How I lost weight without even trying!
I am still here (and kicking!)
Last time I left you I was waiting for my connecting flight from Chicago to come home to the desert and well, now I am back home.
Sorry to have left you so long, but I’ve needed the time to adjust to being back home again and all that involves 
It’s such a long journey from the middle of US of A to Saudi Arabia.
Funny thing is, in the week I’ve been home, I’ve not stepped foot in my kitchen once, and my appetite has almost diminished. My first night back I went out for greasy malaysian/chinese food for group dinner with friends and hardly ate a thing as my tummy churned at the thought of such heavy meal compared to my 4 weeks of sheer indulgence in RAW foods.
Oh and for those that are curious, raw food does help you lose weight! Not that I was trying mind you. The whole time I was in Oklahoma City attending school, I was not even aware of how little or how much I was eating, in fact you are EATING all the time, by the end, most of us were quite sick of food 
So in a month I lost around 4kgs/8.8lbs. And that was only getting to the gym 3 times as I was so focused on school. Wow, now to ensure it stays that way, now that I am back in Saudi with not much inspiration around me. I woke up the first week I was home, wishing a raw cafe to appear right outside my front door
But as with everything, this is a process, and hopefully what I have learnt will, in someway be beneficial to my community here in Saudi. So, with that in mind, for those of you asking what I had planned now that I am trained by 105 degrees, first things first.
I am having a Raw Tasting Party on my compound!!! Details are to be finalised but I am excited to be putting it all together in the very near future! So watch this space.
Oh and I finally got the photos from Russell from my final assessment. Do you want to see them?
Fattouch Salad with Zaatar Croutons
Tastes of Arabia – Cheese Borek, Mutabal, Hummus, Tabouleh and Zaatar Bread
Date Custard & Rosewater & Cardamom Icecream
As you can see, I was really influenced by the culture and tastes of where I live. I’ll be sharing the recipes with you in the coming weeks.
In other news, I am hoping to unveil my newly designed blog, hopefully by the end of this week. So stick around.
Oh and by the way, I did my first grocery shop today, so expect some yumminess over the next couple of days as I reacquaint myself with my kitchen!
What have you been making in your kitchen lately?
Night all!
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welcome back darlin!!
Especially all the raw dips!!
Your final meal looks amazing, can’t wait for the recipes!!
Not sure if you saw, but I am doing raw food basics beginning of June – so excited. I wish I could do the 3 week full Raw food Chef course, but I just can’t afford it right now, I can’t wait to get immersed in it too.. (and hopefully i’ll drop 8 pounds! haha)
Anywhoo missed you lots, glad you are back!
Jess
Missed you too girl x
Looks awesome!
Hey! I’m a new reader, newly transitioning to a higher-raw lifestyle, and since I’m Middle Eastern, I’m really looking forward to what delights you have devised!
Yay! Where are you from Ilana?
I live in New York but my family originally hails from Kurdistan/northern Iraq, and relocated to Palestine in the 1930′s – most of them still live there!
Your final assessment meal looks scrummy – can’t wait to try the recipes. The Vita-mix arrived and I am SO loving it, I can’t even tell you. I also want to buy a dehydrator at some point too, but for now am thoroughly besotted with the Vita. Congrats on the weight loss too
Oh my you are gonna have plenty of fun with your VM
I really enjoyed getting to see everything you were doing in school, but I have missed your recipes. I’ve been inspired by you and my diet is now about 70% raw. I never thought I would crave veggies over a cookie, but I do! Thank you for sharing your life and experiences!
Hey thanks Tricia! I know what you mean. French fries and bread used to be my main craves but now it is a green smoothie or a yummy salad. Who would have thunk it!
Your meal looks beautiful! I can hardly wait to get to the academy to start my own creations. It must be so nice to be home.
Daneen
You are gonna love it Daneen!
gorgeous photos! what a meal!
glad you arrived home safely.
the food looks amazing!!
Welcome back my love!! I am so excited to see and hear all about your time away! You are such an inspiration
These dishes look amazing and I think I need the recipe for the ice cream…..YUM!
Love Kris
I bet that eating all throughout the day helped too! I hope that you are getting adjusted to being back home and having fun catching up with friends. Can’t wait to see what’s coming up next!
Welcome back home, I hope the adjusting is going well. I hear ya on greasy food, after going all raw for awhile, I can’t even stand the thought! Can’t wait for the tasting details and the pics are amazing!
Welcome home! Those pics are amazing!!! Yay for accidental weight loss! Go raw!
Those all look AMAZING!!!
I’ve missed you TERRIBLY!!! Welcome back and I couldn’t be happier for you to have had that wonderful experience. I’m so looking forward to reading what you come up with over the next few weeks!
XOXO,
Erin
That all looks delicious especially the cardamon ice cream, I want some of that despite it being quite cold in Melbourne at the moment.
Your meal looks amazing! Congrads on your final assessment. What an experience, wasn’t it? I as following all the mouth-watering pictures of the food you made.
The latest yummy raw creation was a refreshing tomato curry dressing I found on Choosing Raw. It reminds me again and again that salads can be exciting if you’ve got the right dressing.
Welcome back!
Gosh, amazing that you lost all that weight without trying. Gotta love the raw foods; once you start there’s no turning back
(just need to break my diet coke habit now…)
Your assessment foods look delicious. Can’t wait to see what delights you have in store and the new blog design.
xxx
mmm, yummy(I especially love the combo of flavours in the ice-cream:)! I guess a raw vegan cafe / eaterie in Saudi is your next project, Robyn?!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Another reason to go to school there!!
Meal looks fabulous!!
yes!! recipes!!! i’m so fascinated by the Zaatar Bread.
Such beautiful food!!! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences in Oklahoma!!! Aloha:)
Robyn, your food looks delicious, congratulations. My name is Robyn also, however I am a little older than you… 62! I have been a raw fooder for 9 months. Wish you were in Canberra so I could attend one of your cooking demonstrations. Wishing you every success. Robyn
Hi Robyn!! Waiting anxiously for your next post, is been a while.. Hope you’re doing great!!
Wow. Those dishes are fantastic! Way to incorporate the foods from where you live! I love that. And everything looks so amazing. Great photos!
And nice on the weight loss… I wish I could do that… I enjoy food a bit too much at times, though!
Hey Robyn, I love the pictures of the food you made at 105 Degrees its so inspiring to know you can make some healthy raw food that looks so good. I will start saving some money so i can go over and learn all these things. Congrats on your final assesment looking forward to the recipes. All the best
Wow.. great job Robyn! I’m sure they taste better than they look!