Raw Christmas?

Christmas is just round the corner and I can feel the excitement in the air (along with a few last minute panic’s). I’ve sent my Christmas cards, made Russell James’ Chocolate and Orange Tavoletta to take up to my family, wrapped the presents and I’m almost ready to go home to Scotland in a few days time. Can’t wait!

I noticed there is a lot of raw talk about what to eat on Christmas day. Christmas to me it is about enjoying my time with my family and friends. I don’t often see my family so this time is always a little bit special to us all.

I’ve been a vegetarian for pretty much 20 years. Something I remember my parents saying I was going though a ‘fad’ or ‘phase’. Even now I still get comments about my eating habits! Which is fine, I wouldn’t expect anything less from them. I became interested in raw food for the last 2 years, quite a concept for my parents to get their head around. Although this has been a bit more difficult to adapt to and I have gone through periods where I’ve been 100% raw and other times only 80%. So realistically I still only consider myself as a vegetarian. Something I will strive to improve in 2009. I know the higher my diet is raw the better I feel. This business I am creating (Raw by Design) is to help towards getting raw food more recognised, acceptable and easily accessible in this country. Making it much easier for everyone to stay on that high raw diet. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to go any restaurant and not only get a vegetarian option but also a RAW option too! Wow what a vision.

I don’t know exactly what I will be eating on Christmas day. It will most likely be cooked. I tend to eat all the veggies and roast potatoes made on the day. I want to keep it simple and not make things awkward. Next year maybe very different. But I will be taking up my blender to make plenty green smoothes, sauces and dressings over the Christmas break.

You too have to decide what is right for you. If you decided to eat raw then wow that’s great, good for you. If you decide to eat the same Christmas dinner with everyone else then that’s good too. You don’t want to feel like your sticking out like a sore thumb if you don’t feel comfortable to so. What ever you do, don’t get hung up about it. You have to do what is right for you.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

BBC Salford

Well, Christmas is truly here and Christmas parties are in full swing. Last Thursday I had a surprise call from my previous boss, William Dunne, from iDEA, inviting me to their Christmas day out literally the next day. I couldn’t refuse. It was so nice to be remembered and to be surrounded by so many familiar faces. It felt like I hadn’t been away. In true iDEA spirit, they held a special Christmas event and this year it was a trip to Manchester to look around the new BBC buildings in Salford. This is a job iDEA have been heavily involved in for many years now. The day then progressed into a leisurely walk around the German market in the city centre, finishing with a slap up meal – although this meal was not raw! Ooopps!

Now, only ever seeing the new BBC buildings on plans and in a CAD format, it was very exciting to see the three buildings well on their way through construction. Although still a long way from completion, it was a great privilege to get a sneak preview of how these buildings are being developed and the huge organisation needed to keep a job like this running. It is one of the biggest jobs I have seen at this stage. The site has been set up with a changing area, huge temporary office, security barriers, walkways and boot wash. The guys working on site are some of the friendliest and politest bunch of workers I’ve met, with plenty of friendly hello’s and door opening for us ladies, despite how we looked in our hard hats, fluorescent coats and muddy wellies.

We spent an hour touring around the site guided by one of the site managers from Bovis Lend Lease – the construction management team. We were taken around to some of the areas where a few of the BBC departments will be transferred to such as Sport, Five Live, Children’s and the Blue Peter garden. It was a fantastic insight to see how some of the spaces are forming and developing. This will be a truly amazing place to visit when completed in 2011.

Thank you iDEA for such a great day out.

Raw Chocolate

Wow, I can’t believe it is the 1st of December already and Christmas day is only a few weeks away. I decided last Friday, instead of buying Christmas cards this year I would make my own and spent most of yesterday sticking, gluing and sewing little things onto cards. A perfect activity whilst stuck in front of the Telly.

Right now, in the supermarkets we are constantly bombarded with offers, on sweets, chocolate snacks and drinks and every year I get sucked into buying a huge family tin of quality streets, roses or celebrations to bring back home to my family in Scotland as a ‘treat’. But this year I want to do something slightly different. Instead of buying a huge tin of processed chocolate full of so much rubbish, I will be making my own raw chocolate cake to bring back (I think there is ‘make your own’ theme developing here)!!! I want to be able to bring back a chocolate cake that has been made from natural ingredients without the dairy, additives and refined sugar and tasting a whole lot better than the commercial stuff – Now that is what I call a treat! Chocolate is one addiction I don’t think I could ever do without. Although raw chocolate is seen as a much healthier and more nutritious option to standard chocolates it still should be used for those special occasions. There is currently a lot of talk going on in the raw world debating on how healthy raw cacao really is. Even in its natural state cacao contains some chemicals such as caffeine and this may not be good for us, especially if consumed in large quantities. But between the two, I’d far rather eat raw chocolate than processed chocolate any day.

I have made Russell James’ Marbled Chocolate and Orange Tavoletta several times (although I have to confess I haven’t bothered with the marbling). This cake has gone down a treat so many times and has been a real winner between my friends and family. It is so easy to make if you have a good blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec. I’m not sure how long this cake lasts for but I made this cake on the 1st of November and I still have some left in the fridge and it still tastes great.

If you’re not planning to make your own raw cake you can buy raw chocolate over the Internet for a Christmas present or even just for your own indulgence. Raw chocolate is a real talking topic if you give it to someone who may not have had this before, especially if they love their chocolate. I have listed down a few places where you can buy raw chocolate:

Shazzie: The queen of raw chocolate and author of Naked Chocolate written with David Wolfe. This book is an excellent Christmas present for someone who wants to know more about raw chocolate. Shazzie also has a brought out her Christmas Love raw chocolate.

Conscious Chocolate: I came across this chocolate whilst visiting Red Sugar in Edinburgh. This stuff is soooooooo good and probably my favourite chocolate bar on the market is the ‘Best Ever Essential Orange’. It is so smooth and just melts in the mouth. They currently have a specially range out for Christmas

True Love Organics Ltd: These people really know how to package up their chocolate. A perfect Christmas present for someone you love!


The Raw Chocolate Shop: A great Internet shop offering chocolate from some of the main raw chocolate manufacturers including Shazzie, Conscious Chocolate and True Love Organics.

Until next time

Susanna