June 18 Questions: Jennifer Cornbleet

1.What is your name?

Jennifer Cornbleet

 

2.What is your occupation?

Healthy cooking teacher & coach

 

3.Do you have a “green” memory growing up?

I took a summer trip to Costa Rica when I was 16, and it was a pivotal moment for me—the tropical forests, volcanoes, and beautiful coastline—all of these natural wonders deepened my connection to the earth. It was there that I discovered the healing power of being in nature, and the calm that it can bring into your life.

 

4.What’s your favorite meal?

I love a good comforting bowl that includes whole grains, beans, veggies and sauce. Some of my favorite ingredients to use are: brown rice, black beans, lentils, guacamole, salsa, or pesto.

 

5.Who/What inspires you to be more “green” in your life?

I’ve been really inspired by books and blogs that explore the philosophy of living simply and decluttering your life of excessive things. When you live more simply, it not only frees up time, money, and space, but it’s also environmentally friendly to consume less stuff! It’s actually stressful to manage all of these things that we can accumulate, and when you let go of things, you realize how little you actually need. It’s really transformative.

 

6.Where on the “green scale” do you fall?

Since I don’t eat packaged foods or consume meat, I naturally fall on the “greener” side of the scale. Yet I’m always open to learning about more ways to become even “greener.”

 

7.What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is enabling people to achieve their business and health goals. I love motivating people to use their natural talent and confidence to break through to the life they want. The most challenging part of my job is learning how to delegate some of my workload. It’s hard to let go!

 

8.Where’s your “greenspot”: food, bodycare/beauty, oceans, home or neighborhood, explain.

My “greenspot” is really simple—I go for a 30-minute walk every morning before I do anything else. When I’m walking I get to enjoy the trees, plants, and little squirrels running around. Sometimes I’ll head to a park, because the energy of trees makes me feel rejuvenated. It’s great because I can do this ritual no matter where I am.

 

9.What is one environmental change you vow to make in the next year?

I’d really like to shop more at farmer’s markets. Supporting local agriculture is a great way to reduce your footprint, and the produce doesn’t get much fresher than that.

 

10.If there was one industry/product that you could make more eco-friendly, what would it be?

I’d like to see better public transportation in all cities across the U.S. Europe has such a great system of trains; I really think we could step up our game in this country!

 

11.What makes you cringe?

Anything deep-fried! Also those weird combinations of things like, hot dogs on pizza or the turducken—just, no.

 

12.What do you want your legacy to be?

I’d like my legacy to be less about me and more about the people I empowered. I help people live happier, more peaceful, and better lives—that’s what I want to leave behind!

 

13.Can you elaborate on what a raw diet is?

Yes! It is lots of fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. For me that means lots of fruit salads, green smoothies, and all kinds of juices.

 

14.What difficulties did you face when transitioning to a raw diet?

While I’m not 100% raw, I do eat a high-raw diet, and in the beginning I found it hard to let go of those quintessential “comfort foods” that you love to eat but aren’t necessarily good for you. The great part was finding ways to replicate those kinds of foods with raw recipes, like chocolate cake. Then it doesn’t feel so difficult!

 

15.What advice do you have for someone who is looking into transitioning into a raw lifestyle?

Keep it really simple rather than going crazy with a ton of gourmet recipes. Focus on making one meal raw at a time. Get your smoothie going for breakfast. Then switch to a salad for lunch. Keep adding more and more raw as you go. You’ll get there!

 

16.In what ways can a raw diet aid in healing our bodies physically?

Eating mainly fresh fruits and veggies will really pack a punch in the nutrition department. You are getting a ton of vitamins and phytonutrients, which can drastically improve your health. Also, what you are NOT eating will make a great difference. When you cut out things like sugar, flour, unhealthy oils, and processed food, you allow your body to function better.

 

17.What benefits, other than physical health benefits, do you see eating a raw diet has given you?

A raw diet has given me improved mental clarity, increased energy, and an overall sense of being lighter and able to do more things. It also reset my palate, so I don’t have those terrible cravings for unhealthy foods. I’ve also found eating raw to be a mood stabilizer and generally help with overall feelings of happiness.

 

18.Tell us a little bit about your book/DVDs!

My book, Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People, focuses on how to make easy, raw meals in 30 minutes or less with no fancy equipment. The portions are smaller, so you’re only making the food you need, which helps save on money and time.

 

My DVDs are great tools for visual learners, or anyone who wants the full experience of making my raw dishes step by step. Check out: Raw Food Made Easy, Raw in a Rush, as well as Travel and Treats.