A NON-CARNIVORE’S VIEWS ON RAW FOOD

Do not be frightened my dear, learning a little about a raw food diet does not mean that your next meal will involve chopping the postman into tiny pieces and serving him atop bruschetta. Nor will I be instructing you on how to prepare stone cold, bloody beef-patties for your little ones.

Not long ago I was a bit skeptical myself, so I know these are the types of gruesome scenarios the words “raw foods “ conjure. But after some investigation I found that the majority of raw “foodists” are either vegetarian or vegan, thus most recipes do not involve the serving of corpses a la mode. In fact, I have found that a raw food diet actually includes a variety of delights.

For example, how does coconut fudge strike you? Raw chocolate pudding? Almond halvah?

Now that I hear you cheering, “Raw Raw Raw! Feed me raw!!!”, I’ll tell you a bit more about how you can incorporate raw foods into your life. Personally, I enjoy warm, cooked, fish and turkey. I also believe that there are some foods like broccoli and tomatoes that have more nutrients when they are cooked. Therefore, a 100% raw foods kitchen is not for me.

You may or may not feel the same way. In either case, incorporating at least some raw foods into your diet can deliver substantial nutritional rewards - even if you still sneak in some hot lasagna on occasion.

To get you up to speed, here is a bit of the philosophy behind raw foodism: Of utmost importance is that the food be, well, raw. This means that food can be warmed, but shouldn’t be exposed to heat much higher than body temp.

The reasoning behind this principle is that when food is heated, up to 80% of the nutrients and vitamins are destroyed along with 100% of the food enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for metabolic processes of the body. Raw foodists contend that a meal rich in food enzymes basically digests itself. Therefore, after putting down a raw foods meal, you are full of energy, not depleted from breaking down your grub.

I find this quite compelling. Think about it – things like red meat digest by rotting in your gut, a process that can take days. What a burden on your system! I’d rather use my energy for more important things - like shopping!

As I mentioned, there was a time not long ago that raw foods sounded ominous to me. But once I finally gave raw cuisine a chance, I was pleasantly surprised. I truly enjoyed not only the taste, but also the feeling of tremendous energy. Satisfied but not lethargic, is the best way to describe it.

I know word on the street is that preparing raw foods can be time consuming and involves lots of crazy kitchen gadgets not found on the typical Williams-Sonoma wedding registry.

That’s why I was totally fired up when I came across Matt Amsden’s beautiful cookbook Rawvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine. This book made me realize, hey, I can make this stuff!

This book delights the senses (it is also where you can find simple recipes for both coconut fudge AND chocolate pudding ) with beautiful photography, easy to follow recipes and a nice chapter about the raw food philosophy.

An added bonus is that author, Matt Amsden is easy on the eyes. Imagine a Brad Pitt- Matthew Mcconaughey hybrid….mmmmmmmmmmm.

Anywhoo, Cutie-Pie Matt gives guidance for everything from kitchen gadgets to help creating a raw foods shopping list. Don’t freak out regarding the grocery list. You don’t need to travel to Peru or somewhere to get the majority of the ingredients. Just start by hitting your local health-food store for organic, raw nut butters, seeds, spices and cold-pressed olive and coconut oil. Farmer’s markets are another wonderful source for organic veggies, fruit and all sorts of other raw goodies.

As for gadgets, I would say all you really need to get in the game is a high speed blender or food processor.

I recommend Rawvolution as a gentle introduction to a nutritious, delicious, raw foods diet. I enjoy Matt Amsden’s approach because he’s not some raw foods Nazi. Instead, he seems like a chill guy who wants to share a lifestyle that’s brought him health and a happy spirit. Not to mention an extremely tight behind.

Happy Reading!
XO,
Health Sundae

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