RAW FOOD ESSENTIALS: Ani's best book yet

I like all of Ani Phyo's books, but her latest effort is the best yet.  Ani's RAW FOOD ESSENTIALS is a  hard bound raw food cookbook sure to be a classic tome on every healthy kitchen shelf.

ARFE is well organized and fun to read.  Ani's tone is upbeat, conversational, and you can see how passionate she is about this lifestyle.  It's an all encompassing lifestyle, embracing chemical free living, reducing our carbon footprint, in addition to eating a healthy organic (as local as possible) diet.

I really appreciate the little icons at the beginning of each recipie so you can see what you need for food prep during a pre-dinner thumb-through.  There are shadowboxes throughout with various tips and information, and several tanalizing color photos in the center of the book, with black and white photos throughout.

Ani's recipes are known for being accessible.   What I like is that she still manages to keep the flavors interesting and complex while keeping the work to a minimum.  The noodle dishes are a great example.  I can whip up a raw noodle dish with complex Thai undertones in a matter of a few minutes.

Being a big fan of the noodle bowl, I was excited to see several raw noodle recipes as I'm always interested in new variations.  Carrot Angel Hair With Sun Dried Tomatoes in Cheddar Cheeze Sauce is a great example--I would have never thought of making carrot noodles and combining them with sun dried tomatoes, arugula, and a cheeze sauce---Yum.

I also love the way she gives you the basics and then lets you run with it--basic salad dressing, basic cake, etc.  You get a solid foundation and then are encouraged to come up with your own variations.

You do need the basics--high speed blender, food processor, and dehydrator.  Ani recommends the Excalibur, but I suggest the TSM dehydrator instead if you have a little extra to spend.  This may seem like a big expense to some, but I use my equipment daily and consider it an investment in my health and well being.  There are enough recipes here that do not require the dehydrator, but the first two items are really essential.

This is a perfect book for people just starting out with raw foods, people who have been at it for a while, and just for anyone looking to amp up their nutritional value and taste of their meals and snacks.  There are a ton of wonderful recipes for pretty much every occasion.  It's a classic, highly recommended!

Find it HERE. 

Tweet

Kelp Noodles: Perfect Summer Fare

Do you know about Kelp Noodles?  I got really excited about them a few months ago, but the way I was preparing them didn't really do it for me completely.  Then I learned how to make them properly and I'm hooked--big time.  It's all about the sauce and mixing them with other textures.

My current obsessions are pesto (as pictured) and a Thai version.  My pesto is very basic--just pine nuts, salt and basil in the food processor and the Thai version consists of raw almond butter and Thai spices and herbs. The noodles make for the perfect summer dish and the options are endless.  This is some serious raw food goodness, very filling and satisfying and I actually like it much better than your standard whole wheat or rice noodles.

You can also add them to heated food, for instance they make for a great noodle bowl.  Instead of rice noodles in your curry, these work great.  Find them HERE.

Tweet

Two Moms in the Raw: Fabulous Raw Organic Pesto Sea Crackers

Need some convenient raw food snacks?  Two Moms In The Raw has a tasty line of granolas and crackers great for stowing away in your backpack for on the go munchies, brown bag lunches, and those times when hunger could make you eat something less nutritious.

My favorite is the Pesto Sea Cracker which is seriously addictive and oh so flavorful.  I don't know how they got this texture but it's wonderful and way better than chips.  Sea veggies are always a great addition to the diet and I would have never come up with this yummy combination with the pesto.

They did a wonderful job with the packaging--very artful, and the crackers actually will last a while if you can control yourself.  Find them HERE.

Tweet

Sweet Gratitude. Sweets for Your Sweet.

Sweet Gratitude by Rogers and Tamborra, is an apt title for February.  Written by chefs from Cafe Gratitude, it's filled with a zillion options for Valentine festivities, or any other occasion.

What I love:  The authors are completely sincere.  It's an uplifting book with a holistic approach to well being and food.  I love what they say about guilt and sweet indulgences and that foods like this are important and are soul food.  One need never feel guilty over anything provided in this book and can allow themselves to be nourished by the otherwise forbidden.  Having said that, I wouldn't sit down and eat a half of raw pie (if you are eating mindfully, you wouldn't want to anyway, it's safe).

There is a great variety and the recipes are laid out very simply.  I am on a cleanse at the moment and have not had a chance to try one of the many recipes I've bookmarked, but Aimee over at A Bitt of Raw makes mouthwatering desserts all the time from this book and frequently posts wonderful photos of her creations. 

What I don't love:  This book has the feel of a much older book, like a book from the 70's.  That doesn't do the content justice in my opinion.  I felt that way about I Am Grateful, the other Cafe Gratitude cookbook as well.  Also,  some recipe ingredients are listed by weight.  I found this cumbersome and don't like having to sort out conversions (which are listed in the front of the book).  It would have been nice if that had been done for the reader.

As for the difficulty, I don't think the recipes are any more difficult than conventional baked goods, they're probably easier, there's just a learning curve to be addressed for the uninitiated which is  fine. 

Overall, I do recommend this book without reservation.  I think anyone interested in healthy eating should have this in their collection and I think it would make a great gift for Valentine's Day or a great purchase prior to Valentines Day so you can prepare some sweets for your sweet.  Find it HERE. 

Tweet

Valentine's Day Meal Idea: Raw Ruby Ravioli

Need an idea for your Valentine's Dinner?  The Beet Ravioli from one of my favorite raw food books, Living Raw Food by Sarma Melngailis would be an awesome choice.   I have made this before and it was delicious!  It looks difficult and makes a beautiful presentation, but it was really super easy. There's plenty of time for getting supplies (nothing too fancy or hard to find) and even doing a trial run.  Highly recommended.

Image Credit:  Living Raw Foods

Tweet

Raw Food for Real People by Rod Rotondi

Rod Rotondi grew up in a food loving Italian American household. This affection for food and family led him to study culinary arts in France.  He then travelled extensively returning back to Los Angeles where he opened his own raw foods restaurant, Leaf Organics. 

Raw Food for Real People contains recipes from the restaurant which are quite diverse ranging from the familiar standbys such as pizza, oatmeal, and apple pie, to a variety of international dishes reflective of the author's travels.  Dishes like Pad Thai and falafel are there for when you crave more ethnic flavors.  

The book has a nice layout, with several pages of glossy color photos in the center.  There's a section on sprouting, a section on how to feed children on a raw food diet, the importance of organic food and the health benefits of a raw diet and how to make the transition.  

Like other raw foodists, Rotondi is not militant and extols the virtues of eating even partially raw and making gradual and lasting changes to transition painlessly into a raw food lifestyle.  He is very unassuming, concluding that if you are able to cut up an apple, you are a raw food chef.  His laid back and warm attitude is sure to make readers comfortable and his recipes and tips will expand any raw foodie's repertoire.  Find it HERE. 

Tweet

DETOX 4 Women by Natalia Rose

Having recently read Raw Food Life Force Energy, by Natalia Rose, I was excited and eager to read her latest effort, Detox For Women.   The former is a 21 Day plan, the latter four weeks, to get you detoxed and glowing with living food energy.  The newer book for me, was just a little bit less accessible.

Detox 4 Women focuses on getting rid of Candida, a problem Rose had seen growing rampant among women in her practice.  In doing this, she eliminates fruit and nuts permissible in her former book.  She allows some animal products which I don't agree with (all fish contains mercury and also see The China Study) and incorporates the the principles of proper food combining which I think is great.  Her tone is very girlfriend's guide and she is excited about what she's doing which gets you excited.  Her flexibility on animal products as well as red wine and chocolate might ease some people into the program who may otherwise feel overwhelmed.

It's basically green juice for breakfast (she includes her own favorite recipe for green lemonade), a big salad at lunch with the option to have something cooked if needed, such as a baked sweet potato or steamed veggies, and a more flexible dinner including another salad with some cooked fare.  I find this doable and reasonable and I'm gearing up to give it a go myself.

I am, however, not thrilled with the omission of nuts and fruit.  Raw Food Life Force Energy seemed more balanced to me and also more doable as a permanent way of eating, however I do get where she's coming from with the Candida issue and temporarily giving up foods that feed yeast or are harder to digest is completely understandable.

Both books contain recipes, chapters on movement, breath and psychological well being. Her method reminds me of a very worthwhile book I read years ago called Fit For Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond (proper food combining, avoiding processed foods, minimizing animal products, maximizing food from the plant kingdom, rebounding, etc).

I'm on the fence about which book to recommend.  I like them both, but lean heavily toward her earlier book.  If you have Candida, or suspect you do, go for Detox 4 Women.  It wouldn't hurt to read both of Rose's books, especially if, like me, you are inspired by that "you can do it!" vibe and encouraging words.  Both are very appropriate for New Year's Resolutions and I think they would work great for some internal Spring cleaning as well, carrying on into permanent change beyond detox.

Tweet

Raw, Organic, Vegan, Gluten Free and Yummy! Kaia Foods Snacks

It's always a good idea to have some healthy raw snacks on hand and though I love bars, it's nice to have variety.  Kaia Foods offers just that, a variety.  I'm totally hooked on their Teriyaki Sprouted Sunflower Seeds. They have the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and crunchy--YUM.  I've tried almost all of their flavors and snacks and like everything I've tried but those sunflower seeds...they are so satisfying!  My son loves the Cocoa Granola.

These would be awesome on the plane, and to just keep on hand for those times you want a snack and don't have time to go through all the soaking, sprouting and dehydrating.  On top of being good and healthy, Kaia (meaning "body and earth") Foods donates a percentage of their profits to help with world hunger.  Check out their beautiful and unassuming website HERE.

Tweet

Cocoa Crispies. Who says kids won't eat healthy?

I'm so stoked about my latest dehydrator adventure.  Cocoa Crispies!  This recipe is in RAW FOOD, REAL WORLD, by Sarm Melngailis and Matthew Kenney.  Buckwheat groats turn into crispies perfect for a raw living food breakfast for the kiddos.  I love it too and can't believe how easy it was to make.

Their version uses maple syrup--not technically raw, but you could substitute agave or stevia.  I'm obsessed with this book right now and my fabulous dehydrator,  been trying a new recipe almost every day.  Just add hemp or almond milk (made in about two seconds in the blender) and you're good to go.  For variations, add frozen raspberries or bannana.  I think this would be a great portable meal.

Tweet

Eating For Beauty by David Wolfe

We are what we eat. If we want to be beautiful, we need to eat beautiful, and in Eating For Beauty, David Wolfe shows us how to use raw organic foods to transform ourselves from the inside out. "Food is not just a factor that affects us, it is the primary thing that affects us. If what we put in our bodies does not effect us, what could? Once we know this, it becomes easier to select foods that add to our strength, spirituality, and beauty, because each meal becomes part of who we are at the deepest level."

Raw plant food is the highest quality, most nutrient dense, beautifying food we can eat. But Wolfe is quick to say that one should not feel pressured and rushed to adopt an all raw foods diet. He suggests increasing raw food intake more and more until you naturally shift away from unhealthy or cooked foods as they become less desirable. I like this approach and find it effective. Even a half raw diet will have a huge effect on both health and appearance.

Wolfe teaches us which are the most beautifying of all foods and why. Olives, for instance are packed with nutrients and great for facial fine lines, papaya is good for making your eyes shiny and radiant, and durian is so sexy that apart from being a blood purifier, it's known as an aphrodisiac. There is an emphasis on mineral rich and organically grown foods. "Pesticides are unacceptable at any level and should be avoided on our food. Organic food is not only grown without chemical pesticides, it contains more minerals."

Beauty really does come from within, in more ways than one. There is no product that will give you what good health will give you, and I think more and more, beauty is associated with health and authenticity. There's nothing more authentic than nature, and Wolfe gets us a little closer.

The book features Kirlian photographs, images that are said to reveal the energy fields of various foods. There is a chapter filled with recipes, suggestions for supplements, and a few words about other things relating to beauty, such as quality sleep and a positive attitude.

It's a fun book to read, filled with nutritional nuggets and inspiration, great for January when New Year's ambitions are aflame and Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Find it HERE.

Tweet

Raw Family Signature Dishes: A Step By Step Guide by Victoria Boutenko

This was a great idea, a step by step guide to raw foods by one of the pioneers of the raw food movement, Victoria Boutenko. Raw Family Signature Dishes takes you through fifteen raw foods recipes, holding your hand the entire way. This book demystifies raw food cuisine and makes it completely accessible to all.

The layout is straightforward and Victoria's writing style is (as always) enjoyable and informative. The photos go through each step of the recipe and there's an equipment list with sources in the back of the book.

I think it's a good book, I would recommend it, especially for beginners (like me). I would have preferred maybe a few less steps and more recipes, but it's simplicity is very comforting and almost like having an experienced friend in the kitchen with you.

Tweet

Green Gift (for yourself?): Cabelas Dehydrator Cart

Counter space in my kitchen is premium real estate. My kitchen is small and I'm a minimalist at heart, not liking anything on my countertops. At the same time, if it's not on the counter, I won't use it as often, so I've chosen my most important appliances to reside in this prized space. This includes the Blender, Juicer, and Tea Kettle. Even my beautiful Kitchenaid mixer is now in the closet because I can't stand clutter.

Now there is a new appliance in my kitchen, one that I want to use all the time--the dehydrator. I've been trying to figure out the best way to handle this while keeping my kitchen aesthetically pleasing. Enter this black dehydrator cart from Cabellas. I've been using my dehydrator every day since getting this cart and I'm thrilled.

It's easily assembled, matches my stainless and black appliances, and lets me keep my valuable counter space while having constant access to the dehydrator. Neither my photo nor the one on Cabela's website does the cart justice, it's very good looking with a matte black finish. It's also bigger than it looks (I have it turned vertically next to my refrigerator), so be sure to measure. If you know someone well enough, meaning their style and needs, I think this would make a great gift. Or, treat yourself! Fabulous! Find it HERE.

Tweet

FRESH The Ultimate Live-Food Cookbook by Sergei and Valya Boutenko

You better have some free time when you pick up this book, because it's hard to put it down. Just like their mother, Victoria Boutenko, Sergei and Valya have a way with words. Both talk about their journey to raw foods, and tell the story of how they were able to reverse life threatening medical problem and go on to thrive. They discuss challenges like how to eat raw while traveling, how to get children interested, and maintain a healthy diet in a world where that's not always so easy.

The Boutenkos are so far ahead of their time in nutritional wisdom, but draw from the oldest and most simple, instinctive knowledge. Once they point to it, it's as plain as day and you wonder, how did we ever get so far away from this?

The first quarter of the book is full of insight and information. The rest is comprised of recipes that are accessible and loosely written as to encourage experimentation. At one point they talk about how odd it is that we even need recipes with measurements to consume raw foods. How is it we are the only species who don't know instinctively how and what to eat?

This book is thought provoking and filled with great ideas for yummy food. There are some beautiful photos, but not that many. Normally I like my cookbooks to have a photo accompanying each recipe, but this book is so rich that it didn't bother me. Maybe the Boutenkos will one day do a hardcover traditional photo laden (un)cookbook? I look forward to more from this knowledgeable, inspiring family!

Tweet