Raw Food Recipes:
the Complete Book of Raw Food

See, I told you I would be back. I didn’t think so soon, it’s a pleasant surprise for all of us.

All my raw books are packed away in boxes in the garage, along with extra bedding, toys, clothing and other miscellaneous items. The boxes and us were bound for Texas last September. I was ready for a change, ready for greener pastures and warmer, humid climates.

I should be in Austin now, in pre-production for Robert Rodriguez’s new film. No, I don’t have the connections to get that job but, if my family had moved to Austin in 2009, I might have. Instead, we are still in Colorado surrounded by snow.

I haven‘t the courage to unpack more than needed. It would be an admission that I will never leave Colorado and I should get use to the idea.

But that’s neither here nor there, it’s just a taste of what happened (or didn’t) in the time we were apart.

Fortunately, It has come to the point where my raw food books are a necessity, so I’m switching gears a bit.

Yesterday, I mentioned sharing personal recipes, but on second thought, I would like to venture into recipes from my raw book collection.

In the same vain as the Julie and Julia Project (loved the movie; I’m currently reading the book; never seen the blog), I will create recipes from the (un)cookbook that I feel is the closest thing to a classic for the raw community.

For the next few months (or year?) I will work my way through the 350 plus recipes in “The Complete Book of Raw Food” edited by Lori Baird and Julie Rodwell.

A solid book of recipes and information from some of the world's leading raw food chefs and experts. I have even heard it called “the bible” of raw food books. Umm.

I think it is a wonderful start to get my feet wet as I return to raw food cuisine. I will be the first to admit I am a bit rusty.
This sounds fun, don't you think? If I enjoy it as much as I suspect, I think I will go through my entire raw book collection. Imagine the possibilities.
Also, it is a good challenge for anyone wanting to learn how to prepare raw foods. If you would like to join me in the kitchen, please feel free. The more the merrier.

Man on the Raw and I first went raw on February 16, 2004, it was a Valentine Day’s gift to ourselves. We went to Barnes and Noble in Aurora, Colorado and were determined to find an eating program we could do together. The first two raw books we bought were David Wolfe’s “Nature’s First Law: The Raw Food Diet” and “The Complete Book of Raw Food.” I have been blessed to begin my raw food adventure with my husband.

No matter how far one or both of us may stray off the raw path, we both know the importance of getting back on track and finding some sort of balance in our lives. I realize that we may be the exception and not the rule.
Many people who embrace raw foods do so alone, and in the beginning, it can be a very isolating experience. Friends and family don’t understand the weird new “diet” you are on and can’t seem to understand why a slab of cow is bad for your health. It can be hard going it alone.

Thank heavens for Raw Food online communities.

I have been exploring raw foods for six years and even now I embrace community. I am a member at Give it to Me Raw, Global Juice Feast, Juicefeasting.com, Daily Raw Inspiration and most recently Raw Food Rehab. I observe for the most part, reading the forums, sharing my photos and commenting whenever a topic moves me and I can add something constructive to the conversation.
Raw communities are a wonderful place to share your raw triumphs, tribulations and everything in between. I encourage you, if you haven’t already, join community.

I am a huge fan of author and owner of RAWvolution and Euphoria Loves Rawvolution, Matt Amsden. On Tuesday he will share his “10 Thoughts” and Wednesday his recipes, from the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor, make an appearance.

On Friday, I review the ebook “Me Raw: You Cooked,” the story of Emma MacDougall’s raw journey and how it affected her relationship with her (then) fiancée, Rod. The first of its kind, the book focuses raw foodies and their non-raw partners, providing insightful guidance, tips and recipes along the way. Also, one lucky reader will have a chance to win the book.

To get the week started here is a brief list of online communities where you can communicate with others interested in the raw food lifestyle.

Raw Food Rehab
Global Juice Feast
Juicefeasting.com
Living and Raw Foods
Daily Raw Inspiration
Give It To Me Raw
Gone Raw
Raw Food Talk
Raw Food Lifestyle
VegSource.com

Can you think of more opportunities (support groups, rawlucks, etc.) or online sites where raw foodies can converse?

This past week was a frenzy of dehydrated treats.

It started simple enough. Jonathan Weber’s Spicy seed mix (p. 117) transformed from thick, soggy glob to a very crunchy, seasoned snack, in a relatively short amount of time. The spices were on point, Man on the Raw thought the nibbles was just spicy enough without overpowering the taste buds.

Beware of John Larsen's Tasty Sea snacks (p. 117). I found a half of cup of Nama Shoyu a bit too generous, causing it to be to salty. Although, Man on the Raw enjoyed the flavor, he suggested I tone down the Nama Shoyu, if I were going to take a batch to an Oscar party I was attending. On a second batch, I decreased the amount of Nama Shoyu to one-fourth of a cup, made them bite-size and was off. Ha, ha happy ending.

This is the point where happy endings turn sour and my mild obsessive tendencies came to surface.

The story actually begins on February 19th, when I came across some incredible Raw Zucchini Chips featured on the blog Green and Crunchy. They were beautiful, crispy, crunchy little discs. By far a perfect substitution for Lays or Pringles any day.

Life moved forward, as it does so often, and I quickly forgot about the little bits of heaven, at least until I saw Bitt of Raw’s posting of Zucchini Chips and her cute dog eating raw zucchini. Adorable.

Zucchini chips were not going away any time soon, thus the seeds of my obsession was firmly planted in my brain.

I went to The Complete Book of Raw Food, you know my endeavor and all, searching for a recipe comparable to what I had read on the blogs. I found what I was seeking on page 178, Shazzie’s recipe for Curly Crisps.

On the surface, everything seemed to be moving in the right direction. I had a cool hand-held mandoline, a few small zucchini, a beet and a couple of plump, light green, stubby things called Mexican Squash.

Using my cool, hand-held mandoline, I sliced the vegetables into thin rounds, a shy away from being paper thin, but not quite. I choose a variety of basic seasonings, including garlic, onion, wasabi and barbecue powders, nothing too spectacular or out of the ordinary. Well maybe the wasabi, but I digress.

My first batch, I placed in the dehydrator for 115 degrees for about 12 hours. The edges of my produce curled, taking on a slight crispiness, but nothing compared to potato chips. The middle of the vegetable discs were something less to be desired. They were soft and pliable, resembling nothing like a chip.

I popped them back in the dehydrator for another few hours.

Nothing changed, except the size of my zucchini chips, they shrank.

This whole process continued over the course of a week. Attempting varying sizes and thinness of different root vegetables, with Teflex sheet, without Teflex sheet, with salt, without salt, with oil, without oil. Good, eatable food was thrown in the compost bucket because they weren't crisp enough.

I was relentless, Man on the Raw was impatient with my compulsive, slightly psychotic behavior.

But I couldn’t help it. I wanted a crispy, crunchy chip and I was bound and determined to create one.

Finally, I received a reprieve.

I had a promising batch of zucchini and beet chips on Sunday. They came from the dehydrator after 30 hours at 115 degrees and they were actually a good, crunchy consistency. Success, the girls enjoyed them and I finally had something the Man on the Raw could give his seal of approval on and he wouldn’t have to send me away to a psych ward.
That was the case, until the girls ate most of them and the ones that remained were left uncovered and I suppose the moisture from the Colorado air (yeah, right), turned them back to a soft, pliable chip taking on the texture of a mildly waterlogged potato chip.

Of course, when Man on the Raw came home after an exhausting evening of work, he wasn’t in the correct frame of mind to believe me when I told him my chips were crispy at one point in their life.

He just kind of heaved a sigh and his chin sank to the ground.

I bite down on the side of my lip and quickly promised I wouldn’t attempt another batch of vegetable chips until I ended my juice feast and I was able to taste test them myself.

Recipes number 56-58 of The Complete Raw Food Endeavor.