On Today's Menu
Goi-Ananas Chaud
Asian Green Wild Rice in a Sesame Ginger Dressing
Garden Pie
What the Pho
Vietnamese-Influenced Napa and Shiitake
Lo Mein Noodles with Mushrooms
Tamarind Solve & Coconuts Kanten with Pineapple Puree
photos by Dan Ladermann
On Today's Menu
Exotic Fruits from the Mediterranean
Tomato Heirloom Terrine with Spinach Puree
Tomato Pepper Soup with Marinated Porcini Mushrooms
Creamy Spinach Pesto Cannellini Pomodoro, Baba Ganoush, Southwestern Dolmas with Avocado Tzatziki*
*The Southwestern Dolmas with Avocado Tzatziki was my team's element in the plating.
photos by Dan Ladermann
On the Menu
Spicy Creole Tomato Soup with Lime Basil Sorbet*
Mango & Red Pepper Salad with Mint Coulis
Green Ceviche
Crispy Zucchini Crab Cakes with Chili Mustard Mayo
Rum Soaked Mango Frozen Mojito
*My team's dish based on my recipe
photos by Dan Ladermann
The coming weeks' menus focuses on RawFushion/Spa Cuisine. They are for the most part low-fat dishes. After I present all the menus, I will start posting some recipes of the dishes I had a part in, so stay tuned for that.
On Today's Menu
Mango Chutney Change Purse
Asian Salad with Rice and Mushroom with a Spicy Spinach Dressing
Red Curry Coconut Soup
Kelp Noodles with a Miso Ginger Sauce, Crunchy Veg and Chili Coconut Sauce, Papaya Brochettes with Satay Sauce
Papaya Petals atop of Orange and Mint Coulis*
*My team's dish based on my recipe
photos by Dan Ladermann
On Today's Menu
Mediterranean Mezetnes Plate
Cacik (Chilled Minty Cucumber and Cashew Yoghurt Soup)*
Mujaddara (Wild Rice with Lentils and Mint)
Spinach Manicotti with Harissa Sauce
Herbs Green Mix Salad with Lemon Dill Yoghurt Dressing
Apple Spice and Nut Baklava with Coconut Wrap
photos by Dan Ladermann
On Today's Menu
Bell Pepper and Mexican Nut Meat Fajita
Cuban Tossed Salad
Chili Sin Carne
Papatzules
Cuban Refried Beans in Habanero Sofrito with a Corn and Cactus Relish
Coconut Cashew Nutmeg Flan Coconut Cashew Nutmeg Flan*
*My team's creation based on my recipe
photos by Dan Ladermann
On Today's Menu
Parsnip and Beets Ravioli with Bechamel Sauce and Bell Pepper Puree
Orange Tomato and Fennel Wilted Spinach with Thyme Infused Vinaigrette
Borscht with Caraway Bread
Cashew Cheese Vegetable and Wild Rice Casserole*
Apple and Beet Slaw with Walnuts
Not My Mother’s Chocolate Pudding
*my team's creation based on my recipe
photos by Dan Ladermann
The Gourmet series of the Living Light Institute includes Ethnic Flavors Cuisine, RawFusion Spa Cuisine and Raw Event Catering. Both Ethnic and RawFusion are recipe development courses. Which means for two weeks each student writes a recipe based on a theme (Latin American) and a food availability list. The next day we vote to see what recipes are chosen to create a 5-course menu (with a side) for that day and we break into teams to prepare the dishes.
On Today's menu
Real Japanese Taste Appetizer
Thai Coconut Vegetable Noodle Soup *
Cabbage Salad with tart Vinaigrette
Indian Vegetable Crunchy and Meaty Curry
Coco-no-no Pot Stickers
Lemongrass and Lime-zest Granita
*My team creation based on three coconut soup recipes
photos by Dan Ladermann
photo by Dan Ladermann
Desserts from the Associate Training Program at Living Light.
photos by Dan Ladermann
I feel so behind in my blogging "duties" (he he). There is so much I have to say but I haven't had the time to form them into words. So I offer more pictures...for now. Here are more photos from the Associate Chef & Instructor Certification Series at Living Light.
I will post some pictures along with recipes from my Gourmet Training. This is actually my last week here at Living Light as a student. I am going to miss all my classmates and I am a bit envious that they will continue on in some pretty spectacular classes and events happening soon. There is the level 1 Pastry class that starts on Sunday, taught by Vinnette Thompson. She is a fabulous teacher with such a fun spirit and filled to the brim with culinary knowledge. It's amazing.
I will miss the Living Light Chef Showcase, Aug. 26-29. I really wanted to attend that but I guess I will have to wait until next year.
And the Living Light has seaweed program and food styling class coming up. I am not complaining too much. I am happy to say that my relationship with all the fabulous people at Living Light International and Fort Bragg isn't over, yet. More to come...
photos by Dan Ladermann
I completed (and successfully graduated) the Associate Chef & Instructor Certification Series at Living Light last Friday. It has been a whirlwind. Everything happened so fast, it almost made my head spin off my neck. But again, I had a ball every step of the way.
I started the Gourmet portion of my training yesterday, so I have another 3 weeks of intense training before I am completed with the course.
I realize I haven't been sharing much information on the program. I would love to do more but everything literally happens so quickly.
I didn't have time to blog about regarding my experiences here (With the exception of Raw News You Can Use, most of the posts you do see had been pre-scheduled long before I came to Fort Bragg.)
I have a tons of picture that I will share in parts. These are pictures of the dishes we have made as a class, some lunches and even party photos to share.
Yes, we celebrated our first weekend off (after almost 3 weeks straight of classes) with a shindig.
I do have some exciting news to share with you in the coming weeks. So stay posted for that.
If I had the slightest inkling that I was going to have a nice, quiet vacation from the family in Fort Bragg, Essentials of Raw Culinary Arts put all that nonsense to rest. The class is a quick-paced, intensive, packed-full of information, hectic week. Living Light made sure every second of your time was used and nothing (food included) went to waste. When I wasn't at school, the Fab Five (more on them later) were studying at the Inn. It was crazy business and at times it was hard to find a moment to breath. I loved every minute of it.
Let me start off saying “thank you” to all who wrote beautiful words of support by email and in the comments section. I really appreciate it. I don’t have time right now to answer everyone back individually (especially in the comments box) but please know that you are in my thoughts.
On to Fort Bragg
Surrounded by the of Northern California's redwood forests (home to those winding roads) and the Pacific Ocean, Fort Bragg is a small town located in coastal Mendocino County.
According to Fort Bragg’s website, the area was home to the Native American Indians, most of whom belonged to the Pomo tribe. They were hunter-gatherers who lived close to the land and sea.
In 1855 an exploration party from the Bureau of Indian Affairs visited the area looking for a site on which to establish a reservation and, in the spring of 1856, the Mendocino Indian Reservation was established at Noyo. It was 25,000 acres and extended from what is now Simpson Lane to Abalobadiah Creek and east to Bald Hill.
In the summer of 1857, First Lieutenant Horatio G. Gibson established a military post on the Mendocino Indian Reservation approximately one and one-half miles north of the Noyo River. He named the camp for his former commanding officer Captain Braxton Bragg, who later became a General in the Army of the Confederacy. The official date of the establishment of the fort was June 11, 1857. Its purpose was to maintain order on the reservation.
Now, from my observation, it seems to be a mix of working-class town folks in jeans and strip shirts and free-spirit hippies in long-flowing garb and dreads. To tell you the truth, I haven’t really found out what this town is all about. It is still a mystery.
I plan to explore when I get a moment to breathe.
On my walks to and from school, I have noticed he sky has been grey and misty on most days (nothing too gloomy, it’s almost romantic). When the sun finally makes it to Fort Bragg, it beams through the clouds and it’s a phenomenal sight. The air is full of warmth either way in spite of the sky’s hues. A few nights and early mornings have been a bit nippy but nothing to unbearable.
I have a slight confession to make. I am falling in love… with Fort Bragg. It started out as a school-girl crush. I adore the mild weather (can you imagine the garden I could create YEAR-ROUND), the friendly people, the easy navigation of the streets, the beach and I, especially, LOVE the fact that the premier raw foods school is here. All infatuation-worthy reasons. Now my crush has developed as full-blown love. But I have a tendency of falling head over heals fast and then falling flat on my face. So the next step is to find out what lies deeper in Fort Bragg, jobs, a place to live, schools for the children, etc. I am afraid that this love affair with Fort Bragg will have to proceed slow and steady before I make any rash decisions about my family’s future.
The FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods
34 students
17 from the United States
6 from Canada
2 from UK
2 from Japan
2 from Singapore
1 from France
1 from Beliguim
1 from Australia
1 from New Zealand
1 from India
Carrot CakeThe first class you have to take at Living Light is the FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods. It is an entry-level class where you learn the basics of sprouting, making kraut, nut milks and how to use equipment of a raw food kitchen and so much more. This class is a prerequisite for Essentials of Raw Culinary Arts, Raw Culinary Arts Associate Chef and Instructor Training and the Gourmet Chef series.
Herb CheeseIt was a laid back sort of day full of demos and lots of tasty foods to try. There was no hands-on training so we didn’t don our chef wear.
Almond Milk, Granola, Brownie
We met all of our instructors, including Founder and director Cherie Soria. I couldn't believe it! "The Mother of Gourmet Raw Vegan Cuisine" actually teaches quite a few of the classes, more than I had anticipated. That was a nice surprise.
LunchThe Snail: I have never seen a snail inside its shell so I took several (hundred) of photos, I was fascinated by them.
The fact that I am here is amazing. If the opportunity hadn’t arrived so quickly and left to my (and Man on the Raw’s) own devices… I probably would have decided against coming to Living Light Institute. I know, it’s insane. Here’s why.
My past journeys have been like this… Imagine these wonderful things you would love to do, make plans, create opportunities for them to happen and then don’t do them. Fun, right?
I just wouldn’t attempt or if I did I would panic mid-stream and loss confidence and quit and cancel the journey. Returning home to sulk and wonder why I am such a loser.
Justifications would continue to haunt me.
We have no money, I would have miss the children, I am abandoning my children, I have no idea what I want to do when I finally “grow” up, I’m not good enough…yada, yada, yada. Thousands of (un-rational) rationalization would have weighed me down. In my lifetime, thus far, millions have. Those and many more self-imposed obstacles have inundated my life.
But something inside of me said enough is enough (thank goodness), stop living in fear and pursue your freaking dreams! Take that winding road (figuratively) and move toward the dreams less traveled. And that’s what I am doing.
So this journey isn’t about whether or not I will become a certified raw chef. Don’t worry, I will totally discuss the chef stuff, it’s the fun stuff, right? But really the big question is whether I will stick around long enough to become a certified chef. Whether or not I will choke.
This is going to be fairly quick post because it is my second day of classes and I don’t have much time. I will discuss my experience with each class soon.
My children and myself arrived in California on Wednesday, as you might know because of the email disaster, I still am not ready to send out emails from the address. Because of FEAR. Ugh!
Anyway, our days in San Mateo (where Mom is) were spent shopping (Mom’s favorite sport) for the kids’ food, clothing, my school supplies (knife bag and covers, extra chef coats, etc.)
I only had a day to hang in San Mateo until we ventured the four-hour trip to Fort Bragg, home of the Living Light Institute.
Nothing spectacular happened on the open road in between San Francesca and a little town called Willits. It was fairly smooth sailing.
It all got interesting when we reached the mountain between Willits and Fort Bragg. Wait a minute, mountain?
When discussing Fort Bragg, noone ever brought up a mountain. Did I mention to my intense fear of heights and winding, narrow roads with steep drops? Yeah, I know, I know I live in Colorado (mountains in the west) but as I remind a select few, there is not a single mountain in Denver, so I am safe.
Very long story, short. My little Avery got sick in the car on this winding, uphill road. Did I mention my intense fear of vomit? But it was my baby and my mom wasn’t removing her knuckles from the steering wheel even though we were parked. Who could blame her? She did her time in Mommyville, her days of car-sick kids were over.
I, squeamishly, cleaned up Avery and prayed we would make it to Fort Bragg before another mishap. Thankfully, my prayers were answered.
In Fort Bragg, I checked into the Inn where I was staying, registered at the school (got my binder), found a Laundromat (washed Avery’s puke-soaked clothing) found a hotel for Mom and the kids to stay in (it was too late for them to travel back) shopped at Safeway (Mom’s brilliant idea to purchase a few groceries, thanks mommy!), said good-bye to my children (very hard, I hated this part), had orientation at the Inn (I am living with other students, which is nice), stayed up late reading over the next day’s schedule and finally tossed and turned in bed all night because I was too excited, nervous, happy, sad and fearful of what the winding road of Living Light Institute would bring.
Back to the Cutting Board From Amateur to Pro, Confessions of a Living Light Chef-in-training
