Forget Popcorn: The Hutong’s ‘Movie & Smoothie’ Night

A haven for healthy living & creative culture, The Hutong is presenting a night of “Movie & Green Smoothies” this Thursday, August 25.

From 6PM-8PM, Raw Food, Raw Pastry Chef and Eco Health Advisor Jennifer McClelland will be serving her magical green smoothies for all to enjoy as they watch a documentary on the positive life changes that are possible through just a 30-day change in diet.

An uplifting story, “Simply Raw:  Reversing Diabetes in 30 days“ is an independent documentary film that chronicles six Americans with ‘incurable’ diabetes switching from the Standard American Diet (a.k.a. the SAD diet) consisting of fast food, refined flours, white sugars and chemical additives to a plant-based vegan, “living food” diet for 30 days.

“Simply Raw reveals, with startling clarity, that diet can reverse diabetes* and change the quality of people’s lives. The film captures the human drama and struggle of these courageous individuals making a quantum leap of faith from a traditional junk food diet to a raw vegan diet and it shows revealing moments of nurturing, compassion, and human spirit. It is a film about a life changing journey on a simply raw diet and how nature is the original medicine.”

Those interested in attending this event, just register online and buy a green smoothie ticket for RMB 35. Movie or not, RMB 35 for one of Jennifer’s amazing smoothie concoctions is worth every penny!

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, August 25
• Time: 6PM-8PM
• Location: The Hutong
• Address: 1 Zhongxiang Hutong, Jiudaowan, Dongcheng district  东城区九道湾中巷胡同1号
• Register Online: Click here
• Register Tel: +86 10 1590 104 6127 or Email: sophia@thehutong.com

Dinner & A Movie at The Veggie Table

Thanks to Raw Food and Pastry Chef Jennifer McClelland, I’ve just gotten wind of a great upcoming healthy-foodie dining event at The Veggie Table where they will be serving special set dinner menus (RMB 45-60 per person) while hosting a documentary film called Food Matters.

“The Veggie Table is a new restaurant on Wudaoying that offers delectable plant-based comfort food, salads and hummus.”

Veggie Table Dinner Menu Options include:

A) Vegetable Curry Set Menu + Drink* (RMB 60)

B) Dal Bhat Set Menu + Drink* (RMB 60)

C) Falafel Set Menu + Drink* (RMB 60)

D) Dessert Menu:  Choice of Chocolate or Carrot Cake & Coffee/Tea (RMB 40)

*Drink includes choice of drip coffee, tea, Tsingdao, or soda water.

Thanks to Bespoke Beijing’s The Urban Edit Website, I first read their review on The Veggie Table, which was brilliantly well-written.

“Not only are no animal products used anywhere on the menu, but every aspect of this enterprise is completely green and sustainable. From the water filters on the taps to the fact that vendors delivering their produce in unsustainable packaging have been banned – owner Laura Lawless has thought of everything.”

Check out Full Article here.

About the Film:

‘Food Matters’ by Producer-Directors James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch

In what promises to be the most contentious idea put forward, the filmmakers have interviewed several leading experts in nutrition and natural healing who claim that not only are we harming our bodies with improper nutrition, but that the right kind of foods, supplements and detoxification can be used to treat chronic illnesses as fatal as terminally diagnosed cancer.

The focus of the film is in helping us rethink the belief systems fed to us by our modern medical and health care establishments. The interviewees point out that not every problem requires costly, major medical attention and reveal many alternative therapies that can be more effective, more economical, less harmful and less invasive than conventional medical treatments.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, July 28, 2011
  
• Time: Dinner from 7-9PM, Viewing from 8:30-10:00PM
• Location: The Veggie Table
• Address: Wudaoying Hutong, Lama Temple Area (Yonghegong).  Next to the bike shop. Subway line 2 or 5, Yonghegong Station  东城区雍和宫五道营胡同甲19号
• Tel: 6446-2073
• Event Site: Click here.
• Veggie Table FB Group: Click here

Learn How to Live Well This Summer

I like to make a point to eat at Live Well at least once a week.  Eating there is not only a healthy choice, their wonderful spread of fresh salads, quiches, muffins and fresh fruit juices just makes me happy.  I love this place and I love any excuse to spend more time here, which is why I am sharing this upcoming event at Livewell with all of my LumDimSum friends.

Next Sunday, July 3rd, Live Well Cafe will be inviting special guest Integrative Nutritionist and Health Coach Kimberly Ashton to give tips on how to find the perfect diet for a new and healthier you this summer and Raw Food and Pastry Chef Jennifer McClelland will be introducing a video introduction of raw foods diet called “Raw for Life” while treating guests to some tasty Raw Pastry sample desserts.

Live Well will have their juice bar open throughout the event and will also be providing a special set lunch option (Quiche, Salad, Juice/Smoothie) for guests at RMB 50.

Some LumDimSum Top Picks from Live Well Cafe:

Chicken & Avocado Salad / Vegetable Quiche

Chicken & Avocado Wrap / Homemade Fresh Yogurt & Fruit

Fresh Carrot, Orange & Ginger Juice / Carrot Muffin

And with Hummingbird Spa Retreat just around the corner, I really can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Click here for a LumDimSum Tour of Top Picks in Central Park.

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, 3 July 2011
• Time: 1:00PM-2:30PM
• Location: Live Well Cafe
• Address: #110, Building 11, Central Park, No.6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang District.  朝阳区朝外大街6号新城国际11号楼110号商铺
• RSVP: Email Fiona at fionawang0608@yahoo.com.cn or call 010 6533 6505 / 6585This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About Kimberly Ashton –

Originally from Australia, Kimberly received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York and now works out of Shanghai as an Holistic Health Coach and Integrative Nutrition Consultant.

She is one of the founding members of Wellness Works, and is passionate about helping individuals and companies improve their health and employee well-being through food and lifestyle modifications.   Kimberly also hosts talks, healthy cooking classes, workshops, retreats, organic farm tours and documentary screenings.
Email:   integrativenutritionshg@gmail.com
Website:  http://kimberly- ashton.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Take Control of Your Health: Raw Foods Workshop

“The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over again and expecting a different result.”  Maybe it’s time for a change.

Raw Food & Pastry Chef and Eco Health Adviser, Jennifer McClelland is the face of a new generation of eco chefs who merge culinary arts with sustainable living.

I have had the privilege of witnessing Jennifer in “raw foods action” on multiple occasions and I have been blown away each and every time on how she is able to create such healthy snacks that tastes like treats! It’s incredible what combinations and possibilities are available for people who want to live a healthier lifestyle through smarter dietary choices.  Everything she creates is dairy and gluten-free and vegan friendly.

Most recently I received one of Jennifer’s newest green smoothie creation recipes:

Pineapple Refresher

3 cups pineapple chunks
1 cup water
1 banana
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup parsley

1 lime, peeled Ice cubes, optional

Blend.  Serves 2

“Eating fresh, organic, dark leafy greens and fresh fruits may improve your intestinal tract, give you more mental clarity, increase your energy level and boost the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy hair, skin and nails! When I drink a green smoothie it feels like giving my insides a shower. The wonderful taste has kept me a convert.  Whether for health, vanity or both, join the green smoothie revolution to get the green smoothie edge on health and vitality!” – Jennifer McClelland on Green Smoothies

If you’re interested in learning more about raw foods and seeing Jennifer in action, she will be hosting her next raw foods class at The Hutong in collaboration with The World Health Store.

“Discover the benefits of raw food. Detox and purify with delightful new tastes, and change the way you perceive food.Come with your sleeves rolled up and hands washed because you are in for a healthy treat! Gluten and Dairy Free and Vegan friendly.”

Event Details for Raw Food “Hands-on” Workshop at The Hutong:

• Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2011
• Time: 10AM-Noon
• Location: The Hutong
• Address: 1 Jiu Dao Wan Zhong Xiang Hutong |  Beijing | China 北京东城区九道弯中巷1号  100007
• Contact: info@thehutong.com

WHS Raw Food Potluck Dinner

This Friday, December 17, the World Health Store is hosting its next Raw Food Potluck Dinner (this time it’s Christmas themed!) and everyone is welcome to join in on a unique experience to sample a variety of delicious dishes all gone raw.

Open your eyes to the world of Jennifer McClelland‘s raw food cuisine – where you can enjoy a tasty, delectable meal (including a range of desserts) guilt-free!

To attend, all you need to bring is one raw food dish (think salads and fruits) and if that is too much of a daunting task, you are also welcome to contribute a bag of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or goji berries, conveniently available to you at the World Health Store.

“Raw food is fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds–unrefined and unprocessed by high temperatures of heat and Raw Food Cuisine is natural foods turned into delicious snacks, soups, salads, entrees and desserts.” - The World Health Store

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, December 17
• Time: 6:00PM
• Requirement: One Raw Food Dish Per Person
• Location: World Health Store at SOHO Shangdu branch
• Contact: 5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn
  

The Healthy Benefits of Sprouting

Fat and oil have bad reputations for being unhealthy, and while most available fat and oil products sold to the mass consumer market is generally toxic, you should know that healthy fats, especially omega 3 fatty acids found in walnuts, flaxseed and fish oils are very beneficial.

But to get the benefit of these nuts, they must be cold-pressed (unheated) and go through a soaking process to get the most nutrients and enzymes.

Did you know that sprouting and soaking nuts and seeds increases nutrients, enzymes and absorption? Nuts and seeds are naturally acidic and the sprouting and soaking process removes phytic acid, which increases assimilation of their minerals, especially zinc.

- Jennifer McClelland , Raw Food Chef

To learn how to easily sprout seeds, Raw Foods Chef & Health Expert Jennifer McClelland will give short demos on sprouting buckwheat (a gluten free grain) and flaxseed (high source of ALA, an important Omega 3 fatty acid) at the World Health Store in SOHO Shangdu.

Buckwheat Sprouts

Upcoming Sprouting Demo Event Details:

• Dates: Saturday, November 20^th & Sunday, November 28^th
  
• Time: 2:00PM to 2:30PM
• Location: World Health Store at SOHO Shangdu branch
• Contact: 5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

Go Raw: Vegan Sushi Rolls & Chocolate Macaroons

One of my favorite things about Raw Food Chef Jennifer McClelland’s monthly raw foods classes are that you not only get to try some delicious raw food recipes, but you also get to learn how to make simple recipes that taste super good and can easily be reproduced in the comfort of your own home!

This month’s World Health Store raw foods class by Jennifer featured Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls & Chocolate-Orange Macaroons.

Using only fresh vegetables, leafy greens and marinated mushrooms, the raw vegan sushi rolls were the very first time I’d tried sushi rolls without any rice or fish! The marinated mushrooms (soaked in sesame soy sauce) were the key ingredient to having a filling and satisfying roll and the extra sauce was perfect for dipping.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Raw Vegan Sushi Roll Ingredients & Prep Stages:

Final Product & Everyone Digging In:

Chocolate-Orange Macaroons:

Consisting of the following ingredients: Raw Cacao Powder, Shredded Coconut, Raw Honey, Coconut Oil, Orange Juice, Vanilla, and Cinnamon, Jennifer mixed everything into a massive bowl and then rolled little balls to and flattened onto a dehydrator for several hours.  Lucky for us, Jennifer had previously prepared the final product for all of her audience members to sample.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Chocolate-Orange Macaroons:

Final Product: A delicious chocolate dessert that you don’t have to feel guilty about.

…really doesn’t get much better than that!

Note: Next Raw Food Cooking Class is Saturday, December 4 from 2:00PM-3:15PM

Perfect for the winter season, Jennifer McClelland teaches the art of “unbaking” with a food dehydrator to make comfort foods in the raw. Featuring Scones & Honey Butter and Warmed Chocolate Flaxseed Pudding, all dishes are meat and dairy free.

To Sign Up:

• Date: Saturday, December 4
• Time: 2:00PM-3:15PM
• Tickets:  RMB 120 for Advanced registration (1 week before event), 150 RMB regular fee and RMB 180 walk-in fee.
• Register at the nearest World Health Store (WHS) by you!
• Contact: 5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

Green Smoothies & Healthy Chocolate Truffles

The World Health Store’s monthly raw foods class is such an addictive experience.

You not only get to try some delicious raw food recipes, you also get to learn how to make simple recipes that actually taste so good and best of all, they can easily be reproduced in the comfort of your own home!

In previous classes, Raw Food Chef Jennifer McClelland has made summer bisque, cherry tomato and basil pizza, and a chocolate mousse made out of avocados and raw cacao. This last Saturday, Jennifer treated us to Green Smoothies and Chocolate Truffles in the Raw.

A twist on the standard fruit smoothie, Jennifer introduces fresh organic leafy greens to widen your range of nutrients. The smoothie we tasted in class was a combination of bananas, mango, lemon, kale with a combination of both Chlorella and Spirulina powder.

Green snoothies will give you a cleaner intestinal tract, more mental clarity, increased energy, healthier hair, suppler skin and stronger nails!”

-Jennifer McClelland on Green Smoothies

Before & After Shot (A Whole Lot of Goodness Packed into One Bowl)

See the Master Herself at Work:

Jennifer’s Secret to Healthy Chocolate Truffles –

Raw Cacao Powder, Walnuts, Cashews, Raisins, Coconut Oil & a Blender

Note: Next Raw Food Cooking Class is Saturday, October 23: Learn to make Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls & Orange Chocolate Macaroons

To Sign Up:

• Contact: 5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

Learn the Secret Behind Healthy Chocolate Truffles

For anyone with a serious sweet tooth with a chocolate addiction, Jennifer McClelland may be your savior.

A raw foods chef and expert, Jennifer will be sharing her secret to making Chocolate Truffles in the Raw – meaning they will be vegetarian friendly, lactose and gluten free.

The secret ingredient to healthy chocolate is to just consume it in its purest form: raw cacao aka raw chocolate. (available for purchase at the World Health Store)

Did you know raw cacao is one of the highest sources of Vitamin C (and antioxidants, iron and magnesium)?  But that the heating process destroys much of the nutrients and all of the Vitamin C and enzymes in chocolate?  This class we will learn how to have our cake and eat it too!

- Jennifer McClelland on raw cacao.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, September 4
• Time: 2:00PM-3:30PM
• Location: World Health Store in CBD (Shangdu Soho)
• Price: Regular RMB 150; Walk-in RMB 180
• Contact: 5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

Raw Goodness: Round 2

After my first raw foods class at the World Health Store with Raw Food Chef Jennifer McClelland, I was hooked.

I never knew eating healthy could be so simple and more importantly, taste so good.

With Jennifer’s raw food cooking classes, you’re guaranteed to learn some easy-to-make recipes that are so tasty and so healthy, you’ll want to immediately start incorporating raw foods into your daily diet and hopefully begin your journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

This past Saturday, Jennifer hosted her Great Raw of China Cooking Class spotlighting refreshing summer treats – a Yellow Bell Pepper Bisque with Basil and a Berry & Cream Tart with Bitter Sweet Dark Cacao in a Walnut Crust.

A combination of blended tomatoes, bell peppers, cashews, olive oil and basil, the bisque was both satisfying and refreshing – a great summer alternative to soup and the berry tart was seriously too mouth-watering delicious to be healthy, but it absolutely is.  The crust is made from walnuts, coconut flakes and raisins, the cream was made from cashew nuts, vanilla and pure maple syrup and the chocolate sauce made from coconut oil, raw cacao powder and cinnamon.

If you’re wondering how complicated it must be to make a summer bisque and a berry tart out of raw food, it’s really quite simple as everything was made using just a blender! And an extra bonus – recipes are vegetarian-friendly, plus dairy and gluten free!

The highlight was the chocolate sauce which reminded me of the amazing chocolate mousse Jennifer made in her previous raw foods class.

Did you know that raw cacao (chocolate) is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C?  But all heat processed chocolate loses vitamin C and other nutrients the body needs to stay in prime health.

- Jennifer McClelland on Raw Cacao

Watch the Master at Work:

Finished Products:

Jennifer regularly hosts raw food cuisine courses at the World Health Store in SOHO Shangdu where she educates her classes on the health benefits of incorporating more raw foods into their daily diet and providing mouth-watering recipes to prove to you just how good “healthy” meals can be.

Next raw food class on Saturday, August 14, “Make Raw Not War” will feature Raw Vegan Burgers and Dairy-Free Chocolate Milkshakes!

• Date: Saturday, August 14
• Time: 2:00PM-4:00PM
• Location:  World Health Store in CBD
• Price: RMB 150 per person
• Contact:  5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

If you are interested in learning more, I recommend the “Raw for Life” viewing at Kocoon Spa and a Green Smoothie Demo! Hosted at Kocoon Spa, Jennifer will be giving an introduction to the health benefits of a raw food lifestyle along with a free green smoothie demo!

For more information about raw foods & the health benefits of eating “living” foods, visit Jennifer McClelland’s website and the World Health Store Blog.

Kocoon Goes Raw

LumDimSum is happy to bring two great forces together – Raw Food Chef, Jennifer McClelland & Spa Guru and Owner of Kocoon Spa, Maika Endo for this great event:

“Raw for Life” viewing at Kocoon Spa and a Green Smoothie Demo!

Hosted at Kocoon Spa, Jennifer will be giving an introduction to the health benefits of a raw food lifestyle along with a free green smoothie demo!

They will also be showing the featured film “Raw for Life”, a motivational and educational movie (starring Morgan Spurlock from Super Size Me, Tony Robbins, David Wolfe, Woody Harrelson) on raw food, weight loss, detox, beauty and longevity.

Event Details:

• Venue: Kocoon spa lounge & elixirs. Click here for location.
• Website: http://www.kocoonspalounge.com/?p=2479
• Cover: FREE if RSVP before July 15. After July 15, the participation fee will be 50rmb/ person.
• RSVP: kocooninfo@kocoonspalounge.com or by calling 010-5208 6068.

Background:

The raw food movement has been gaining popularity all over the world and is now on the Mainland China radar.  Today, Jennifer offers raw food classes at the World Health Store in Beijing as well as private and corporate training throughout Mainland China and Asia.  She brings her knowledge of sustainable agriculture, culinary arts and the raw lifestyle straight to your kitchen!  Next Raw Foods Cooking Class: Great Raw of China on Saturday, July 17 from 2-4PM (event details here).

For more information about raw foods & the health benefits of eating “living” foods, visit Jennifer McClelland’s website and the World Health Store Blog.

Great Raw of China by Jennifer McClelland

After my first raw foods class by Jennifer McClelland (see previous article here), I am now a believer in the health benefits of raw foods.

Not only is it a very healthy diet alternative, it’s also easy, effective and extremely educational.

In only a few weeks, Jennifer will be hosting her next Raw Foods Class at World Health Store in SOHO Shangdu on July 17 from 2-4PM.

This season, Jennifer will be teaching a summer series of cool desserts, blended beverages, mouth-watering soups, appetizers and entrees.  Did you know that raw cacao (chocolate) is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C?  But all heat processed chocolate loses vitamin C and other nutrients the body needs to stay in prime health.  This class have your cake and eat it too!  This upcoming class menu will feature a Yellow Pepper Basil Bisque and a Dark Cacao Layered Fresh Berry Tart in a Walnut Crust.

Event Details:

These recipes are vegetarian-friendly, plus dairy and gluten free!  Students will watch recipe demos, receive recipe handouts, sample the finished dishes, and learn the health benefits of eating natural, unprocessed and unrefined foods.  The class is in Shangdu Soho, but you can register at the World Health Store near you.

• Early Bird Registration: 120 rmb (paid in full on or before July 10^th)
• Regular Price: 150 rmb
• Walk-in Price:  180 rmb
• Location:  World Health Store in CBD
• Time:  2:00 to 3:30pm
• Contact:  5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

For more information about raw foods & the health benefits of eating “living” foods, visit Jennifer McClelland’s website and the World Health Store Blog.

Raw Goodness

Raw Food Chef & Natural Health Guru, Jennifer McClelland

Summer time means more sun and less clothing.

And there’s no better way to work off the long winter and get in shape in time for summer than eating a healthier diet.

Generally, eating healthy means no junk food and more greens. But have you ever considered going raw?

For those who are not familiar with the raw food diet:

“Raw food is literally “living” fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds in their unprocessed, unrefined and uncooked state preserving essential vitamins, enzymes and micro-nutrients the body needs for optimal health.  And preserving all this goodness in food is believed to be the answer to weight management and the prevention of many diseases, including cancer and diabetes.”

- Jennifer McClelland, Raw Food Chef

Raw Food Chef Jennifer McClelland regularly hosts raw food cuisine courses at the World Health Store in SOHO Shangdu where she educates her classes on the health benefits of incorporating more raw foods into their daily diet and providing mouth-watering recipes to prove to you just how good “healthy” meals can be!

Most recently, Jennifer hosted a “Raw Raw for Roma” class where she prepared a Cherry Tomato & Basil Pizza with a Flax Seed & Zucchini Pizza Crust (cooked in dehydrator) and Pumpkin Seed Cheese Spread (made with a blender).  For dessert, Jennifer created a Chocolate Mousse Mint Cream Parfait from just blending avocados, raw cacao, honey, coconut oil, cinnamon, a dab of mint extract, Spirulina (blue-green algae that is the world’s richest source of protein) and organic strawberry for garnish.

All recipes were lactose and gluten-free and still 100% delicious.

Jennifer, on easy ways to gradually add raw foods to your daily diet:

“If your diet consists of mostly cooked, processed and refined foods, begin to add some fresh choices to each meal.  You can start off with an apple a day and move to a fruit and vegetable smoothie.  Adding a salad to your meal is so easy.  Gradually increase the amount of fresh you eat.  Remember it does not have to be an all or nothing approach and slow changes are often the most long-lasting.”

LumDimSum Photo Gallery of the “Raw Raw for Roma” Raw Food Class:

For more information about raw foods & the health benefits of eating “living” foods, visit Jennifer McClelland’s website and the World Health Store Blog.