As we move into the Holiday Season here at Living Light, we like to reflect on where we have been and what we have done, as well as where we are going as a company. The crowning glory of all of our achievements in the past year has been meeting, inspiring, and being inspired by all of our students, who have come to Living Light Culinary Arts Institute to learn, to grow, and to take the message of gourmet raw vegan food out into the world-each in his or her own very unique way. It is a great blessing to be part of this world: helping people create the possibility of better health for themselves and for the people whose lives they touch.

We were named Mendocino Coast Business of the Year for 2006 and our deli/café, Living Light Cuisine To Go, was honored by VegNews as one of the top 20 vegetarian restaurants for 2006. We bought a jewel of a building-a beautifully constructed redwood craftsman-style inn (the oldest continuously operating inn on the coast) and dubbed it Living Light Inn, creating an eco-friendly oasis for our students and guests.

The 2nd Annual Vibrant Living Expo here in Fort Bragg last August was a fabulous event. Attendees and presenters alike expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to get together to share ideas, talents, and love with each other, AND to experience yummy raw food-making healthy living delicious for both our local community and our extended family of raw food enthusiasts! The Vibrant Living Expo got a front page spread with color photos in the Fort Bragg Advocate in 2006!

In addition, we participated in many local and regional events including a celebration of World Vegetarian Day in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Cherie and Dan got married on Valentine's Day in Montezuma, Costa Rica, home of Raw World 2007 (don't miss it!). They also presented at the North American Vegetarian Society's Summerfest event in Pennsylvania, where they met many wonderful people, several of whom joined us in Fort Bragg as students. (And what awesome students they were!) As we consider this past year-our first full year in business at our beautiful new location here on the Mendocino coast of California-we feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all of you who have supported and encouraged us as we move forward in the world. We wish you all many blessings and much peace, health, and joy this holiday season.

The Mendocino coast is a little piece of heaven during the holidays and the Living Light Inn is an eco-friendly oasis in a busy world. Escape the hustle and bustle of the holidays: the traffic jams, the crowded malls, the pressure! Although we can't promise you a white Christmas, Fort Bragg is a small town with wonderful things to do during the season. There are no big box stores; only unique locally owned boutiques and shops, including a wonderful independent bookstore (a vanishing species). There's a Holiday Parade, an Inn Tour, several restaurants in the region that serve organic vegetarian dishes, including internationally known vegetarian cuisine at Ravens' Restaurant at the Stanford Inn, and of course Living Light Cuisine To Go. The coastline and redwoods are spectacular, with walks along the headlands and picturesque trails. There are holiday concerts, art shows, a Wine and Mushroom Festival, the lovely Victorian village of Mendocino, and so much more. Check www.mendocinocoast.com for details, and of course you'll want to stay at the Living Light Inn, where historic elegance meets ecological awareness. There are rooms with fireplaces, a raw food kitchen, organic bedding, non-toxic cleaning solutions, and filtered water throughout the facility, including the water you bathe in!

Whether you've been dreaming of attending a Living Light Culinary Arts Institute course yourself, or you'd like to give the gift that truly keeps on giving for a lifetime to someone you love, consider giving a gift certificate for a class or workshop at Living Light in 2007. You can change someone's life for the better, including your own. Many who come to Living Light travel here from all over the world, and some of them stay! The Mendocino coast is becoming a fertile haven for raw food enthusiasts. Come and see for yourself!

New Class:
Science of Raw Food Nutrition
See below



FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods
Entry-Level weekend course
2007
January 13-14
February 10-11
March 3-4
April 28-29
June 9-10
July 7-8
September 8-9
October 20-21
Essentials of Raw Culinary Arts
Five Day Hands-On Course
2007
January 15-19
February 12-16
March 5-9
April 30-May 4
June 11-15
July 9-13
September 10-14
October 22-26
Raw Culinary Arts Associate Chef & Instructor Training
2007
January 22-February 2
March 12-23
May 7-18
June 18-29
July 16-27
September 17-28
October 29-November 9
Ethnic Flavors in Recipe Development
2007
April 2-6
July 30-August 3
October 1-5
RawFusion Gourmet Spa Cuisine
2007
March 26-30
May 21-25
Aug 6-10
Raw Event Catering and Elegant Entertaining
2007
April 9-13
May 28-June 1
Aug 13-17
October 8-12
November 12-16
New Holiday Traditions with Raw Living Foods
2007
November 17-18
Science of Raw Food Nutrition
2007
January 20-21
February 17-18
March 24-25
May 5-6
June 16-17
July 14-15
September 15-16
October 27-28

TESTIMONIALS FROM OUR STUDENTS

"Thank you so much for everything you've done and continue to do. If there was one thing I appreciated most about Living Light is the commitment "do everything in excellence". I want you to be assured that this plays a significant role in all that I do and I will always be honored to be a Living Light alum." ~ Helen K. Funes

"Do it now! This has been the most empowering training I've taken in a long time. It will help you develop the confidence to prepare raw gourmet dishes and teach them to others in just three weeks. Amazing!" ~ from a student survey

"I learned a lot both personally and professionally that will grace my life and transform my world!" ~ from a student survey

This off-site one-day course is taught by Living Light graduate and instructor, Chef Jennifer Cornbleet, whose book Raw Food Made Easy for One or Two People has been a top seller in the raw food category on Amazon.com! To register call 707-964-2420 or visit our website.

Tuition: $299 for a full day intensive.

We've got lots of wonderful gift items to choose from at Living Light Marketplace, our healthy living boutique. And now you can order many of the items from our online store. Some of our favorites this year include sustainable woodenware from Totally Bamboo:

1. This $90.00 bamboo cutting board is the one we use for our demos at the school, and includes a channel on one side to catch the juices from cutting fruit. The other side is great for anything savory, including chopping onions and garlic. It's a cutting board for life!

2. We also have a set of two small matching bamboo cutting boards-great for travel, work, or school. $13.95

3. Our favorite salad servers-Edward Salad Hands-the sturdy, functional, yet beautiful bamboo salad servers in a light or dark finish. $18.00

4. Our fruit knife by Suncraft has a wooden sheath-it's both portable and elegant, and only $10.50!

5. From our extensive book collection, don't forget Cherie's classic Angel Foods, Healthy Recipes for Heavenly Bodies, with over 250 gourmet vegan and raw recipes for everyone on your list. $19.95

6. Dr. Douglas Graham has just released his definitive book: 80-10-10. Be the first to get this well-researched book! Stay raw! Lose weight! Change your Life! $29.95

7. The secret worth knowing this year is The Secret, a fantastic DVD about creating the life you want. Give inspiration and joy all year long! $29.95

8. Give your favorite chef the knife they've been dreaming about: The Santuko chef's knife from Mac is highly recommended by Living Light master chef Cherie Soria. $103.00

9. We have natural raw organic agave nectar in amber, light, and dark. $12.95

10. And if you are looking for those hard-to-find stocking stuffers, consider the Garlic Machine, which holds a whole head of peeled garlic. Store it in your refrigerator and mince just what you need each time. $11.00

Ever wonder what a smidgen, a pinch and a dash look like? We have a stainless steel set of those measuring spoons for $1.95 Or 4" mini tart pans with removable bottoms for $1.50 each. The all time favorite kitchen gadget of Living Light students is the Core-it Tomato Shark; at $1.50 you can buy a dozen to share with friends, office mates, and your favorite chef!

Give a Living Light Marketplace gift certificate to all of your favorite people!

Click the holiday shopping section of our online store and order today!

We've sent out 6 special bulletins so far, telling you about the amazing experience you will have when you join Living Light directors Cherie Soria and Dan Ladermann, as well as raw food guru Viktoras Kulvinskas, world-class athletic trainer and raw food nutritionist, Dr. Douglas Graham (his new book 80-10-10 has just been released!) and the always inspiring fitness expert and raw food nutritionist Rozalind Graham, along with engaging author Paul Nison on the rawsome adventure of a lifetime in the gorgeous tropical paradise of Costa Rica. Catch up on any bulletins you missed on our website (below), and click Raw World news. Read all about the amazing adventure tour, the fruits, the romance, the food, the friends, the starry skies, the exotic tropical breezes, the warm ocean, the playful monkeys, the awe-inspiring waterfalls, the tropical foliage, and the magical hummingbird garden-did we mention the fun? Or call 707-964-2420 to sign up now. What a wonderful holiday gift to yourself or for someone you love. Make healthy living delicious in 2007!

In honor of the Mendocino Wine and Mushroom Festival, which continues here through the end of January, we are offering two recipes: Mushroom Stroganoff and Stuffed Mushrooms with Pine Nuts and Herbs. The two month long festival includes many events including mushroom identification walks, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens Mushroom Walks, mushroom workshops, and demos, wine tastings, and more.

Click the link on www.RawFoodChef.com to enjoy Cherie's mushroom demo!

It's the best place to meet your favorite raw food experts, and others who are passionate about raw living foods. Attend lectures, watch fabulous culinary demos, enter our "Rawsome Pie Contest" or our "Rising Star Chef Showcase", participate in exercise classes, and visit our vendor booths with outstanding products for healthy living. Over 80 lectures and demos in three days, plus three days of pre- and post-expo classes! In the evenings join us for live music, our rawsome pie auction, and a raw vegan ice cream social. Don't miss this opportunity to network with experts in the field, Living Light students, and raw food enthusiasts from around the globe. Call 707-964-2420 to sign up or for more information. Early Bird Special: Register now and pay only $100 for all three days!

Take Living Light's one-day Fundamentals Intensive after the Expo!

Fundamentals of Raw Living Foods
Tuesday, August 28, 2007 8:00 AM-6:30 PM

Learn to make healthy and delicious everyday favorites using whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic foods. See and sample rich nut milks and creams, appetizers and pates, cultured foods, smoothies, sauces, dressings, soups and salads, simple entrees, dehydrated goodies, snacks, and desserts. Learn kitchen gardening and sprouting, basic knife techniques, and equipment use. You will be provided with a complete recipe folder and resource guide and you will sample all foods prepared during the class. Delicious Buffet Lunch will be served! This course is the foundation requirement for our Chef Series.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Pine Nuts and Herbs

Yield: 6 servings

24 large mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed

Marinade
3 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon tamari
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Filling
3/4 cup pine nuts, soaked 1-2 hours and drained
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon light miso
2 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon garlic, pureed (optional)

1. In a 7 by 7-inch glass baking dish, combine the oils, tamari, and lemon juice, and whisk to blend. Add the mushrooms, and marinate for at least one hour.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the pine nuts, parsley, miso, basil, and the optional garlic, and stir well.
3. Leaving the mushrooms in the same dish of marinade, fill them with the paté mixture, then place them the dish in a dehydrator set at 115 degrees for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Serve warm or cool.
4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Mushroom Stroganoff

Serving size: 6

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/4 cups water

Marinated Crimini Mushrooms
3 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/8" thick
2 tablespoons red onions, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon wheat-free tamari
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Zucchini Noodles
12-16 medium zucchini, peeled (about 2 lbs)
1 teaspoon crystal salt

Cream Sauce
1 cup reserved mushroom soaking water
1 cup almonds, soaked for 8 to 12 hours
2 cups reserved zucchini centers, chopped (see direction #3, below)
2 tablespoons dark miso
1 1/2 teaspoons shiitake powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crystal salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper, ground Fresh ground black pepper

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms in water until soft, about 1 hour.
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the onions, olive oil, tamari, and garlic powder. Add the crimini mushrooms and toss until all the mushrooms are thoroughly coated. Set the mushrooms aside to marinade for 30 minutes.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the peeled zucchini lengthwise, rotating the zucchini a few degrees each time, to form thin planks resembling wide egg noodles. Once you reach the seedy center of the zucchini, stop and reserve the core for the sauce. Sprinkle the "noodles" with salt. Gently toss and set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Drain the water from the porcini mushrooms and rough chop. Retain the mushroom soaking water to use in the recipe.
5. Put the almonds and the mushroom-soaking water in a blender and blend to form a smooth thick cream. Pour the cream into a mesh bag and gently squeeze the mixture to remove the pulp. Only the strained cream will be used. Refrigerate or freeze the pulp for another recipe.
6. Drain the liquid from the crimini mushrooms and put 1/3 of the mushrooms into a high powered blender, along with half the cream, all the soaked drained porcini mushrooms, the leftover chopped zucchini centers, the dark miso, shiitake powder, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and pepper, and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining almond cream and pulse to blend. Do not continue blending the gravy once the remaining cream has been mixed in, or it will become frothy. It should just be mixed in.
7. Gently squeeze the zucchini to remove the salt and excess moisture. Towel dry the softened zucchini noodles so they are dry (otherwise the moisture will thin the sauce and it will not cling to the noodles). Toss the noodles into the cream sauce.
8. Put the mixture in a shallow rectangular glass baking dish approximately 8 1/2-inch by 13-inch (lasagna-type), top with remaining marinated crimini mushrooms, and place it in the dehydrator set at 135 degrees for 1 hour.
9. Serve warm from the dehydrator, topped with a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.