Whether you are a long time Raw Foody or just ‘Raw-Curious’ – WE WANT YOU!

Here’s the low-down on the local Raw Food Potluck scene.

The Raw Food movement is growing and expanding by leaps and bounds! Beautiful, Happy, Shiny Raw People are sprouting up everywhere! And if it were ever true for any group of people, it certainly is of the Raw Foodies, that ‘When two or more are gathered – WE EAT!!!” Potlucks appearing in almost every community, and they are a great way to get introduced to the lifestyle, meet new people, catch up with old friends, or just expand your recipe collection. There are SO many potlucks these days, you could probably hit one weekly if you wanted to.

A raw food lifestyle is NOT limiting OR boring! And neither are the people involved! So let’s make sure our potlucks aren’t either. Here are some guidelines that pretty much run true regardless of the potluck you are interested in attending:

• The dish must be RAW & Vegan. Meaning No Dairy, No Poultry, No Meat, No Eggs, No Fish or other animal products. Organic Raw Honey is okay.
• When possible the food prepared should be Mostly Organic.
• The food may not be cooked or heated above 110 degrees. Low temperature dehydrated food is okay as long as it is dehydrated at 110 degrees or less.
• Some potlucks want you to be super simple – but I say bring what moves you – if you want to bring a bowl of romaine, great – but if you feel like going all-out-gourmet, don’t let me stop you!
• If you do go gourmet, just go easy on the salt, vinegar, oil, braggs liquid aminos, nama shoyo, tamari, garlic, and onion. If oil is used please make sure it is good quality virgin unrefined cold pressed oil and if salt is used please make sure it is a good quality sea or pink salt.
• The dish must serve 10 people. If a couple brings a dish it must serve 20 people.
• It is preferred you bring a plate and fork from home but there will be paper plates and disposable utensils on hand if you forget.
• Bring serving utensils for your dish.
• Bring your own bottled water or drink.
• Please bring an index card to list all the ingredients of your dish. There will also be cards available at the potluck.
• Please be courteous to the host and the other guests. Please treat the place as you would your own.
• Please allow for 5 to 10 minutes after the event is over to help us clean up after the potluck.
• No musical instruments please.

WHAT TO BRING:

A RAW & VEGAN DISH FOR 10. That means if you come with your partner or friend, you need enough for 20, okay? If you’re really new to this, you’ll pick up ideas as you come to potlucks – so start simple. If you are totally at a loss, Google “Raw Food Recipes” or pick up one of the many excellent books available these days with Raw Recipes. Ideas:

• Salad!  A big bowl of washed organic baby greens or any chopped greens such as lettuce, kale, or collards. Or a plate of  organic washed whole greens such as romaine lettuce leaves, kale, and collard leaves. (*Homemade salad dressings are easy! See below.)
• A platter of washed organic crudités such as baby carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli florets
• A bowl of homemade guacamole or salsa with cut up veggies
• A blended soup
• A bowl of fruit
• etc…. you got it, right?

*Easy rule for homemade salad dressings:using the concept of Oil & Vinegar, look for any Fat and Acid and blend away! Examples of Fat: avocado, any nut (walnut, pecan, macadamia, almond, brazil), any seed (sesame, sunflower pumpkin), good oil (extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, hemp oi, flax oil, Udo’s oil). Examples of Acid: tomato, lemon, lime, orange. SO it goes like this: throw pecans and orange juice in the blender – voila! Try lemon or lime and tahini (sesame seed butter) – yummy! Toss some avocados and some tomatoes in together – whirl it up – and you got it! Once you see how the Fat and Acid combos are unlimited on their own, then you can start playing with herbs and spices, too. You’ll never miss, or have to buy, another bottle of dead, sugared, chemical-laden, preserved dressing again.

LOCAL POTLUCKS:

Santa Rosa – North Bay Living Foods Community
Longest Running Raw Potluck in Sonoma County!
2nd Wednesday of the month, from 7pm – 9:30pm
www.beraw.com/

Petaluma – Petaluma Raw Potluck
1st Friday of the month, from 7pm – 9pm
Contact person: Cecilia Benjumea 206-339-3493
www.rawglow.com/potluck.htm

Marin – Novato Raw Potluck
3rd Wednesday of the month, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Contact person: Ginette King 415-897-1986
www.meetup.com/Novato-Raw-Healthy-Group

Sebastopol - Raw Food Central
Contact: Kathryn Ackland
www.rawfoodsebastopol.com/
Catering, Classes, and Potlucks in Sebastopol.

Calistoga – NEW!
Contact: Jeannine for info or to RSVP
(707) 942-6449 or danceswithangels2@yahoo.com
Due to its ‘newness’ there isn’t a regular time or location yet.

Napa – NEW!
Contact: Laura for info or to RSVP
laurahealthnut@sbcglobal.net or 707 258-6225.
Due to its ‘newness’ there isn’t a regular schedule or location yet.

Sonoma – NEW!
First Tuesday of every month, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
Location:  Sonoma, CA. (Contact Leslie for current location.)
Contact info or RSVP:  Leslie Marioni  707.939.7016
For more information: www.sonomanaturalhealth.com

San Francisco – S.F. Life
www.living-foods.com/sflife

East Bay -  The East Bay Living Foods Community
www.living-foods.com/eastbay

NOT A POTLUCK, BUT REALLY COOL:

Monday Night LIVE! @ Café Gratitude

For the following information, please see www.shealynnbaird.com/events.

• Monday Night LIVE!: Upcoming Speakers
  Highlights and info on the next month of speakers.
• Monday Night LIVE!: Full Schedule of Speakers
  This is MOST DEFINITELY a work in progress… check back often!
• Monday Night LIVE!: : Past Speakers
  With links to their audio interviews and videos of their presentations.
• Monday Night LIVE!:  : Related Links
  Cafe Gratitude, Monday Night LIVE! groups, & map to Healdsburg location.