Sarma Melngailis may just be my new favorite raw food author.

Can I just say that her new book "Living Raw Food" is wonderful? I got so used to being talked "at" by all the raw food gurus and experts who write most of the books out there, I didn't think an author's tone could be any different. Sarma is so down-to-Earth, doesn't profess to be an "expert" or guru, but yet she is so knowledgeable without being pretentious or intimidating. Her recipes and insights are just fantastic. She also has a blog, by the way, at Oneluckyduck.com. Being a non-100% raw-foodist, I find this so very refreshing.

Comments

  • LaEnsaladaLaEnsalada Raw Newbie

    I just bought Raw Food Real World and I absolutely LOVE it!!

    So far I've made cucumber pineapple gazpacho and chocolate mousse. They were both delicious. I also love reading all the stories and advise the book contains. Now I really want Living Raw Food!!

  • I was reading her blog after you posted this, and I cracked up so many times... she has a great sense of humor and her honesty is refreshing!! I love the fact that you can still look good, have a sense of humor, run a business on little to no sleep, all while eating raw. Phew...I just have to jump on her train for a bit! I have full time college, two little girls, a full time (and over time!!) job and some days I think to myself, wow, how does anyone eat raw with lifestyles like this??? I barely have time to think let alone plan, prepare and prioritize!

    I think I'll get this book and give it some good reading...she seems practical!

    Misty

     

  • I was looking at her blog and it is super funny and detailed. But when I looked at some of the store product ingredients I noticed that a lot of the sweet items have organic maple syrup and organic maple powder (sugar) which is not a raw food. Is her un-cook books the same way? Does she use maple syrup in most of her recipes?

  • LaEnsaladaLaEnsalada Raw Newbie

    She uses maple syrup in some of her recipes but not all of them. She also suggests replacing the maple syrup with agave if you are a hardcore raw foodist. I personally don't have anything against using a little maple syrup because it is nutrient rich and I've heard it's actually better for you than using agave.

  • superfood2superfood2 Raw Newbie

    Yes, the raw food books by Sarma and Matt have non-raw ingredients and lots of fat, but they are nice recipes for occasional treats.

  • Well, i am not a 100% raw-fooder, so i don't mind about the maple syrup, etc. If ingredients like maple syrup contain valuable nutrition, it doesn't matter to me if it's raw or not. Agave syrup ain't all it's cracked up to be, if you do your research.

    It makes no sense to me to abhor some components which have redeeming qualities nutritionally just beacuse they're not raw. It took me a long time to get to this point; I used to get caught up in the cultishness of the raw food movement, feeling like if I didn't use all raw ingredients, that I had failed (by whose standards? Probably the godheads of said R.F. movement). I have given up on all that. Sometimes i eat all raw, sometimes I eat 50%, and sometimes I eat (GASP!) cooked vegan food! What's miraculous for one person may ail another. It's all about finding a good balance that is right for YOU, not the people who claim that if you aren't eating 100% raw, you are signing your own death certificate. But maybe this is a topic for another forum... :)

  • By the way, ALOT of raw food recipes have alot of fat. Maybe it has something to do with the nuts and seeds...and avocados....

  • superfood2superfood2 Raw Newbie

    I never hear anyone say they are eating agave for nutritional benefits, nor maple syrup's supposed benefits. When you compare the nutritional value of eating fruit to agave syrup or maple syrup, it's a clear choice, regardless if one is raw or not. Clearly, there are better choices than any syrups or nuts or seeds. That's what matters to me more than being raw.

  • I do use sweeteners sometimes in recipes, Raw honey (which is not vegan, but I buy from responsible beekeepers locally) is my favorite. But there is no flavor like maple syrup. Yummmmmmmmm.

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    Um...... back to the original topic

    So far I've tried the tomato fennel salad, the coleslaw and vanilla ice cream with the framboise sauce. Everything was great! The coleslaw is amazing and I normally wouldn't boast about coleslaw :-)

    What other recipes has anyone made so far??? would love to hear how things have turned out!

    ...this is a great living raw food book! I can't wait to make more recipes!!

  • LaEnsaladaLaEnsalada Raw Newbie

    I made the cherry tomato salad with crumbled macadamia feta (from Raw Food Real World) It was soooooo good. The feta tasted like real cheese to me. My parents who eat SAD, both loved the salad and were amazed at how good it was.

    Right now I have nuts and seeds soaking so I can make the raw granola recipe.

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    Raw Food Real World is a wonderful recipe book too (a must-have in my opinion).

  • Money's tight, so right now I thumb through the books and make components of the larger recipes, like lemon-cream sauce, and instead of making the other parts of the entree, I'll just spiralize myself some zucchini pasta. At first i was a bit intimidated because of all the ingredients and parts of the recipes, but then i realized I could either glean ideas form the book (which I find very encouraging, honest and down-to-earth in itself) or just make one part of the recipe and mix it with some chopped veggies or fruits. When I get a chance to review the book at home, I'll remember which ones I have made and log those for you guys!

    Let me just say i was rarely disappointed!

  • LaEnsaladaLaEnsalada Raw Newbie

    My granola was finally crunchy enough to eat this morning, so I ate it with brazil nut milk and blueberries and bananas sliced on top. I made some for both of my SAD parents as well and they both LOVED it. My dad thought it was real milk before I told him it was made out of nuts.

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