Hamshaw - Choosing raw: making raw foods part of the way you eat

praise for

CHOOSING RAW

Genas easy-to-digest nutrition information and foolproof food preparation techniques will let you explore the world of vegan and raw foods with complete confidence.

Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, author of Vegan for Her and Never Too Late to Go Vegan

A breath of fresh airand whiff of fresh cuisineChoosing Raw is a delightful take on food as is should be: colorful, beautiful, delicious. The recipes are a joy (they work!) and the informational portions of the book are Gena Hamshaw at her smart and friendly best, replacing the confusion that so often surrounds nutrition with good sense and great food.

Victoria Moran, author of Main Street Vegan and director, Main Street Vegan Academy

With menus that make meal-planning a breeze and recipes that fit easily into a busy schedule, Choosing Raw is the go-to cookbook and guide for anyone interested in incorporating more raw and vegan meals into their daily routine.

Kathy Patalsky, author of 365 Vegan Smoothies and creator of Lunchboxbunch.com

Choosing Raw

Copyright 2014 by Gena Hamshaw

Photos by Hannah Kaminsky

Author photograph by Jeff Skeirik

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information, address Da Capo Press, 44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210.

Designed by Lisa Diercks

Set in 9.5 point Tisa Sans

Cataloging-in-Publication data for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

First Da Capo Press edition 2014

ISBN: 978-0-7372-1688-1 (e-book)

Published by Da Capo Press

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

www.dacapopress.com

NOTE: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. This book is intended only as an informative guide for those wishing to know more about health issues. In no way is this book intended to replace, countermand, or conflict with the advice given to you by your own physician. The ultimate decision concerning care should be made between you and your doctor. We strongly recommend you follow his or her advice. Information in this book is general and is offered with no guarantees on the part of the authors or Da Capo Press. The authors and publisher disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

Da Capo Press books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the U.S. by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext. 5000, or e-mail .

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For my Mom

Contents

O VER THE PAST DECADE, IVE HELPED to guide thousands of women and men on their path to greater health and fulfillment through diet and lifestyle. As a wellness activist, best-selling author, and cancer thriver, Ive witnessed and experienced the powerful ways in which whole plant foods can reignite your energy, strengthen your immunity, and support the healing process. I also know that the road to dietary transformation isnt always straight and narrow. Sometimes its twisting, turning, and treacherous. It can be full of potholes: confusion, culinary experiments gone wrong, protocols that are either too strict or too strange. Change is powerful, but it can be daunting too.

Today, were armed with so much information about the way certain foodsespecially whole, plant-based foodscan help us to fight chronic disease, inflammation, pain, and aging. But amid all of that information, theres also a lot of confusion. There are contradictory and competing theories about what you should eat, how much you should eat, and when you should eat. Foods that are advertised as lifesaving one day are demonized the next. Advice you get from one guru is countered by another. With all of the bickering out there in the nutrition world, its hard to know whom to trust. Its difficult to feel confident about your food choices, even when youre trying to do everything right.

This is where Gena Hamshaw swoops in and soulfully saves the day. A certified clinical nutritionist with a brilliant head on her shoulders, Gena is determined to take the guesswork and confusion out of eating raw and vegan food. Shes on a mission to help you make raw foods a part of your life without letting them take over your life. Gena knows how amazing green, clean, plant-based foods can be, but she also knows that theres more to life than nutrition, that healthy food isnt worth much if it doesnt taste great, and that no amount of kale salad will help you if youre constantly stressing out about what you eat.

I met Gena Hamshaw in 2009. At the time, she was a fledgling blogger with a small but growing nutrition practice. I was immediately struck by the depth of her knowledge, her intense curiosity about the workings of the human body, and her ability to bring critical insight to the raw food world. I appreciated the fact that she could savor her green juice along with her coffee, and that her passion for raw food was met with an equally strong sense of practicality. When she told me she was considering making wellness work her full-time career. I told her without skipping a beat that she had to do it. This is her calling, and I know shes going to make a difference.

Throughout our friendship and our professional acquaintance, Ive watched Gena refine her understanding of health, wellness, and diet. Ive admired her ability to reassess her opinions, even when it means calling her previous ideas into question. Ive always known that I could count on her for a balanced perspective, and shes on my speed dial for reliable answers to burning health questions. In fact, Gena was one of a select handful of trusted nutrition advisers who I turned to when I wrote my first New York Times bestseller, Crazy Sexy Diet. Thats how much I trust this fabulous woman!

Genas intellect, energy, and sass have finally come together in this incredible book. Here youll find 125 of her characteristically easy, no-fuss, and delicious recipes (along with mouthwatering photos). Youll get a healthy serving of Genas hilarious, no-nonsense approach to nutrition science and health advice. Youll smile at her savvy (and spot on!) responses to some of the biggest myths and misconceptions surrounding vegan and raw food. Many of the questions she addresses are the same ones Im asked about every day from readers around the world. With good humor, insight, and authority, Gena separates fact from fiction.

Most of all, youll be inspired by Genas energy, and by the delight she takes in the vegan lifestyle. You may not be vegan, raw, or even a veggie lover. But no matter who you are and how you like to eat, I promise you that youll find something to savor in this book. Maybe youll want to try a meatless dinner now and then. Maybe youll discover a couple of new ingredients. Maybe youll be convinced that eating raw food doesnt have to be scary or weird or a hassle: It can be fun and refreshing. And if youve been wondering about plant-based diet but are worried about meeting your nutrient needs, let Gena walk you through a safe, realistic road map for making the transition.

Even with a growing body of evidence that points to the vital benefits of whole, plant-based food, too few people are able to make the connection between the foods they eat and the way they feel. If youve just started to realize that your diet has the power to harm or heal, then this is the moment for you to discover