Crawley - Practically raw: flexible raw recipes anyone can make

The recipes on offer here are exciting and flexible, and youll also find they are very doable for even the most novice cook. With money-saving tips, nutrition advice, information on special ingredients, equipment and techniques, pantry lists, and directions for cooked options, this book is a wonderful entry into enjoying the raw food lifestyle...practically.

Russell James, The Raw Chef

Beautiful and immensely helpful. The perfect cookbook for omnivores leaning toward veganism, as well as vegans leaning toward raw foods.

Vegan.com

For anyone wanting to become more comfortable and familiar with the charms and benefits of a plant-based diet, look no further than Practically Raw.

Matthew Kenney, founder of the Matthew Kenney Academy, from the Foreword

Ambers approachable style to eating raw makes it easy for anyone to start making raw foods in their kitchen. Her recipes are inventive, balancing both raw and cooked foods, with an emphasis on health but never sacrificing taste. Youll find the recipes in Practically Raw are deliciously divine.

Christy Morgan, The Blissful Chef, author of Blissful Bites

Ambers easy-to-follow recipes make this healthful cuisine easy, joyfully approachable, and a veritable feast for the palate. Whether youre a raw food neophyte or have been enjoying this healthy lifestyle for years, Ambers fresh perspective is nothing less than rawsome. Her Cocoa Corruption Smoothie is addictive.

Dynise Balcavage, author of Celebrate Vegan and Urban Vegan

Its a raw food free-for-all! Amber takes the stress out of uncooked preparations, making delicious results accessible to everyone. Guiding cooks through the world of raw vegan food with gentle instructions and helpful hints all along the way, you ll want to get into the kitchen as soon as you open the cover.

Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan and Vegan Desserts

I have been impressed with every single recipe in this book I tried. Practically Raw is a book for anyone who likes to eat good food that doesnt take forever to make. I would recommend it to every person interested in adding more raw and vegan foods into their lives.

Eva Rawposa, Uncooking101.com and founder of The Uncooking School

Amber Shea Crawley

V EGAN H ERITAGE P RESS

Woodstock Virginia

Practically Raw: Flexible Raw Recipes Anyone Can Make by Amber Shea Crawley (Copyright 2012 by Amber Shea Crawley)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except in the context of reviews and fair reference, without written permission from the publisher.

First Edition, March 2012

Vegan Heritage Press books are available at quantity discounts. For information, please visit our website at www.veganheritagepress.com or write the publisher at Vegan Heritage Press, P.O. Box 628, Woodstock, VA 22664-0628.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Crawley, Amber Shea, 1985-

Practically raw: flexible raw recipes anyone can make / Amber Shea Crawley. -- 1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 9780988949270

1. Cooking (Natural foods) 2. Raw foods. 3. Cookbooks. I. Title.

TX741.C73 2012

641.302--dc23

2011041844

Cover photos: Photo of the author by Stephen Melvin. Food photos by Amber Shea Crawley: (clockwise from bottom) Almond Butter Sesame Noodles, 141; Parisian Street Crepes, page 61; Mushroom Nut Burgers, page 144. Interior photos: photos of the author by Stephen Melvin; food photos by Amber Shea Crawley. Spot illustrations of individual ingredients from stock photo sources.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this book should not be taken as medical advice. If you require a medical diagnosis or prescription, or if you are contemplating any major dietary change, please consult a qualified health-care provider. You should always seek an expert medical opinion before making changes in your diet or supplementation regimen.

Publishers Note: The information in this book is correct and complete to the best of our knowledge. Website addresses and contact information were correct at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for specific health or allergy issues or adverse reactions to recipes contained in this book.

Dedication

To Matt,
for all the love, laughter, and encouragement a girl
could ask for, and

To my parents,
for a lifetime of support and believing in me.

When I was first introduced to it many years ago, raw food was a relatively unknown lifestyle practiced by a few niche groups around the country. This was before the days of its brief cameo on Sex and the City, or the laser focus it began to receive from celebrities in recent years. While the health benefits of raw were quite well explained even in those early days, the quality of the cuisine itself had a long way to go. It was mostly being prepared by untrained and self-taught chefs, and while the food could be satisfying on some levels, the true potential of raw cuisine remained untapped. Most of my early raw meals were centered on nut-heavy, often labor-intensive preparations that, in the end, filled me more than satisfied me. And yet, they were good enough that I almost instantly felt better both physically and mentally.

I envisioned raw food on a larger stage, one that would allow people to eat healthfully while still enjoying the wonders of gourmet cuisine. Cookbooks on the subject were few and far between, and those that did exist were not particularly helpful in guiding me toward the wonderful food I imagined. I think of those searching days with fondness, even as I recall cracking coconuts with an ax in my yard before attempting a curried coconut soup. Upon announcing the opening of a high-end raw food restaurant in New York City, I found the skeptics out in full force. When a couple of early diners, and even one potential employee, expressed that they could only work or eat while barefoot (to be more grounded), I began to worry that this chosen mission may have been too challenging to convey to a broader, more mainstream audience. Still, my partners and I persisted in working diligently to show that raw food could be vibrant and delicious. New inroads were made as more and more people began to incorporate raw into their daily lives. They became healthier and learned that they could still enjoy dinner while doing so.

Along with my goal of helping to spread the word about the wonders of eating a plant-based diet, I also believe in educating chefs about creating healthier choices. The world will be a much better place when we finally realize the connection between food and health. Launching the Matthew Kenney Academy, an upscale culinary institute emphasizing contemporary raw food, seemed like the perfect way for me to embark on this mission. This was an even greater stretch of the imagination than opening a niche restaurant in New York. The location I chose for this high-end, raw-only school wasnt New York, however, but Oklahoma, a true meat-and-potatoes state. It was there that I first met the wonderfully talented Amber Shea Crawley.