Sorry I have been MIA the past few days! I’ve had an increase of private classes, catering and I held my first uncooking class and dinner.

I am always inspired by the people I meet and create food with during these experiences. While teaching I feel like I am a student myself all over again. By teaching I can constantly learn, improve and feel in love with life  🙂

There is a bond we form by creating food together. The energy, love, laughter, movements and time we spend has a way of linking people. To feed each other, to care, to show compassion, and to give/receive. Our company and personal energy can make or ruin a meal.

I am beyond grateful to have people open their hearts and let me create yummy, vibrant, plant based foods with them. While playing in the kitchen together clients ask questions that inspire me.

Today I would like to share some questions that have popped up that gave me that light bulb on, ah ha feeling. I hope these questions and answers help shed some light on any connections with food or nutrition that seem dark. ❤

Q: Why use nutritional yeast?

A: First before I forget I would like to mention that this is not technically a raw ingredient. But it is a wonderful transitional foods ingredient, thus it is used frequently in raw vegan gourmet foods. Nutritional yeast is a cheesy taste substitute. To get that cheese, pungent taste and it even gives a yellowish color to your food. It is also used in vegan tofu scrambles to give that yellow egg color. I have used it before in a Raw Cauliflower Popcorn recipe to replicate a butter taste, look and texture.

Please keep in mind that this isn’t an exact replacement meaning it is best to understand that this is just to assist in transitioning. It does not taste, look, or feel like butter, cheese, or eggs. But slightly mimics it until we can understand our cravings or have less cravings for dairy.

Nutritional yeast has that salty and rather addicting taste to some people. I recommend using only a tablespoon a day, if you are making transitions in your diet/lifestyle. Otherwise, I do not recommend using it often or at all.

Many people use nutritional yeast because they have heard that it is a wonderful B12 supplement. Please keep in mind that not all nutritional yeasts have B12 fortified (added) in it. Nutritional Yeast is not Brewer’s Yeast, nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast actually. So it does not work the same way.

When preparing food for clients, guests, friends and so on I use Red Star Nutritional Yeast. I like that there is B12 fortified in this product and the company explains how the nutritional yeast is made. This product is certified GMO Free, Kosher, Gluten Free and Allergen Free. There is no meat, eggs, peanuts, potatoes, tree nuts or so on!

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Q: What are some other health benefits to tomatoes besides lycopene?

A: Tomatoes typically grow extremely well in my area during the summer time and most of the people I know have an abundance of them. Besides being rich in lycopene they are high in; folate, potassium and Vitamins A, C, K. Tomatoes when cut open slightly resemble a heart with the chambers and all. I like to remember this visual because it reminds me that tomatoes are excellent for heart health, strokes, and fighting against high blood pressure.

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Q: What are some yummy raw vegan transitional foods that mimic bread and other gluten/wheat products?

A: Zucchini noodles (spiral slicer), butternut squash noodles, flax crackers, dehydrated vegetable based wraps, seed/nut breads that are dehydrated, seed/nut crusts that are dehydrated, try using romaine lettuce or chard as a wrap, or dehydrated vegetables to mimic chips to get that crunch and messy junk food feel.

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Q: What is your favorite raw vegan gourmet dessert?

A: Ahhh I have two and it depends on the time of the year on which one is number one. But almost always raw vegan carrot cake with a coconut frosting is my favorite. Otherwise, a raw vegan tiramisu :D!

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Here is a photo Liz the host of the wonderful dinner party I was lucky enough to create food for took of me doing a demo of the spiral slicer to make zucchini noodles.

These fun, quick, hands on approaches with little gadgets or techniques are what living plant based foods is all about! It should be fun to make your food 🙂 Food is our fuel, it keeps us alive and moving. What fuel would you put in your tank/vessel? Don’t be cheap, fake, boring, fast, lifeless, manipulated/processed, dull, or easy 😉 Your body is the most amazing thing you will ever own ❤

Much love ❤ & raw power 😉

Jess