Earthly Eating

Is there an alternative to the heat of cooking? Sure. Serve food raw.

The raw food prep reflects a plant-based, vegan lifestyle. Those who follow this type of diet avoid meals that have been cooked above a certain temperature. Rather, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are consumed in their natural state. Grains, nuts, and seeds are sometimes soaked or sprouted, making them more digestible.

Why not cooked? When a food is heated to over 110 degrees, its enzymes are destroyed. To help with digestion, the pacreas must then produce additional enzymes to aid the digestive process. It requires additional energy and stress for the body to produce its own enzymes. Since raw foods are left whole and unprocessed, they retain all their nutrients, as well as enzymes the body needs to convert food to fuel. Raw foods don’t take a lot of energy to digest and are digested more rapidly-in 24 to 36 hours. In contrast, cooked foods can take from 48 to 100 hours to be digested by the body.

People eating raw foods tend to have less body fat and inflammation, as determined by low levels of C-reactive protein (CRP).

Raw cuisine means more than salads and freshly squeezed fruit juices. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are excellent choices. Just make sure they don’t contain sugar or preservatives like sulfur. Raw almond butter and tahini are indispensable for salad dressings and hummus. If you’re looking to incorporate more raw foods into your diet, opt for fresh, locally grown foods as often as you can. During the summer months, natural products stores are full of organic produce, making the occasional raw meal an easy and wise choice.

Here are some raw recipes to consider:

Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho:
25 minutes prep time, serves 4

3 cups watermelon, seeded and pureed in a blender
1 cup seeded watermellon, diced small
1 cup seeded tomato, diced small (about 2 medium tomatoes)
1 cup peeled, seeded cucumber, diced small
1/2 cup red or green bell pepper, diced small
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 small handful cilantro leaves
1 tsp minced ginger
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 gree onion, white and 1 inch of green, minced
1 tsp. sea salt
Freshly ground balck pepper

In a large glass bowl or container, combine the watermelon puree with the diced watermelon, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, ginger, jalapeno, green onion, and salt. Stir to combine. Season with fresh black pepper and additional salt, if desired. Ladle into chilled soup bowls and serve, or refrigerate to chill and then serve.
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Spicy Thai Vegetable Wraps:
40 minutes prep time, makes 12 wraps

1/2 cup chopped raw cashews
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup or raw honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped red chile, seeds included
1 1/2 tbsp nama shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce), or low sodium soy sauce (optional)
1 cup raw almond butter
1/2 head soy cabbage, shredded
6 very large collard green leaves
1 large carrot, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1 large ripe mango, cut lengthwise into strips, about 1/4-inch think
2 cups bean sprouts
1 handful cilantro leaves
1 handful torn basil leaves
1/2 handful mint leaves (torn or cut if leave are large)

In a small bowl, mix the cashews, sesame oil, and salt. Set aside.

In a high-speed blender, puree the maple syrup or honey, lemon juice, ginger, red chile, and optional shoyu. Add the almond butter and blend at low speed to combine. Add water to thin if necessary, to get a think, cake batter-like consistency.

In a medium bowl, add the shredded cabbage and the almond butter mixture. Toss well to combine. (This is easiest if you use your hands.)

Cut out the center rib of each collard green leaf, dividing th leaf in half. Place 1 half leaf on a cutting board with the underside facing up. Arrange a few tablespoons of the cabbage mixture evenly across the bottom third of the leaf, leaving about 1 -1/2 inches clear at the bottom.

Sprinkle some of the chopped cashews over the cabbage. Lay a few sticks of carrot, a few strips of mango, and a few sprouts on top. Add a few leaves of cilantro, basil, and mint.

Fold the bottom of the collard leaf up and over the filling, keeping it tight, and tuck the leaf under the ingedients and roll foward. Place the roll seam side down on a serving dish. Repeat with remaining collard leaves and ingredients. Serve.