Oh Hi, So, I’m Writing This Other Book.

May 8th, 2011 - filed under: Furthermore » Inspiration

Did you guess my Super Secret Project Numero Dos™ ? I’m writing a cookbook! Well actually, it’s an UNcookbook – a RAW foods “cookbook”.

It’s a hired assignment and truly came out of the blue. When I was first approached about the project – to curate the largest collection of 100% raw and 100% vegan recipes ever compiled in one place – I couldn’t help but think, “Why me?” I’m not actually a raw foodist, nor am I formally trained as a live foods chef. Sure, I eat a lot of my meals uncooked. I love the living foods lifestyle and I’m well-versed with the underlying philosophy. I have experience writing about, and experimenting with, extended periods of eating an exclusively raw vegan diet. And if I may be so bold as to say, I’ve made some pretty awesome raw recipes in my day. But with all that aside, I’m not a professional, no matter how you slice it. So I had to ask: why me?

Passion, baby.

The truth is that I adore – simply adore – eating raw foods. I start each and every day with a big green smoothie, because I love the way it makes me feel. I’m giddy for my greens and I swoon over fancy seaweeds. Fresh juice makes me feel like all my cells have been infused with a double dose of vitality. Will work for wheat grass. You all know how the Farmer’s Market sends me into a frenzy, and darlings, don’t even get me started on cashew cheesecakes! Raw foods taste amazing and they make me feel fantastic; lighter, brighter, and overflowing with *life*. I want other people to feel this way too!

The bottom line is that I’ve got a big bonfire of passion burning inside me, lit up bright for fresh, whole, unadulterated vegan food. And I just can’t wait to share all my knowledge and excitement!


Rawesome!, slated for release in January 2012, will allow me to do just that. I’ve signed on to edit this incredible collection, featuring over 300 recipes from some amazing chefs: everything from smoothies to entrees to decadent desserts, from simple techniques to intricate gourmet applications. And of course, a few of my own creations!

Expect photos, LOTS of photos, coming out of my test kitchen . . .

  • http://craftylittlegnome.blogspot.com/ Adrienne Audrey

    Wow! Congrats. This is very exciting. I will def be buying this book. Can’t wait to learn more about raw food!

  • http://www.spottedsparrow.com Julia (The Spotted Sparrow)

    Congrats! That is fantastic! Can’t wait to see some sneak peeks and try out the recipes. :)

  • ladyinred

    This sounds great! But there is already a raw cookbook called Rawsome! http://www.amazon.com/Rawsome-Brigitte-Mars/dp/1591200601/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304932501&sr=8-1

  • Sonja

    Hooray! That sounds great! Congrats!

  • Lisa

    ooohhh! sweeeeeeet!

  • http://windycityvegan.wordpress.com Monika {windycityvegan}

    Sweet! Will there be new recipes from some of these chefs? Will it be limited to chefs who are exclusively vegan/raw, or will it include recipes from omni chefs who have done amazing things with raw, vegan foods? [I absolutely love Trotter's RAW--and have also eaten at his restaurant and *wow* does he know his way with vegetables. I understand if he's not included, but man oh man are some of his raw recipes amazing.] What about Karyn Calabrese?? Okay, I am *really* missing the raw scene in Chicago right now…

  • Elizabeth

    Congrats! What a fun project. And I agree with you about raw foods. They make me feel the same way. Though I’m not a fan of straight wheat grass! I do hope you will tweak the title so as not to be confused with Brigitte Mars’ book. She is lovely.

  • http://sarastakeover.tumblr.com Sara

    HA! What did I say? I should totally win a prize or something.

  • http://goldfinchanchor.com Kaitlin

    This is going to be AWESOME! I can’t wait!

  • http://www.sarathomas.etsy.com sara thomas

    that is fantastic news! looking forward to getting my hands on that! congratulations, sayward!

  • HeatherG

    So awesome! HUGE congrats!

  • http://www.workingouteatingin.com Anastasia

    That’s great! Congratulations!

  • Kathryn

    Congrats!!! That is so awesome!!

  • Meghan

    When you’re one of those famous vegans, will you still write on your blog and interact with us commoners? :-)

    (I’m only half joking, there really does seem to be a trend with bloggers in general to disappear off the face of the internet once they’ve published something “real!”)

  • Sierra Dawn

    So cool! I’m just now discovering the wonders of raw foods, thanks to you!

  • RK

    Well done! I’m looking forward to it!

  • http://exoticdonkeymeat.com Kate

    Congrats Sayward!! Looking forward to a SUPER long list of recipes!

    Also, on a related note…I MADE THE BEST DESSERT EVAR this weekend. Of course, I am referring to that pecan ganache delicious torte thing. I’m sure I did something different than you…my torte filling wasn’t as dark as yours….but…it tastes like chocolate mousse. MOUSSE. Without the disgusting I-just-ate-dairy aftertaste in your mouth. (yes, cutting out dairy makes you acutely aware of these things).

    WHOOP WHOOP!

  • http://moreturmeric.blogspot.com Kelsey

    That’s so awesome! Congrats!

  • Rae

    From reading your blog and seeing how wonderfully practical you are, this sounds great! I have one raw book at home, but I rarely use it because everything seems to have a 6h+ dehydration time. Or exotic foods that I can’t pronounce and required for only one recipe. :|

    Will you have a “busy persons” healthy dinner section? It would be wonderful if I can get home from work, spend 30 minutes max prepping a healthy dinner, and have the rest of the evening free to be with my family.

  • http://amongtheknights.blogspot.com Sara

    Yay! I like all of these surprises. I can’t wait to get this book!

    Please have a big raw dessert section!!

  • Moira

    Congratulations, Sayward!

    If ever you want a non-raw-foodist and non-vegan palette to offer a fresh perspective, the hubs and I will GLADLY help. We’re ovo-pescatarians (he still eats dairy on special occasions).

    Just a thought ;)

  • catherine

    congratulations, if the pictures on the raw post from a few days back are any indication, it will be fabulous.

  • http://twitter.com/erosan erosan

    Superb! really looking forward to this. I thought Rawsome was such an incredible name for a raw cookbook that it was weird noone had already taken it… and then I saw ladyinred’s comment.

    I’d love if you have at least a couple of recipes that scream “Only RAW cuisine could achieve this”, you know… food that is not raw-trying-to-be-omni, but something altogether new (and possibly unique).

    Great news indeed!

  • http://thatfeistyvegan.blogspot.com Heather (ThatFeistyVegan

    SOOOO excited for you! Getting ready to launch into Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Cleanse; so I’m going to have to learn raw foods. I’ve just never tried!

    Can’t wait to see it as I love your style! :)

  • Brie

    So exciting! You deserve it. You blog is SO inspiring to me. I do not follow a vegan diet but for the past year, have been listening to my body more and it is begging me for pure, fresh, whole foods. My research is what brought me to your blog. I’ve been giving my body more of what it wants and it is thanking me! Thank you for all your great ideas and tips. You’re the perfect person to write this book because it’s true; your passion leaps off the screen and makes us want to run out and nourish ourselves!

  • Dani

    What kind of schooling/training do you have? Where do you live? Is it far from whatever big town you are nearby? How did you get to where you are now? I just love your life, or at least the appearance of your life, and I would love to figure out how to do what you do. I want to write and edit, be at home with my baby, and LOVE veganism. I like it, but don’t feel like I have enough time to LOVE it. I want to leave my job, trading time for money at the hospital and embrace and enjoy every moment with my family. You seem to have everything I want and love. How do I get there?

  • Minna

    Well, RAWESOME! Congratulations!

  • Meghan

    @Dani

    Answers to many of those questions are here: http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/about/

  • http://joyfulyogawithtara.blogspot.com/ Tara

    Congrats Sayward! This is super exciting. I can’t wait to enjoy all of your lovely recipes!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    I’m so excited that you guys are excited about this! Everything seems to fall right into place, no? I’m so thrilled to be out in the open about the project, and embarking on this journey together with all of you!

    @ ladyinred – Well, poop. I had no idea. I wonder if my publishers are aware? (it’s spelled a bit differently so I wonder . . . ) I will definitely be inquiring about this, thanks so much for bringing it to my attention!

    @ Monika – The chefs are all selected by the publishers, man I wish I could just pull from the whole raw community. That would be pretty amazing!

    @ sara – HOW DID YOU KNOW???

    @ Meghan – There’s only one thing that I can foresee coming between me and blogging, and it’s not fame or fortune – it’s family (and the time I devote to them). As long as I can keep my family life balanced, you better believe I’ll be here!

    @ Kate – Yay about the torte, so glad you liked it!

    @ Rae – There will definitely be “quick and easy” recipes. Just in my own experience, I find most of the raw gourmet stuff is crazy intensive, but there’s a lot you can do with a more simple approach. A raw soup takes about 5 minutes to throw together. Salads (if you like them, which I do but I know many people don’t) are quick and incredibly versatile. Dips and spreads are the other key for me. I always have one in the fridge to stand in as a dip for veggies, a spread on wraps (collards or nori or cabbage leaf) or even as salad dressing. Also, a little advance prep goes a long way. If you can make a batch of raw bread and a batch of granola over the weekend, it makes things soooo much easier! Just a few thoughts, hope that helps!

    @ erosan – Man, I had the same thought (about the name). I even Googled it. (her rawsome is spelled differently) Guess we were both wrong!

    @ Brie – Great comment, totally made me smile. =)

    @ Dani – Oh man, these are big questions! Bigger than I can answer here. Meghan linked to my About page which will answer the practical stuff, but it seems you’re really looking for more abstract answers . . . like, how to live the dream! And man, I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. I’ve written a bit about it in the past (here) but I sense that there’s more to say. Problem is, right now I can’t put my finger on the answer! But I’m thinking about it a lot. Working on it . . .

  • Aaron

    This is fantastic! Congratulations and good luck on this endeavor. You definitely have the passion and the writing chops (pun intended) to make RAWSOME… well, rawsome!! ^_^ I can’t wait to see the pics and whatever else (read: recipes) you share with us!

  • daoine o’

    sounds,(r)awesome!

    but yes, i knew (as ladyinred and erosan also posted) that brigitte mars had already written *that* (not different enough) book, as i’m well-acquainted with her writings from a local indie new-age magazine i follow (‘nexus’, published in the colorado market, where i am), but the word ‘raw’ i’m sure can be used in many other ways and contexts…

    however, just to point out, that ‘eating in the raw’ is also taken, by ex(?) model carol alt. sigh.

    but just plain ‘in the raw’ seems too be open. also many inferences to ‘naked’ and ‘raw’ seem to be. (you know, just trying to help…ooh! can i get royalties?) ;)

    this market is nothing new, tho, really…i know for example david wolfe and shazzie have been writing on this for a long time and are pretty well-established, so it could be a hard niche to break into.

    i do look forward to the progression of the project… just yesterday a coworker shared a hail merry brand raw ‘chocolate miracle tart’ with me and it was beyond words but also waaay beyond budget…why do good foods have to be so expensive…especially when raw foods are so simple to prepare…um, hello…they’re *raw!* (no cooking required)? (yeah, yeah, i know. a rhetorical question…i work at a natural food store…i should know better, silly me.)

  • mckensiek

    I’m having difficulty finding if you were ever able to publish the book or what became of it! Would love to order a copy if so! New reader and I’m hooked :)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Well, yes and no! The book, Rawesomely Vegan was released in early 2012. I ended up choosing to be more of a contributor/curator as opposed to the lead author, but I did have a heavy hand in the book. It’s a fun book and definitely has a ton of great raw recipes!

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