Raw food prep with Cherie Soria

On Friday a group of us got together at Toronto Sprouts to work with Cherie Soria, who was here for the Total Health show, and help her prep food for her workshop demonstration. She had sample plates to make for 200 people.
Cherie and her husband Dan Ladermann head the Living Light Institute in California and have trained some of my favorite chefs, including Chad Sarno and Renee Loux-Underkoffler.
In this pic: Deighen, Marie, Cherie and me.

Marie, Luke and I

Cherie and Scott

The kitchen is starting to get busy, we have a game plan and are grouped up to work on different recipes. Luke and I were partners.

Luke was slacking off somewhere yet again when this picture was taken! )

Oh, there - finally, he came back to help me. (lol j/k, Luke!)

We had lots of media come visit us, a few tv stations had people come by to film and interview.
and then Marie had a segment done on her for a tv show that day. It was really busy and lots of cameras around everywhere. The pic below is of Cherie being interviewed by the largest Asian station.

Monica from Organics on Bloor came by to deliver extra produce for us. This is a great shop and they now deliver!!!

Brian Clement, director of the Hippocrates Institute, dropped by to say hi and had lunch with us.
The cafe was closed for the day, but we had so many people drop in that day that it turned into a bit of a party. In this pic, a few of the people who showed up: Fred from Food not Candy and Natasha from Simply Raw.

Cool pics from inside the Sprout Farm

This is the sprout farm at the back of 720 Bathurst. Not everyone gets to come in here, but I took some pics to show you around.. its really great back here. The air feels really fresh and pure, thy are often playing Classical music (the plants love this the most, or Indian or other world music. Its a very serene place amidst the wheatgrass and sunflower and pea sprouts.


Trfor, huge bins of seeds and lots of bags of organic earth (actually soil less mix) to the right.

The roto-tech. These are cool, they are much larger than they look here. These 2 machines, the round things in back,beyond the plastic panel sheets, are where the hydroponic sprouts are grown. They slowly turn on their own. ..& it's fun to watch the people who are on rototech duty in their yellow rubber wetsuits with hoses back there - pretty crazy. I think it looks like more fun than it is, or so I am told. ; )

It's just such a cool healthy space!

Trefor is the sprout Guru at Toronto Sprouts, he's been at it for 17 years!

New phone #, website, dishes and Cherie

I am having technical difficulties here, pics are not uploading.

But just a quick post - Just getting in from Rawlicious. Its awesome there, great music, great vibes- but, its so busy getting everything done! We made so much great food, some different things from the regular menu items, a Beet Salad, Nappa Slaw & Thai Broccoli, to change it up a bit - all packaged in take out containers - Green Shift - environmentally friendly containers of course!

We are creating feel-good food! Oh & we had yummy chocolate macaroons today! Yay! so many delicious desserts.

We have a new phone # at Rawlicious - 416-551-3161
& we have a website up - just a simple 1 page one for now - but its getting there: Rawlicious.ca
We are working on a take out menu, which I must have been asked for at east a dozen times in the past 2 days. Its coming soon!

Tomorrow morning I am going to be working with Cherie Soria - the Living Light Culinary Artist and Visionary. She is here in Toronto preparing for the Total Health Show where she is giving lecture-demonstrations and workshops. I will be helping her prepare food in the morning in the Toronto Sprout kitchen, 720 Bathurst.
We were there last night filming a sprouting DVD. That was fun and it looked like it was going to turn out to be a great resource for learning how to sprout at home - from the resident Sprout Guru, Trefor, who has been the chief sprouter there for 17 years!!! It will be exciting to see a final edited copy & I will let you know as soon as it is available.

So for now, I have a big & busy & very early morning and am off to bed. Sweet Dreams & much Love!! 'Keiko' : )

Busy life

Hi. I'm having a day off today. and I left work an hour early yesterday, for an ayahuasca evening .. quite the way to spend my 1 evening off, and I would love to say I am recouping from that and also giving my finger a rest but I'm not.. am busy packing, lawyers, banking, cleaning etc.
But think I am heading now for a 1 hour nap-meditation-rest before heading out to go do some filming tonight - working on a dvd, how busy can 1 girl be? very! But I am dedicated and will be back soon. : ) Hugs!

Our menu

Hi! ok, I just have to check in quickly.. very quickly. I have lots of pics of opening day and things going on.. coming up soon.. But, tonight as I was leaving work I jammed my finger in the door as I was flying out & I think I lost the nail - it was not nice, I am all bandaged up.. Thanks to Dr Dreamy - lol (Angus) hehehe.. so I'm impressed with myself that I am che3cking in saying hi - with my throbbing finger - yuck, scared to look! & I am back at work early - But things will settle into a routine where I get days off and regular day shifts like normal people (not that I ever plan to b a normal person!) .. and I will be getting back to a regular posting routine. For now, I will try to post as much as possible.

Thepic is our menu - the side salads/dishes we have are Vegetables in a Ginger Tamarind Sauce, Jamaican Rice and Peas, Mexican Rice, and Thai Marinated Broccoli. The soup of the day is Creamy Miso Noodle Soup (with clear glass kelp noodles) and Our desserts are Blueberry Cheezecake and Apple Pie.

I think we just got a phone # today but I am not sure what it is. We are amazed at how busy it is without any advertising or anything, no phone, no website, no printed take-out menu (we keep getting asked for that one - soon!) - I mean its only word of mouth and this blog really.. Its quite incredible!!
Thank you for everyone for all the amazing support!!!
xox, & I will be back posting regularly soon! Promise. Sweet Dreams

PS the pic is small but I think if you click on it it will come up big so you can read it. : )

Rawlicious Opening Today!

Hi!
I am turning on my computer for the 1st time in 3 days - a very unusual occurance - But, it has been crazy getting ready to open Rawlicious, working morning till night for the past 3 days.
So, today we opened and it was an overwhelming success - full house almost continuously all day, we ran out of some foods!! .. and I am in again tomorrow morning early to prepare for another day. We are going to be open 7 days a week, and hopefully we settle into some kind of routine soon. We still have lots to organize and get set up properly.. it was wild today!!
& I got to work with the most amazing people - I love Maria!! She was my most incredible partner in the kitchen today - we were so in sync it was crazy - everyone was amazed at the flowing unstressed high vibes in such a busy active place - wow!
I will post pics asap.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you wonderful people in the raw community and friends who came to support us and be with us on our 1st day - all the flowers and hugs & love!!!
xox,
Be back soon, Oh made it right after work just in time for the monthly raw pot luck which was great also - packed again - Love, peace out! & HUgs!

Busy Rawlicious Day

Hi, it's midnight & I am getting up early tomorrow, so this is going to be quick post - I need a good night's sleep. But, I have to show you.. the sign was going up today, just as I was leaving this evening. It was exciting watching it being put up!

I got to work in the kitchen with all the dishes moved out & off the shelves, things were all over the place today and it was great chaos fun!

Ooh, & one of the best things - the butterfly got hung!

random work shot

random eating shot

The sauna spa is down here..

we just got some cool shelves built in where the MRS2000 mat is going to be.

one quick pic of Paul Nison, it's blurry, but I didn't want to take another..
He gave a talk at Toronto Sprouts tonight - It was really good!!
(my paintings had been put back up behind him - that was cool to see!)

I saw so many people tonight, it was so great, such a busy day -
I think I'm a little deleriously tired -
my bed is calling my name
Good Night, Sweet Dreams!

Unique Love Zest - intermission thoughts

"Every man has his own voice, manner, eloquence, and, just as much, his own sort of love and grief and imagination and action. Let him scorn to imitate any being, let him scorn to be a secondary man, let him fully trust his own share of God's goodness, that, correctly used, it will lead him on to perfection which has no type yet in the universe, save only in the Divine Mind." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Only love overcomes lack of love. This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible.” – dhammapada

"Don't worry about what the world wants from you, worry about what makes you come more alive. Because what the world really needs are people who are more alive. Your real job is to increase the color and zest of your life." ~Lawrence LeShan

Rawlicious Opening - Saturday, April 12th

A Rawlicious opening date has been set today!
We will officially be opening on Saturday, April 12th !!

Our hours are:
Mon - Thurs & Sat - 10-7
Fri - 10-9
Sun - 12-5

Our address is:
3092 Dundas St W. Toronto
in the Junction - W of Keele & Pacific St
by TTC - go to Dundas West subway stn. & take the Junction bus, it runs aprox every 10-12 minutes, get off at the Quebec Ave stop.

Phone # - 647-829-6461
(I think, This may change, but for now call us here)

I will be there everyday this week, preparing foods and helping to get the place ready. It's very exciting, we have an amazing vibe going on there - Lots of great music and people - It's a wonderful fun, high-vibe place. It was so beautiful today - Angus was painting the door, so it was open, sun shining in our newly installed windows - with the music and sun and fresh air it was definitely Spring!!!

I feel like I am going to be working morning till night every day this month, esp with my big move to the west end. Lots of furniture shopping, planning, packing and am keeping on track with my side (?) projects. Also, Paul Nison is at Toronto Sprouts on Wed evening and I will definitely be there!! & There is a Raw Pot Luck Sat evening - Yes, our opening day - and we are all planning to go there afterwards.

..but most of all, on top of everything - I am most excited about having not only a new home, but a new home away from home - Rawlicious.
Sending a Huge Thanks and Appreciation for Angus and Tracy who are working day and night making this vision happen!
Much much love - see you again early tomorrow morning for more fun and music and tea and creating! ; ) Hugs!

Beautiful Days, Busy Life

It is the most beautiful sunny day outside. The most wonderful thing about Canadian winters is that they end. lol ..and then you really appreciate the spring and summer!! hehe ok, so I'm not much of a cold, winter girl..

but the good news is that I got through the winter this year not really minding it or feeling nearly as cold as the few past previous years. Actually it seems to me that it is the 1st winter raw is the hard one for feeling cold, and if you get through that, and are really sticking to a raw diet then the subsequent winters are not nearly as cold. Actually, there were quite a few times this winter when I was warm, wearing tank tops inside and the other people around me were bundled up. I was quite comfortable.

Rawlicious

I am asked all the time, when I go out, when Rawlicious is opening, and I apologize but I don't know yet. I figured that, since everyone is curious, that I should at least let you know that I don't know. but I promise I will post and let you know as soon as I get the word! It will be quite soon, maybe in a week. and I should have an actual date to post any day now.


In my personal life I am still crazy busy, there is now a Sold sign in front of our house. Jim and the boys are living in a house in the Beaches and I am moving into a suite in a building at High Park and Bloor, right across the street from the subway, very convenient, and right across the street from High Park. Kaiya is living 50/50 with both of us. She is in Disneyworld right now for a friends birthday party! Lucky girl! .and has my camera, so no pics till she gets back, actually tomorrow - time is going by quick. I was out all day yesterday looking at furniture shops.. and I am heading downtown this afternoon to do the same. I am hoping to go to Chinatown also and get young Thai coconuts and I would take pics, it's very picturesque there, even just the market stands, but another day for those. ..ok, back to my other writing, I am compiling a book of recipes which I hope to have out in a few months, so back at it for a few more hours.. and then sun, beautiful, beautiful Sun!!!

Much love and wishes for a Sunny and Upbeat Vibing Rawsome Happy Day!!!

Our Beautiful World

Life Coaching and 50 Power Questions

I am very interested in the idea of having a Life Coach and believe it is very beneficial to have one. One thing they do is ask questions which we tend not to ask ourselves. They get us to really think about what we want in life and to figure out our own definition of success. They encourage us to do some real soul searching. They ask the tough questions which we often avoid asking ourselves and based on these questions get us to set goals for ourselves. A Life coach is beneficial in that they are someone who you often check in with regularly, to go over how you are progressing towards these goals and continue setting new ones. They often offer or direct you in the path of some great motivational and empowering material to motivate and encourage you and help direct your actions forward. But it all starts with the questions and with us thinking things out.

I came across this list of questions from Thea Westra, a life coach from Australia, and liking this sort of thing thoughtIwould pass it on, its worth reading and giving some thought to your personal answers.

50 Power Questions to Take Control of Your Life
An Online Version can be found here

1. What would you love to do or accomplish, before you die?
2. If you were to begin to achieve that/these, what is the first change you would start to make?
3. What would you need to include MORE of in your life?
4. What would you need to have LESS of in your life?
5. Rewrite your goal(s) so it is ‘moving towards’ something, rather than ‘moving away’ from something?
6. What is YOUR personal definition of success?
7. If you had to guess your life purpose, what would it be?
8. What daily habits could you replace with a better daily habit? List these.
9. What would a massive action ‘look like’ for you?
10. What action would you take, if you knew you could not possibly fail?
11. What has worked for you when accomplishing past personal goals?
12. What can you see about any past setbacks, which may actually benefit you?
13. What are you tolerating/putting up with?
14. What will you do, to completely erase petty things that are bothering you?
15. For what will you take 100% responsibility, from now?
16. If you were your own coach, what coaching would you give yourself right now?
17. Who and what are you listening to, most of the time? How will you change that, if it needs changing?
18. What do you keep saying to yourself that usually thwarts your progress?
19. What could you now keep saying to yourself, to empower you?
20. What could you get done this week that you know needs doing?
21. For that task, what is the first step and the next step?
22. What could you put in your environment to remind you of your promises to yourself?
23. What could you include in each day to create and hold your vision for your future?
24. What have you 100%, decided to achieve?
25. What ways do you benefit by NOT deliberately moving toward what you want?
26. What activities and new habits will you deposit into your future, this month?
27. On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited to you feel about taking these actions?
28. What could increase that score?
29. What are your highest aspirations for this year?
30. What are the greatest lessons you have learned in life?
31. What is life asking you to do differently?
32. What are you now willing to do that you’ve been unwilling to step into?
33. What non-negotiable decision are you willing to make for your life, and stick to?
34. What in your life needs immediate attention?
35. What strategies could you use to better manage your daily priorities?
36. What is perfect about where you are in your life right now?
37. Describe in detail, your feelings once all your goals are achieved?
38. Which books could you read, people could you call and websites could you visit, to support your goals?
39. In what way are you a better person this year than last year? What will be your answer, next year?
40. Where will you fine-tune your use of time in the next 24-hours?
41. Is there anything you are ignoring, to which you should be paying attention? Be honest!
42. What are you most excited about now? What are you looking forward to?
43. What ways will you will get more energy into your life?
44. What newly created, personal standard(s) will you abide by; hail, rain or shine?
45. What are your greatest strengths and how will you leverage those?
46. What would you most like to be acknowledged for, so far in your life?
47. What do you need to give to yourself so that you can give more to others?
48. What new belief could you take on to speed up your personal decision-making processes?
49. What do you already know for certain? Is that the truth?
50. List all the benefits that you got from completing this exercise, and what are your next Forward Steps?

pic from the Live Life Well homepage

Interesting Thoughts from my Inbox

We cannot focus upon the weaknesses of one another and evoke strengths. You cannot focus upon the things that you think they are doing wrong, and evoke things that will make you feel better. You've got to beat the drum that makes you feel good when you beat it. And when you do, you'll be a strong signal of influence that will help them to reconnect with who they are.

From Abraham Hicks - Excerpted from a workshop in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 16th, 2004

"Our own power can be terrifying. It can be very uncomfortable. Most of us try to get rid of our power by doing things that dampen or drain our power. Most of us aren't used to the power that raw food gives us - the sheer physical energy, the mental agility, the spiritual clarity. What to do about this? What not to do is to be negative. This will amplify to the point that it'll drive you crazy. You'll have to raise your spiritual vibration up to match up with your enhanced physical vibration. Prayer, meditation, discipline, yoga, volunteering, kindness, forgiveness, philanthropy, helping, creativity, love, writing, singing, dancing, working out - these can help us handle our excess energy! Its like becoming wealthy after being poor. You may still have just as many problems, they are just a different set of problems. Being healthy brings on a different set of problems than those we had when we were unhealthy. Or one could look at them as lessons, rather than problems."
from Jinjee's Daily Raw Inspiration - 31/03/08- Excess Energy