Just announcing a special event in Geneva this coming Saturday!

Gourmet Raw Chef and culinary artist Boris Lauser is visiting us here in Switzerland, so if you are looking for new raw sensations in the Geneva area, don’t miss this special dinner. A unique experience that will certainly enhance your passion for a healthy diet and lifestyle!

For more information, download the entire event description, click here.

The Journal de Morges was indeed interested in my expanding business and we met in my raw kitchen for an afternoon. The result: a “summer profile“, in other words an entire page dedicated to my professional path, in particular to my adventure with raw food. The prospect of raising interest throughout the local population is exciting. It seems like the raw message is travelling fast, planting seeds in people’s minds.

I hope the “Pâté Soleil” (Sunflower Pâté) recipe printed in the article will inspire your summer holiday menus!

To read  the article (in French), click here.

To be credible and objective, the journalist also interviewed a local nutritionist. Once again, it is regrettable that those professionals most people trust can make blunt statements without verifying their facts first.  She declared:  “This diet does not protect or cure people from cancer” (yet what does she now of this diet?).  I can provide several serious articles proving that many people do indeed recover from cancer thanks to raw and living foods. In fact, success stories abound on the net, simply google it and you will see.  Nutritionists who are blind to these facts are harming their clients, they would be wise to seek more information before closing the door on such life-saving information (for example, at the Hippocrates Institute in Florida, where many people have recovered from cancer in the past 40 years).

Don’t forget to follow Simply Raw on Facebook, for regular updates and a collection of photos and videos. To become a Facebook fan, click here. (For the moment, the page only exists in French).

I wish you a wonderful end of summer, enjoy a large amount of fresh and local fruit and vegetables!

More classes for this autumn! Whether you’re tempted by an introduction class, a level 2 class about greens or a level 3 class about dehydration, you will be satisfied this coming autumn. More information about Simply Raw classes (class descriptions and dates). English and French classes available.

An exclusive brand-new offering: “Soirée Rencontre” and “Soirée Découverte” (for French-speakers). The “Soirée Rencontre” (group sharing evening) was designed especially for those already familiar with raw food and wanting to share their passion and knowledge in a round table fashion, followed by a raw potluck. The “Soirée Découverte” (discovery evening) is a more concise presentation of raw food, for anyone interested in a quick intro into this healthy lifestyle. For the moment, these evenings are available in French only. For more information: “Soirée Rencontre” and “Soirée Découverte“.

Online Shop: products on sale on this blog! As of today, you can pick and order ingredients, equipment, books and much more on Simply Raw’s online shop! You just have to send your order to this e-mail address. Have a look at our online shop here.

Additional resources For your pleasure and convenience, new resources have been developed on this blog. Check out the eBooks page, where you can purchase Russell James and Karen Knowler’s amazing raw recipes eBooks; the Resources page, which offers you a list of local suppliers and useful websites. Don’t forget to visit the Media page, which gathers all the press articles and radio shows about Simply Raw.  Also, our Calendar lists all past and future Simply Raw classes and local raw events. New as well: the Recipes page,  or a complete list of all raw recipes ever published on this blog. This will make it easier for you to browse through and find exciting new raw recipes!

Enjoy!
Wishing you a wonderful summer! Enjoy the fresh seasonal ingredients available in abundance during this wonderful season of harvest and relaxation!

But thanks to my eldest daughter Celia Herrera, who joined me the night before and is a Communications student in Boston, here is a thorough summary of Brian’s Wednesday lecture. This will give you plenty of food for thought:

Good food = good fuel. Diets are good tools in helping to enrich our physical, emotional and spiritual lives.
Why raw foods heal diseases and prevent premature aging. Each plant possesses specific substances that will benefit your body, for more energy and longevity. Here’s what you get in raw foods:

• Hormones in raw plants allow your cells to speak to each other, so they aren’t confused!
• Oxygen in raw foods help to better digest proteins and minerals;
• Enzymes give your body higher energy and eliminate diseases;
• Antioxidants give you superior protection;
• Vitamins are essential for proper nutrition;
• Minerals and trace minerals are saturated in living foods;
• Protein is found in its most complete and absorbable form: it helps build your cells in an optimized way;
• Electrical charge increases the biological frequency of your cells.

Our world’s mistake Clement deplores the way our society deals with food. “We’re convinced we need animal proteins and dairy”, the doctor laments. But the latest research proves otherwise. “Any scientist today knows that when you take it away, people get better”. Milk, cheese and yogurt are the #1 cause for cancer! The problem, according to Dr. Clement, is that the way we were taught to eat had only one single purpose, that is to sell. Also, doctors keep prescribing pills to their patients, and we keep taking them! “We need to wake up”, shouts out Dr. Clement.

What you need to do:

At first, you will feel sick and weak: these are normal symptoms. After a while, you will feel like a child again!

How to start
1: WHY?

• Why aren’t animal foods good for me?
  Your body does not need saturated foods and protein (your own body produces it, it doesn’t need to get it from other animals!) Also, a human body cannot break down animal flesh in less than 2-3 days, and that process always leaves debris and damages.
• Why would my life be improved with exercise?
  It’s not all about food! It’s impossible to remain healthy without exercising as well.
• Why is spirituality also key?
  Without it, you would feel alone, not strong enough and incapable of doing everything you could do! Once you realize you have the universe on your side, nothing can stop you!

2: HOW? Transitioning from addiction to social-eating to living and nourishing foods

• You should make a change in your life slowly! It could take, for example, a year. Progressively, you eliminate the bad foods and replace them with better foods!
• How to prepare the foods so that they provide great pleasure?
  Although you’re determined to make changes, you’re surely addicted to your old lifestyle. The best thing to do: make raw food so that it looks, feels and tastes exactly like your old diet! For example, make a raw pizza or veggie burgers (see Recipes on this blog).
• How to embrace and maintain this lifestyle?
  You will  realize how rich and rewarding this lifestyle is. You’re looking for what’s best for yourself, what you like most. Set goals for yourself that you can achieve. Like this, you’ll develop self-respect.

3: WHY IT’S DIFFICULT

• It’s counter to popular culture! You might feel like an outsider in your social circle. Don’t judge your friends, and smile when they criticize what you eat.
• It’s counter to the international propaganda machine. Again, the industry is trying to sell us drugs, dairy, meat, etc. to make profit!
• It’s outside the peer-based understandings and acceptance. That’s why you have to be strong in a corrupted and negative world.

4: HOW TO DEAL WITH OBSTACLES
“But no one understands me….”: Overcoming problems with family and peer acceptance

• Have a plan to support your new lifestyle. Don’t force people to eat like you, don’t say anything negative. Just show them the example. If they wan’t to try it, great. If not, “c’est la vie”!
• Recognize your own comfort in sharing food with others. Show love through giving good foods. Tell others how raw food makes you happy.
• Remember: people can’t be converted unless they have a reason. But if you have young children, it’s your role to teach them how to eat healthy.

When facing all these obstacles, remember: the rewards are great!  “Let food be thy medicine”, said Hippocrates.
Thanks to Carole Dougoud for organizing the event, and thanks to Brian himself for this wonderful lecture.

For more inspiration, come to Simply Raw’s classes, more information here. You can also check out our recipes here.

“The restaurant: A very small but cozy place with a welcoming and friendly staff. They sell all kinds of sprouts and grains (broccoli grains, alfalfa, onion, etc), as well as equipment for juicing and sprouting. They are not “all raw” but specialize in vegetarian cuisine – they offer a daily raw menu. We, of course, had the raw food menu which included an appetizer, a green gazpacho soup with sprouted alfalfa on top and dehydrated crackers. The main course consisted of a green salad, avocado with lentil pâté, hummus made with sprouted chickpeas and a mix of vegetables piled in a stack with an oily dressing to hold it together. Dessert was a two-layered chocolate cake with pineapple and mint coulis. To drink we started with a freshly made juice of carrots, apple, fennel and ginger. We had the choice of other juices but had the “juice-man” make one for us instead. For the main course and dessert we were served specially filtered water from glass jugs.

The experience: All in all it was a very positive experience and we were extremely pleased with the food, drinks and openness on the part of the staff (who spoke English as well as French).  The opening hours do not allow for dinner, but instead you can go and have a very fulfilling lunch! The price is not cheap but still affordable. We payed around CHF 50 (EUR 35) per person and considered this very fair as it included a three course meal with a freshly made juice – and all the dehydrated crackers and filtered water we wanted!

The scoop: We talked to the juice man afterwards and he told us that maybe his son would be opening another Pousse-Pousse in Lausanne in a couple of months! So fingers crossed we’ll soon have another café that sells raw food as well.”  Tine and Henrik

What next? This is good news indeed!! Many thanks to Tine and Henrik for sharing this with us. If this story inspires anyone to do the same, you are most welcome to share your experience of a raw food restaurant anywhere in Europe or the rest of the world! This kind of information will prove extremely useful for those of us who like to travel in the raw. In fact, it can be worth its weight in gold in terms of making your trip not only fun and memorable, but also healthy and in keeping with your good eating habits and preferences.

For more information: Pousse-Pousse, 7, Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, 75009 Paris – Tel. : +(33) 1 53 16 10 81

Lecture on Wednesday 23 June 2010, 19h30 to 22h: Youthfulness and Longevity

Welcome: A healthy drink will be served as of 18h30 and you will be able to purchase books and products. Venue: Geneva University UNIMAIL, 40 Bvd du Pont d’Arve – Salle M S150. Price:  CHF 30. It is best to sign up here. Language: Dr Clement will speak in English, with simultaneous French translation by Dr Schaller.

Topic: Youthfulness of our mind… of our body and all cells – Longevity
Preventing Aging (disease, malnutrition, pollution) – Enjoying Life without limits
Director of the Hippocrates Health Institute, Dr. Brian Clement will reveal the growing body of evidence from modern research showing why a raw, plant based diet including whole food supplements and exercise can enrich, revitalize and extend our lives.

Workshop on Thursday 24 June 2010, from 9h30 to 17h: Living Food for Life Change

Venue: Le Cénacle, 17 Promenade Charles-Martin, 1208 Geneva (access by car via Route de Malagnou)– Salle 1 – Signing up in advance is required – Price: CHF 100 to be paid in advance. Lunch : Raw Living Food as at Hippocrates Institute from 12h30 to 13h30.

Topic:  Harmonizing Body and Spirit
Don’t miss the opportunity to greatly benefit from Brian’s precious experience and also receive individual answers to your questions. The Life Change Program deals not only with the body but also the mind, emotions and spirit. This workshop will specifically address topics such as reactions when beginning the raw food diet, is this lifestyle for everyone, the impact of spirit and emotions on health, how to optimize the raw food approach, how to best integrate this lifestyle day after day. Prepare your questions and send them in when you sign up.

TO SIGN UP: Both events are organized by Carole Dougoud from the Institut Haute Vitalité. The agenda can be found on the site calendar. For more information, please call Carole: (027) 288 22 52 or send an email. When you sign up, please mention that you have been sent by Amy Webster @ Simply Raw, thank you! And of course, I will be there!

Simply Raw Class in English: Saturday 5 June 2010

The recent survey to find a new date to draw enough participants to an English class was successful and the date has now been set for Saturday 5 June 2010.  I was unable to respond to two persons who voted for that same date, however, as they did not get in touch with me directly: I’d like to ask Marcia and Nicole, if they recognize themselves, to quickly get in touch with me here so I can reserve a seat for them! Thank you to all those who took part in the survey.

For more information on the class, check out this page. There are a few seats left so seize this opportunity to get started with raw and get into great shape for the summer season! There won’t be another introductory class in English for a while, so come and join us for a day of exciting and inspiring learning! Again, sign up using this email. Thank you!

Chia Seed Porridge

Soak in water on the previous evening:
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup whole oats
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup raisins
- 4 Medjool dates

Soak separately ½ cup chia seeds in 1 cup of water.

On the following morning, drain and rinse the seed mixture and place it in a blender or food processor with the chia seed and water mix (which will have become one gelatinous mass).

Add :
- 1 ½ cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon cinammon

Blend for just a few seconds until the oats and seeds have broken down and you have a mixture that looks like porridge. Serve with fresh fruit (banana, apple, all kinds of berries, etc.) and a little more almond milk, if desired. This porridge will keep in the refrigerator for a few days in an airtight container.

Treasures of nutrition

Chia seeds come from Central America. They are real treasures of nutrition, boasting high quantities of iron, fiber and essential fatty acids, and are a great natural plant source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 EFA’s. They are well known to mankind as they have been a staple of the Aztec and Mayan diets for many centuries.

Like flax seeds (linseeds), chia seeds will become gelatinous when soaked in water. They can absorb 4 times their volume in water. They are mostly used soaked, and added to other ingredients to make porridge, or unsoaked but ground to add to dessert recipes. They can replace flax in any recipe, can be added ground on salads or cereals, or constitute the basis of smoothies and other energizing drinks. Make chia milk as you would any other seed milk.

These tiny little seeds are a real marvel for raw fooders who favor nutritious food, the kind that is clean, free of toxins, easy to digest and full of energy! According to various sources, they offer many health benefits, from improving heart health to reducing blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar, helping people lose weight or giving people extra energy.

Where can you find them?

They are not easy to find around here, however, as most health food stores have never heard of them, and they are relatively expensive. But when it comes to my health, I clearly look for quality! If you want to buy some, I carry them here (CHF39 for 500 gr.) I have been importing them from France for a few months, a high quality strain from Spain, but I have now found another supplier which will allow me to offer it at better rates in the autumn. Don’t wait until them to try these little gems out!

Chia Fresca Drink

- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 cup water
- juice of one orange
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar
- pinch cinammon

Blend all ingredients and enjoy. This refreshing and energizing drink is simply divine!

Here are the next dates for classes in French:

• Simply Raw Level 1, “Introduction”: Saturday 29 May, Tuesday 8 June 2010
• Simply Raw Level 2, “All About Greens”: Tuesday 11 May, Saturday 19 June 2010

To sign up, contact me here, thank you!

Choose Your Own Date for a Class in English!

Classes in English, however, have been more difficult to fill. Surprisingly, the buzz has not started for the English-speaking community in this part of Switzerland. I was only able to teach one group last November. So I have decided to be a little creative and started a survey offering several possible dates for an introductory class in English. If you have been waiting to attend an introduction to raw foods class in English, then this is your chance to find a suitable date! Just visit the survey, enter your name and check out the dates that suit you (Note: this survey was closed on 19 May as a date was found: Saturday 5 June). I am keeping my fingers crossed that a date suitable for many will come out of this initiative. Of course, don’t forget to contact me as well!

New concept: Discovery Evening

I am also pleased to announce that starting September, I will start a new introductory class that is designed to take place in the evening, during the week. This will allow people without a full day to spare to also discover the magic of raw foods and see what it can do for their busy lives. These “Discovery of Raw Foods” classes will take place on a weekday, in the evening, from 5pm to 9pm. They will be a shorter version of my Simply Raw Level 1 Class, with a little less theory and the preparation of evening dishes. Dates for this new class will be announced shortly, so so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I wish you all a vibrant spring season!

To pick these, keep off the vicinity of wide crops and cultured fields, as well as roads and paths, to find the wildest leaves possible. Simply cut the root by slipping a knife under the leaves and try to pick the whole bunch with flower buds inside. These will be easier to wash and prepare. Fill a whole bag! Back home, wash in plenty of fresh water and chop down to tiny pieces. Serve with a strong vinaigrette type dressing and, if not vegan, hard boiled eggs. I avoid the traditional garlic croutons (although am contemplating trying out a raw crouton version) and bacon bits for sure, and still this salad is my very favorite spring salad.

Dandelions are an effective yet gentle diuretic, a good way to flush out winter toxins. It is high in iron and many vitamins (A, B6, C, E, K ). It is also a good source of Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Calcium, Potassium and Manganese. And if you pick your own, it is free and highly abundant! Dandelions even grow on city sidewalks, proof that this resistant weed is full of vitality and amazing energy. A great way to connect to nature waking up!!

The one thing to remember of this show is to please yourself, follow your instincts and avoid any dogma: as you know, such is my philosophy!

Raw Trend

Sandra Zimmerli talks about a food trend of the 21st century: eating raw.

A real lifestyle, not cooking your food is said to provide enhanced energy, better health and would allow getting rid of many ailments and discomforts.

Eating raw is trendy in the USA, and is attracting an increasing number of enthusiasts over here. Health, nutrition and lifestyle magazines are all talking about it. Several raw food restaurants might even be in the pipeline in Western Switzerland. Experts teach classes and organize workshops.

How does eating raw actually work and what kind of people are attracted by this new trend? Interview with Amy Webster, Raw Food Coach in Morges, near Lausanne and not far from Geneva.

To listen, click here: RSR-20100319-la-mode-du-cru

The direct link with the French-speaking Swiss Radio (Radio Suisse Romande): http://www.rsr.ch/la-1ere/on-en-parle/selectedDate/19/03/2010#vendredi

Don’t hesitate to give me your feedback on this show!