Raw Chef Olga's Classes

Why Raw?

Talk Description: This engaging lecture on the benefits of the raw food diet will inspire you to try this healthful and delicious way of eating, and will answer the most common questions about raw foods.
 
In Why Raw? you will learn about:
• The effects of cooking on different nutrients
• Where you get your protein on the raw food diet
• The raw food groups
• Food combining for better digestion
• How to maintain your ideal weight
• How to adapt to a raw food diet
• How to make raw food preparation quick and easy.
 
Sample of a decadent raw dessert is included!

Forget Cooking!

Eating healthy foods has never been so delicious and easy. After this class, you will have the skills to prepare a variety of dishes for daily breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Basic knife skills and equipment use (blenders and food processors) is covered.
 
In Forget Cooking! you will learn:
• How to make non-dairy nut and seed milks.
• How to make creamy vegetable soup in less than 10 minutes.
• How shredding and marinating kale and other dark leafy greens makes them as tender as cooked, without loss of nutrients.
• How to turn nuts and seeds into protein rich patés.
• How to transform zucchini into delicate angel-hair noodles—it's pasta without the starch!
• The secret ingredient in raw chocolate mousse that replaces butter, cream, and eggs.
 
Menu: Almond Milk, Cream of Zucchini Soup, Mediterranean Kale Salad, Not Tuna Paté, Zucchini Noodles Marinara, Chocolate Mousse

All-American Comfort Foods

The Raw Diet doesn't have to mean living on salads, energy soups, and fruit. The comfort food fare in this class will satisfy even the heartiest appetite.
 
In All-American Comfort Foods you will learn:
• How to make creamy non-dairy shakes.
• How to use cashews to replace sour cream in dips and dressings.
• How to use a dehydrator to make burgers out of sunflower seeds and veggies—serve with all the fixin's on a lettuce leaf bun for lunch or dinner.
• How shredding and marinating collards and other dark leafy greens makes them as tender as cooked, without loss of nutrients.
• How to make a classic Southern peach cobbler in less than 30 minutes.
 
Menu: Old-fashioned Chocolate Milkshake, Vegetable Platter with Mock Sour Cream and Chive Dip, Garden Burgers with BBQ Sauce, Coleslaw, Southern Greens, Peach Cobbler

Latin American Fiesta

Mexican food is what many people crave when they want something hearty, cheesy, and comforting. And who doesn't love to munch on chips and salsa in front of a video? Unfortunately, traditional Mexican cuisine is notorious for being high in calories, greasy, and short on fresh veggies. But once you learn the raw food preparation techniques in this class, you'll be able to make a truly healthy as well as delicious Latin American Fiesta for yourself and your friends.

In Latin American Fiesta you will learn:
• How to use a dehydrator to make thin, crispy chips out of flax seeds and vegetables—perfect with guacamole.
• Which knife skills to use to dice up delicious homemade salsa.
• How to use a dehydrator to make flexible wraps out of vegetables—the perfect tortilla for enchiladas.
• How to use shredded cabbage to replace rice for a lighter version of Mexican rice.
• How to make a beautiful mango fruit tart with a coconut crust—delicious either as a dessert or as a light meal in itself.
 
Menu: Hot Red Pepper Chips, Salsa, Authentic Guacamole, Enchiladas de Verdura con Chili Colorado, Mexican Seasoned Cabbage, Tropical Fruit Tart

Raw Italy

Everyone loves Italian food, but traditional dishes are heavy in wheat and cheese. With Raw Italy, simple substitutions allow you to enjoy this classic cuisine.

In Raw Italy you will learn:
• How to make a delicious vegan Caesar salad—almonds and pine nuts replace egg yolks and cheese, and nori seaweed replaces anchovies.
• How to make hearty and hot winter soup in the raw.
• How to make zucchini penne pasta in minutes, and top it with a variety of delicious sauces.
• How to make dairy- and wheat-free lasagna that's as comforting and delicious as the traditional version.
• How to make non-dairy ice creams that are rich and creamy.
 
Menu: Caesar Salad with Pine Nut Parmesan, Minestrone, Pasta al Pesto, Lasagna, Walnut Gelato with Carob Glaze

Flavors of the Mediterranean

Middle Eastern restaurants are always a hit, and with good reason—aromatic herbs, warming spices, and pungent flavors such as olives and feta cheese make this cuisine both exotic and comforting. Now you can enjoy all your favorites, even hummus and felafel, in the raw.
 
In Flavors of the Mediterranean you will learn:
• How to make a delicious vegan Caesar salad—almonds and pine nuts replace egg yolks and cheese, and nori seaweed replaces anchovies.
• How to make no-bean hummus that tastes just like the traditional version.
• How to use a dehydrator to make savory felafel patties—no frying needed.
• How to make wheat-free tabouli.
• How to roll picture-perfect dolmas—with a zucchini "rice" filling and aromatic marinara sauce.
 
Menu: Hummus, Felafel with Tahina Sauce, Tabouli, Greek Salad, Carrots with Moroccan Spices, Dolmas with Middle Eastern Marinara, Apple Baklava

Divine Desserts

Raw desserts are ideal for anyone who loves sweets but is trying to avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars, dairy products, and unhealthful fats. Any dessert you can make cooked—pies, tarts, crisps, ice creams, cookies, cakes, and candies—you can make raw. But your family and friends will never know these desserts are raw and healthy, since they taste as rich and sweet as their traditional counterparts.
 
In Divine Desserts you will learn:
• How to make easy no-roll, no-bake pie crusts, tart shells, and crisp toppings.
• How to use coconut oil to replace butter in chocolate truffles.
• How to make foolproof, dairy-free ice cream
• How to make a gourmet flourless chocolate cake in 10 minutes flat.
 
Menu: Kiwi Lime Tart, Turtle Truffles, Almond Cookies, Blackberry Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Holiday Favorites

You don't have to deprive yourself of foods you love to look and feel great this holiday season. In this class, you will discover how to make a raw feast that features everyone's favorites, from stuffing to pumpkin pie.
 
In Holiday Favorites you will learn:
• How to make rich and creamy nog without dairy or eggs.
• How almond mayonnaise can replace unhealthful bottled mayo in Waldorf salad and other favorite dishes.
• How use a dehydrator to make delicious low-carb stuffing with almonds instead of bread.
• How to make two raw vegetable side dishes that you can proudly present at any holiday party.
• How to make a show-stopping "I can't believe it's not cooked!" mock pumpkin pie.
 
Menu: Holiday Nog, Waldorf Salad, Almond Stuffing, Cranberry-orange Relish, Christmas Kale, Green Beans Amandine, Mock Pumpkin Pie with Cashew Cream

Kitchen Gardening

The Living Foods Diet, pioneered by Ann Wigmore, is a healing diet ideal for recovering from illness, losing weight, building immunity, aiding digestion, and maximizing health and vitality.

In Kitchen Gardening you will learn:
• How to make fermented foods like Rejuvelac, Coconut Yogurt, and Sauerkraut, which aid digestion and build the immune system.
• How to grow sprouts, wheatgrass, and sunflower greens—living foods rich in enzymes, protein, and nutrients.
• How to make a complete-meal blended energy soup—great for cleansing and rejuvenation.
• How to make non-dairy cheese and wheat-free crackers.
 
Menu: Rejuvelac, Coconut Yogurt, Green Leafy Sprouts, Wheatgrass and Sunflower Greens, Sprout Salad with Tomato Basil Dressing, Herbed Almond Cheese Spread with Pizza Flax Crackers, Sauerkraut, Energy Soup

Breakfast & Brunch

Breakfast is the most important meal to eat healthfully, since a heavy meal at this time of day can be difficult to digest and slow you down. The menu for this class has something for everyone—juices and smoothies for maximum vitality or weight loss, people-pleasing granola and oatmeal, and decadent crepes and cinnamon rolls.
 
In Breakfast & Brunch you will learn:
• How to make low-carb granola out of nuts and seeds in 5 minutes.
• How to make dairy-free nut and seed milks.
• How to soak whole oat groats to make a raw oatmeal that tastes better than cooked.
• How to make wheat-free crepes with a sweet fruit filling—perfect for brunch.
• How to use leftover almond meal to replace flour in decadent gooey cinnamon rolls.
 
Menu: Green Vitality Juice, Blueberry Smoothie, Granola with Almond Milk, Old-fashioned Oatmeal, Tropical Fruit Crepes, Cinnamon Rolls

Wrap & Roll

Everyone loves to eat with their hands and to take food "to go"—which explains the popularity of finger foods such as sandwiches and burritos. But the typical sandwich is high in carbs and can leave you feeling weighed down. Raw Wraps and Rolls are the solution to energizing food on the go.
 
In Wrap & Roll you will learn:
• How to roll picture-perfect vegetarian sushi and spring rolls.
• How to use the dehydrator to make wheat-free wraps—the perfect raw substitute for burritos and sandwiches.
• How to make favorite finger foods that travel well for hearty lunches and snacks.
 
Menu: California Rolls, Vietnamese Salad Rolls, Zucchini Pepper Wraps, Assorted Dips and Spreads (Basil Pesto, Avocado Dip, Spicy Miso Paste, Mock Peanut Sauce, Sesame Mayonnaise)

Specialized Menu Classes:

Healthy Day Menu: Breakfast-Cinnamon Roll, Lunch-Crabcakes w/ Tartar Sauce, Dinner-Mushroom Stroganoff, Berry Sorbet

Breakfast Foods: Spinach Mushrooms Quiche, Date-Walnut Scones, Buckwheat Granola, Crepes

Raw Desserts: Melt-Away Chocolate Truffles, Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream, Pineapple Ginger Sherbet, Chocolate Bark

Raw Desserts 2: Chocolate Ice Cream, Cacao Chip Cookies, Almost Oatmeal Cookies, Rasberry Mango Lime Parfait

Healthy Snacks: Seaflower Snacks- Italian style with Lemon and Herbs, Seasoned Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds, Crispy Sweet Onion Rings, Crackers

Raw Condiments: Real Tomato Ketchup, Hot Mustard, Horseradish Sauce, Hot Lava Sauce, Garlic Herb Croutons, Cashew Mayonnaise

Raw Soups: Creamy Cashew Tomato Soup, Spicy Sesame Pepper Soup, Curried Apple and Carrot Soup, CACIK Cucumber and Mint Yogurt Soup

Raw India: Spicy Lemon Palak Paneer; Mango Chutney, East Indian Zucchini Dahl, Brilliant Mango Custard

American Favorites: Transcendent Crab Cakes, Parsnip Latkes with Apple Sauce and Sour Cream, American as Apple Pie

American Favorites Continued: Mushroom Stroganoff, Sheppard’s Pie, Gazpaccho, Non Fried Banana

Mexican Favorites: Tostadas with Sunflower “Refried Beans”, Celery Root Filling, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Sangria, Coconut Flan with Orange Glaze, Hemp Corn Chips

Mexican Fiesta: Sopa Seca De Fideos, Fresh Corn Tamales, Corn Tortillas, Mole Sauce

Raw Italy 2: Eggplant Parmesan, Stuffed Mediterranean Tomatoes, Living Lasagna, Italian Pesto Almond Torte

Asian Flavors: Hot and Sour Raw, Non Fried Neat Rice, 9 Beauty variety in Mock Oyster Sauce, Coconut Pot Stickers

Asian Fusion: Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Mock Peanut Sauce, Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad), Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup), Mango Ice Cream with Tropical Ambrosia

Raw France: Petite Mushroom, Spinach and tomato eggplant crepes in Beschmel Sauce, Stuffed Mushrooms with Pine Nuts and Herbs, Vegetables A La Provencale, French Vanilla Ice Cream

Olga will conduct classes at your place or at her home in Thousand Oaks. Please call Olga at 805-857-0862 or use the contact info on this website to schedule your event.

Italian Herb Dressing
Energy Soup - Southwest Style
Carrot Asparagus Soup
Easy Avocado Burritos
Fennel Delights
Marinated Kale Salad
Mango-Papaya Fruit Salad
Chocolate Orange Mousse

S E R V I C E S

• Private Chef Catering
• Raw Vegan Cake Catering
• 30-min Living Raw Consultation
• Introduction to Raw Foods
• Advanced Techniques of
  Raw Food Preparation Training
• Fundamentals of Raw,
  Living Foods
• Essentials of Raw Foods
• Raw Foods Instructor Training
• Pastry Unbaked Training
• Restaurant & Spa Menu
  Development

C L A S S E S

• Why Raw?
• Forget Cooking!
• All-American
   Comfort Foods
• Latin American Fiesta
• Raw Italy
• Flavors of the Mediterranean
• Divine Desserts
• Holiday Favorites
• Kitchen Gardening
• Breakfast & Brunch
• Wrap & Roll
• Specialized Menu Classes

C A L E N D A R

Group Classes & Demos:
• Latin American Fiesta
  (Nov. 9, '08)
• Holiday Traditions
  (Nov. 16, '08)
• Divine Desserts
  (Nov. 30, '08)

S T O R E

Raw Kitchen Supplies
Equipment