10 days at Tushita Meditation Center in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

TUSHITA MEDITATION CENTER

Hi everyone! I recently participated in a 10-day Buddhism Meditation Course at Tushita Meditation Center. It was very insightful in ways I didn’t expect and I wanted to share my experience! There were 101 students from 27 countries, all coming together to learn and practice the teachings of Buddhist philosophy, theory and meditation. The center is run by Western Buddhist monks and nuns and it has such a strong reputation for these residential courses and I now understand why. I truly feel blessed to have been a part of it, as it was incredibly insightful and I felt like I dove deep into my inner world in ways I hadn’t before.

The course was fully immersive- technology free, silent and we weren't allowed to leave the property. This wasn’t the first silent course i’ve attended so that part felt familiar for me. I really enjoy the silence and co-living with other people in this type of setting. It creates this incredible space to connect more deeply with yourself. Although there were a large group of us, it was a very intimate and personal journey. By the end of the 10 days, I gained so much more clarity about my mind and new tools to work with and develop it, thanks to the teachings of the Buddha.

Tushita Meditation Center is a sanctuary for the study and practice of Buddhism, specifically the Tibetan Mahayana tradition. It’s nestled in the forested hills above McLeod Ganj, in the village of Dharamkot in Himachal Pradesh India. It’s just a short 20-30 minute walk to the Dalai Lama Temple. The entire area is covered in beautiful trees and monkeys.

The food was delicious— plant-based and fresh, with a mix of Tibetan and Indian dishes. Some meals had dairy, but I just opted out of those and it was still so nourishing. We had three meals a day and would line up in the cafeteria to serve ourselves. There was also hot fresh lemon ginger tea that I drank abundantly. We had our karma yoga jobs after lunch, which involved us cleaning some area of the property or buildings. I would sweep the pathways and enjoyed doing it under the sunshine. I slept in a dorm with 12 women and too be honest, at first I wasn’t sure how we’d manage sharing a bathroom. But we found our rhythm and it ended up being quite comfortable. The center didn’t provide any toilet paper, so I made sure to bring a couple of rolls with me and kept a stash on hand at all times. I got pretty good at using the squat style toilet and taking bucket showers. Bucket showers are the norm in India and they make so much sense— you save a ton of water! I think we should do it too. ;)

It felt like a privilege to be in a space fully dedicated to personal and spiritual growth. The schedule was well balanced— meditation, philosophy classes, silent meals, discussion groups and peaceful walks around the property. There were even two big sets of stairs, so I did a 20-30 min stair work out some of the days. Overall, the Tushita property really allowed me to be present with myself without distractions. That’s something I truly value and am grateful for.

WHY DID I TAKE THE COURSE?

I’ve been drawn to Buddhist teachings for a while. Over the last two years, I’ve been listening to podcasts regularly like The Way Out Is In and Secular Buddhism, both of which focus on Buddhist philosophy. I aslo love reading books on meditation, Buddhism philosophy and mindfulness. The last two years, I’ve been committed to deepening and developing my meditation practice, which is why I came to India.

I originally had planned to spend a month in Rishikesh for a different meditation training. But after just three days, I realized the course and area wasn’t the right fit. I knew the moment I arrived I wasn’t meant to be there. Honestly, at first I panicked and was caught off guard. That’s when I remembered Tushita from a previous visit to Dharamsala, where I had dropped in on a meditation class. So I googled Tushita and looked to see if they had any upcoming courses and they had one starting in five days. Normally there are wait lists for their buddhism course, so I feel very lucky that I applied last minute and got accepted. I packed up and left Rishikesh, flew back to Delhi and then to Dharamsala. The moment I landed, I felt a sense of home and knew this was exactly where I was meant to be.

WHAT IS THE 10-DAY INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM COURSE?

The course was a 10-day residential program designed to introduce us to Buddhist teachings. We dove into Buddhist philosophy and theory and most importantly, we learned how to study and understand our minds.

In Buddhism, the mind (or consciousness) is the heart of the theory and practice. Meditation is the tool to transform and understand the mind, helping us deal with its distractions and return to a clearer, more truthful understanding of reality. We focused on two types of meditations— stablizing and analytical. The aim is to develop our minds skillfully to handle our thoughts and emotions and uncover our true selves while diminishing negative states of mind and cultivating positive ones.

We also explored the main causes of suffering— attachment, anger, ignorance and self centeredness (or self clinging), as well as concepts like karma, interconnectedness, compassion and death. Without distractions, I found it easier to turn inward and notice where my own attachment, anger and other patterns arise. It’s like you become an investigator of your mind. It’s really interesting.

We had a few guest speakers during the course who work inside the Dalai Lama office (they are believed to be reincarnated). I really enjoyed their talks! I felt like they were speaking to us like we were long time friends and their words felt so relatable.

One of the highlights was a visit to the Dalai Lama Temple on our last day, where we got to experience one of his public teachings. All 101 of us woke up at 5:30 and starting walking down to the temple at 6. We had to get there early since it was open to the public. There were thousands of people there— many locals, Tibetans and tourist. We sat there on the ground for 2 1/2 hours waiting for him to come. Many Tibetan families, including elderly women and children, were there. I felt deep compassion for them and for everything they have endured— having to leave their country and live as refugees. The Dalai Lama spoke in Tibetan and we had radios for translation and it was such a special experience. This was my second time seeing him in person and I always feel inspired by everything he stands for. Now that I’ve gotten an insight into Tibetan Buddhism, I appreciated the experience even more.

MY PERSONAL MEDITATION JOURNEY

Meditation has been a huge part of my life over the last few years. My motivation is in creating a solid internal foundation to navigate the ups and downs of life in a more balanced and positive way. I want my inner world to be peaceful, loving and calm— something I didn’t feel a few years ago when I was dealing with depression and negative thought patterns.

My early twenties focused on my health— both nutrition and fitness has been a big focus and passion of mine. This led to be starting my plant based chef services. But in my late twenties, I realized I needed to put the same effort into my mental health. In the U.S., we hear a lot about mental health, but we don’t always have the tools to truly understand and take care of our minds. Once I started studying the mind and engaging in practices like meditation, I realized this was the missing piece for me.

Meditation has been transformative in so many ways and it shows in both my internal and external worlds. It helps me cultivate mindfulness, nourish positive qualities and keep my mind calm, clear and focused. After two years of consistent practice, I experienced a handful of shifts and I feel a deeper sense of inner contentment. Most importantly, when unskillful emotions like anger, worry and fear arise, they don’t seem to linger as long. I’ve been practicing noticing them and let them go more easily, though it’s always a work in progress.

Even though it was difficult times that led me to meditation, I now see it as a beautiful practice that keeps me more rooted to myself and more trusting and connected to the earth. It’s not just about quieting the mind, it’s about finding a sense of belonging within myself and the world around me. It’s a constant reminder that, no matter what life throws at me, I always have a way back to peace and clarity.

THE VALUE OF MEDITATION CENTERS

One of the most beautiful things about being at a meditation center like Tushita is the sense of unity that comes from the shared human experience. There were people from all walks of life— different ages, backgrounds and life stories. Some were familiar with a meditation practice, while others were completely new to it. What brought us all together wasn’t the technique or the philosophy but the shared understanding that we all experience suffering in some form and we all want happiness and peace.

Suffering comes in so many shapes and sizes— sometimes it’s big, like the pain of loss, and sometimes it’s smaller, like the quiet dissatisfaction we feel when things just aren’t quite the way we want them to be. In Buddhism, even the smallest bit of dissatisfaction is considered a form of suffering. It was such a humbling realization to see how we all, despite our differences, come to these spaces because we want to understand ourselves better and have more inner peace.

Meditation centers offer us a chance to step away from the busyness of life and work on our inner world. It’s a space where we can learn to be more present with ourselves, understand our minds and most importantly, return home with a greater sense of compassion and kindness toward ourselves and others.

If you struggle with your mental health or difficulties in your mind, please know you’re not alone. Our pain and suffering might look different on the surface, but at the core, we all experience similar challenges. The practice is that the more we show up, the more we’re willing to be present with whatever arises in our minds, the more we begin to understand ourselves. It’s through observation, acceptance and letting go of our thoughts and emotions that we begin to transform, bit by bit. Meditation isn’t about doing some kind of perfect practice— it’s about showing up, again and again, with patience and kindness and trusting that every moment spent in awareness brings us closer to peace. The real practice is how we carry this awaremess into our daily lives.

THANK YOU ♡

A big thank you to Tushita for offering this course and experience. I’m really grateful for this precious human life and for the chance to practice and grow on this path. If you have any questions about the course, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for reading!
Kaitlyn

Tushita Website: 10 Day Introduction to Buddhism Course
Tushita Youtube: Guided Meditations + Guest Speakers
My meditation ig: @themeditationpath

Thank you to the Encinitas Magazine for featuring Rooted in Raw in this year’s magazine. 😃 I can’t tell you enough how grateful I am to live a community that this supportive of what I do and is down for a health conscious plant based lifestyle!

Thank you to @chriscote for highlighting the impact and benefits of healing the world and boosting our immunities through diet and exercise. The last couple years have been heavy times for a lot of us, and if there’s a few things we can control - it’s what we choose to eat, how we choose to exercise, and what we choose to mentally consume.

When it comes to raw food - I think we can all say it isn’t the most ‘traditional’ style of cooking, but nonetheless, more and more people on hopping on board for a whole food approach to eating.

@rootedinraw has been a really awesome outlet for me to be a bridge in our community to support others and help people learn more about this incredible wholesome style of eating.

I’m so grateful to be apart of the Encinitas Community and thank you all so much for your support and for being as stoked about health as I am. ✨

Oh and go grab yourself a copy in the local newsstands!!♡

Photographs by Eli Suhadolnik

Method:
Process all crust ingredient in a food processor. Ingredients should become fine and sticky. Distribute evenly at the bottom of the pie pan, using both thumbs to create a wall against your pie rim for the crust. For filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend well until smooth. Taste and add more spices according to your pallet. Transfer to a pie dish and spread evenly. Pop in freezer overnight to set. Cut into 8 slices evenly. For cashew vanilla drizzle: blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a squeeze bottle to drizzle. Store in fridge up to a week or in freezer up to 1 month.

Notes -
I used organic canned pumpkin pure but you can use fresh pure if you want to make it fully raw.
Soak cashews 4 hours in fresh water or for a quicker method, 30 minutes in hot water. Rinse after they have been soaking before use.
Can sub agave or maple syrup with date syrup.

Enjoy! If you make it please tag me @rootedinraw. I would love to see!

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Recipe makes 1 pie (8 slices)
Equipment Needed: High Speed Blender, Food Processor, 9 inch Pie Dish
Unbaked. Almost Raw. Vegan. Gluten Free. Grain Free.

Crust:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
2 cups dates
Dash of ceylon cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Filling
1.5 cups soaked cashews*
1 heaping cup pumpkin pure*
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nut meg
1/8 tsp gloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave
1/4 cup-1/2 cup filtered water (start with less then add more)
1 tsp salt

Cashew Vanilla Drizzle:
1 cup soaked cashews
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/8 cup maple syrup or agave
1/4-1/2 cup water (start with less water to blend)
Dash of salt

When I got the opportunity to fly to Spain to cook for a Self-Care Yoga Retreat, I said yes with out a doubt. The retreat venue was located an hour from Malaga, Spain in the Andalusia Mountains. The space and view was nothing short but magical. The retreat venue was a Spanish vibe and was located high up in the mountains, overlooking the Andalusia mountains, valley, lake and the ocean. The retreat venue was quirky yet charming and inviting.

There were 14 British women who attended the retreat and it was hosted by the incredible Yoga Teacher, Megan Halewood. Most of these women were not used to eating a strictly plant based, vegan diet. They all expressed how open minded and pleased they were to eat this way for the duration of the retreat.
This was the first time I cooked for a big group like this in a foreign country. Of course it came with challenges, like cooking in a foreign kitchen with appliances I've never used and shopping around in multiple supermarkets to find the ingredients I needed. But overall, I learned to adapt and work with what I got and this was the greatest lesson in it all.

The weekend was so special because for some of the women, it was their first time leaving their kids at home and taking time off to do something for themselves. A time for them to “retreat”, restore, relax and self-reflect. This is a huge reason why I love cooking and sharing my food in this kind of setting. I believe retreats offer a space for self-reflection and transformation, and I like to think my food is a reflection of that.

The retreat ladies participated in yoga twice daily, got to on a couple hikes, relax near the pool with the amazing view and nourish their bodies with plant powered foods. I was over the moon to hear how much everyone loved the food and that they left feeling inspired to continue eating this way and incorporating more plant foods into their diet.

- The Plant-Based Retreat Menu -

Daily breakfast:
Mixed berry ginger smoothies
Homemade banana bread
Peanut butter
Superfood burcha
Fresh fruit

Evening # 1:
- Vegetable red curry with brown rice
- Raw carrot cake

Evening # 2:
- Falafel bowl with chickpea falafel + quinoa tabbouleh + sprouted cashew herb tzakiki
- Raw raspberry cheesecake

Evening # 3:
- Spaghetti + zucchini noodles + walnut meat + cashew parmesan + salad w/ garlic tahini dressing
- Raw coconut carob brownie

Snacks:
- Watermelon juice
- Pineapple juice
- Chocolate peanut butter bliss
- Lemon coconut bliss balls

A big thank you to Megan for inviting me and for the incredible experience. To all the ladies, it was a pleasure meeting you, connecting with you and feeding you! You all honestly made me feel so welcomed, at home and loved. I hope to see you again!

Megan Halewood Info:
Email halewoodyoga@outlook.com
Social @halewoodyoga

with love,

Kaitlyn

On Saturday September 14th, Tastebud Gatherings and I brought together 33 guests for an unique Raw Food + CBD dining experience. The evening was located in a backyard in Cardiff by the Sea, a coastal beach town in Northern San Diego. We served a 6-course fully raw and vegan Italian meal infused with 20mg of CBD. Our mission was to bring our community together, over an intimate dining experience, to connect on a deeper level with new and old friends and explore the benefits of CBD. As well as celebrate the power of whole foods.

The menu was designed to bring us back to our roots of eating whole and natural, just like nature designed food to be. Eating a variety of whole foods in their natural state is very grounding and centering. Which is why every component of each dish was made from scratch, from the noodles, to the breads, to the sauces and nut cheeses. The meals were a take on Italian cuisine but with a modern and raw vegan twist. The bread and cheese sticks were made from sprouted sunflower seeds and dehydrated at a low temp of 105F. The ravioli noodles were created from shaved red beet. The mozzarella, ricotta and cheeses were all created from sprouting macademia and cashews. The main entree the Truffle Mushroom Stroganoff was one of the favorite dishes of the evening. Made with lemon kelp noodles tossed in a sprouted truffle white pepper alfredo and dehydrated mushroom and onions. Fresh herbs like basil, sage, parsley, micro greens and edible flowers were added to each plate. Below are some photos of behind the scenes in the kitchen. Thank you to Katie and Andrew at Tastebud Gatherings for all your help!

Thank you to Garber & Co for providing delicious organic + biodynamic wine’s for our wine pairing, as well as Knd Labs for providing us the purest, most high vibe CBD. Thank you to our sponsors for donating a variety of delicious beverages. High Style Brewing + Topo Chico + Feeloki. Thank you to our photographers Tyler Reid and Breton Carasso for documenting the evening.

and of course a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who joined us. It was a pleasure bringing together a group of you and cooking for you.

If you would like to attend a dinner like this in the future, feel free to fill out my newsletter on the bottom of my homepage, where I send out all invites and updates on upcoming events and dinners.

Thanks so much for reading!

xx

Kaitlyn

Back in July, I taught a yoga class looking over the beautiful Baja California coast. I wanted to write a small blog post about it and share some photos, but life happened… so here is is now!

The weekend full of camping, music and yoga was located just 1 hour past the boarder on a private property. We set up our campsites on a hill side with the most beautiful view of the ocean and mountains. It was a magical weekend, bringing new and old friends together. To connect, celebrate and of course dance.

The highlight to my weekend was teaching this Yoga class. 25+ people showed up to breathe, connect and set an intention that would serve their highest selves for the weekend. It was truly a magical experience and an honor to guide everyone through this hour together.

Thank you to everyone who showed up! Hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed this moment :)

love & light,

Kaitlyn

Here are 3 of the sauces I made at my last community raw vegan dinner!
They were so good not to share. Sauces add so much value to any dish which is why I love making them by scratch.

⁣Macadamia Sour Cream - ⁣⁣⁣

1 cup macadamia nuts (soaked) ⁣⁣⁣
1/4 cup olive oil ⁣⁣⁣
1/2 cup water ⁣⁣⁣
3 tbsp lemon juice⁣⁣⁣
1 tsp sea salt⁣⁣⁣
2 tsp maple syrup (optional) ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣Blend in a high speed blender! ⁣⁣⁣

Cilantro Lime Sauce - ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣3/4 cup cashews (soaked)⁣⁣⁣
1/2 cup fresh cilantro⁣⁣⁣
2 garlic cloves⁣⁣⁣
3 tbsp lime juice⁣⁣⁣
1 tsp sea salt⁣⁣
1/2 cup water (more if needed) ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣Blend in a high speed blender! ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣Cashew Cheese - ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣1 cup cashews (soaked) ⁣⁣⁣
1/2 red bell pepper ⁣⁣⁣
1/4 cup lemon juice⁣⁣⁣
2 garlic cloves⁣⁣⁣
2 tsp garlic powder⁣⁣⁣
2 tsp onion powder ⁣⁣⁣
1/2 cup water (more if needed)⁣⁣⁣
1 tsp salt⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Blend in a high speed blender!⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣

Soak your nuts for up to 4 hours in cold water or 1 hour in hot water.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

If you make them, let me know what you think!

Sacred Sisterhood Circle

What a magical evening!
On Saturday June 15th, 21 of us women came together. A group of familiar and foreign faces but all sisters open to sharing themselves and coming together under the power of the full moon. I got to collaborate with two of my friends Stephie and Gess to make this night happen. Stephie and Gess led an empowering cacao ceremony with Guatamalan cacao, kundalini, sound healing, meditation, reiki, oils and breathwork. We all spoke about entering the summer solstice and what we are wanting to release and shed, so that we can step into our highest power. What was shared from each woman was so relatable to everyone and really shows that we are never alone, that we all experience the same feelings and thoughts as we are all here in human form. We’re here to embrace the dark times as well as the light because it all serves a purpose.

A raw food dinner is what followed the cacao ceremony. I made a 3 course meal for 20 ladies! We set our intentions, blessed our food and celebrated the power of whole foods, together. A grounding meal, full of nourishing food from the earth, which was a reflection of our grounding ceremony.

Below is the menu I served:

Appetizer
Cauliflower Chicken Nori Wrap served with a Cilantro Lime Dressing

Main Course
Taco Salad Bowl served with Mushroom/Walnut Meat + Macadamia Sour Cream + Cashew Cheese + Guacamole + Salsa + Sprouts
+ dehydrated Bell Pepper Tortilla Chips

Dessert
Strawberry Cheesecake

The evening was a memorable experience! Cooking with living foods and creating a memorable dining experiencing is a huge passion of mine. So i’m beyond thankful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with my two friends, bring a group of women together and to cook for everyone. Was a gorgeous evening!

We will be hosting more of these types of events so stay tuned!
&
Thank you to everyone who came and for your support!

For details on booking me to cook for a private event or health + wellness retreat you can contact me HERE.

Space + decor created by Stephie Shannon.

Stephie’s email: stephiehshannon@gmail.com
Gess’s email: gessicabrooke@gmail.com

XO

Recipe:

Crust:

• 1/2 cup buckwheat groats

• 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut

• 1/4 cup ground golden flax seed

• 3/4 cup soft, pitted medjool dates*

• pinch sea salt

Caramel:

• 1 cup soft, pitted medjool dates*

• 1/4 cup raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/4 cup filtered water

• pinch sea salt

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut

• 1/2 cup raw almonds

• 4 tbsp cacao nibs

Chocolate Drizzle:

• 1/2 cup cacao butter, warmed to liquid

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder

• pinch sea salt

Instructions:

1. Line a 6x6 inch square pan with parchment paper, set aside.

2. To make the crust: In a food processor combine the buckwheat groats, shredded coconut, dates, and sea salt and process until the mixture starts to hold together when squeezed. (If not holding together you may need to add a few more dates or a 1tbsp spoonful of water).

3. To make the caramel: combine the dates, coconut butter, maple syrup, water, sea salt, and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth.  Spread out over the prepared crust.

4. Scatter the coconut, almonds, and cacao nibs on top of the caramel layer.

5. To make the chocolate drizzle, whisk together all ingredients until smooth then drizzle over the bars in the pan.

6. Place the pan of bars in the freezer for at least an hour to set up before cutting.
   
   Makes 9 pieces.
   
   Notes:

   If dates are not soft, soak them in filtered water for 30 minutes and drain well before using

   Recipe adapted from Amy Lyons.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Kinder.

“So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.

I was born and raised in San Diego, in a household where my dad was a self-employed entrepreneur and my mother was a stay at home mom. My mother loved to cook, and my family and I got to enjoy home-cooked meals together on a daily basis. When I was a kid, I remember coming straight home from school wanting to bake and help her in the kitchen. Although most of our meals were home cooked, we did eat a Standard American Diet which involved animal products and processed food. I grew up extremely active, always involved in sports but also ate a big amount of fast food and ice cream.

My passion for plant-based nutrition really began when I was 16. This was right when I got home from studying abroad for a semester in Berlin, Germany. I was in a place in my life of independence and wanting to change old habits. I heard about a vegan diet and was so fascinated by this way of eating and wanted to give it a try. I began food shopping for myself and reading food labels. I was blown away by the harmful ingredients I was learning that companies put in processed foods, as well as learning about the horror involved in the animal agriculture industry.

A couple of years later, my dad suddenly passed from a heart attack. Growing up, I remember him not having healthy eating habits and he struggled with type 2 diabetes from being overweight. The loss of my dad really kick-started my passion for plant-based nutrition. I believed then and still do now, that a whole food plant-based diet could have reversed his diabetes and would have allowed him to live his life longer. I will always struggle with not having him in my life but my experience of losing him has given me so much heart and passion to put into my work.

After going to community college for a couple of years and living abroad as an Au Pair in Munich, Germany, I knew a traditional college degree wasn’t for me. So, for the past five years, I have been traveling and diving into certificates and programs that I’m interested in.

I first completed my 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Corepower Yoga. I then became a “Certified Nutrition Consultant” through the Natural Healing Institute in Encinitas. From there, I completed a Raw Food Chef Certification training at the Seeds of Life in Bali, Indonesia and studied Plant-Based Nutrition through E-Cornell University.

For the last year, I had the opportunity to work in the kitchen at Peace Pies, a local Raw Vegan Restaurant in San Diego, where I, fortunately, was able to learn next to some amazing chefs and take my passion for raw food cooking a step further. In January of this year, I traveled solo to Goa, India for five weeks and completed my 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training through Trimurti Yoga. I’m now teaching at my favorite yoga studio, Evolve Yoga in Encinitas.

I’ve hosted multiple community raw food dinners in my home for anywhere from to 10-14 people. My raw food dinners compose of a full course meal, which every component of a dish is homemade from whole food ingredients. This has been an incredible experience for me and has allowed me to take my passion one step further and cook for intimate private dinners, events and intimate health and wellness retreats.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?

Attending community college and working towards a college degree was something I always struggled with. It wasn’t easy for me to decide not to go to a traditional 4-year school. There is a lot of pressure in society to have a bachelor’s degree and I know it’s a blessing to be able to get this “traditional” type of education but I don’t believe this type of schooling is for everyone. I feel very lucky that I was able to find alternative programs I’m passionate about because they have all been incredible life-changing experiences.

I’ve always struggled with finding which direction I want to go in with my work. I first started working with clients as a nutrition consultant specializing in plant-based nutrition but felt like there was more I could be doing by bringing people and food together. After working at Peace Pies for a year and hosting my raw food dinners, I learned how connected I am to working with food and creating a memorable experience for people. I’ve learned by trying different paths and saying yes to opportunities that come my way, I’m able to learn to follow what lights me up because I know this is how I will light up the world.

I also often struggle using social media as a platform for my business. I believe in this day and age, anybody can have an “Instagram based business.” It’s been a great avenue to connect with people and to promote my food but out of all the work I do, being active on social media is my least favorite. I find it time-consuming and at times discouraging but overall I try to find a balance between using it for its positives and taking a step away when I’m feeling drained from its negatives.

Rooted in Raw – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?

I am a Raw Food Chef, Certified Nutrition Consultant and Registered Yoga Teacher (500 hours). My business “Rooted in Raw” offers raw food chef services and cooks for intimate health and wellness retreats, events and private dinners.

I’m known for being a vegan chef that specializes in raw food. Raw food is composed of pure whole food ingredients which are unprocessed and unrefined, just like nature designed them. This type of cooking is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, grain-free and preservative-free which is pretty incredible because this style of cooking is available to people with most common food allergies.

Raw food cooking is unique because nothing is cooked over 115F. I use a dehydrator every day in the kitchen which allows me to make bread, crackers, pizza crusts, burger patties, etc. out of whole vegetables, herbs, nuts and seeds. I prepare each dish sole by hand chopping, blending, slicing, shredding, dehydrating or juicing without any help from the oven or stove tops.

I’m extremely proud of this style of cooking because it promotes passion to all beings and it is an extremely “low waste” style of cooking. Low waste meaning the majority of my ingredients come package (or plastic) free. Reducing waste and keeping our planet clean is a huge value of mine. Cooking with the intention to heal, cleanse and nourish is another big value of mine

What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.

Growing up in La Jolla, I was a happy kid. A little shy but always curious, imagining, wanting to create and be with friends. I looked up to people easily especially my parents and my grandparents for their kindness and hard work ethics.

My whole upbringing my parents gave me freedom and independence which allowed me to take on all my experiences with a clear lens. School wasn’t my favorite but I loved my friends and having a social life. I was always involved in sports and was on a competitive cheerleading team for six years called Champion Cheer Outlaws.

My family and I would take the opportunity to travel during our summer and school breaks. We would drive down to Baja for weeks at a time. I loved being outside, camping and being barefoot outdoors in nature.

I’m fortunate to have had parents who liked to travel because I was introduced to different lifestyles at a young age. My parents allowed me to travel to Europe with my best friend for a month when I was 14, which was my first trip solo. Having the support and trust of my parents at a young age allowed me to trust myself and my intuition. I learned at a young age I’m able to make decisions for myself as long as it helps me grow, is in alignment with what I believe in and it betters the world around me.”

http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-kaitlyn-kinder-rooted-raw-encinitas/

Grateful for the opportunity to be featured in the SD Voyager and to be apart of a supportive community.
Thanks for reading :)

- Kaitlyn