nut milk, and discover herbs, spices, and nutrient- dense superfoods (like açaí, goji berries and mesquite) that augment chocolate's flavor and benefits. Because young Thai coconuts are a staple in the raw kitchen and partner beautifully with chocolate, you'll learn about their health properties, how to open them, and the difference between coconut oil and coconut butter. In addition, you'll learn how to use the Vita-Mix, food processor, spice grinder, and electric ice cream machine. Please Note: We recommend having a green juice or salad before arriving to balance our sweet, mostly-raw, all-delicious, chocolate menu. Chocolate Mesquite Milkshakes; Rich Chocolate- Cacao Fondue with Fresh Strawberries; Supernatural Brownies with Dried Cherries; Chocolate Ancho Chile Pepper Tart with Cinnamon-Spiced Corn Relish; Chocolate Mint Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs; and Orange-Spiked Chocolate Truffles with Goji Berry Dust.

Thursday, July 30, 6:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Helen Castillo
Fee: $105; Two People: $200

# 73 A Raw Gourmet Italian Menu (NEW CLASS)
demonstration

Everybody loves Italian food, and this eye-opening class brings favorite Italian dishes to the raw food table. The ingredients used in this class are colorful, vitamin-packed, and can hold their own against any from the best Italian restaurants. And you'll never miss the cheese, wheat and eggs in this gourmet Italian feast as you marvel at the fascinating complex tastes and textures achieved with nuts, nori, vegetables and other raw ingredients. You'll learn the many uses of the Vita-Mix blender, dehydrator, and ice cream machine, the secrets of warm-but-raw soup-making, and experience culinary magic when you taste Hyancinth's creamy and rich non-dairy gelato. Alive foods diet is a celebration, not a deprivation and, as a bonus, these Italian delights are also perfectly suited to the lactose- and gluten- intolerant. Savory Caesar Salad with Pine Nut Parmesan & Almond Croutons; Mixed Vegetable Minestrone; Yellow Squash Fettuccini with Basil-Miso Pesto; Living Lasagna Layered with Zucchini Noodles, Almond Ricotta Cheese, Rich Tomato Sauce, Fresh Herbs & Marinated Mushrooms; and Maple Walnut Gelato Drizzled with Carob Glaze.

Tuesday, September 29, 6:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Instructor: Hyacinth Mills
Fee: $105; Two People: $200

 

 

# 70 Raw For Dessert All-Day Seminar (NEW CLASS)
partial participation

 

Are you a dessert lover who wants to “go raw” but thinks there are no options other than fresh fruit? Perhaps you’re a home cook looking for a fast, easy, and delicious way to incorporate more nutrients into your family’s meals and don’t know where to start? Or maybe you want to get the white sugar, white flour, dairy and eggs out of your desserts and need some help? Take heart – and then take this allday excursion into the incredibly delicious world of raw desserts. Using the recipes and techniques in her new book Raw for Dessert, you’ll help nationally-known raw foods expert Jennifer Cornbleet create an impressive array of tantalizing meal-enders that are chock-full of nutritional value. In the process, you’ll become familiar with the equipment and ingredients necessary to make raw desserts at home that will go beyond your wildest expectations.

You’ll discover step by step how to:

• Make raw cakes, pies, and tarts that rival the best cooked ones in flavor and texture
• Create a healthy and refreshing fruit sorbet
• Make sinfully delicious chocolate truffles without butter or cream
• Use essential raw ingredients such as coconut oil, cacao nibs, avocados, and agave nectar
• Open and work with young Thai coconuts
• Replace cream, butter, and eggs to create luscious, dairy- and egg-free custards
• Replace flour and sugar to create delicious gluten-free pastries
• Use a high-speed blender, food processor, and ice-cream machine

These are exciting and delectable raw desserts that you will not forget any time soon! And, unless you tell them, your family and friends will never suspect that these cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, candies and frozen desserts were created without a trace of dairy, flour, white sugar or eggs. Our menu includes: Chocolate Lava Cake; Raspberry Sorbet, Classic Fresh Fruit Tartlets, Ginger Spice Cookies, Pineapple Upside Down Cake; Key Lime Pots de Crème; Coconut Cream Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crumb Crust; Turtle Sundae; Chocolate Truffles; and Chocolate Candy Cups.

(While we are providing a light vegetarian snack in this class, it is not raw. You might want to bring a more substantial meal with you to eat during the ½ hour break since we’ll be eating desserts all day.)

Friday, October 9, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 pm (1/2 hour break)
Instructor: Jennifer Cornbleet
Fee: $185

 

 

# 71 The Raw-Food-Made-Easy All-Day Seminar
partial participation

 

Does the prospect of entering the world of raw cuisine seem inviting yet intimidating? Eating raw is not a new practice; however, eating raw foods that are enticing, exciting and easy to make is a novel concept. Jennifer Cornbleet, nationally recognized raw food chef, instructor, and author of Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People and Raw for Dessert, is your guide into the realm of this dynamic dietary system. Step by step, she will reveal all the tools you will need to embark on your own rewarding raw food adventure.

In this power-packed all-day seminar you will discover:

• What are the nutritional benefits of the raw food diet and how to get sufficient protein and other necessary nutrients
• What to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks
• How to tailor the raw food diet to your specific needs and tastes
• How to lose weight or maintain your ideal weight
• How to select and store fresh produce, stock your pantry, and set up your raw foods kitchen
• Practice the art of flavor balancing and seasoning
• The fundaments of basic knife skills and equipment
• How to plan menus and make shopping lists
• How to do advance preparation each week so that daily food prep is quick and easy

Once you’ve mastered these fundamentals, you’ll be ready to craft nutritious, delicious raw meals from scratch in 30 minutes or less each day. You’ll become a whiz at making juices, smoothies, cereals, soups, pâtés, dressings, entrées, snacks and desserts! As a bonus, you won’t have to give up your new lifestyle when you travel because Jenny will share her secrets of traveling in the raw. This workshop is a must for anyone curious about how a raw food diet can transform their sense of total well-being. The delicious, healthy, nutrient-andenzyme- rich menu includes: Green Juice; Berry Smoothies; Granola with Almond Milk; Garden Vegetable Soup; Not Tuna Pâté; Crudités Platter; Mock Ranch Dressing; California Rolls; Zucchini Noodles with Marinara Sauce; Mediterranean Kale; and Chocolate Mousse Tart. There will be tastings throughout the day and a ½ hour break mid-day.

Saturday, October 10, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (1/2 hour break)
Instructor: Jennifer Cornbleet
Fee: $185