0 Cart
Added to Cart
    You have items in your cart
    You have 1 item in your cart
    Total
    Check Out Continue Shopping
    Blog Menu

    FAQs on my IIN studies

    FAQs on my IIN studies

    DEAR FELLOW STUDENT OF LIFE,

     

    Last year you would’ve heard me rave about my studies with IIN…

    It’s a widely known fact that The Institute For Integrative Nutrition is the largest nutrition school in the world. They graduate more people each year, than all nutrition schools in USA combined! The qualification is recognised worldwide, but many I know didn’t even do it for a certificate, they simply studied for their own health. It is no secret that the very best holistic doctors, health coaches, authors, scientists and nutritionists lecture at this prestigious institute.

    I raved on and on about the most life changing, community fuelled, love packed, educational and inspirational year of my career, and now I’m excited to announce that as their graduate and proud ambassador- I’m able to pass amazing savings onto YOU!

    This is a one-off Tax Day Special and the best discount I’ve seen for the course thus far. 

    If you played your cards right, you might just find yourself with a little extra cash in your pocket after filing your taxes this year. And at IIN you can get upto DOUBLE your tax refund on tuition this year! Soooo if you pay in full between 9AM-5:30PM (New York time) or 2PM- 10:30PM (UK time), you will get upto US$2000 off The Health Coach Training Program!

    That’s pretty insane, considering that even at full price, I whole-heartedly believe that the program is worth every penny.

    Interested? Here’s what you can do next:

    1. Read my answers to the FAQs about the course, below…
    2. Call (877) 733-1520 or email  coachblair@integrativenutrition.com for all the details. Tell Blair that Tanya Alekseeva told you about the Tax Day Special in order to qualify for up to $2000 off.

    FAQs ON MY IIN STUDIES

    What would you say you gained by doing the course that you didn’t have (or know) before? 

    When we first learn about raw foods and how life-changing this diet is, it’s very easy to get stuck on one point of view, because we are just so passionate to share our own experience with it. The thing is- there are hundreds of other dietary theories out there, because everyone is unique with highly individualised nutritional requirements.


    "Personal differences in anatomy, metabolism, body composition and cell structure all influence your overall health and the foods that make you feel your best. That’s why no single way of eating works for everyone. The food that is perfect for your unique body, age, and lifestyle may make another person gain weight and feel lethargic."

    IIN taught me all about bio-individuality, introduced me to over 100 dietary theories and their pros and cons, which didn’t only make me more effective in my coaching practice, but got me learning so much about myself and what is optimum for my own body, immune system, energy levels and creativity potential.  

     

    Is it easy to manage your time with lessons/studying?

    I can’t say that I wasn’t nervous to begin, because the year I chose for my IIN studies was also the year of other major life commitments, like planning my wedding, running a 28 day Acid-Alkaline Breakthrough e-program, organising my first destination retreat in Ecuador, releasing another eBook, marketing my workshops and launching the pH Booster- alkalising superfood powder. But as soon as I got started with IIN, I realised how much it helped me get disciplined and stay motivated. I looked forward to the release of every new weekly module and listened to the videos and podcasts while preparing dinner, going for a walk and even flying, since I could always download any lecture for offline use.  Listening to recordings only required 2-5 hours per week too, so even if I had a huge week coaching, I could always catch up quickly enough. The best piece of advice I could give is to print out course materials at the start of each new week, as many of my classmates didn’t realise that we get handed out all the slides and info presented by all speakers and as a result- spent far too long taking notes.  

     

    Has your coaching business expanded since the course?

    I noticed that my coaching enquiries went up as soon as I began the studies. Then all throughout the course I was pleasantly surprised at how many people knew that IIN was the world’s largest nutrition school, as soon as I mentioned it. By the time I graduated, I had to take down the entire ‘Coaching’ page on my site, because I could no longer take on any additional clients. The most interesting turn of events though was that while I was learning about my own health and diet and how to listen more carefully to the needs of my clients, I discovered my true calling. It was with the help of IIN’s invaluable information, that I am confidently transitioning to the next stage of my career and launching the most exciting new project London has seen when it comes to raw food! [All will be revealed soooooon!]

    Mystery SupperClub Menu... Revealed!

    Mystery SupperClub Menu... Revealed!

    One of the super cute things I had my girls help me organise for our wedding is this awesome mimosa bar. It got so much amazing feedback, that I decided to take note of everyone's favourite flavours and serve them at next week's SupperClub!

    DSC02905

    It will be such a gorgeous event- the dishes and flavours we are preparing for you require so much time, love and attention, that we came to a unanimous decision to not keep you wondering what they’ll be till the actual night!

    Now that you know how worth it this menu is to get all excited for, your positive vibes will charge each living ingredient all the way to your plate and to your healthy cells! Take a look…

    First Course

    Sweet & Sour Marble Cocktail of lime, berries and flower infused vodka (non alcoholic available)

    Second Course

    Amuse Bouche of cucumber and herbed aged cashew cheese Immunity Booster Ginger Shots

    Third Course

    Family Style Dipping Platter of truly raw ranch sauce, soured cream and chives and smoked paprika courgette hummus with crackers and veggie sticks

    Fourth Course

    Mum's Secret Yellow Minestrone Soup, served with soft homemade onion bread

    Fifth Course

    Soft Shell Tacos with juicy walnut and oyster mushroom meat, guacamole and soured cream

    Sixth Course

    Rose Raspberry Cocktail with a spiced nut boat

    Seventh Course

    A trio of chocolates, including white orange cream, dark and decadent chocolate fudge and a peppermint slice with creamy tones. Served with loose leaf mint and rose petal tea.

      We are nearing full capacity for Raw in Chelsea SupperClub already, so don't miss it and book here>>

    The imperfectly perfect raw chocolate truffles

    The imperfectly perfect raw chocolate truffles

    I had quite the honour to be invited to speak at yet another VegFest event last weekend. This time in Brighton, where it originated.

    VegFest Brighton 2014

    It’s a pretty good sign that your message needs to be heard when there are people sitting on window sills, standing up at the back and staying till the very end of the lecture even when the room is boiling. Needless to say I was humbled by the experience and grateful for all the connections afterwards too.

    But that wasn’t even my favourite part! What was my fave is checking out all the stalls, learning about incredible conscious companies doing incredible conscious things and errr… eating!

    So many delicious things to taste and buy, but the highlight for me was the most decadent, creamy, soft and buttery raw chocolate truffles from Cashew Catering.

    I couldn’t possibly leave without quizzing the lovely CC people on what went into their tastiest truffles and amazingly, they shared their secrets with me! First thing I did once I got home was get cracking with my own version of the dreamy aftertaste and my GAWD!! Well you’ll just have to try this for yourself…

    [Oh and if you’d rather buy these online, Cashew Catering can package them up and send them your way. Do it!]

    THE IMPERFECTLY PERFECT RAW CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

    Raw chocolate truffle recipe 4

    For the soft filling
    1 + 1/2 Cup Coconut oil, gently melted
    3/4 Cup Coconut palm sugar, powdered
    3/4 Cup Cacao powder
    15 Drops Butterscotch or Hazelnut medicine flower extract
    Pinch Himalayan salt

    For the chocolate coating
    Basic raw chocolate recipe
    Tea leaves or rose petals to garnish

    1. Gently melt the coconut oil in a double boiler.
    2. Add the palm sugar and the rest of the ingredients, stirring well.
    3. Line a tupperware box (I used a 14 x 14 cm container) with cling film and pour in the truffle sauce.
    4. Transfer to the fridge and let it set for 3 hours. If in a hurry- freeze for 30 minutes.
    5. Peel off the film and chop up the hardened chocolate block into uneven chunks. Transfer back to the fridge/freezer while preparing the chocolate coating.
    6. When your chocolate coating is melted and well stirred, place a truffle chunk onto a fork and while holding it over the bowl containing the liquid coating sauce, spoon some of it and pour over the chunk, making sure to cover all sides. Sprinkle rose petals while still wet.
    7. Place each ready truffle on tin foil, so it is easy to peel off afterwards and transfer to the fridge to set for 15 minutes.
    8. You can eat straight out of the fridge, but to get the full soft/ decadent/ creamy truffle experience- take them out of the fridge to soften for one hour, keeping at room temperature and out of lit areas.

    Raw chocolate truffle recipe 1 Raw chocolate truffle recipe 2 Raw chocolate truffle recipe 3

     

    If you wanted to do even more with your truffles, spoon some Coconut Manna onto each chunk, add a frozen raspberry, then coat with chocolate! Or better yet, come to our Raw in Chelsea SupperClub on April 10th to sample these for yourself... raw chocolate truffle 6

    Our cyclone of a wedding

    Our cyclone of a wedding

    I don’t actually mean that our wedding was a cyclone, rather there was a roof-blowing-tree-breaking-wave-crashing cyclone on the one day, which we picked to get married.

    It was quite spectacular really.

    All day before the ceremony began, we had messages coming through trying to make us feel better about the weather and friends all around kept asking how we could be so calm, when outside was everything but calm. But it’s as though we didn’t understand the question…

    I am lucky to be married to a wise man, who also believes that everything is as it should be, who goes with the flow and for whom a storm means just one thing: epic surf the next day. And anyway- all we’ve been hearing months before we even said our “I do’s” is how much luck a rainy wedding day brings to a married life, so we both decided that a cyclone must mean that this luck is multiplied tenfold.

    Then just like that- the rain stopped for a while to give us a wee window of opportunity for beach photography (above) and the only person that was nearly as crazy as us to be out happened to be a woman, which we can only describe as an angel with a message. She walked past to tell us that she also got married on the stormiest day NZ has seen in years, when everything was flying and crashing and the skies were dark. Then she went on to tell us that she married her soulmate and best friend and that their life together is the most wonderful thing. That was 38 years ago apparently.

    If you don’t know Elliot yet, I’d love for you to meet him! He, as well as my trusty sidekick and best friend Britney, are organising the next SupperClub with me! Join us at 6:45PM Thursday April 10th for a seven-course artisan raw meal, which will also include superfood cocktails.

    Early bird tickets will be gone in 24 hours, so get yours here now>>

    A thousand kisses from New Zealand,

    Mrs Maher

    1964713_10152648597750760_1044075857_n

    Master of The Month | Karen Knowler | Kale Avocado Salad Recipe

    Master of The Month | Karen Knowler | Kale Avocado Salad Recipe

    When I first landed on UK soil five years ago and began to quiz every person and search engine on what the raw food scene was like here, there was one name everyone seemed to be familiar with.

    The name was Karen Knowler.

    Then I discovered about the ‘International Raw Food Day’ which happens every year on July 11th and the founder of it was none other than Karen Knowler. Then I began subscribing to ‘Get Fresh!’ Magazine, which instantly became my favourite read and found that its creator and former editor was also Karen!

    I quickly learned about the amazing work Karen is doing locally and overseas and it became clear as to why she’s been hailed as ‘The World’s Premier Raw Food Coach’.  It has been a pleasure to interview this smart, powerful, gorgeous and ‘real’ woman.

    Meet our March’s Master of the Month…

    Karen Knowler _ Master of the Month _ Better Raw

    Describe your typical day of eating and drinking.

    As with a lot of raw foodies, almost every day is different for me. My “Eater Type” profile is Focused and Intuitive, so on one hand I like to plan for results and be organised in that way, but on the other I like to go with the flow! As you can imagine, this doesn’t always make for a straightforward time of it, but I do enjoy the contrast. That being said, I tend to start my day with a juice or smoothie, usually green, sometimes using a protein powder, or occasionally, if I have them, a young coconut smoothie, made from blending the flesh with the water. Always divine! For lunch, I tend to eat something quick and easy because I work from home and cater for myself with limited time. So lunch might be a fairly heavy smoothie if I had a juice earlier, some crudités with a dip if I’m not super-hungry, or a quick and easy salad, mixed with some beans or seeds for calories and protein. At night, I may eat out or make dinner at home. Because I have more time at night, and I’m also catering for my son, I tend to get more elaborate with my final meal of the day and so spend quality time creating a dinner I can get really excited about! While this changes from season to season, at this time of year it’s generally going to be a big juicy salad with plenty of leaves, tomatoes, red bell pepper, some red onion, beetroot, cooked asparagus and whatever else I choose to add – fat or protein. If I fancy something sweet later, which I often tend to do, then a bit of raw chocolate, something fruity and frozen, or a sweet kind of smoothie will normally hit the spot.

    What (or who) inspires you to eat well and stay healthy?

    Originally, my biggest inspiration was Susie Miller who founded The Fresh Network. I was 20 years old when I discovered raw food, and very soon after, I discovered Susie. To me she was the pinnacle of what great health is all about, especially because of being raw. Over the years, and as I’ve got older and have become a raw food aficionado myself, I’m now most moved by what I observe in my own body and energy levels as I try new ways of eating and exercising and basically “doing life”.
    "I use my body as my guru, and make changes accordingly. If I want more information then I’ll go out and get it."
    If I had to name a person… I think the person who inspires me the most around health who’s still alive on the planet today would have to be… (this is hard, by the way!)… I’d pick Tonya Zavasta as my most inspiring raw food female and Brian Clement as my most inspiring male. Both are legends in their own right. Amazing individuals, truly.

    What is your biggest weakness when it comes to food and how do you deal with that?

    I’m actually very proud that I successfully addressed any perceived weaknesses around food many years ago. I never overeat, only eat when I’m hungry, I rarely eat for emotion, and...
    "I don’t EVER feel “bad” about what I ate, no matter what it is, because I make a conscious decision about whatever it is before I eat it."
    I’m incredibly kind to myself around food, because self-love is vital. I learned that the hard way! Way too many people beat themselves up about what they eat, it’s heart-wrenching. I used to be incredibly hard on myself when I was younger about what I ate, and it only made things worse.
    "Self-criticism or criticism of others is incredibly destructive - far worse than eating a slice of bread!"

     

    So while I don’t feel that I have any debilitating weaknesses around food and eating, I definitely do receive lessons. And I learn them! And sometimes I have to learn them more than once – as we all do. And that’s okay.

    Some people might consider the fact that I eat some cooked foods and other things that they might not expect to be a weakness, but I don’t see it that way. It’s a choice that I make and I do so consciously. I did 5½ years at 100% raw vegan and I loved it, but I don’t see it as sustainable for someone who lives my kind of life, and it’s not a goal for me anyway. As with all of us, this is my personal food journey, it’s ever evolving, and I take full responsibility for it. Most importantly I love it and enjoy it! And I keep learning. I truly feel free.

    My top tip for:

    Improving your diet is adding green juice, daily.

    Staying healthy while travelling is a time to get really back to basics. Keep it fresh and simple, don’t use gadgets – you’ll feel so much better for it.

    Detoxing is a natural part of getting cleaner, and something to proactively pursue whenever you feel like your body needs a spring clean further down the line.

    Immunising is... not my cup of tea, but I respect that everyone has an opinion on it and those opinions are generally pretty strong.


    What's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you?

    Hmm, good question! Of course, “I love you, mummy” or “You’re the best mummy in the world” is very hard to beat! But if we’re talking about my work…
    Over the years it has, of course, always been lovely to hear great feedback or to hear how something I’ve said or written has changed someone’s life. None of us can hear enough of that! However, I think that the thing which sticks in my mind the most is a written testimonial on Facebook from a young woman who used my “Go Raw for a Day!” eBook to learn how to eat raw food 2-3 years ago. She shared how, for the first time in many years, she was finally able to sleep well at night and get into her car and drive without crying from pain because of eating raw for just over 24 hours. She had been diagnosed with cancer twice by age 32, and her life was a constant source of pain – literally. She was constantly taking pills for pain relief. To hear how my eBook had assisted in removing that pain from her body, heart and life was definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever heard. I actually think about her and her amazing story almost every day. I’m so glad she came back to share it with me, because most people don’t.

    How would you like to be remembered?

    First and foremost, as a good person. A person who lived with authenticity, the best of intentions, plenty of spirit and heart – because it’s true! Also, of course, as a wonderful mother. Being a parent is the most important job in the world and I take it very seriously every single day. If I can’t do that job right, then there’s something very wrong. Parenting comes before anything else for me.
    Professionally, on one level, as someone who really impacted the modern health scene in positive and long lasting ways that enriched millions of lives. I feel good about what I have achieved so far in this field, training others is now part of that, and yet I know there is so much further to go. I also know that my work is beyond “just” raw food. Health is about so much more than what we eat. I know my work will continue to evolve, although raw food will never be out of my life or out of my heart. Eating raw is part of who I am.

    If you got to keep only 3 of your belongings: 1 thing from your kitchen, 1 thing from your garden and 1 thing from your bookshelf- what would they be?

    Kitchen = fridge – it’s amazing how much we rely on it. While I have a lot of great raw gadgets, I wouldn’t rate them higher than my fridge, I am still a fresh food + knife-and-chopping-board kind of gal!

    Garden = my Buddha statue. Every time I look at him, all becomes well in the world, and I see him every morning as soon as I step out of my front door.

    Bookshelf = This one is hard! I’m going to cheat a bit and say my Kindle as there are so many books I love that are sitting on there, but it’s still one thing! ;)


    If you could host a dinner party for 3 guests (dead or alive)- who would they be and what would you serve?

    Cheryl Cole + Tonya Zavasta + David Cameron (current British Prime Minister)
    I would serve them the most gorgeous looking, delicious and satiating raw food menu I could possibly create that left them feeling excited, impressed and gorgeously fresh and happy – eager to find out more.

    Why these three? Because Tonya would inspire Cheryl and David with her personal story, incredible wisdom and timeless beauty, and Cheryl and David specifically because they have massive worldwide influence in very different ways. There’s no end as to what could happen if all three of them were in a room together eating raw (especially with me in the mix to assist with the process!!).


    Why do you believe that life is Better Raw?

    Life is better raw because eating raw enlivens the body and connects you to your spirit like nothing else on earth – not even meditation.
    "Eating raw truly runs deep – it’s beyond profound and 100% experiential. It’s transformation from the cellular level out."

    And when you are connected to your Self - your soul - in this amazing, powerful and liberating way, you too (just like your food!) become a force of nature. You become a force of nature that not only has the power to change your own life in incredible and amazing ways and to know what it is to touch upon your full potential, but also to have a hugely positive impact on your loved ones, community and even the entire planet. For me, “better” is a massive understatement!

    -------------------------------------------------------

    Our Master of The Month shares her favourite raw food recipe...

     

    SWEET 'N' SUCCULENT KALE AND AVOCADO SALAD

    Serves 2

    Karen Knowler kale salad recipe _ Master of the Month

    This is kale like you’ve never imagined it. This meal is delicious, filling and extremely nutritious – one of the best ways to get healthy greens and fats into your body in a way that feels good and looks good too. This is one of the most popular recipes at all of my classes, and the great thing is, all you need to make it is a good sharp knife!

    INGREDIENTS
    8 generous handfuls of green curly kale
    Sprinkle of Celtic sea salt OR Himalayan crystal salt
    1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil
    1 ripe avocado
    2 large tomatoes OR a handful of cherry or baby plum tomatoes

    OPTIONAL: 2 spring onions
    OPTIONAL: 8 sundried tomatoes in oil
    DRESSING: Squeeze of fresh lemon juice to taste

    DIRECTIONS
    1. Chop the kale up into tiny pieces measuring roughly 1-2cm square and put into a bowl.
    2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil plus a small sprinkling of your chosen salt to the kale and massage well into the leaves until they are glistening and look succulent. If they need more oil, add accordingly.
    3. Chop up 1 avocado into small pieces, add to the kale and massage in well, coating the leaves. It is fine to leave pieces of avocado sitting amongst the leaves as well as coating them.
    4. Chop tomatoes into small pieces and add to bowl. Similarly, finely slice the optional spring onions and sundried tomatoes – both of which I personally love.
    5. Mix all ingredients well by hand – a very tactile and delicious experience! Make sure that all ingredients are spread evenly throughout the bowl.
    6. Sprinkle with some fresh lemon juice and serve as is or pile high on to a plate and garnish with tomatoes or olives.

    ——————————————————-

    For more on Karen Knowler and to score some amazing freebies, including her famous ‘Go raw for a day’ guide, visit www.TheRawFoodCoach.com