Raw portobello “Stir-No-Fry”, recipe coming this month!

Yesterday I set a raw challenge as our MMM. The response was awesome, and I’m so excited to embark on this journey together. We’ve got people adding daily green smoothies, people taking up juicing, people aiming for high-raw, and people aiming for high-vegan (yay!)

In the comments section there was some discussion over specifics, and a call for clarification. Which makes so much sense – of course! So I quickly threw together this primer, which will hopefully clear up any confusion. It can also be used throughout the month as an easy reference guide. Ask and ye shall receive!

Raw Sprouted Quinoa Curry Salad with Citrus Dressing

RAW
Raw dining can be as simple as carrot sticks or as complex as the perfect curry. The single stipulation is that the food must never be heated above roughly 105° – 115° F (40° – 46° C). Servings may be whole, blended, juiced, chopped, infused, fermented, soaked, sprouted, sun dried, marinated, frozen, extracted, or dehydrated, but they must always remain ‘un-fired’. This ensures that what you eat is living food – seeds will sprout, grains will grow, and the fruits and vegetables are literally alive.

Cooking alters the chemical structure of food. Proteins, enzymes, and other important compounds become denatured in high temperatures. Beneficial bacteria are killed by heat, and cooking some foods even produces carcinogens. In raw foods, the ingredients retain all of their intrinsic vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, still in their original state. And naturally occurring enzymes, which are so critical for digestion and destroyed by heat, remain intact. This is why raw food is almost effortlessly digested and efficiently assimilated into the body.

When you eschew cooked foods you’ll also eliminate most soy, sugar, wheat/glutinous grains, high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, artificial colors, and processed foods, just by proxy. It’s possible, then, that the incredible health gains experienced by raw foodists result from a combined effect: the inclusion of unrefined, nutrient-dense ingredients, and the omission of common additives, allergens, and irritants. Breaking from these harmful substances while simultaneously partaking in only the purest foods available allows your body to focus on the important work of renewal and repair. And that, perhaps, is the real secret of the raw food success story.

Raw DIY Sriracha Rooster Sauce, recipe coming this month!

My First Raw Trial
1-Week Test Run
Why I Tried RAW
Setting My Own Rules
Transitioning
10-Day Check-In
Final Wrap-Up
Revisited 10 Days Later


My Raw 101 Series
Intro To Zucchini Pasta And 3 Preparations
Vegan Sushi
Breakfast Cherry Crisps

Simplicity. Raw eating takes advantage of natural flavors and food at its very best!

Articles And Tutorials
On Sprouts And Sprouting Seeds
On Cultured And Fermented Foods
How To Make Raw Alt Milk
How To Make Sauerkraut
How To Make Raw Nut Butters
How To Make (and what the heck is?) Water Kefir
DIY Homemade Green Powder


Juice And Smoothies
Green Smoothies
Top 5 Reasons To Start Juicing
Top 5 Mistakes And Misconceptions About Juicing
How To Make Juice Without A Juicer

Raw Apricot Bars with the *perfect* flaky pastry crust, recipe coming this month!

Raw Recipes!
Zucchini Hummus
“Refried Beans”
Working With Kelp Noodles
Pecan Torte With Chocolate Ganache (BEST DESSERT EVER!!!)
Kale Chips
Pumpkin Pie And Pumpkin Smoothie
DIY Sriracha Sauce
Apricot Jam Bars
The Tahini Dip That Done Stole My Heart
Juice and Nut Pulp Crackers


Outside Resources
Gorgeous Raw Gourmet Food Porn:
Golubka
Rawmazing

Practical Everyday Recipes and Basics:
Addicted To Veggies
Kristen’s Raw

All-Around Awesomeness, Advice, And Healthy High-Raw Living:
Choosing Raw




What You Can Expect More Of This Month
- Green Smoothies Revisited
- My Favorite Juice Recipes
- Additions to the Raw 101 Series
- Raw Product Reviews
- LOTS of Recipes


Enjoy! And feel free to ask any additional questions in the comment section!

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