Most Australians do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. Thankfully, at the Raw Food Hands-on Workshop in Schofields, Sunday, April 2nd, 2017, we were preparing for a delicious and nutritious experience packed with fruits and vegetables. The class was fully booked with 30 outside participants, expected to arrive for a 10:30 am start. Director and food event coordinator, Lidia Voncina, designed this program to equip anyone with the tools, skills and creativity to prepare delicious raw meals.
As the participants were arriving, they were treated to an alkaline chlorophyll green drink which consisted of baby spinach, pineapple, coconut water, lemon and mint. Colon Hydrotherapist and health advocate, Susan Lausevic, gave a short introduction into the benefits of eating raw food, and then everyone was directed to their stations. Six stations were set up where six different recipes were prepared. The dishes presented on the day included:
- Raw Tomato Soup (Vivian Cosson and Daniela Balarezo)
- Raw Vegetable Curry with Parsnip Rice (Tanya Ah-Ching and Jenny Foaese)
- Almond Milk and Almond Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes (Lidia Voncina and Joe Voncina)
- Zucchini Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce and Raw Fetuccini Zucchini Pasta (Susan Lausevic, Rosemary Voncina and Vesna Kraus)
- Vietnamese Rolls with a Raw Dipping Sauce (Rosetta Ilic and Lana Gordon)
- Banana Cream and Passionfruit Slice (Amy Gules and Lilly Sas)
Each participant had the chance to chop, peel, slice and prepare each of these dishes as the groups switched to a new station every 20 minutes. When all was said and done, a delicious banquet was arranged with all the dishes that everyone had prepared; and it’s safe to say, no one went hungry or felt that they were missing the cooked side of the meal. Most of all, we learned that preparing raw food can be quick, fun and delicious while being nutritious. When you eat raw you are actually getting the most out of your meals. Why not begin trying raw food recipes, substituting for one cooked meal?
A huge thank you to all the helpers and volunteer staff who worked tirelessly to bring this program to fruition and continue to share their love of a vibrant and heathier lifestyle with the community. It goes without saying that everyone who attended also deserves a round of thanks as they not only put together a delicious set of dishes but also made for a very enjoyable and creative Sunday morning.
–Daniela Balarezo.
Looking through the eyes of a demonstrator
Hummmm… What can one say about a Raw Food Workshop? It was a lot of fun. It was educational. It was healthy. It was what it was… raw food. You either love it or you don’t. There is usually no middle ground.
What you don’t normally think of though is that it is a great social event. Both, demonstrators and guests had such a unique time together.
The best part of the whole event was that everyone was hands-on, which is always a great barrier-breaker. The other best part was, there were no generation gaps. We were approximately fifty in number and the age range was between eight to over eighty. Everyone had a go, plus enjoyed the fruits of their labours later. One more best thing was that it was not just a ladies’ event. Thank you men; you were awesome.
I had some time throughout the day to ask our guests if they were enjoying the hands-on experience, and there was nothing but positive feedback from all. So what does this tell us? Plan another hands-on Food Workshop ladies. It was too much fun for everyone
Please see the attached recipes and give them a go. Most of them were fabulous!
~ By Lilly Sas
