Two Raw Sisters

By Natasha Parrant

The Two Raw Sisters’ energy brightens up the room despite the sun is shining. With their contagious smile, they never fail to make each other laugh.

Margo and Rosa Flanagan are two young women with a passion for health, nutrition, and fitness. They’ve climbed to the top but it wasn’t easy, everyone starts somewhere. Rosa (26 years old) and Margo (23 years old) are well known for educating people on nutritional, healthy, whole, unprocessed ingredients, but where did it all begin? The sisters grew up on a lifestyle block in the Selwyn District, a rural area in central Canterbury, where they attended Lincoln School. They grew up with their parents and have an older brother Matthew who’s 28 years old. In Year 7 they moved to Rangi Ruru Girl’s High School in Merivale, where they stayed until Year 13. Rosa was a full-time athlete throughout high school. She enjoyed food, science, physical education, and nutrition. Margo always liked fashion, design, and photography at school. “Yeah, I never thought I’d be doing this,” she jokes as she refers to their business. The sisters balance teamwork well that when they’re not having to be serious, they have fun at work. “I think having our own business was only natural for us, really,” Margo says. They’ve always been very independent, Rosa adds. “I don’t think we were born to work for other people.” Rosa studied for a degree in nutrition after high school. She decided this was necessary after experiencing an eating disorder while being an elite athlete, she says. She had an obsession to overtrain and a big part of her recovery was learning how the body works, what she needed to eat (a balanced diet), why it’s important to eat, and the importance of fuelling bodies with nutritious food. “When I was younger, I enjoyed cooking. Our grandma was a really good cook and we did a lot of that together… The core of it started through the nutrition side of it and then wanting to help and educate other people on how to live a healthier sustainable lifestyle.” Margo has also experienced a lot of health issues. She has battled with gut issues, chronic fatigue, and endometriosis. Gut issues occur when the stomach hurts because of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, and/or heartburn. Chronic fatigue syndrome occurs when someone feels fatigued, can’t sleep properly, and/or has lots of pain for at least six months or throughout their life. Endometriosis is where the tissue, which normally lines the uterus, grows outside the uterus. The tissue can cause lots of pain and irregular menstrual cycles. Since high school “we restricted ourselves, being really hard on ourselves and had body image issues,” Rosa says. The Two Raw Sisters really are raw… they share their experiences so other people can relate and learn from them. They wouldn’t take back what happened because they wouldn’t be in the position they’re in today, Rosa says. Fortunately, Margo cured her chronic fatigue, which she had for six years, through gut health and a low fodmap diet. She didn’t find the diet too hard to follow because she knows how to substitute ingredients. “So many people focus on what they can’t have, no what they can have. With Two Raw Sisters, it’s going back to the basics and using whole, unprocessed ingredients that you’ve been using for years, but teaching you inventive ways on how to use them,” Margo says. The sisters educate people on having a plantbased diet, which isn’t becoming vegan or vegetarian, but is changing people’s perception of how to start creating a meal. For instance, starting meals with plants first then adding protein on the side. They don’t like restricting themselves from eating what they want. “Why do we have to name ourselves, why can’t we just eat in moderation? All eaters are welcome into our kitchen!” Margo says. In 2017 the sisters went to Los Angeles to do workshops and learned how to cook plant-based food at a culinary school for five months. The school’s workshops inspired them to do plant-based workshops in Christchurch. “We really enjoyed being in front of people, inspiring people, and educating people on how to live the lifestyle that they want,” Rosa says, smiling as she reminisces how far they’ve come. The sisters initially were based in their parent’s kitchen. People would hear about their workshops through word of mouth or by following their start-up journey. “It’s funny because at the start it was only like friends and family and then it slowly expanded,” Rosa chuckles. “We went through many different avenues to figure out what exactly we wanted to focus on… We learned that you’re better to do a couple of things and do it really well, rather than doing 20 different things,” Rosa says. The sisters refined their options down to The Two Raw Sisters business, which involves plant-based workshops, nationwide meet and greets, creating content, and plantbased recipes. When Christchurch’s health and wellbeing complex, The Welder opened in 2019, the sisters were approached to do their workshops there. “It seemed like the perfect fit so we moved in… we had to take it if we wanted to progress,” Margo says. “We’ve never really looked back,” Rosa adds. The sisters worked with a designer to create the kitchen where they host their workshops. The modern kitchen has wooden, whites, and neutrals carefully complimenting one another. The aim was to create a “homely feel,” they say simultaneously. The sisters have two cooking spaces to use depending on which workshop they’re doing. More intimate cooking with everyone (handson), or a workshop where they teach their guests the recipes and the guests just watch (demonstrations). “It works really well,” Rosa says. The best thing about doing workshops is chatting face-to-face rather than going on social media and writing out the instructions because “no one ever reads the full thing,” Margo points out. The sisters launched their app mid-last year where they do recipe testing, shoot photos and videos, and edit content. It can be downloaded via their website: www.tworawsisters.com. Rosa usually creates and puts the meals together for photos, whereas Margo takes photos and edits the imagery with their marketing and app manager Alexia Kotzikas. Alexia has been their manager since the beginning of this year, which the sisters agree has been helpful. The app provides easy, 30-minute recipes including tips and tricks, Margo says. There’s a downloadable shopping list so people can substitute some ingredients they’d prefer to have instead, along with instructions on how to make the recipe. “We wanted a platform that was affordable, it’s $2.50 a week for any device, anytime, anywhere,” Margo says. A week in the life of The Two Raw Sisters is different every time, but normally there’s a day or two dedicated to meetings and appointments, one or two mornings in the kitchen either shooting for their app, content for the month ahead, sometimes nationwide travel, and at least two workshops a week during peak times. “That’s what we love about our job, no day is the same!” Rosa expresses. Margo claims they’re quite efficient with how they approach taking reels, photos of meals, and app content they’ve created. “Learnt the hard way,” Rosa laughs. The sisters wrote three cookbooks so far and there’s another one on the way. Each cookbook has a different theme. The first one is about changing the perception of plant-based food, the second is about adding plants first then protein on the side, the third is about salads, the fourth is a surprise and will be out in October 2022. They have plans to write more in the future, they say smiling. “How they came about I think was just to have a fun collection of recipes and it’s a great combination of what we both love – me being photography and design and Rosa being food recipes,” Margo says. The sisters usually do two big tours a year – 15 different cities for each tour. Their nationwide workshops are from April until June. They’re doing a big book tour/workshop and signings in October and November. They’re also launching an Eating with Your Monthly Cycle on their app in April. They’ve broken down each phase of the cycle (four phases) and discovered what recipes support each phase. They’re working with another app My Monthly Moves, which promotes Moving with Your Monthly Cycle. That’s when the sisters thought they could collaborate and put emphasis on food. “We feel like a lot of women aren’t really aware of what’s happening to their body during each of the phases and they normally put pressure and stress their bodies out even more through HIT (high-intensity training),” Rosa says. “When you track your cycle and understand – oh I’m in this phase… doing a HIT workout is not going to be the best thing for me right now,” Margo says. The sisters are also doing a 14-week low fodmap programme, which is a “New Zealand first,” Margo says. They’re working with a women’s dietician from Your Monthly Club Sara Widdowson to help make cooking low fodmap food easier for people. They give delicious recipes each week so it helps people understand what food they should incorporate into their diets. Inspiring others on how to improve their lives is the reason the sisters have their business. CT

Margo (left) and Rosa (right) looking forward to making the next best thing.

The best of both worlds at Summerset

Whether you love your freedom and independence or appreciate having a helping hand to keep things running smoothly, Summerset has you covered. There are a variety of homes to suit different needs and tastes, as well as a range of extra services should you need them. At Summerset, we want residents to relax and enjoy their home and retirement lifestyle. We can take care of the chores you no longer want to do, which means freeing up your time to spend doing the things you enjoy or that are more important. Each village has an onsite property team to look after home maintenance and take care of repairs, replacements, or general upkeep like mowing the lawn and keeping fittings and fixtures in order. With great security and caring experts at hand, you can have peace of mind that at Summerset your safety is our top priority. And with the maintenance taken care of, you can forget about those odd jobs and leave others with the to-do list! With more time to spend with family and friends or to pursue your other interests, Summerset Retirement Villages can provide an enviable lifestyle. With plenty of opportunities to attend events, activities, and organised trips, it is easy to feel part of a vibrant community. There are great shared facilities including libraries, cafes, gyms and green spaces to enjoy, and if you want more time for socializing and fun there is always plenty going on to pique your interest. With guided activities like exercise classes, crafting and games to join there is more than enough going on if you want to fill that calendar. Summerset villages provide a broad range of activities and living options including independent villas and apartments which are just like living on any other residential street, but with a whole lot of perks. You come and go as you please and if your needs change, you can extend your level of support to suit. And if there is ever a need for more help with housework, hot meals, grocery shopping or other chores Summerset serviced apartments offer the independence of village life, along with a range of support services, right through to rest-home level care. So, with the warmth and security of a supportive community and great staff, Summerset villages have plenty to support your lifestyle. You can truly have the best of both worlds.

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Summerset know that there’s a lot to take in when making the big decision to move to

a village. So, whether you’re planning a move in the near future, getting ideas for down the track, or helping a friend or relative with their options, just give us a call on 0800 SUMMER or get a free information pack online at summerset.co.nz

Protecting what matters most

As we get older and head into retirement, our legal affairs begin to take on new significance. No doubt, by the time you retire, you will have worked hard to achieve a level of financial security for yourself, but inevitably, you begin to think about the future — more specifically, how you can keep what is yours in the family for the coming generations. This is the heart of ‘Elder Law’ — safeguarding assets for the benefit of your family.

Many New Zealanders do not fully appreciate how long-term residential care is funded in this country—particularly around the Residential Care Subsidy and asset testing. It can come as an enormous shock to know that if you, or your partner, go into longterm residential care (no matter whether it is rest home, hospital or dementia level care), and you have personal assets that exceed the asset threshold—you are likely to be required to pay for that care. This cost may be significantly more than you think and can quickly erode the very wealth for which you worked so hard. But the simple truth is—you can mitigate the risks. By seeking the right legal advice and implementing some careful planning, you can lessen the impact on you and your loved ones. And the sooner you start this process, the better. It is simply too late when an unexpected development such as being diagnosed with a serious illness forces these hard, life-changing decisions upon you. You will never be ’ready’—but you can be prepared. Conveniently based in central Christchurch, Fleur McDonald Legal are your local team in Elder Law and Estate planning—helping you protect what is yours. Fleur is an established expert in Elderly Services and Seniors Law and is a regular speaker on the topic for organisations such as the New Zealand Law Society, Age Concern NZ and Dementia Canterbury. Fleur and her team at Fleur McDonald Legal can guide you through estate planning (including property transactions), establishing asset protection, creating Wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney and succession planning. But as important as getting the right legal advice is—ensuring the right fit for you is also critical. You’ve worked hard to succeed in life and deserve respect for this. The team at Fleur McDonald Legal work closely with clients, delivering an empathetic, understanding approach to Law. It’s about real people with real concerns. As the company says, Fleur McDonald Legal; advice from the heart.

By seeking the right legal advice and implementing some careful planning, you can lessen the impact on you and your loved ones.