Raw Delights
What is Raw Food?
Raw food chefs often call them “living foods”--dishes which are naturally rich in enzymes because they have not been heated over 118 degrees F (although some raw chefs will use dehydrators at slightly higher settings; maximum allowable temperatures are, so to speak, hotly debated). Enzymes are essential for good digestion and vitality, and many enzymes are retained in dehydrated or frozen foods. Processed foods, however, have had the enzymes pasteurized or cooked out of them. The living food diet has become increasingly popular, with the advent of such restaurants as the intimate and arty Quintessence in Manhattan.
A raw food vegan diet may be defined in various ways, but usually at least four-fifths of its weight is made up of fresh, uncooked plants. Leafy greens and broccoli, rich in zinc, calcium, and protein, form a key part of raw diets. Such vegetables also provide vitamin K, which promotes healthy bones. Additionally, raw carrots provide calcium, and peas provide zinc and protein. For beneficial fats, the raw diet frequently includes olives, avocados, almonds, hazelnuts and macadamias. It is also important to include a good source of omega-3 fats such as flax seed oil.
To some extent, humans may have evolved to rely on cooking. This is why the Vegan Society recommends a varied diet including both cooked and raw foods as the proven basis for vegan health, particularly for infants and children who need a relatively high calorie density. Although cooking destroys some nutrients, conservative cooking--such as steaming or boiling--causes only modest loss of some nutrients. Cooking increases the energy available from starches in potatoes and grains, and inactivates certain food toxins, thereby increasing the range of foods available to us. Is our broader range an optimal diet? Today, the question remains open.
We do know that raw food has environmental advantages: It requires little packaging and no gas, oil, or electricity to prepare. It also inspires creativity. Many North American cities and towns now have groups, made of people from all walks of life, who meet and share raw recipes.
Guacamole
Serve guacamole with tortilla chips or raw flax crisps. For a completely raw snack that is easy to prepare, offer it as an accompaniment to cut vegetables such as jícama and carrot sticks.
Ingredients:
2 avocados, peeled and seeded
1 scallion (mainly whites), finely chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 fresh lime, juiced
1/2 tomato, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Sea salt
Preparation:
Choose an avocado that has give to it. Peel and seed the avocado and mash it with a fork. Transfer the mashed avocado to a bowl and combine with remaining ingredients, including salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Tip: A pit left in the guacamole, and a sprinkling of lemon or lime juice, helps to preserve the guacamole’s hue of vibrant green. Stir lightly before serving.
Bob’s Peace Vigil Date Bars
Bob’s Peace Vigil Date Bars not only taste great; they are a wonderful source of energy and nutrients as well
Ingredients:
20 ounces (about 4 cups) whole, pitted dates
1 cup whole pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Preparation:
In a food processor, chop the pecans. Add dates and coconut; process until combined.
Press into an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking tin, and cut into 2-inch squares.
Tips: Shredded coconut comes from the mature coconut; compared with the young coconut, it is richer in anti-bacterial oils. All forms of coconut provide organic iodine, nourishing the thyroid gland.
Pecans naturally contain monounsaturated fats which lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Pecans also contain plant sterols, which support the immune system, as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, a variety of B-complex vitamins, and vitamin E; and they are an excellent source of zinc.
Dates contain a variety of B vitamins, and provide magnesium for healthy bone development. In proportion to weight, dates contain more potassium than do bananas. Potassium is an essential mineral needed to maintain the health of your nervous system and of proper muscle functions, including those of the heart. It also promotes efficient metabolism. Potassium is important for physically active people because potassium can be lost through perspiration.
We hope this convinces you that a bottle of water and a few of Bob’s date bars will certainly support you on the path to world peace.