I’m home! Alan and I arrived safely and smoothly back in California late on Saturday night. Although it’s great to be home, I’m feeling a little nostalgic for the incredible experience we had last week. First, there were the sunrises. How can words describe such beauty?
Next, there were walks and yoga on the beach:
It was magical to do yoga while the sun was coming up and the waves were crashing around us:
After some good morning exercise each morning, we were treated to an incredible spread with all types of delightful, nourishing foods:
Followed by stimulating lectures by Dr. Fuhrman filled with life-saving information, plus afternoon food demonstrations:
Lunches and dinners were filled with salads, chopped vegetables and healthy hot dishes. I was mainly inspired by the salads and the dressings:
I can’t imagine how many people it took back in the kitchen to wash, prep and chop all the ingredients:
I made a dressing yesterday that was very Fuhrman-esque; I’m calling it a Wild Blueberry Zinger Dressing. I simply combined walnuts, frozen blueberries, lemon juice, soy milk, raisins, garlic and shallot in my high-speed blender:
It turned out such a pretty color!
Alan said Dr. Fuhrman definitely would have approved of this salad, it was delicious and nutritious:
Here’s the recipe:
Wild Blueberry Zinger Dressing
6 servings
Ingredients:
3/4 cup walnuts
1 cup frozen organic wild blueberries
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 raisins, soaked in a tablespoon of hot water for 15 minutes to soften (optional)
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or your favorite non-dairy milk
1 garlic clove
1 shallot, peeled
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth.
But, outside of the food, the information, the beauty and luxury of the surroundings, I have to say that what I enjoyed the most and what I miss the most are the new friends I made. To be around such bright, motivated, friendly and open people was a unique experience that I will never forget. I cherish the memories of last week and I hope to keep in touch with everyone that I had the pleasure of meeting:
Can you hear me sniffling? Well, at least we have social media to help us stay in touch until we meet again. In fact, I want to invite all my readers, new and old, to please keep in touch with me by reading my blog, commenting whenever you feel like doing so, and following me on Facebook and Twitter. Interacting with you, both online and offline, is one my greatest joys.
I’ll be posting here again on Wednesday; until then, happy, healthy eating.
Note: this post has been submitted to Healthy Vegan Fridays, Gluten-Free Fridays and Wellness Weekend.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
What an awesome experience! I know that feeling so well—you get so immersed in where you are and wonderfulness of connecting with quality people, that you have to mourn the end of it when it comes.
On another note…..I’m in Cali!! Once you’re settled back in, maybe we can figure out a way to meet up? I don’t have a car, but I can use public transportation, etc. I’m in Santa Monica…. there are so many great vegan/raw restaurants around here that I have yet to try
Thanks, Lisa! I am definitely having vacation let-down this week.
Yes, I read on your blog that you’re a California girl for now….yay!!!! I definitely want to get together with you. My schedule is uncertain right now, but I should have an idea in the next several weeks or so when I’ll be able to get to LA. I’ll e-mail you when I know. Sounds like you are enjoying life here so far…enjoy!
Thanks for the pictures from the getaway. Why did you soaked the raisins?
So glad you liked the photos, Jonathan! I soaked the raisins simply to make them easier to blend. Otherwise, it sounds like rocks going around in the Vitamix. You don’t have to soak them if you don’t have time.
That is a gorgeous sunrise picture! That dressing would DEFINITELY be Dr Fuhrman approved!
It sounds and looks delicious! I also very much enjoyed the food at the Getaway… especially the endless salad bar! 
Thanks Vicky! It was weird for me coming from the West Coast to see the sun coming over the ocean because I am so used to seeing the sunset on the ocean.
How was your trip back home? I miss the salad bar, too!
The trip was long, but uneventful. It is good to be “home,” even though I would have been happy to stay longer!
Aww, hope your post-vacation blues pass quickly. Thank you so much for sharing your week with me. I’m so excited about trying out this dressing recipe. I’ve had a little bit of trouble finding recipes that sound good or that don’t include ingredients that I don’t have available to me right now. I’m from a small town in Arkansas so at times my resources are a bit limited, but I don’t let that stop me from eating the healthy way. I just have to go over to Memphis, TN to hit up a health food store that offers more options. Anyway, thanks again!
Thanks for the comment, Jill! I’m glad you are committed to eating healthfully, even with limited options. I consider myself very lucky that I have a Trader Joe’s and farmers’ markets close to me so I can get lots of vegetables for good prices. Just wanted to note that you don’t necessarily need wild frozen blueberries for this recipe, any standard organic frozen blueberry will do just fine.
Oh, good to know about the blueberries! I just went through your recipe index and found several new salad dressings. Yay, I’m excited and looking forward to trying them out soon.
Hi, Carrie. Just a really quick question on your photos — is that Chad Sarno doing one of the cooking demos? I’d be really interested to hear what he demo’d, if you remember, cuz I know he comes from a raw background.
Thanks!! Pam
Hi Pam! Wow, you have a good eye. That is indeed Chad Sarno who did the cooking demos; he was awesome (and he’s not bad to look at either).
Let’s see, he demo’d a few things, he did two separate presentations, one on the basics of cooking without oils and the other focused on dressings and sauces. I tasted everything and it was all delicious. Most of it was cooked, not necessarily raw. I was impressed. I came home with a packet from him with several recipes, I’ll be sure to note on future posts if I make any of his recipes.
Thanks, Carrie — yeah, as you say, he’s memorable.
I’m glad he was demoing cooked stuff too — those sound like 2 really interesting sessions. I wish I’d been there to hear them! Will watch for any of his recipes you end up making.
Thanks again for the reply! Pam
Ah…beautiful scenery, beautiful food, beautiful people, beautiful you! Love all of this, makes one feel like their there, thanks to you Carrie, and sharing!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories
I’m going to make the blueberry dressing tonight …
Hi Carrie,
Really love your photo’s, makes me feel like I’m there again, was so nice to me you and your husband, its nice to be home but that an amazing week.
Take care,
Don
Thanks for the comment, Don! Once Alan and I get moved full-time back to Southern California, we should try to meet up for lunch sometime. We get to Pasadena fairly often. Thanks for keeping in touch.
Hi again, now the dressing has been made. I had all the ingredients except the shallot,insteed I used 1/4 yellow onion. I missed some sweetness, so I added 3 dates, and that was just perfect.
I put two pictures of the dressing on Instagram under Olyja … and referred to this blog for the recipe. But my lightening wasn’t as good as yours
Sounds like a great conference! I recently made a blueberry tarragon dressing which was fabulicious as well! I sauteed my shallots so it wasn’t too zingy.
I’ve heard other people mention adding tarragon to dishes lately. It has a licorice flavor, right? I love your idea of cooking the shallots, too; they are pretty potent when served raw!
Hi Carrie I have just found your lovely site through the amazing sunrise photo. I have just opened a small yoga studio in Kiama, NSW, Australia and send out info to clients especially about joining us at sunrise 6 am. Is it possible to use the image? If not no problem as I know lots of people don’t like their images used and that is OK. Sunrises like these should indeed be seen by the world they are stunning and evoke so many wonderful feelings just looking at this magical photo. Look forward to hearing from you.
Namaste
Megan
Hi Megan! Thanks so much for the e-mail and the request to use my photo. Sure, please feel free to use it, I’m happy to help spread the joy.
If at all possible, could you link it back to my blog somewhere? Thanks again and best of luck to you.
Your salads inspire me!
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