...aaand I'm Back!

So nice to be back in southern California. I was at Living Light Culinary Arts Institute for two weeks and in NYC for four weeks teaching my raw food basics as well as learning some cooked culinary arts as well. I took a class from the Natural Gourmet Insitute in Manhattan. They offer a range of different healthy cooking classes from vegan, to raw to meaty things. I took the Southeast Asian Vegan Banquet class and just loved it. We made: hot and sweet sesame nori fins, watercress and green mango salad with peanut dressing, red bhutan rice with roasted baby vegetables with lemongrass and cilantro, yellow pepper-coconut milk sauce, spinach-thai basil sauce, baked tofu triangles, Indonesian sambal, crispy rice sticks, and mango-lemongrass ice cream. It was really fun to try something new, heating food!, but I kept thinking about how I'm going to convert these into raw. Can't do that with the rice but the sauces, definitely. I often find my inspiration for raw foods from the cooked food world as opposed to leafing through raw recipes books. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, I would rather do my own spin on things. At least that's how I'm approaching the recipes for my, one day, raw book bestseller. :) Here are a few photos from the class.



Though I don't advocate eating tofu I did appreciate that everything was cooked in coconut oil (minimizing the formation of cooked toxins). We got to chow down at the end of the class and enjoy our hard work. Everything was absolutely delicious and they even served white wine (you can bring your own, too) with our dinner. I would certainly take more classes like this in the future.

Since I've been home I've been going to commercial auditions, detoxing (I'm on day 6 of 10), and working on various raw food endeavors. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet, but I have lots of great things on the horizon. Raw foods has put me on such an amazing journey. I never know what unique opportunity is around the corner. The other night I made an appearance at the Center for New Medicine to promote my upcoming class and a woman asked if I could develop a raw cookie/treat for horses. Sure thing! The head of the center wants me to come to her home and teach her housekeeper how to make raw foods. OK, will do! and a couple of weeks ago I got an offer to go to Tulum, Mexico and Brazil to make vegan and raw food for two different retreats. Alrighty! I'm super excited and grateful for all that life is offering me right now. I think when your heart is in the right place things just start to come together. In the near future, I'm going to be doing some filming, as well as a lot of writing, so I will keep you all posted. Thank you to all who have been keeping up with my blog and sending great comments my way. xoxo.

Raw In The City

Had another wonderful trip to NYC this past week. I went mostly to catch up with friends but also in search of culinary delights, adventures and inspiration. Definitely found that at Pure Juice & Takeaway. There were rumors of a raw, vegan Cadbury cream egg so I had to find out for myself. No go, guess it's still early. But I did see they had a lovely tray of Moon Pies, Mallomars, Almond Joys, and other chocolate delights. Paid $34 for four treats. Yeah, that's right, but it's research, folks, research. Here's a shot of the Moon Pie and a chunky bar I forget the name of but we'll just call "a lil taste o'heaven." The other two I ate too fast to photograph...Don't judge me.


Was sad to hear that three raw, vegan restaurants have had to close their doors since I was in town last. Jill's in Brooklyn, Sal Anthony's raw juice bar and Jubb's Longevity. It's a bummer that raw food isn't more popular especially in a major city like New York. I did pay a visit to my former place of employment, Bonobo's as well as Quintessence and Caravan of Dreams all of which were packed. Yay! Also went to a super fun raw food potluck in Queens hosted by the We Like It Raw crew and Vanessa "Chocolate Girl" Barg. I brought truffles from Bonobo's since I didn't have a proper kitchen to use. Here are a few pics of the potluck.

Had a slice of this amazing pie. Chocolate ganache with almond butter frosting. I die, I die.

This isn't a very good photo of the chocolate but it really was incredible. Check out the website for Gnosis chocolate and pick up a bar or two or three if you find them at your local health food store.

Anthony, Dhrumil and I getting sassy.

Raw foodies have the glow!

Other highlights from my trip were seeing Morrissey twice (Bowery Ballroom & Carnegie Hall), went to a taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, ate at Blossom (not a lot of raw options but very good), stayed in my old Williamsburg apartment, so fun, like seeing an old friend you never thought you'd see again.
I'll be back in NYC beginning of June to teach my Raw Food 101 class in the East Village. If anyone wants to reserve a spot email me at rawjudita@yahoo.com. The class will be held Sunday, June 7th from noon till 4pm - $55.