Corporate Programme
One Of The World's Top Restaurants Goes Vegan
Since the global pandemic many have realised that not only has the world changed, but along with that millions of people have been awakened to the devastation of an animal based diet in more ways than one. One of the world's top restaurants, Eleven Madison Park in New York will re-open next month as a fully vegan restaurant. It is becoming ever clearer that the current food system is simply not sustainable in so many ways.
Even though more scientists are sounding the alarm, no leaders in any of the world's most powerful governments are properly heeding their warning. Many thousands of the world's scientists have been issuing formal warnings about climate change and other ecological disasters for almost thirty years. But they have all been ignored by those in power.
Go Vegan - It's The Answer
Feed The World
Greens with Italian Vinaigrette
Marlene's Italian Vinaigrette
Gravity Yoga Personal Training
Targeted Flexibility Training (beginners welcome). Do you have locked up hips? Tight hamstrings? Stiff lower back? Gravity Yoga is a targeted mobility training method that works to open up your body. Next month, I am taking on three additional private clients (I’ll come to you), or we can work together on zoom so if you’d like to improve your flexibility, email me to setup a *Free Discovery Class* to learn more. I also offer private sessions for corporates.
Movement Is Medicine
Gravity Yoga is a mat-based, targeted mobility training method that helps students with stiff backs, locked up hips, and tight hamstrings. During class, you’ll learn how to utilize the science of passive stretching to effectively change your body, improve posture, and increase range of motion.
These classes are hugely popular all around the world because they deliver flexibility results quickly. Class is designed for all levels, beginners welcome.
The Three Pillars of Gravity Yoga
Wet Noodle. Muscles stretch best when completely relaxed. So when you train for flexibility, you attempt to relax into the stretch as much as possible.
4:8 Breathing. Inhale through your nose to the count of four, exhale to the count of eight. This breathing practice turns off the stretch reflex, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system response, and relieves muscle tension.
Meet or Beat Your Hold Time. The gating factor for flexibility is time under passive tension (AKA how long you spend in these deep poses). The typical Gravity Yoga hold times are 2-5 minutes.
My background in fitness spans four decades. From teaching aerobics in the 80's to studying TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and running my own yoga studio for years where I taught tai chi, chi kung, yoga and pilates.
Why Being Flexible Is Great For Your Health
This targeted flexibility training offered by gravity yoga is simply incredible. The results are outstanding and as I tell all my clients and students, mobility equates to longevity.
Alongside being a well-known sought after Macrobiotic health counsellor, teacher and lecturer on plant-based nutrition and a vegan chef, I am the author of many books. My passion for health and wellness knows no bounds.
Connect with me via my website www.macrovegan.org
I look forward to guiding you to a new way of thinking about your health.
Health is everything, without health everything is nothing.
Stay well
Tahini Sauce for Salads, Vegetables and Wraps
I am currently working my way through some delicious dressings and as always, inspired by what nature offers us. The simple creations that I am teaching our students shine on so many levels. Such versatility with robust flavours are quite frankly loved by all.
Tahini paste is made from crushed sesame seeds and has quite a nutty taste. It is available in jars from regular supermarkets. There are two main types of tahini, hulled and unhulled. Hulled tahini does not grind the whole sesame seed and because of this it does not contain as much calcium, protein and vitamins as unhulled. Unhulled tahini is made from the whole sesame seed and it the most nutritionally packed type of tahini. Hulled tahini is not as bitter tasting as the unhulled type. Raw tahini contains more nutrients than roasted tahini.
Rich in Nutrients
Tahini is a source of calcium, protein and B vitamins. Tahini is a good source of essential fatty acids (EFA), these EFA's are used in helping to maintain healthy skin. Because one of the ingredients in tahini is sesame oil it has quite a high calorie content so should be used in moderation if weight problems are an issue. The good news is the majority of fats in tahini are unsaturated rather than saturated. Tahini is a source of vitamin E which helps to reduce the rate of ageing in body cells. Sesame seeds are also a good source of the amino acid Methionine. Methionine is an important contributor to liver detoxification and helps with the absorption of other amino acids.
I use tahini in dressings, desserts, spreads and have been known to eat it straight from the jar!
This is a very simple and tasty recipe to make with some fresh basil leaves and it's one of my absolute favourites. Delicious served over my crisp baked tofu bowl. Enjoy.
Basil Infused Tahini Sauce
4 cloves roasted garlic
½ cup sesame tahini
2 tbsp. sweet white miso
1 tsp. umeboshi paste
Juice of one lemon
3/4 cup water, more as needed for desired consistency
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender to achieve a creamy consistency.
You will find 85 delicious recipes in my latest book Go Vegan, available world-wide.
Please Join Bill and I in service for a healthy world for humans and nonhumans alike. Thank you.
In good health
Corporate Programmes
As a firm believer that in order to be productive and exceed in our roles we need to have strong mental and physical health now more than ever! With that in mind I invited Marlene Watson-Tara to run an online session for my team speaking about the importance of our daily diet for overall health. With the way of the world, we now live in its critical to improve our immune system and stay healthy.
Wellbeing of staff both mentally & physically should be the most important factor for any organisation. Marlene's decades of experience and unique skills along with her 'can-do' vibrant personality made the experience not only educational but fun. Learning how to eat right for maintaining a healthy gut is critical now more than ever. The whole team enjoyed the session and it was a start to a transformational journey for many of us …
As leaders in any organisations you should know that your employees are the greatest asset, and looking after their wellbeing should be every leaders no.1 priority."
Exasol UK Limited
Farah Brown | Head of Sales UK, Ireland, Nordic, CIS & MEA
Spring Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing
Spring for me is the most beautiful time of year. I adore watching the beautiful snowdrops peep through in early February. There used to be many lovely gardens on my walk to school, and I am sure the neighbours did not begrudge me a few wee snowdrops to press into my beloved schoolbooks. Then the crocuses would shoot up with the most beautiful vibrant yellows, purples, and white and blues that filled my world with colour.
When you are a child, everything seems so big and awesome, and for me the daffodils around Easter time were the crème de la crème. Big, beautiful, bright heads of sunshine blowing in the wind in various shades of yellow, sitting below the incredible beauty of the apple blossom trees that lined the streets and avenues in shades of white and pink, would
tell us that summer was just around the corner.
Put A Spring In Your Step
Spring is such a wonderful time of year, with new buds on the trees and shrubs, and everything coming alive again from the dormancy and hibernation of winter when it seems like the world is asleep. Well, nature has been asleep, resting, but then comes back in fullforce to fill our lives with colour. How clever, what a life plan, what a creation.
Spring is the time of year when the liver and gallbladder present themselves for an annual service. The flavour most often associated with this season is the sour taste, and the relevant vegetables are fresh new-growth greens. Particularly bitter greens such as spring greens, dandelion, endive, radicchio, collards and arugula. These are foods that are seen to promote a gentle cleansing of the liver. Yes, this is the time of year when your body really wants to detox naturally.
It is the taste of sour foods that nourishes the Liver-Gallbladder system: lemons and limes, umeboshi plums, sourdough bread, as well as fermented foods such as pickles, sauerkraut and vinegars.
Spring Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing
1 cup quinoa
1 1/3 cup water
Pinch sea salt
½ cup spring onions, finely diced
1 carrot, grated
½ cup sweet orange roasted pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 apple, peeled and chopped
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp shelled hemp
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
To Serve
Fresh mixed salad greens
Dill Pickles
½ cup toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Wash the quinoa and drain, place in a heavy-based pan with the water and sea salt. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low so that the contents simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered for a further 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool. Add the remaining ingredients. Drizzle the lemon dressing over the salad and stir in.
Zesty Lemon Dressing
1 tsp umeboshi plum vinegar
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of half a lemon
¼ cup ground almonds
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup filtered water
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. tamari
Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender, add more water if desired for a thinner consistency.
You will find over 80 delicious and easy recipes in my latest book Go Vegan. Thank you for your support of our work.
In good health
Baked Tofu Nuggets with Creamy Dip
Soy has long been recognized as a nutrient-dense food and as an excellent source of protein. The soybean contains all of the essential amino acids, as well as an impressive list of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
Micronutrients in rich supply in soy include: calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C and zinc. Fibre and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are also present in soy. The composition of these nutrients varies among preparations but is in the highest quantity in fermented soy foods such as miso, tempeh, natto, and whole soy foods such as edamame (whole soy beans), soy milk and tofu.
Lessons from Asia
Soy has been a major staple in Asian cultures for centuries, and their incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, ischemic stroke, hormone-dependent cancers, osteoporosis, postmenopausal hip fracture, diabetes, and obesity are all markedly lower than what is seen here in the West. However, when sectors of these populations begin to consume foods based more on the Western diet, not surprisingly, their patterns of disease begin to mimic ours as well.
The terms ‘vegan’ and ‘plant-based’ were not yet widely in use, yet there was at least recognition of the association between geographic variability in diet, and health conditions. In 1990 the human genome project commenced and was completed in 2003. The connection that independent of the mass of genetic information all humans share, how we live and what we eat will have a huge and direct impact on our health. Ancient wisdom rocks my world. My love of teaching the 5 elements from TCM and Macrobiotics has always made complete sense to me.
We use tofu in miso soup, sauces, desserts and burgers. This simple offering below from the power packed soy bean is delicious, healthy and takes only minutes to prepare.
Quick and Easy Recipe
1 pack organic soft tofu
1 large carrot, grated
1 tbsp. shoyu
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
1 tsp. onion granules
1 tsp. garlic granules
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
¼ tsp. turmeric
½ cup ground almonds
½ cup sourdough breadcrumbs
¼ cup fresh coriander, minced
Place the tofu in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Preheat the oven to 200/400°. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Stir the mixture until it is cohesive and forms a big ball. Pinch of a piece at a time and roll into small balls. Place the balls on a parchment lined baking sheet, and cook for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden. Serve with some fresh salad leaves and cashew cream dip.
Creamy Cashew Cheese Dip
1 cup cashews
½ cup filtered water
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. umeboshi vinegar
Juice of one lemon
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
Soak the cashews overnight in filtered water. Discard the water and put the nuts in a high-speed blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy add more water to achieve desired consistency. Chill for a few hours to develop the flavour. The mixture will thicken as it stands.
Going Vegan is easy, it makes my heart sing to see this movement growing around the world. Please support our work to help spread our educational programmes to every corner of the globe. Our latest books are available world-wide. How To Eat Right & Save The Planet and Go Vegan.
In good health
Ginger & Orange Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it? Not me. Welcome to the world of MACROVegan guilt free desserts! All the recipes you will find in my latest book Go Vegan have passed the test with discerning dessert aficionados. Most people are seekers of sugar. The ‘sweet’ taste receptor is right there on the tip of the tongue and cries out for satisfaction. I want to show you how to satisfy this craving with healthy treats.
All of my cookies and desserts use only natural organic ingredients and have great nutritional value. Some of the recipes are for every day enjoyment, such as the applesauce, the kanten or these delicious cookies, others are for special occasions. The day to day recipes in Go Vegan are doable even on a low budget. I personally like the simple apple and pear desserts but when we have family and friends for dinner it is great to make something special
I only use organic fair trade ingredients that are kind to the soil, the planet and do not involve food slavery. Please be conscious of where your ingredients come from. Here is my husband Bill Tara's favourite cookie I created for him.
Ginger & Orange Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These are a really wholesome treat, lower in fat and sugar than most shop-bought biscuits and packed with oatmeal and raisins for extra nutrients and flavour. Many of my cookies incorporate fruit and spices, rather than extra sugar and fat. I decided to share this recipe as it is Bill’s absolute favourite.
Ingredients:
1½ cups oatmeal
¾ cup wholewheat pastry flour
¾ cup unbleached white flour or almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
¾ cup currants
1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp apple butter
½ cup barley malt or brown rice syrup
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup orange juice
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger juice
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F), gas 4. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir into the dry ingredients. Transfer heaping tablespoons of dough to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch (2 cm) of space between the cookies. Flatten the cookies with the back of a fork to make rounds. Dip the fork in water to keep the mixture from sticking. Bake the cookies until the edges and undersides are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. Makes 16–18 cookies.
Note – Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by long, slow cooking of apples with cider or water to a point where the sugar in the apples caramelises, turning the apple butter a deep brown. The concentration of sugar gives apple butter a much longer shelf life as a preserve than apple sauce.
When you start cooking my recipes you will see that I always recommend a diet of wholefoods. Enjoy good health daily, invest in my book and some time in your kitchen.
As always, please share our work with family, friends and colleagues.
In good health
Corporate Health & Wellness Team Building
As a firm believer that in order to be productive & exceed in our roles, we need to have strong mental & physical health now more than ever! With that in mind Bill and I have been invited to present a series of different mental & physical wellbeing activities to some forward thinking companies who embrace the idea, 'One Team One Goal' - Our first online presentation covers the importance of a healthy diet for gut maintenance. With the world we live in right now it’s critical to improve our immune system to stay healthy.
There is no silver “bullet” that solves all problems, or any long-term result without commitment. We are most interested in working together with you to develop a plan of action specifically suited to the needs of you and your staff. The goal of the Corporate Well-Being Programme is to significantly improve the health and vitality of those enrolled. Participants will receive information and practical training in ways to improve their nutrition, fitness levels, mental health and vitality using techniques that are easy to follow and that produce timely results. My husband Bill Tara and I have 90 years combined experience teaching around the world. As international authors and health counsellors our clients range from European royalty, lawyers, bankers and many from the movies and arts.
Understanding Nutrition and Weight Control
Eating well is the most important single factor in good health and often the most challenging. We feel it has been made too complicated. The answers to healthy living do not reside in counting calories or following the latest weight loss programme – they lay in common sense. Bill and I have adapted the principles of ancient Asian wisdom with nutritional science to arrive at an approach to eating that considers personal preference, environment, physical habits and personal health goals.
Health is a dominant factor in our life. Health can allow us to fully express our potential, enjoy the simple pleasures of life and make us more resilient to physical and emotional stress. Health is often described as a state of balance but balance with what? The word homeostasis is sometimes used meaning a state of dynamic balance between ourselves and our environment.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times
Our increased scientific knowledge and the traditional wisdom of many cultures shows us that the key to good health starts in the gut. Our intestinal tract contains the internal environment of the gut biome. It is here where the nutritional components of the external environment go through the processes of digestion and absorption. This is governed by the 100 trillion micro-organisms in the gut. It is in this internal environment where the most intimate contact between us and the outer world take place. We control this community of cells through our daily food.
A major function of the gut biome is immunity. In the biome, the immune system can “practice” and develop the resistance to pathogens that may enter the body. In light of the increasing dangers for viral disease, the building of a healthy gut biome MUST be a priority for good health.
Personal Potential Maintenance
Once you are on our client list, we can provide you with refresher programmes that will better assure that the good work done is not wasted. We suggest monthly refreshers with the integration of new material to keep participants engaged. This can include online cooking classes, personal health questions and answers from your team and a host of other valuable presentations delivered on many topics.
Corporate Anti-Stress Programme
While there is no way to totally eliminate stress from our lives, anyone can learn simple techniques to reduce its harmful effects. It has been shown that simple physical and mental exercises can significantly reduce stress and increase mental acuity.
Our Anti-Stress programme teaches participants practical ways to relax, renew and unwind in a short time both in the office and at home. Your staff will learn how to overcome the tensions of the day and focus their attention on their work rather than on what’s not working.
Client Testimonial
"Wellbeing of staff both mentally & physically should be the most important factor for any organisation. As part of our Wellbeing theme we chose to work with Marlene to run a very informative session for our UK team. Her decades of experience and unique skills along with her 'can-do' vibrant personality made the experience not only educational but fun. Learning how to eat right for maintaining a healthy gut is critical now more than ever. The whole team enjoyed the session and it was a start to a transformational journey for many of us …
As leaders in any organisations you should know that your employees are the greatest asset, and looking after their wellbeing should be every leaders no.1 priority."
Exasol UK Limited
Farah Brown | Head of Sales UK, Ireland, Nordic, CIS & MEA
We have received other wonderful feedback from companies and look forward to sharing our work with many more. Please contact me for details and courses.
In good health