About Me

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Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
My name is Peace Ravenwood and I am a Living Foods educator and experimenter, founder of the School of Living Foods and Alchemy Elixir Cafe ~ based in Northamptonshire UK. I love sharing the gifts and benefits of a life rich in raw foods, and also love spending as much time as possible outside in the garden, growing lots of fresh organic produce to use in the recipes. Wild foraging is also a passion of mine, one which I am constantly learning more about. My life is dedicated to learning and sharing every aspect of life in the raw, from seed ~ stomach ~ spirituality and sensuality. My other loves are of spending time with loved ones Anthony and our tribe of furry companions, reading, researching, writing and a little radical rebellion...my aim here to you is to walk with you while we change our world, one meal at a time Inlakesh Peace xxx

Tuesday 28 December 2010

Some creations for you

I have been working on some goals since I last posted, as the next lesson is on this subject, so, making a list of 100 goals is going to take a little time!  Once I have got some down I will post my top 5 here with how I intend to creatively and enjoyable reach them.

I know one goal is to post lots of raw recipes on here, so, as I have been avoiding paperwork :0( I have been a little creative today, and here are the 2 I have made for our feasting...hope you enjoy trying them out.

 Immortal Raw Chocolate Pudding (serves 3...possibly)

5 baby avocado/ 2 large avocado
50g coconut butter (solid or melted)
2 heaped dessert spoons cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 heaped dessert spoon Lucuma
1 tsp 3 Immortals powder (from Raw Living/Shaman Shack)
1 tsp spirulina
1 tsp maca
3 tbsp agave or some raw honey to taste.

Place all the ingredients in the high power blender or food processor if you have not got a high power blender.
Blend until really smooth...you will need to use a spatula to get all the bits down off the sides and blended properly.
Adjust the sweetness if you need to.
Pour into dessert bowls and chill for a few hours, especially if using melted coconut butter.
Serve decorated with goji berries and some hemp seeds (if you like that kind of thing)

You can of course add any kind of superfood that you have, and just keep tasting to see if it is how you like it.


Raw Marinated Mushrooms

Several thickly sliced chestnut mushrooms
Olive oil
Tamari
Italian herbs
Crushed garlic

In a large bowl coat the sliced mushrooms in a fair bit of olive oil (they soak it up well), then add the tamari to coat a little (around 2-3 tbsp) add the herbs and crushed garlic and coat really well. You may need to add more oil but not too much that there is residue in the bowl once coated.  Mix the mushrooms every now and then and place in the chiller overnight to marinate.  Serve as you like, with salad or with raw burgers...I snack on mine during the day!

I hope you like these little treats, and watch for more soon xxx Om Shanti 


 

Saturday 25 December 2010

Oosha ~ Raw Culinary Artistry ~ on the road! Advanced Raw Chocolate Masterclass

Ooosha... Raw Culinary Artistry
On the road ! March 5th 11am-3:30pm Monkton Wyld Court, Dorset

Come and join us in the heart of the Dorset countryside, amongst a community of like minded individuals at Monkton Wyld Court.

Advanced Chocolate Class
This class will propel you into the infinite realm of raw chocolate making possibilities and ignite your creative fire. If you have a base of raw chocolate recipes, and consider yourself a novice, or you're a quick learner and want a crash course, then come join us for a seriously in depth class.

You will learn  ~
- Filled Chocolates
- Truffles
- Praline
- Tempered Chocolate
- Creating Textures in Chocolate
- Coloured chocolate for decoration
- Milk, Dark and White Chocolate

The cost for this class is £100 and includes a recipe and detailed information packet. You'll also take home portions of everything we make throughout the day. A light raw organic lunch will be provided and will come from the organic gardens of Monkton Wyld Court.

*Monkton Wyld Court is offering a discount to those of you attending the class who would like to stay the night or weekend. Please see their website for details of their accommodation www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk *

Please email or call for more information or to book your space.
sweetcntr@yahoo.com
www.ooosharawculinaryartistry.blogspot.com/
07913869376

About Amy:
Amy attended a 3 year culinary arts course and at the age of 18 she began her career as a chef, but soon realized something was missing between the meat and potatoes…vegetables! It was at this time that Amy found her way into a vegetarian kitchen and experienced the true genius of vegetarian cooking. This naturally peaked her interest in health, which led to her attending an intensive Holistic Health Counseling program in NYC. During this time she was first introduced to raw food and chocolate.  After graduation she returned to her biggest passion, being a chef, and was now able to couple that with holistic balance and nutritional awareness. 
‘The Food Clinic’ was where she was able to bring her holistic health approach into her career as a chef by providing nutritional balance to dishes. Following this, Amy began her path of working with and studying raw chocolate as Chocolatier at ‘The Raw Chocolate Company’ in Brighton. This avenue provided her the great opportunity to work within the science of food. It was as if the final piece of the puzzle she had been working on for so long had final appeared. Since then Amy has worked along some top chefs, including world renowned raw food chef, Chad Sarno and created exceptional and truly unique raw chocolates. She continues to research the nutrition and science of raw chocolate and food.

Class Testimonials:

“I really enjoyed Amy's class.  It was great to learn from someone with such in-depth culinary knowledge, years of professional experience and the patience to share her expertise with novices like me!  The techniques taught in the class have opened up many new avenues to explore and Amy has inspired me to be more creative in my experimentation with textures and flavour combinations.  Definitely a day well spent!” - E. Simmons


"Ooosha Rocks!!! Amy Levin is an absolute genius, and she's so wonderful to boot!! If you have the basics of chocolate and want to go further then Amy will just open you up to a new level. "
C.Bagehot

"The most phenomenal raw food chef I have ever come across. She is like the Heston Blumenthal of Raw Food and she makes stuff to sell, as well as runs courses from the most gorgeous 
retreat in the Sussex countryside." D. Apolline
Thanks for an awesome day Amy!! I didn't want to go home!! I learnt everything that I wanted to, plus more!!! - F. Bray


___________________________________________________________________*
Amy Levin

Sunday 19 December 2010

Some Pictures ~ Then, Now and more...


Aura the super dog

Cannabis Sativa in full bloom in our garden

Juice ingredients


Shilajit Latte


Raw Lasagne

Mulberry & Goji Caramel Hearts

Superherb Brew


Me a week ago 2010

Love my greens

Me in 2009

Saturday 18 December 2010

Beliefs

The fourth lesson is all about our beliefs and how they shape our individual perception of life and reality, how everything is different for each of us depending on our beliefs carried since we became influenced by those around us at a young age.
As children we have perfect minds and perfect memories which become dampened by limiting beliefs.  Once we overthrow those limiting beliefs we regain our perfect minds and memories!
So, this lesson teaches us how to eliminate our own limiting beliefs, which in turn helps those around us to do the same which is one of the principles of Life Transformation.

Well, here are my action steps...

These are my current personal beliefs and how I will transform them.

The question to ask and answer after each one is; "How can I immediately and powerfully improve or replace these beliefs and enjoy the process"

1. I believe that I am not a good communicator.  
...live in my heart and speak my truth openly and honestly at all times, express my emotions and dreams to those around me and speak clearly and not hide behind my fears.

2. I believe that a good weight for me is to be around 80kg.
...allow my higher self to guide me to my perfect weight without placing a number on my self...and relax knowing that my choices are perfect all the time for me.

3.  I believe I do not exercise enough to become well.
...go walking every day again, like before, use my rebounder as it is FUN and start to dance again...all things I loved to do but placing time and pain limitations had become an excuse for not participating in my own passions.

4.  I believe I am too overweight to be a good raw educator.
...I am now, every day, making excellent choices in what I eat, how I eat, and where I eat, that assist in me shedding my excess waste whilst being in the eyes of those following my journey to whole life transformation...demonstrating in the BEST possible way, how amazingly powerful following a life full of raw living foods works and how easy it is if we make that commitment to our soul!

Om Shanti

Another act that this lesson teaches, and it is one I now have been practising for a while, is that of letting those around us know how special they are and how much their being around means to us.
By the universal law of Reciprocity what you send out will come back multiplied.

On this note i would like to express how much I appreciate your act of reading this journal, and how much I hope it is of some benefit to you on your own journey through this amazing life.
Every one of us is an amazing light being, capable of so much love and limitless potential to create a world of wonder, peace and abundance one breath at a time.
I send out virtual hugs to each of you (I love hugs, don't you?) :0)


Love, peace and joy
Amber Dawn xx

 

Thursday 16 December 2010

Foodie Thursday

Had a fun and peaceful productive day today and sampled some new vegan foods that I would not normally eat...I usually just cook for the visitors and hardly ever eat any, but just fancied a slice of cashew nut roast with ginger brussel sprout salad...totally yummy!

Rest of the day has been RAW...including a seaspagettie salad with raisins, hemp seeds, sprouted seeds, green salad leaves, red pepper, cucumber and fennel dressed with vegan pesto...wow this was so very very good!
I shall have the same tomorrow ~ increasing our intake of sea vegetables is crucial to our wellness!

It was so nice today to take a breath and sit with friends while they had their drinks today instead of rushing around in the kitchen...shall do that again tomorrow as well!

Now, and early night with my book is calling, for a nice day to come tomorrow.

Love and peace

Amber Dawn xx

Wednesday 15 December 2010

wow how the universe weaves

seems to be that the Universe weaves endlessly in response to our seed planting...not sure what else I could have titled today's post but this seemed to fit (wish we had smileys on here)

After sharing my thoughts yesterday there has been a shift of energy towards a much more wholesome future. I have received clarity and so much love and support from those close to me for which I am so grateful (love you all so much)
From next week my focus will come home...to the hearth of creations and I will be concentration on bringing more magical raw foods to share.  This will also mean that my energy is free to look in on Tom more when he is home from his current stay in hospital, and of course be with my furry companion Aura all day again!

I have deeply loved bringing healthy foods and the amazing super smoothies to Namaste House and all her beautiful visitors, and will continue to provide the decadent raw cakes, chocolate, breads and spreads, so they will be available to you still, but to be home is where I am needed, and Raw Alchemy needs me to be there so she can continue to grow and spread the magical foods around the country.

I have learned much in the past couple of months and have come to see exactly where I wish to be and go...step by step, dream by dream.

In addition to creating foods I will be upping my knowledge sharing ~ so lots of workshops and group/private support sessions in the new year (message me to find out more or ask about booking me to share with your local groups)...I am now committed to living it and showing it works!!!

On to how day 3 has been on a deeper level...

I am so loving how calm I have become ~ just like I used to feel!  Complete peace and very very happy.
I am finding some detoxing signs and food reactions are coming even faster than ever...painful ankles today which I put down to the decaf yesterday and after eating some starch for supper, both today and yesterday, I had some very strange palpitations and slight breathlessness for the odd second.

I have increased my intake of sea vegetables again, and try to eat a portion each day for overall endocrine health support.  Udo's choice oil and some Bragg's aminos on salad leaves to ensure these nutrients are eaten daily as well.
During the day I ate barely nothing ~ a tiny slice of my raw cake for lunch and almost a pint of maca manna smoothie mid-afternoon, lots of water and 2 cups of superherbal brew.

I was ready for supper when I got home and started with a sliced persimmon before the starch meal of potato and egg salad (an hour after the fruit)

I am now off to brew a 'normal' cuppa with some rice mylk. lol this is my night time treat!

From this weekend I will be posting more recipes here with I hope, the pictures to show them off...stay tuned xxxx

Namaste
Amber Dawn xx





 

Tuesday 14 December 2010

thoughts are seeds

"we become what we think about" Earl Nightingale

"all destiny begins with thinking" Percival
 
today is a day for planting seeds for the future harvest...on waking up I decided to create another raw chocolate and so the new Elixir Bar has been born.  This will be the bar version of my Mayan Chocolate Elixir drinking mix...so a new birth of energy has begun...

there, that just popped out! And all before even being fully concious...lol


more inspiration came in the post today in the form of a delivery from Amazon; The World Peace Diet & 2 of Kate Magic's books...so much to experiment with now, there is no room for me to waver from this path ever again.


Talk about skilling up...oh boy!


Feeling really happy and still very calm today. I have been sharing my thoughts and feelings with Ant (my beloved), and have said how I am trying to be my 'fearless self' and trust in and believe on my path.
Decisions are being formed for the coming days, weeks and months...more seeds!
I feel that I will get most enjoyment out of this journey if I re-arrange my work somewhat radically which will enable me to fully engage in all of the activities we are creating.
So, as of January when I re-open the coffee lounge after the holiday, I will propose to only work there for 3 days a week ~ Thursday, Friday & Saturdays...leaving the space available for another passionate chef to come along and be creative :0)
The Rest of the week will be spent at the Raw HQ making all the lovely sacred foods, tending the garden, caring for my father-in-law and animals and making house!
There is so much to plan and create for our future harvest and this way it will all be tended well and flourish.


In myself I feel very soft and gentle today, not so vulnerable, and very focussed on all the enterprising potential of this new step being taken.
I still feel very open, which I am getting used to, but at the same time have the protection and support of my loved ones as I take these baby steps to wholeness and for this I am eternally grateful :0)


I have spent the morning make lovely cakes for the coffee lounge and for special orders so my focus on food has been away from my own stomach...I have to laugh when I create as I fail to need to eat for my own body so unless I stop and make something I can often go a whole day with no fuel other than the love fuelling the creations...
I did begin the day with the left over green juice made yesterday, and Ant brought home a soya decaf latte at 1.30. Water of course is always drunk.
I will now go and make a quick smoothie to keep my mind and body complete as we have to go out and get supplies for the kitchen...and...a treat of a living Yule Tree for the house, to light the new year in style...so many years since we had the inclination to bring in the Green other than some hedge decorations for the altar...but this year we feel it is time to make a special effort and bring new focus to the Temple Room...


Love, Peace, joy and Abundance


Namaste


Amber Dawn xxx

Monday 13 December 2010

end of first day...

...how do I feel?

Peaceful...

...vulnerable...exposed...

it was quite strange to have the feeling of being really exposed and this made me feel really vulnerable too...my centre has opened up much more than, well, I ever thought...not that I was waiting to feel these emotions...deeply and physically!
I feel like birthing a new person.
to have such an openness to the world is not an experience I have had until now.
I have fully embraced all of me today and allow all the new things to come and say hello.

This really does feel like the first TRUE steps of my journey, even though I have followed a high raw lifestyle for almost a year...
The play has ended, now I am LIVING it!

I am very used to all the green juices and smoothies after falling in love with liquid meals from the beginning so I look forward to many more of them :0)

After one day off all dairy and wheat I feel good but baby steps...I make it sound like I ate it every day but only once or twice a week really.  It makes that much difference to me having such a sensitive system :0)

So, today has be great and tomorrow will be even more so... Om Shanti from this Raw Diva

Amber Dawn xx

Sunfood Diet Success system ~ Day One ~

"I am fully responsible for my own great health.  My daily habits create my great health"


Morning is a good time to start this journal today as I am at home resting, well, if you call it resting (LOL)...
As I am now immersed in the SunFood Diet Success System, David Wolfe's amazing book has me hooked!
One Lesson at a time to ensure it all sinks in and is embedded into my soul so there is no room to & I hate to say the 'f' word, so I shall say 'get distracted'...

Started by taking a 'before' picture...not a good one, but I am smiling!  I hate my pic taken at the best of times but this is for a very serious cause, so it has been done...will upload later.

Now, the first question I must answer is;  What type of person do I have to become to experience radiant health? & How do I become that type of person as quickly as possible while enjoying the process?

This is such a huge thing to answer...I feel that I have to become much more connected to my heart than I thought I was...for then I will not keep falling into the trap of eating out of lazy or greedy emotions...in my heart I know what needs to be done to get to where I am going with this life, and I have until now just been treading water, which is a pattern that has been prevallent in my life!
I am such a devoted and creative soul with huge passion to take my dreams to the heights they can go, but, for some reason, probably fear, I remain in a physical rut on the outside...inside has changed for I can feel it, with the huge energy I now have and the general wellness plus so much creativity it can get a bit tiring as I have trouble stopping even in my sleep!


So, I also have to become 'fearless'!  I have to trust that all will be well and all will be perfect, instead of just saying it I have to 'believe' it!


How to become that person??? Well, I guess more time looking inward as David says to do...and more time spent in quiet thought and also some meditation and breathing, and some sound wave therapy will be sooo good!  I have no trouble voicing myself now apart from when I go into panic mode and then I just cry, silly really but that is what happens.
Yes, quiet reflections, planning and 'feeling' the changes rather than looking on the outside for them, expecting results while still stuck in the 'old' energy of years of self sabotage ...


I have now gone back to being almost vegan, although I could not call myself vegan as I do eat honey and some eggs, but I now have stopped eating cheese which is great as it made me ill anyway!
I have committed to brewing all the superherb teas every day now, and today made an amazing mega smoothie to begin the day;


2/3 pint superherb tea (see last nights post) cold
one large spoon raw honey
one banana
one pear
on tbsp maca
one tsp chlorella & spirulina combined
one tsp mucuna
one tsp vanilla powder


so green and thick and lovely


I will be juicing later before I go into town to do my Monday stuff and see dad in hospital.  


The juice will be; carrot, apple, kale, fennel and ginger...mmmmm!!!


Tonight for dinner we will have a steamed feast of kale, savoy, onion, raw garlic, cherry tomatoes, Udo's oil and Bragg's Amino's ( I add the oil and aminos after steaming ) with a few roast potatoes...not many! or some mash, which ever I feel like.
I know that white potatoes and other starches are so not the best thing to eat but if I can leave off eating the crisps (replacing them with dehydrated sweet potato crisps) and keep them to a minimum I feel that I am not depriving myself totally of the food that I really love...who, knows, some time in the coming weeks and months they may just fall out of my life without me trying...


Now, I must go and get on with the day as I wish to achieve much today as usual...I feel good and positive and will not let fear of complacency come into my life - that is my promise to me today...


Om Shanti
Amber Dawn xxx


 

Sunday 12 December 2010

My superherb tea

Just thought I would share this recipe for what I feel is the most amazing super brew.  I am learning all about the superherbal way to health on my Raw Nuturition course.
This brew contains;

Nettle
Boneset
Horsetail
Angelica root
pau D'arco
Taheebo
cat's claw
Burdock root
ashwaganda
goji berries
Reishi mushroom root
all in the pan with around 2 litres of water, warming on the stove all day for drinking when I like ~ simply top up the pan each day for around 5 days of brewing, it has a lovely earthy taste but sweetened by the goji berries.
I sometimes add this as the base of a mega smoothie, to which is added a few cashews (6) some coconut butter, some cacao nibs, some chilli peppers, lots of raw honey, fo ti, muira puama, camu camu, maca, mucuna, shilajit, amla and chlorella powder.  I would add crystal manna or phytoplankton but yet to buy them as I am saving up for a pollytunnel (lol)

This is a mega healthy brew in so many ways...

Om Shanti xx

My Daily Journal of Transformation

Today, 12th December 2010 begins a year's journal ~ my (hopefully) commitment to myself to complete the transformation I began about a year ago.

I hope you will follow my progress through the ups and sometimes downs along the way...I will give it my best and tell everything on here...all the details, dramas, joys and ecstacy...for from now on there will only be one way to go and that is the unlimited potential....

more tomorrow

Om shanti xx Amber Dawn xx

Tuesday 16 November 2010

refreshed web page and a new juice fast

well, it's been a while since my last entry and this one will be quite short I guess, although I do ramble off when on here!

We are making some changes to the website this week and one is to hopefully link the blog to the site so you can have instant updates as to what is going on in the divas kitchen...lol

...and a lot is going on I can say...
so, let us hope we can get it done.


The news so far is that I have been working hard both in the kitchen and out and about helping friends etc...
The peace cafe is now up and running and we are getting a bit of a following out there now, with people ordering cakes and chocolate and the special little bliss balls flying out of the kitchen at a fast pace ~ beautiful!


We have a couple of new faces coming in to the kitchen to help out too which is a blessing as it gets quite busy during the peak hours of the day...keeping up with drinks, food and clearing away can be a task indeed!


Namaste House is such a special place to be and it is bliss to share the space with so many lovely people ~ long may we carry on bringing new faces to the building and making them feel safe, warm and loved... oh, and leaving with a full tummy too :0)


Each day there are more enchanting things to look at in the shop ~ it is a little Aladdin's cave of delights.


The food menu changes daily too; each day there is a different soup and sometimes more than one flavour. There are dishes with couscous, dhals, pasta, baked potatoes, crustless quiches and of course our seedy super salads too, not to mention our raw desserts along side more traditional treats like carrot cake and caramel slices :0)




so, I do hope to meet more of you soon, to share the food with you all and the adventure.


Now that I have moved the juicer into the working kitchen (so to speak as home is a working kitchen too!)  I am embarking on a 7 day juice fast/cleanse...juicing during the day to clear away some of the baggage hanging around and to hopefully get rid of the stagnant brain fug that is keeping me where I am in my shedding of the waste...
I think it is needed at this time before the really cold dark months are fully here ~ not sure how I will cope and I may sulk a little along the way...been feeling the cold more of late so it will need to be backed up with some herbal brews to keep the fire inside burning strong.
So, tomorrow will see the start of the weeks fasting.  
I am going to attempt to carry it on in the evenings too with a warm smoothie superbrew or some soup rather than a meal.


I will keep you posted here and on FaceBook.


If you want to join in comment back with how you are doing and we can share the support.


love and peace be with you xx

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Interesting ups & downs

Over the past couple of days I have been retreated into my studies which have really been my inspiration and drive while on retreat.
Managing around 10 lessons per day I am 3/4 way through now and so looking forward to the exam and qualifying.  Then I will be able to pass on all the learning to many more who are looking to change their lives and regain health and wholeness.

It is a really interesting time, as normally I would be so very very active and busy running around with not a second to stop...often a good thing really as I am not tempted by naughty and unhealthy foods...however, in these times I would always sucumb in the evenings to some crisps or some other baddy!  Now, as I am free from the opportunity, I am at least keeping fairly 'clean'...

Realising that food addictions, like any other addictions, will always be part of my life is taking some understanding and acceptance to work with the energy surrounding the times when I feel like going backwards.
I know that keeping to my raw foods as much as is comfortably acheiveable (around 80%) is the best for my future.
It never ceases to amaze me that I am going through phases of detoxification on a regular basis when I leave out foods that have crept back in again.  Not nice to go through but it is a good part of the process.
In 7 years I will have a completely new body, from cells to muscles, lungs, bones, everything!  That is how long it takes for our bodies to renew themselves...how amazingly awesome is that!?  I find it totally inspiring to think that, on my journey to wellness, I get to have a new perfect healthy body at the end of it all...

Anyway, back to the ups and downs bit...I am having daily conversations with myself...yeah, I know, been on my own too long again! ... to work through eahc meal and why I am taking in the foods I am eating.  I brought with me a limited supply of superfoods and today ran out of them, so I am trying not to worry about not having them...they are part of every day for me to complete my nutritional intake being largely a liquid meal eater.
I am aiming to further simplify intake by narrowing the number of foods going into my body each meal time...particularly the cooked meals, so as not to burden my digestion with to many complex things to digest.
Liquid meals are the easiet for any digestion as it is all mushed up so the stomach can extract the nutrients and pass them through the rest of the intestinal process with minimal effort. 
Why tax our system with the job of digesting huge food particals when we can go out and have much more fun if it is all done for us by the blender! LOL

Juicing is even better...no effort whatever as the pure plant foods pass directly into the blood stream from the mouth delivering all the nutrients with no effort at all...and boy do I miss my juicer right now ~ one last pre-juiced shot left and then I will need to go home and restock!

So, the ups are many...lots of time spent in study instead of making food, lots of energy although it is not spent physically but mentally this week (apart from walking) and more than enough concentration power.
The downs?  Well, still trying to stay away from not beneficial cooked foods really.  Holed up in the house is cool...no temptations...and I am doing pretty well when out and about too, but the main downer is that I keep beating myself up about the last month or so when eating too many crisps, bread and oven chips of all things!!!
Stupid, but human!!!

I have now taken a pledge to give up fish and all dairy apart from when I have the odd coffee treat time...I was up until last week, eating fish weekly, but now it has gone!  I am so proud to have made that decision.
Out too must be the crisps ~ the trans-fats they contain are SO toxic it just is not worth the pain they will cause in the long term or the waste storage in the short term!

A real investment was made this week, even though I ought to have spent the money on other things...I have bought the long awaited GS2 gravity fed water filter...it hold 9 litres and can process 50 litres a day!  As I use filtered water for everything, this will make it so much easier.  Next week I will order the additional fluoride filters that are extra.  Then our ingesting water will be as pure as possible.
We are lucky to have a spring over the lane which we will collect from daily ~ the filter makes all rain and spring water safe and drinkable.
Next will be the filter for the shower...water that goes on our skin is just as toxic to us as that which we drink...

I have also invested in some superherbs...and they should be here very soon...then my liquid diet will be taken to an even higher realm of divinity...watch this space for the recipes and pictures!

I must end by saying that although the fried potato crisps are out of my life (weep)  the humble spud is still revered!  But, I am now steaming and baking them.
I have found today that rice cause a reaction, so that too is out...interesting.  Spelt pasta too, although I love it occasionally, has caused bloating and excess excreations, so this will be phased out.

Now, I hope the new smoothies and teas that will be brewed from this week will remove all final emotional ties to these food, so my life can soar to even higher dimensions...

Love, hope and abundance xxxxxxx

Friday 24 September 2010

My 'retreat' ~ R&R

My little 'retreat' is actually a spot of house and pet sitting for a dear friend whilst she is in hospital having a new hip fitted.  She had come through the op well and should be home on Tuesday nest week.
So, while she is away Aura & I are looking after her huge house and assorted furry companions which is lovely.  It is very peaceful here, rather like our own home, and surrounded by wild beauty of the Buckinghamshire countryside.  I am blessed to be able to walk for, well miles if Aura were able to, along the gallops at the farm here, but we make do with a shorter stroll so not to tire her out too much!
She would go for longer walks if left up to her as she is not aware of being restricted by her dis-ease, but, if she has too much exercise she is very tired and sore, so 'mum' keeps her walks shorter nowadays.

I have decided to take advantage of being away from the kitchen to catch up on my studies and rest up a bit, well, alot actually!  The last couple of months has been pretty full on in the kitchen, and, now that I have been given the opportunity to go in a slightly unplanned direction, I can spend time re-structuring things for the next pathway of adventures.
It does feel a little lazy to be spending so much time just 'sat' studying, but, as life is about to go 'mega' it feels great and luxuriant and decadent...all lovely words and ones we perhaps should embrace using more often, even daily or hourly!  Loving oneself with these feelings is wonderful, just like taking a long hot bath in some lovely bubbles with candles...and we should do that more and more...

I purposely left all my fiction reads at home and only brought practical work with me, as to spend time in fantasy would perhaps have been a waste of energy...plus I use fictional books to shut off in an evening from all the work energy, so to bring that with me here would prevent me spending time on my studies...being a bookish girlie I love reading, learning, exploring the realms of conciousenss and fantasy etc..
So, how am I spending my days here?
I start the day as I would normally, by drinking 2 pints of pure water before getting clean and dressed.  I sort out all the furry ones needs and then prepare the days smoothies.  I make about a litre of smoothie and drink half before my morning walkies and half when we return.  This keeps my bodymindspirit full and happy until about 1pm most days.

It is cold today so I made a cup of coffee...something I would not normally do at home, and it was yucky!  Instant coffee really sucks big time...I now only have posh coffee when out and about ~ now I know why!!!!  Should have chosen tea like I was going to!

Anyway, I had a pinapple to eat up, so just had half of it now, followed by 3 squares of my raw mint chocolate ~ totally lovely!

Whilst waiting for the next video lesson to load (which takes forever on this computor)  I thought I would update the blog...lol

This afternoon we will take another walk along the gallops, hopefully not in the driving rain like this morning...even though it was invigorating.  Then come home and back to the studies until bed time...interspersed with mooching around and brushing the doggies and some hoovering upstairs.

Tomorrow is forcast to be a lovely day, so we will spend it outdoors tidying the garden for a couple of hours, as I have always done when staying over here...she has a lovely garden ~ quite huge, and full of cottage garden plants which now need putting to bed for the Autumn.
I may pop into the village at some point for a coffee and some world watching, just to take a break from isolation...you can go days here and see no-one!

I suppose I could explain about the course I am taking?  Well, I am studying Raw Nutrition with the Body Mind Institute of Canada ~ it is David Avocado Wolfes Certification course and is an online study system.  I am really loving it as all the lessons are by video feed from Davids home in Canada...a wild and beautifully abundant ecosystem...David is such a passionate and energetic teacher and this really comes over in the lessons.  Each lesson is followed by a multiple choice quiz.  At the end of the course is the exam.  It will take me another couple of months to complete it as I want to read all the writen support notes that accompany it before taking the exam.
After this exam I will begin the next course that came FREE with this one...another Nutrition course but direct from the Institute.  By early 2011 I will have completed this one.
There is an affiliate scheme with the Institute and once I have set it up I will link it here and to the website, so that, if you want, you are able to have access to the courses they provide.  I feel that the content and value they provide is amazing and so available to us no matter what restricted budget we are in...personally this was the best way for me to study as every penny coming in needs to be spent so wisely and I know we are all in the same vibration with this.  We need to invest in our futures to provide the best for us all.

Back to the love of my life...Aura...she is the most beautiful dog in the Universe...and has been such an amazing friend and guide for the last 11 years.  Here is a picture of her for you

Monday 20 September 2010

uploaded pictures

the remains of the fruit hamper!

my green juice and all that is left in pulp form (Aura will eat this)

water kefir 'swimming' in the sun

water kefir grains on day 2 of brewing

some of the super ingredients I use most days
Here are a few pictures that I have just uploaded

A period of rest and recuperation & amazing juicing!

Well what a glorious Monday morning we awake to! so beautiful to feel the sun on my face and tend to the salad leaves not to mention catch up on a little housekeeping after a very busy weekend again.

I would like to share my juice with you this bountiful day.

On Saturday I was blessed to win a huge fruit hamper in a 'guess how many pickles in the jar' competetion!  Wow, what a good home it came to...already half empty after today but still full of lovely things like mango and pineapple! Ant got to have all the preserves and a pack of biscuits so it was a win win thing!


So, today, after making the downstairs nice and clean and going over all the kitchen so it is spotless again, I have just sat and drank a pint of amazing green juice.
In it were:  One red grapefruit (not skin), one pear, one apple, one stick celery, one cucumber, 1/3 fennel bulb, lots of baby salad leaves of lettuce, spinach and snow pea tops plus sunflower greens.
all this went through the Green Star juicer to make a tangy but sweet chlorophyll rich juice.
One pint down and another in the fridge for later.  Mmmm Yummy.


Today marks the start of my journey back to high raw after a few manic weeks of not really having time to love my tummy or body much, having been so darn busy!  It sounds daft really, as I spend ALL day every day making raw foods to take out to others, but, as it is mostly chocolate foods, I have had little time to actually spend juicing as I would prefer to do for optimum nutrition.  
I love making chocolate (who wouldn't) but after a spoonful tasting of each you do loose appetite so end up not eating anything all day...not a good thing really if you are aiming to pack in the greens!  
I have eaten a large part of my daily food as raw but it has lacked the green element that is so important.
As we eat a cooked meal in the evening, I have eaten too many white potatoes and some pastry each week too as well as snacking on potato crisps (a huge no-no).
So, this is it!  Back on track and in line to shed another stone of waste from my body. No doubt some more detoxing is occurring already as I have a stinking headache today!
I have 2 weeks before the next event is booked in, so I will have much more time to make smoothies and juices each day and far more time to relax and enjoy my studies too.  
I will make more chocolate, but it is not so intense now, so I can make time to create other foods too.

In the next couple of weeks I will also be venturing into the cafe to begin making foods there too...so looking forward to that I can tell you. 
There are so many of us in Northamptonshire who are concious of what we eat, but really struggle to find anywhere to eat out that makes lovely food with a loving energy.  Even salads are pretty poor in the majority of eateries.
Namaste House is already a beautiful place to eat and it will continue to gain a reputation for its food now we move into new waters of Vegan and Raw dishes.


Wishing you all an amazing day full of abundance and love xxx Namaste xxx

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Sacred Foods Workshop

Sacred Plant Spirit Medicine day working with Cacao and High Vibrational Foods - Saturday 9th October at Raw Alchemy HQ, Northamptonshire, UK.

This will be our second sacred foods workshop but our first to go deeply into the uses and medicinal qualities of Cacao.
You will learn how to make Elixir drinks which contain cacao and other superfoods as well as what we term 'high vibrational' foods, such as Etheriums and Suma.  These foods greatly assist in our journey to wellness and awareness of our life path.
You will also learn how to make a basic raw chocolate recipe, how to blend ingredients, use of different moulds for chocolate and specialist equipment.
In addition you will be looking deeply at where you are at on your own individual journey, what blocks have formed and how to remove them safely and easily ~ this is all part of the journey work cacao facilitates and can be very emotional for some people.
There will be time spent looking at addictions and the role they play in life and how we can overcome them using sacred foods and meditations/quiet time.
Included will be recipes and info sheets for you to take home. 


The Venue:  Raw Alchemy is situated in the tranquil rural village of Chadstone just a few miles from Northampton town centre.  Very close to a natural spring and having the benefit of ley lines and a positive energy fountain running beneath the house, this is a peaceful and healing environment for any deep energy workings.  The venue has a permanent temple room for relaxation and an efficient working kitchen for workshops.  It is also the home of Dawn and her husband Ant and their furry family of felines and special dog Aura, who will all enchant you with their antics...


Cost:  £45 per person (some concessions available)

booking:  please email Dawn to book your place

Namaste



The virtuous Carrot

Oh how lovely is the carrot?  Full of light, sun energy and earth elements and sweetness...add some fresh coriander and you have a very high nutrient meal waiting for your tummy to enjoy!
Yes, I juiced again this morning!  I have had little time to think of using the juicer lately as it does take some time to clean afterwards, and being busy means not much time for that!
But, I really wanted some high nutrients today and having some carrots and coriander needing using up rather than end up in the compost heap, I juiced them...about 10 carrots and a bunch of coriander...all through the Green Star for the most lush green juice ever!  Yes, it was green!  I now feel very 'open' and aware and also needing another trip to the bathroom!
I am still aiming for a high water content during the day and less actual food until later, just to really cleanse my system and provide a clear pathway for all the lovely nutrients in the water kefir that I am taking each day now.
This is all a new subject for me and fascinating...I shall dig up all the info on water kefir for a blog entry here later on.
Right, must go now, Aura is looking at me and asking for a walk, so off we go...into the windy day
love and abundance xxx

 

Monday 13 September 2010

A duvet day...almost

Oh how lovely it would be to have a duvet day...not had one in such a long time.
After a very full on few weeks of constantly creating foods to fulfil markets I have reached a bit of a crisis...one more week of really full on foodie making and then there is a small break where it eases a little.

After an unsettled night without my dearest Ant to snuggle up with for the 3rd in a row while he is sleeping over at his fathers (Tom has cancer and has been unwell for the past few weeks), restless cats and doggie with upset tummy...I woke early determined to have a slow day.

And, I did...moontime is also here and boy has that made me more than a little emotional!  So, I managed to breathe through an almost panic morning with lots going on, and took myself over to Namaste House in Earls Barton ~ already a sanctuary of peace and love, the shop and coffee shop are beautiful, tranquil and such a haven of calm, this is soon to be where you will find me, creating love filled foods for the patrons.

Sadie, who is the 'keeper' of the house has offered the coffee shop to us so that our energy can flow with that of the therapies and fair trade wares in the shop.  We will be looking after the foodie side of things from early October...so exciting!
More on Namaste House in another post.

After that visit, I went over and bought supplies for Luke's lunches, then home to make them for him...super sexy raw curry, strawberry desserts and chocolate pudding...what a lucky guy!  He has already noticed his appetite lessening and also naturally eating much slower when eating raw meals than he would cooked ones...thoroughly enjoying them!

That is what I so love about raw foods...how they can change our whole way of eating and experiencing foods.  It makes me glow with happiness to see people really fall in love with raw!

More lovely friends have shared their experiences with me this week too ~ all saying that once they have eaten some of the raw foods I create, that they go off conventional foods ~ and start craving more raw living food!  Totally awesome!
Corrr...how busy will I be???
I really am looking forward to making more foods and also training new raw chef's to help spread more raw!

Back to the duvet...well, soon...we ate a lovely supper together now Ant is home for the night, and we are now chillaxing.
Tom (dad) is staying in hospital for a few days to gain some strength.  He has weakened a great deal recently and has lost a lot of weight.  Let us hope that after this latest bit of medical care, that he recovers a bit of his old self enough to enjoy life again.

Night night all xxx

Friday 10 September 2010

such a beautiful sunset...

The most awesome breakfast smoothie

Morning, early start today as I was going to be on a farmers market in Towcester, but, after a night working through deep thoughts, I woke at 5.30, got up and started catching up on lots of things that had been pushed to one side due to being so busy!  You know how it is, paperwork just gets put in a dark corner and grows cobwebs!

Anyway, that is now all sorted into more digestible bits and the hoovering is done, altar cleaned and tidied, all crystals dusted and re-arranged...lovely way to start the day...

Now, to food!  I love having a liquid meal in a glass...very decadent ones at times.  Here is what I just made...

Chocolate Avocado Smoothie

2 bananas
1 large avocado
1 heaped dessert spoon of either my chocolate Elixir powder OR just raw cacao powder
11/2 pint filtered water
some agave if you like it sweet

place all in the blender wizz until lovely and creamy.

Sit down and drink it all up, then enjoy your chocolate moustache!  This is the most filling and satisfying breakfast drink ~ especially with the Elixir in it as it contains some of the highest nutritional foods on the planet!

 

Thursday 9 September 2010

Welcome to my new Blog

After many months sending updates through twitter & Facebook I now have the nice new shiny blog to keep you all up to date with happenings in my raw world...each day I will post the experiences with living foods, adventures around and about, new energies, superfoods, cacao spirit medicine, and furkid adventures (we have a beautiful collie Aura and our daft cats too!)
Here is the place for all those recipes, both cooked and raw that I love so much, and a place to share those moments of un-clarity when cooked food is not being well received in my body! Yes, there are moments like that most weeks :0)
Well, for now, here is a beautiful picture to share with you

Namaste
Dawn )0(