Mike Snyder - Rawesomely Vegan!: The Ultimate Raw Vegan Recipe Book

Living the raw lifestyle is fabulous and fun, and it can make you feel on top of the world. But, as you know, getting to the top can be a tough trek, and staying there can sometimes be even harder. Modern life is not designed to support healthy choices, which can make rockin your rawesome diet difficult. Thankfully, you can stock your kitchen in whatever way you wantand, with a proper set-up that turns food prep into pure pleasure, your raw inspiration will always remain at your fingertips.

In this chapter, youll find a profile of each performer that plays a key role in a raw pro kitchen. Chances are that you may be good friends with a lot of these foods already, but if not, you dont necessarily need to rustle them all up immediately. If you purchase a few each time you visit the market, youll be well on your way to building a pretty amazing raw vegan pantry.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of your healthy lifestyle, and they most likely make up the majority of what you eat. But not all produce is created equal! There are certain fruits and vegetables that, for various reasons, are especially high in chemical contamination. These include fruits with a high surface to volume ratio, like berries, cherries, or grapes; fruits and veggies with edible skins, like apples, carrots, bell peppers, peaches, pears, or nectarines; and leafy vegetables like kale, lettuce, and celery.

These foods should be purchased strictly organic or not at all. Why organic? Well, in essence, organic foods are grown without toxic pesticides and herbicides, are free of artificial fertilizers, free of sewage contamination, free of any genetic modification or genetically modified ingredients, and have never been irradiated.

Conversely, there are a few selections that are safer to buy conventional, if you must. These include thick-skinned fruits such as citrus, melons, or avocados; tropical fruits such as kiwi, mango, papaya, or pineapple; root veggies like sweet potatoes and onions; and the following low-spray crops: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, sweet corn, sweet peas, and tomatoes. While you should buy organic whenever possible to ensure that youre eating the cleanest produce possible, if you need to pinch pennies or if your local store doesnt have a wide selection of organic produce, then these fruits and veggies are where you should make your concessions.

In addition, where you buy your produce is just as important as what youre eating and its best to buy as seasonally and as locally as possible, by shopping at farmers markets or at independent grocers. Buying locally and in season means youll be getting the freshest, healthiest food available, straight from the farm to your tableoften in the same day! Food thats grown far away is picked before its ripe and shipped for days or even weeks before it reaches the store shelves. All of this is reflected in the lower nutrient content, so for the most vitamin- and mineral-rich produce, keep it local and keep it seasonal.

You want to eat the freshest foods possible, but sometimes its hard to make sure that what youre putting on your table is at its peak. To be sure your food is as fresh as possible and to ensure that youre getting the healthiest and most flavorful fruits and veggies available, its best to hit the produce aisle frequently throughout the week. Remember that nutrients begin to degrade as soon as an item is picked, so the fresher the better! However, its not always easy to make it to the store, and if you live a busy lifeas you probably dothere are few tips for maximizing pizzazz in those precious plant foods.