Lisa Montgomery - Raw Potluck: Over 100 Simply Delicious Raw Dishes for Everyday Entertaining

Raw Potluck
Text Copyright 2011 Lisa Montgomery

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Montgomery, Lisa.
Raw potluck : over 100 simply delicious raw dishes for everyday entertaining / Lisa Montgomery.
p. cm. (Complete book of raw food series)
eISBN: 978-1-57826-418-6
1. Raw foods. 2. Raw food dietRecipes. I. Title. II. Title: Over 100 simply delicious raw dishes for everyday entertaining.
TX392.M75 2011
641.5636dc23
2011031953

Cover design by DCDesign
Interior design by DCDesign

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Some people think that wealth and success are what really matter, but without love, everything else becomes hollow and meaningless. When you love, the rest just comes to you and is put in its proper place.

Thank you to all who have lovingly shared your recipes in Raw Potluck. Thank you to my readers, who I hope will lovingly make these recipes for yourself and your loved ones.

Many thanks.
Love,
Lisa

I was certified as an associate raw chef instructor in July, 2006, at the Living Light Culinary Institute of Raw Foods. Before becoming certified, I had been living a predominantly raw lifestyle, but I decided to go to school to educate myself. I felt that I would eventually be divinely led to where I should go from there, and it did not take long for me to figure out what my next steps would be after my schooling.

While on the plane flying home from school, I was reading a raw resource book that I had picked up, because I wanted more support and, frankly, more raw entertainment than my area was offering at the time. Back then, we only had one monthly raw potluck at a local raw restaurant/store in southeastern Pennsylvania (Arnolds Way in Lansdale, PA). My raw resource book included a section on raw potlucks, so when I got home, I called every raw potluck that was listed in my area. Much to my dismay, every single potluck listed in the book was no longer in existence. Not being a person to wait for someone else to do something for me, I started asking several of my friends if they would attend a monthly raw potluck party if I organized it. They told their friends, who told their friends, who told their friends, and the rest is history.

Now, I hold raw potlucks (a.k.a. parties) regularly. We have had great food every month, and it just keeps getting better. In my newsletter, I share recipes from some of my participating potluckers. In fact, you will find many of those recipes in this book. We have been blessed to have phenomenal local and world-renowned speakers such as Viktoras Kulvinskas, the grandfather of raw foods. Victoria Boutenko and her daughter, Valya, are two more of our amazing speakers, along with Dr. Roe Gallo, Dr. Doug Graham, Matthew Kenney, Raw Chef Dan, Tonya Zavasta, Matt Monarch, and Brian Clement. We have taken field trips to heirloom organic gardens and fig farms, and we have had wellness expos with guest speakers such as Carol Alt. When I first began throwing these monthly healthy parties, I never would have guessed that they would grow into such amazing events. In fact, the potlucks have grown so much that I moved them out of my home and into Waterloo Gardens in Exton, PA.

A spread of delicious dishes from one of Lisas raw potlucks.

The potluckers are a group of people who share, care, and support each other. Through the potlucks, we have created our own community. So to those who say that one person cant make a difference, I say they canand I know from experience. Just like they say, If you build it, they will come, I have learned that if you have a raw potluck, many will come.

Another neat thing about these raw potlucks is that they have gone global thanks to the Internet. I now have people contacting me from all over the world. Plus, I have run into potluckers or folks from the raw community in other states, and I have always been welcomed with a warm hello and hug. I think that we can all use a warm hello and hug, dont you?

Sherry Steins Christmas tree display made of various fruits, including apples, grapes, and kiwis. (Photo courtesy of Sherry Stein)

Linda Louises Purple and Yellow Eggs (). (Photo courtesy of Linda Cooper).

With everyone working longer hours than ever before, it is easy to become disconnected. Frankly, most of us do not even know our own neighbors these days. Yet in creating the raw potlucks, I have created a community, and we have had numerous spin-offs. Attendees who have come a long distance or even those who have come a short distance have started their own raw potlucks to support themselves and their community. I have had people come to my potlucks from seven different states. When we first started, I had sixty-five people in my garage, but I have now moved them to Waterloo Gardens because the parties have become so large. People have been blown away that we have gotten so many people to attend when I am simply opening my house, as opposed to being affiliated with a store or a restaurant.

Raw potlucks can fill in the gaps of our disjointed communities. If you have something that people want to participate in, they will come. The potluckers are an amazing group of intelligent and informed people, and we are never without stimulating conversations. So if you want to have your own raw potluck, try some of the recipes in this book and invite your friends and neighbors. I promise that you all will have a wonderful time (but dont forget to invite me).

Thank you to my potluckers and guest speakers for blessing and enriching my life. Also, many thanks to all of you who have participated in my raw potluck parties, as well as this book.