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FOR ALL NEW RAW FOODERS WHO WANT HASSLE-FREE RECIPES! Some awesome books to try if you haven't yet..

Mistress of Minimalism as I am, I am inspired and still frustrated by the raw food "gourmet" books which list recipes with about 20 to 60 ingredients and hours of prep time. How do you have a life?? I work at a library and am constantly on the prowl for new or old raw food books and authors that break it down and keep it real. Here are my pick, for all of you who also love raw food, but aren't completely smitten with making it your whole life's work yet:

~ Kate Wood - definitely my current number one pick for fave raw food author. She has three recipe books as of now :

Raw Living:Detox Your Life and Eat the High Energy Way

Eat Smart, Eat Raw

Raw Magic: Recipes for the Revolution

All three are succinctly written, user-friendly, and require few ingredients. However, don't let the lack of embellishment fool you, the recipes are delicious. The latter book is more concerned with Superfoods, which can become a bit expensive, but once you stock up on them (worth it), the recipes are still super-simple.

~ Ani Phyo - I discovered raw food when I checked her book out of the library when it came out. Again, her recipes are delicious and simple, though she places an emphasis on nuts and olive oil as bases for alot of soups and such. Lots of helpful tips, too.

Ani's Raw Food Kitchen

~ Shazzie - awesome recipes, most of them very simple. Shazzie reads like a fun girlfriend who gently and enjoyably guides you on your new path.

Detox your World

Shazzie's Detox Delights

I will tap out more when I get some time!!!!! Enjoy!

Comments

  • just wanted to add that Natalia Rose's recipes are all really easy too. she never uses ingredients that have to be sprouted or dehydrated...all you need is a knife and a blender. very simple and yummy.

  • What good timing: I was just looking at Kate Wood's books online, wondering if they were what I'm looking for. The Raw Magic book looks beautiful.

    If I ultimately decide to splurge and visit my old friend Amazon.com I hope I can order a couple of the ones you mentioned above. Thanks!

  • sv3sv3 Raw Newbie

    I'd like to add that Jennifer Cornbleet's book 'Raw Food Made Easy' is another really great but simple recipe book which I use all the time.

    My Mum gave me Juliano's Raw book, which is beautiful to look through but I honestly don't think I'll ever use.

  • Thank you for this post!

    Ani Phyo's Raw Food Kitchen was the first Raw book I bought. It is what got me hooked

    Its good to see a newbie friendly list.

    A few weeks ago, I picked up Rose Lee Calabro's Living in the Raw Gourmet. I've only made a few recipes from it, but its got a great little sprouting chart, lots of ingredient info, and to date, has the only bread recipe that I've really loved. (The Apple Cinnamon Bread). So, so far, two thumbs up for this one.

  • I second Raw Food Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet. This book is for 1 or 2 people which is perfect for me since my husband is still on a SAD diet. It has small portions so my food does not go to waste.

  • I was also going to mention Jennifer Cornbleet and Ani PHyo's books. I use those quite frequently. Easy and Delicious results.

    I just bought Eat Smart, Eat Raw the other night. I wasn't familiar with it, but I had a gift card and it was the only raw cookbook they had besides Carol Alt's.

    I find great easy quick recipes in my Purely Delicious mags.

    Ddidn't car for Shazzi'es booklet. Maybe it was TOO simple for me at the time when my tastebuds still needed more and I was resistant to raw. But I never found anything very tasty. I should give it another try.

    Rarely use I am Grateful.

  • Nefertiti, thanks so much! I've decided to try going raw again, and these books are just what I've been looking for. (Just ordered the first two Kate Wood books & Ani's.)

    Now, to find enough raw recipes to hold us over until the books get here, and I can bring the groceries home!

  • Yes, Jennifer Cornbleet's book was one of the first I ordered. I love it, but I was looking for something a little more original than the everyday celery-lettuce-avocado mixture. Juliano's book is good in the sense that when I look through it, I can sort of distill the long recipes into short versions-great inspiration, and gives you a hint of the possibilities.

  • Annalea, I promise you won't be disappointed! Kate seems so down-to-earth and in reading her books she makes me feel really confident about whipping up my own recipes. Raw Magic is great, but I have been eating 50-70% raw for about a year and a half, and superfoods are beginning to interest me, seeing as they are whole foods which carry so many wonderful benefits at once.

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    silystarrfish~ I fully understand not wanting to post a copyrighted recipe, so I am not asking that- but would you please tell us what is in the Apple Cinnamon Bread, besides apples and cinnamon? Thanks!

  • pixx:

    It contains

    almonds - I used almond flour from some chai milk I made a few days before.

    raisins - they're then put through the food processor to make a syrup

    flax seeds

    cinnamon

    vanilla

    salt

    She's got a delicious sounding apple-zucchini bread made with pecans instead of almonds that I can't wait to try. I think it will be my next bread.

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    I just remembered that Ani Phyo's dessert book came out on April 30 so I just ordered it a few minutes ago!!!

    I admit to being big into the complex recipes, but now I'd like to explore some simpler recipes that still taste good but don't take all day. I'd like to build my 'repertoire' to help my husband during the week days. This is a great thread! Thanks for all the input!

  • Great list! Thanks so much, its really helpful. I love Natalia Rose recipes, her two books are great! I also wanted to give a little shameless self promotion. I have a website that is all about making raw food easily accessibly for everyone, I try and create new recipes that aren't overly complicated (rawfoodpunk.com)!

    Again, thanks so much for this list, I am always looking for books with convenience in mind!

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    Raw Food Punk, you have a very nice blog! I look forward to checking out more recipes. What a great find!

    I was wondering if anyone would be willing to recommend their favorite recipes found in Rawsome by Brigitte Mars? I have the book but haven't made anything yet. It looks like she has all kinds of simple and tasty recipes.

    Many thanks!

    Joyce :-)

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    silystarrfish~ Thanks so much. Yes, that apple-zucchini bread with pecans does indeed sound wonderful!

    JoyceH~ I didn't know Ani Phyo had a book coming out! I'm heading over to Amazon, in hopes it has a "look inside" feature! That may be the next on my wishlist!

    Raw Food Punk~ Thanks for sharing your blog. I like easy recipes! I started one last year, myself ( easyraw.blogspot.com ) but I haven't done a darn thing with it since last fall...I really should get back over there....

  • Thanks for checking out the site, so glad you like it! I actually will be reviewing Rawsome on my blog tomorrow! What a coincidence. I like it, but I have to admit I have varied almost every recipe I have tried because I wasn't fully satisfied. The raw lasagna recipe is awesome, but I didn't dehydrate the cheese. I also just moments ago made the russian dressing. I like it, its sweet and thick and made my salad quite yummy!

  • achin70achin70 Raw Newbie

    I got Kate Wood's "Raw Magic" a few weeks ago, and the recipes are awesome. I've been making her breakfast puddings and cereals. Even though I've been raw for about 3 years, this book has inspired me big time!

  • Kudos to you for making your own site Raw Food Punk! i love that we can all pull together and share knowledge and tips. I'll be heading over to your website tonight!

  • achin70, I know what you mean. I shelled out big bucks for that book, but it was soooo worth it. The book is incredibly inspiring. I used to be a big supplement-taker and advocate, and now that i have discovered whole superfoods, I have felt amazing and it gives me so many more options, especially when time or location are limited.

  • Hi there, im new to all this, certainly not 100% raw, dont intend to ever be that high-raw but have cut out wheat and sugar and most dairy tho am partial to yoghurt.....mainly for the protein and live bacteria. trying to eat all raw veg tho hard right now as am on holiday with my mum who just doesnt get it and isnt helping! Makes life hard when eating out!

    I did some internet research and was veryinspired by Kate magic. Went to one of her workshops last week and was both inspired and overwhelmed! I bought raw magic and raw living. Cant wait to slowly change my shopping and eating habbits, but emphasise 'slowly'. I believe it takes time and am overwhelmed by all the super-foods. I am on a low income and live in a shared ouse so all the equipment and expensive powders and supplements are a bit scary.

    The first thing i got obsessed with is raw deerts and cakes and chocolates. I have made a raw chocolate tart a few times and LOVE IT! Kind of made the recipe up!

    Love carob and raw cacao nibs and agave......Yet to try lacuma and macca. Want to get some greens powder...any advice?

    At the moment an average day for me is:

    Soya lecithin tablets

    multi vit and mineral tablet

    Kelp tablet

    hemp seed oil capsule

    half grapefruit

    either yoghurt with dates and seeds or banana/carob/goji smoothie or more fruit and some nuts

    Some raw chocolate mid morning (i like 'conscious chocolate' best), (made in south east of england)

    Lunch would be some quinoa and veg and sprouts and seeweed or miso soup and seweed

    some nuts or seeds or raw choc in afternoon

    dinner would be vegetable curry or salad with avocado, lentils or tofu.

    am going to start making all my old favourites but raw, like curry etc- Kate Wood has some exciting looking recipes.

    Mainly it is the cost that worries me. What superfoods are really worth it? I realise the expensive things like lacuma, cacao and coconut oil are luxuries but i NEED them as i have a very sweet tooth!

    Thanks for reading!

    xx

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    "all the equipment and expensive powders and supplements are a bit scary."

    They are not necessary. Don't feel you need those to be raw. I did feel that coconut oil was very necessary for me, in transition. I substituted all oil, butter, etc, with coconut oil. Lost a lot of weight, and got healthier to boot. Now that I am mostly raw, I don't use anywhere near as much of it. but quite frankly, I consider all the rest to be luxuries.

    Funny thing, I actually have come to not be so impressed with chocolate. And I am someone who for decades couldn't get past 9 am without a candy bar! Seriously! I got on a nibs kick for about 6 months, and then it waned. Now, I really couldn't care less for some, in any form. I feel that as my diet has gotten more clean and healthy, I just don't want it any more. YMMV of course.

    I did buy a dehydrator, but don't use it all that often. Mostly for kale chips for when I need something crunchy & snack-like.

    I satisfy my sweet tooth with raw honey. Of course that is not vegan, so if your preference is heading towards vegan that would be out. Dates are great for a sweet tooth, and I have gone on spells of having them around, too.

    Just keep it simple, and it will be more affordable. As I can, I have ordered some stuff, like lacuma and such, but I have found I really prefer whole fresh produce. I've rarely ordered something like that a second time.

    Good luck to you, in deciding what route works best for you!

  • Launette:

    I've found that as I eat more and more raw, I don't crave sweets as often. Especially chocolate. If I have a really bad sweet tooth, I eat a date - which I almost always have around.

    I also almost always have coconut oil around, but don't use it all that much anymore - I have a jar in my bathroom for my skin and I use that more than my kitchen jar.

    As far as equipment goes, I did buy a Ronco dehydrator, used it a lot, decided I needed something better, and saved up for an excalibur. I am extremely happy with the purchase (I use it a lot), but I don't honestly think I'm going to ever be able to afford a vitamix - it would be amazing, but my little 20 year old Osterizer works fantastically. I've also got a little tiny Oster Food Processor, that works really well, and is probably 25 years old. I'd look around thrift shops, second hand stores, and flea markets for these things if you feel like you really need them. Before buying the dehydrator, I'd look at all of the recipes you love, and all of the recipes you really want to make, and then make the decision to buy it. I make a lot of crackers and breads and recently discovered breaded veggie nuggets. I also love dehydrating my own farm fresh fruits. yumm.

    I haven't really gone into buying anything online - once, I was in whole foods and splurged on goji berries, I love them, but don't eat them often - its been over a month, and I still haven't eaten all of them. I try to eat mainly local and in season.

    Good luck on your journey!

  • LilEarthMuffinLilEarthMuffin Raw Newbie

    ill have to look at some of these thank you! :)

    i have all of natalia rose's books which i love because there is no sprouting/dehyrating

    but all of the other raw books ive bought or looked at focus on sprouting and dehydrating and i dont have time of supplies to do that.

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