what can you eat?

Copyright © 2013 Karen Knowler. All Rights Reserved | www.TheRawFoodCoach.com

MODULE 2: RAW ABUNDANCE8 SIMPLE STEPS TO

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What Can You Eat?A common beginner’s belief around eating raw is that the food groups are limited to just four food groups: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Not true!

There are actually over 20 raw food groups that we can choose from when we choose raw, and you can fi nd these listed on the next page. However, before we get to that, I do want to point out that EVERY cooked food you have ever eaten and will ever eat was (of course) once raw, and that in most cases, it was much tastier and healthier then, than it will be in its cooked state. I feel this worth mentioning, because we can fall into the trap of thinking that there are “more” cooked foods than raw – and yet everything started raw in the fi rst place! In actual fact, what’s really true is simply that there are more foods commercially available in their cooked and processed form than there are raw.

Let’s take the example of wheat:

Wheat, in its raw form, can be consumed as sprouted wheat grains or wheatgrass (juiced). Once processed using kitchen equipment like a food processor and dehydrator, it can become a raw cracker, pizza base, cake or pie crust, or a raw bread – but typically we fi nd that we have to make most or all of these ourselves.

Conversely, cooked and processed wheat can be found in just about every store as fl our, bread, dough, pizza bases, crusts, pastries, pasta, spaghetti, cartoon shapes covered in tomato sauce, and breakfast cereals. And it comes in white and brown!

Until the same is true of raw foods, this will be what most people consider to be food. The good news for those in the know, is that it only takes a little time and ingenuity (see later) to create all these foods in raw forms ourselves; it’s just a case of knowing how and making time to do it.

When it comes to answering the question, “What can I eat?” I want to remind you that this is very much up to you. While I’m going to share with you what foods are raw, remember: as per Module 1, how much raw food you want to eat (and for what reasons) will determine how you plan your menu on a daily and weekly basis.



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1. Fresh fruits (apples, pears, pineapple, etc.)

2. Vegetables (carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, etc.)

3. Salad vegetables (tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, etc.)

4. Leafy green vegetables (kale, watercress, chard, etc.)

5. Herbs (basil, mint, parsley, etc.)

6. Wild greens (dandelion, nettle, purslane, etc.)

7. Nuts (almonds, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, etc.)

8. Dried fruits (prunes, raisins, sultanas, etc.)

9. Sprouted beans, pulses and legumes (aduki, mung, lentil, etc.)

10. Sprouted grains (wheat, rye, barley, etc.)

11. Seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunfl ower, etc.)

12. Sprouted seeds (quinoa, buckwheat, chia, etc.)

13. Indoor greens (wheatgrass, sunfl ower greens, pea shoots, etc.)

14. Sprouted vegetable seeds (broccoli, mustard, cress, etc.)

15. Edible fl owers (wild rose petals, honeysuckle, lavender blossoms, etc.)

16. Mushrooms (oyster, portobello, reishi, etc.)

17. Sea vegetables (dulse, wakame, kelp, etc.)

18. Algaes (chlorella, spirulina, Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae, etc.)

19. Oils (olive oil, sesame oil, hemp oil, etc.)

20. Stimulants (onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, etc.)

21. Spices (turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, etc.)

22. Flavourings and sweeteners (cacao, honey, mesquite meal, etc.)

23. Superfoods (aloe vera, bee pollen, maca, etc.)

24. Pre-packaged/prepared raw foods (nut butters, seed butters, fl ax crackers, etc.)

For a complete run-down on the foods most commonly available within each genre, please refer to the document entitled “Your Complete Raw Food Shopping List” which provides you with a 13-page checklist that you can use for creating shopping lists or planning menus.

The Raw Food Groups



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What Appears Raw But Isn’t Really?There are a number of foods that may appear raw, or one would assume to be raw, but in actual fact are not, due to the way they are processed or preserved. There comes a point in every raw food enthusiast’s life where they have to make a decision on whether this is going to be a problem or not, and what they will and won’t allow into their diet.

My own personal philosophy around this is that it’s about taking each food/drink on its own merits, rather than having things be black and white/in or out. I will ask myself, “Is it a healthy food in spite of being cooked?” In many cases it is, so if it met other criteria (vegetarian being one of them) then I personally wouldn’t rule it out if I felt my body wanted it and there was nothing else raw that I wanted more.

There are certainly people who will use this list to inform them categorically as to what they will and won’t consume. To my mind, at best this is impressive and admirable when done consciously and without an energy of militancy; at worst it can lead to neuroticism and not being able to distinguish between foods other than in terms of them being cooked or raw.

At the end of the day, this is for each individual to decide.

The list below is of foods that you might think are raw but often aren’t. Of course, if the word “raw” is written on the label then it’s the exception rather than the rule. Also worth doing is calling a manufacturer or checking out their web site to fi nd out if a food is truly raw or not. This means that it hasn’t been processed for more than a few short minutes at above 48°C or 117°F.

NON-RAW FOODS THAT AREN’T SO OBVIOUS

Maple syrup – This is extracted from the tree and boiled at very high temperatures. Agave syrup – This is extracted from the cactus and is also processed at high temperatures. Fruit sweeteners – These are typically pasteurised. Honey – This is usually pasteurised. Olives – These are usually pasteurised. Olive oil and other oils – Even “cold pressed” oils are not typically raw, because heat has still

been applied. Dried fruits – Commercial drying methods include baking at high temperatures or even when

“sundried” they have been dried in large metal containers which refl ect and intensify the suns natural rays and effectively cook the fruit. Unless you purchase dry goods from a company that sells specifi cally raw food, you are probably not going to get truly raw dried fruits.

Powders and superfoods – Powdered foods like cacao, spirulina, berries, greens and other superfoods might not be raw because the powdering process sometimes subjects ingredients to high temperatures.

Nuts – This is a grey area. Here in the UK most commercially available nuts are raw, unless they are labelled otherwise, although cashew nuts and Brazil nuts can be a bit hit-or-miss because of the way the nut is extracted from its shell. In the USA many nuts are pasteurised and it is actually now very hard to get truly raw almonds in the USA.

Nut butters - Many nut butters use nuts that have been roasted or heated in some way, although there are quite a few brands now that market themselves as being raw, so these are the ones to look for.



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Oats – Oats go rancid very quickly in their raw, harvested state, so are almost always heat-treated to prevent them from doing so.

Fruit juices and smoothies – Most store-bought bottled juices and smoothies have been pasteurised in order for their shelf-life to be extended. The exceptions are, of course, the juices and smoothies made fresh in juice bars (although you want to make sure that they’re being made from raw produce, as some actually add in pasteurised fruit concentrates) and some bottled juices will say “unpasteurised” on the label.

Canned fruit – These fruits are subjected to high temperatures in the canning process and you can defi nitely taste the difference.

Sea vegetables including nori – Generally speaking, the darker the nori, the more raw it is (yes, the opposite of what you would expect). However, these darker noris can still be heat-treated, so again look for one that’s labelled “raw”.

Dried herbs and spices – Almost always these have been heated at high temperatures to get them as dry as they are.

“Raw” energy bars – Surprisingly, these often may not contain 100% raw ingredients, such as oats, fruit concentrates and dried fruits.



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There are so many ways that you transform a simple, raw food into something more interesting, or combine it with other raw ingredients to create a healthy and delicious recipe.

The most commonly used “processing” methods in raw food are:

Juicing Blending Milling Food processing/homogenising Freezing Dehydrating Marinating Fermenting

On the next few pages you can read more about each process, together with starter ideas for how to integrate them into your raw food lifestyle. As you will see, this really blows the doors wide open to what can be created.

Different Ways to Process Raw Foodsto Create Thousands of Meals



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JuicingWHAT IS JUICING?

Juicing is the method used to extract the liquid portion of a fruit, vegetable, herb or grass from its original form. As these plants typically consist of at least 70% water (or more) in their whole state, you can extract a lot of juice from them, especially from fresh fruits which are traditionally much higher in water – often above 85%. Juicing works by crushing, fi nely grating or squeezing the juice from the original food and then fi ltering through a fi ne sieve or similar; on electric juicers this sieve is typically called a “screen”. The residual pulp (fi brous part of the plant) is expelled elsewhere, leaving pure, clean juice as by-product in a separate jug, fresh and “live” and ready to drink.

WHY JUICE?

Juicing can add a whole new dimension to your diet, and if you don’t like to drink water all the time it could prove invaluable if you wish to replace all the other less healthy drinks that you might have been used to. By experimenting with juicing, you will open yourself up to an incredible variety of taste sensations, varying from the simple, fresh single-fruit juices such as apple, orange or watermelon, to tasty vegetable combinations such as carrot and beetroot, the highly alkaline green juices or the more elaborate fruit cocktails. Quite simply, juices taste amazing, look strikingly beautiful, and when you’ve drunk one you feel as if you’ve been washed clean inside. If you want to feel squeaky clean for a day and lose a little weight, a day of juicing will do wonders for you, your energy, your mind and your body.

WHAT DO I NEED TO JUICE?

Obviously buying a good all-purpose juicer is the best way into juicing, but some people improvise by using a blender, sometimes adding water if necessary, and strain the resulting mixture. This can work well in some instances, but isn’t going to work at all for herbs and grasses. Juicy fruits will be most successful, but there will still be a lot of juice left in the fi bre, as spinning blades do not create the necessary crushing or squeezing action needed to get the most juice out of them. Most vegetables will need water added in order to generate enough motion to spin the food around, so a watered-down juice will be the result. Realistically speaking, unless you are prepared to compromise and struggle a little with a blender, if you want to juice, get a juicer!

BEST WAYS TO GET JUICING

Although you can create some incredible fruit or vegetable cocktails using just pure, fresh juices, I still feel that the simple juices are the best. The best way to begin is by using only one ingredient to get a feel for how a food tastes when juiced. This works best for fruits, as their fl avour is sweeter than most vegetables and initially are more palatable in larger amounts. Many vegetables are much more strongly fl avoured and can only be taken in smaller amounts or mixed well with other vegetables, so unless you have a candida problem, start with the fruits fi rst.



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WHAT IS BLENDING?

Blending (also known as homogenising) is the technique used to combine two or more ingredients together into a single multi-fl avoured form. In raw food prep these ingredients can either be high-water-content foods or liquids that will combine well together to form a liquid or a blended meal such as a smoothie, soup, dip or dressing. Alternatively, heavier ingredients such as nuts and seeds can be blended without high-water-content foods present. These drier raw foods can only combine successfully with more intense pressure, which you won’t get from the power or blending technique generated by a traditional blender.

WHY BLEND?

The variety of drinks and meals you can add to your menu with the addition of a blender is perhaps much more than you’ll fi nd with any other piece of kitchen equipment. I use mine all the time for smoothies, thicker “juices” (the pulp remains but is blended very fi nely), soups, baby foods, ice-cream or thick shakes, dressings, sauces, pâtés, “cheeses”, burgers and more besides.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BLEND?

You can blend liquids or high-water-content foods in a nut mill (small amounts), food processor, a hand blender and jug, a personal blender, or, of course, a traditional blender (with the king of blenders being the Vita-Mix). The latter is the most effective, not only for its functionality, but also for measuring and pouring purposes. All of the others will work well, too. As mentioned above, for those mixtures where there is little or no liquid to work with, you will need to use a machine with more power, or where you can focus the power directly onto or into the food where it is needed. This you will achieve by using a hand blender, food processor or electric juicer with homogenising capabilities in order to process the foods effectively.

BEST WAYS TO GET BLENDING

It may not be so obvious where to start with blending if you’ve never done it before, or at least not with raw foods. I think the best place to start is with some simple smoothies, nut milks, dressings, soups and dips and some basic pâtés and “cheeses”. Overall, a normal tabletop blender is best for more liquid recipes, and a food processor is best for those that are mostly (or all) dry ingredients.

Blending



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MillingWHAT IS MILLING?

Milling is also referred to as “grinding” and is the technique used to break a dry raw ingredient down into smaller parts, ranging from chips to a fi ne powder.

WHY MILL?

You can mill many dry raw ingredients such as nuts, seeds, grains, dehydrated foods and cacao beans. In doing so you create smaller particles that are either easier to use within recipes or which can be used as sprinkles for adding into or onto other dishes such as soups, salads or desserts.

WHAT DO I NEED TO MILL?

You will need a nut mill (also known as a coffee mill or grinder) or a blender with a “dry jug” such as the Vita-Mix Super TNC.

BEST WAYS TO GET MILLING

Try taking a tablespoon each of sunfl ower seeds (hulled), sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds and milling together to form a tasty seed sprinkle. This mixture is packed full of nutrition and can be used to mix into recipes or to sprinkle into soups or salads. Try varying the mixture by adding or removing ingredients. Some good ones to add might be hemp seeds (hulled or unhulled) and/or fl ax seeds (linseed). Try the same approach to nut mixtures using different nuts to create different blends – there’s nothing to stop you mixing nuts and seeds together, either. Keep any milled nuts or seeds in an airtight container in the fridge to avoid them going rancid and use, ideally, within fi ve to seven days.



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DehydratingWHAT IS DEHYDRATING?

Dehydrating is an ancient method of food preservation which originally used the warmth of the sun to dry foods outside naturally. As humankind has now spread to every corner of the globe, many of us do not get enough sun or enough heat to dehydrate the old fashioned way – cue the invention of the man-made dehydrator. Man-made dehydrators are powered by electricity and generate enough heat to make any water within a food evaporate, leaving the food bone dry, but doesn’t generate enough heat to cook them.

WHY DEHYDRATE?

I have found a dehydrator to be a truly excellent piece of equipment, adding many valuable dimensions to a menu, especially in the colder months. As well as providing an array of “warm” foods, it also allows us to show others that a raw food diet doesn’t just have to consist of fruit and salad as is commonly assumed. As well as adding new foods and recipes to a menu, it can also build a great bridge between cooked foods and raw, as many dehydrated foods have a cooked taste about them, and the crunchy or crispy textures dehydrators create cannot be easily found elsewhere. The most common examples of these crunchy, raw foods are pizza bases, breads and crackers. Dehydrators also provide us with a way to preserve foods for the coming months, such as dried fruits and vegetables that we may otherwise have had to throw away.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DEHYDRATE?

You can build a dehydrator yourself or you can purchase one. Some people have managed to use a conventional oven to dehydrate their food successfully, but this has been with varying degrees of success, and, of course, it’s much harder to gauge the real drying temperature. If you try this approach yourself, the oven must be kept at a very low temperature and the door kept open. This is not an ideal way to do it but it can work. I tried it once and it was such a spectacular failure that the bread I was trying to make fermented; it made the kitchen smell awful and it put me off trying again! I recommend investing in a proper dehydrator to have results you can trust again and again. For dehydrating runny foods, the additional purchase of Parafl exx sheets or greaseproof paper is a must.

BEST WAYS TO GET DEHYDRATING

It’s best to start by simply drying out some slices of fresh fruits or vegetables of your choice. These must be sliced fairly thinly, otherwise they will take days to dry out and may even ferment before they get completely dried. (Squeezing lemon juice onto them will help preserve them a little longer but will alter the taste slightly.) By drying fresh fruits and vegetables you can create everything from fruit and veggie rings or chips to trail mixes. Semi-dried pieces can be chopped up and put into pies or fl ans. Advancing from this, you can progress to dehydrating crackers made from grains or seeds, bases for pizzas or pies or cookies and other sweet treats such as muesli bars. You can also use the dehydrator as an alternative to an oven, for pre-heating certain dishes before serving. I suggest advancing from simple fruits and vegetables to making fl ax crackers, as these are super easy to make and extremely delicious and versatile. Everyone seems to love them too!



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WHAT IS FREEZING?

I doubt this needs much explanation, but essentially when we freeze raw foods we are suspending their life force for a good while longer in extreme cold conditions. It’s a similar concept to dehydrating in that we are preserving foods for later use, but with freezing it’s in the opposite direction! Once foods are frozen, however, they will never return to their former glory.

WHY FREEZE?

Freezing is a less commonly used method of food preservation in a raw and living foods kitchen, as the quality of fresh produce tends to deteriorate quite noticeably, especially in terms of taste and texture. Science has shown that frozen foods do lose a little of their nutritional value and enzymes along the way, but not to a signifi cant degree, so in some instances it can be useful.

Ways in which we can use freezing are actually quite minimal, as, unlike in most kitchen situations, these foods will not be cooked later. So mainly it is just fresh fruits which are frozen, typically for using later to create ice-creams, frozen thick shakes, ice-lollies, frozen fruit toppings for desserts, fl ans or pies, or for freezing puréed baby foods for later use. It’s also useful for preserving fruits that would otherwise go to waste through not being eaten quickly enough.

For those who have always loved ice-cream and the like, it’s exciting to know that you can still have these, completely free of sugar or dairy, and much tastier than their commercially produced counterparts. Yippee!

WHAT DO I NEED TO FREEZE?

Obviously a freezer is required here - preferably one with shelving as opposed to a chest freezer which won’t properly support the trays you may use to freeze bananas in, for example. Other useful items are: trays suitable for freezing (e.g. Tupperware boxes, plastic food trays or large ceramic lasagne dishes), lolly moulds and ice-cube trays. An ice-cream maker is a terrifi c bonus.

BEST WAYS TO GET FREEZING

The best basic food to freeze is peeled bananas laid out on a tray – these are useful in a variety of ways, from making “ice-lollies” to ice-creams and puddings. You can also freeze small amounts of freshly squeezed juice in ice-cube trays for use later on – this works especially well for wheatgrass juice where small amounts are all that’s needed at a time. For fruit juices, one cube of frozen juice could be a very welcome addition to a glass of sparkling water to make a fruity, fi zzy drink in a second without any of the nasty additives. Other ideas are to freeze chunks of pineapple or mango – these taste yummy just as they are or can be added to smoothies or ice-creams at a later date. Frozen grapes make delicious and refreshing snacks in the summer, as do whole frozen bananas which can be eaten like lollipops just as they are, or rolled in coconut fl akes, carob powder or any number of sweet toppings or fl avourings prior to freezing. Ice-lollies for kids of all ages can be made from frozen juices or smoothies and poured into lolly moulds as you would normally.

Freezing



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MarinatingWHAT IS MARINATING?

Marinating is the action of soaking a food in a fl avoured liquid (referred to as the “marinade”). In raw food prep we marinate vegetables the most often, but also create marinades for nuts and seeds prior to dehydrating so we can create an assortment of fl avoured crunchy snacks.

WHY MARINATE?

As well as adding fl avour to the food, marinating also helps to tenderise the more fi brous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and caulifl ower giving them a slightly cooked taste and feel. It can also be used to enhance the fl avour of milder-tasting veggies such as courgettes (zucchini), okra and asparagus.

WHAT DO I NEED TO MARINATE?

You simply need a large bowl or container (preferably plastic or ceramic – not metal), a lid or plate to cover the container (for hygiene reasons) and your chosen marinade ingredients (see next for ideas).

BEST WAYS TO GET MARINATING

Marinades are actually very simple to concoct. The basic guidelines are to begin with an acidic and/or oily base (usually apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or olive oil), then add spices or herbs to elevate the fl avour. The longer the food is in the marinade, the more fl avour you get. As well as covering it over it’s also benefi cial to refrigerate any food as soon as the marinade is added.

MARINADE IDEAS

My basic marinade: Olive oil, water, lemon juice.

To create a spicy marinade, add to your chosen base: ground chillies, oregano, ground cumin, garlic.

To create an Asian fl avoured marinade, add to your chosen base: fresh ginger, star anise, sesame seeds, hot pepper sauce.

To create a curry fl avoured marinade, add to your chosen base: ginger, cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin.



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WHAT IS FERMENTING?

Fermentation is the process whereby an agent such as a yeast, bacteria or mould (often naturally present in food) causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances which are more easily digestible.

WHY FERMENT?

The jury is out for many people as to whether fermentation of food is a good thing. What we do know is that the enzyme activity multiplies signifi cantly during the fermentation process making a food much easier to digest, thereby being extremely benefi cial for a weak digestive system and full of friendly bacteria. However, as a food breaks down into the simpler substances, it is, of course, at the same time rotting and therefore on the downward slope from what we would label “peak freshness”.

For me, personally, the jury is still out to some degree as to whether fermentation is as benefi cial as some would say, but I am not averse to eating sauerkraut, miso, nama shoyu, tamari or apple cider vinegar on occasion – all of which are prime examples of fermented foods.

WHAT DO I NEED TO FERMENT FOODS?

Equipment will vary depending on what you’re fermenting, but typically you’ll need a large container, a sieve, a plate and a very warm, dark and clean environment.

BEST WAYS TO GET FERMENTING

If fermenting is of interest to you and you would like to explore it for yourself, I would recommend that your fi rst try of fermented foods is of those fermented commercially or by someone who knows what they are doing so that you can get a feel for whether it is for you. The best ones to start with are probably sauerkraut and miso which are widely available commercially in health food shops.

If you’d like to begin your own fermentation practises, I would recommend beginning with sauerkraut (lots of recipes are easily available online or via recipe books) and then moving on to nut or seed cheeses, the recipes for which can be found in the more gourmet raw recipe books available. Generally speaking, most raw foodists eat very little fermented foods unless on a living foods programme which usually encourages them.

Fermenting



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One of the most common concerns people have around going raw is feeling cold or eating “cold” foods. The list below shows how it’s a misnomer that all raw foods are cold or have a cooling effect on the body. This is very useful information to have when it comes to creating raw food recipes that feel genuinely warming and also making raw food work for you.

From coolest to warmest:

Fruit Vegetables Roots, Tubers Grains Seeds Nuts Dairy, Seafood, Meat

THE FOODS THAT ARE SAID TO HAVE A WARMING ENERGY ARE:

Nutmeg

Squash

Sunfl ower seeds

Walnuts

Clove

Coconut

Dates

Fresh Ginger

Coriander

Chives

Cinnamon

Black pepper

Red pepper

Caraway

Mustard greens

Pine nuts

Parsley

Cayenne

Turmeric

Black and white pepper, ginger, garlic, cayenne, walnuts, green onions, and chili peppers are particularly warm and stimulating.

When it comes to warming raw foods literally, you can use a dehydrator to warm things up or an oven set below 115°F to warm things through. You can also use hot water in a recipe (like a soup or tea or hot chocolate), or encase something more solid in a container resting in a bowl of hot water.

Warming Raw Foods



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Where to Get Raw FoodObtaining the raw food you want and need is easier now than ever before, and will only get easier.

You may not be used to shopping for food online or in unusual or specialist stores, but this is one of the GREAT things about eating raw – it opens you up to whole new worlds both inside and out!

Here follows a list of the different places you could or should consider when shopping for your raw fare.

SUPERMARKETS

There’s no doubt about it that for most people, supermarkets are the most convenient place to shop.

Everything all in one place – just park, shop and go. Internet shopping and home delivery also has its obvious benefi ts, such as not needing to queue or physically do the shopping yourself, and being able to have what you want more often than not, rather than fi nding empty shelves. However, although convenient, there are ethical concerns to bear in mind, with the bulk-buying ability of supermarkets and low wages often making vast sums of money for the privileged few, all the while treating food as a commodity, rather than something which feeds the body and soul of the local population. That said, as supermarkets continue to compete against each other, the quality and diversity of foods continues to improve, and prices can be competitive also.

HEALTH FOOD SHOPS

Health food shops vary enormously. If you can fi nd a good one, that believes that good health comes from good food rather than aisles of supplements and packets, so much the better. There are now even chains of health food shops like this, such as Whole Foods Market. True health food stores often have a wonderful atmosphere and the vitality of the produce on display is positively magnetic! The downside of these stores is often the price tag, unfortunately. They don’t yet have the bulk buying ability of the conventional supermarkets, or if they do, then it’s simply about buying better quality produce or paying the farmers more money – a good thing, so as with most pricier things in life, you often get the quality that you pay for.

WHOLEFOOD WAREHOUSES

These are more often suppliers of dried and bottled foods, such as whole grains, nuts, beans, seeds, tahini and the like. If you use a lot of these foods (and ideally you should to complement the fresh fruit and vegetables), then this could prove to be a very cost-effective way of buying, especially if you can buy in bulk with a friend or group and split the costs. Often these types of outlets have strong ethics and are run as a co-operative, so prices and values are often excellent, making for a happier, more satisfying shopping experience all round.

SPECIALIST FOOD SHOPS, INCLUDING ASIAN AND ORIENTAL

As you begin to explore the wide range of raw foods available to you, you may very well fi nd yourself drawn to different types of shops. Asian shops often house a wonderful treasure trove of dried herbs, spices, nuts and seeds, and import the most wonderful Pakistani mangoes in the summer, while oriental shops are well known for exotic fruits such as the durian, jackfruit, young coconuts (pictured) and large papaya, amongst many other hard to fi nd delicacies.



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FARMERS MARKETS

In the UK and across America, farmers markets are springing up with more and more regularity, providing an ever-changing vista of the freshest produce available, second only to growing your own.

Farmers from the local region, or in some cases from all over the country, bring their produce to market on a set day of the week or month, and sell at remarkably low prices to the health conscious, who know that fresh is best. Often these are organic farmers, who truly love their work and talk about the fruits of their labours. You often come away with as much fascinating information as you do produce, making the experience a truly nourishing one.

LOCAL MARKETS

Traditional markets tend to sell non-organic, fresh fruit and vegetables, but at very cheap prices. This is fi ne if you are experimenting or if money is very tight, but not the best long-term option. The produce is often past its best, or about to be, and has not been farmed or distributed with a great deal of TLC. Now and again you may fi nd a genuine bargain, with produce riper and more succulent than your local supermarket, so don’t rule out the possibility altogether, but bear in mind that this tends to be the exception rather than the rule – it really depends on where you are in the world. Occasionally you will fi nd a market seller who operates in the same way as a local greengrocer (see below), which is a real coup!

LOCAL GREENGROCERS

Greengrocers also vary, depending on the standards of the owner. Some greengrocers may obtain produce from the same outlets as the market sellers, while others may make regular trips to a major city to pick up the freshly imported produce. It’s worth visiting a few in your area to get a feel for the staff and the quality of produce, as all greengrocers are not equal. If you fi nd a good one, stick with them, give them your support and even make suggestions if it seems appropriate. These kinds of establishments thrive on the one-to-one contact with their customers, and realise that what you want is likely what others also want. If you fi nd yourself buying a large amount of produce at a time, why not ask if you can order in bulk for a discount? Chances are they will say yes, and you may fi nd that they deliver as well.

ORGANIC BOX DELIVERIES

Box schemes can work in one of two ways: either you receive a standard box containing pre-decided produce depending on what’s in season, or you can select your own, paying by weight or unit, again, usually depending on what’s in season. There are many different companies to choose from these days, both local and nationwide, so if this is an option which appeals to you and you have a bad experience with one, do not assume that all companies are the same. These companies tend to specialise in local or seasonal produce, so sometimes choice may be limited, but again, do some homework (the internet is usually the best way to fi nd out), and you may fi nd the perfect solution for you.



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PICK-YOUR-OWN

Typically non-organic (unfortunately), pick-your-own outlets provide many a fun summer’s afternoon, spent amongst the berry bushes. Costs are lower because of the fact you are providing the labour, and also you get to choose exactly the food you do and don’t want, which is very gratifying, but of course, at the back of your mind is the question, “How much pesticide has been sprayed on these?”

Aside from this issue, however, is the fact that food doesn’t come much fresher than this, and it’s wonderful to be out in the open air, selecting your next meal or desserts. Hopefully in the future more and more organic farms will offer this service.

FARM SHOPS

Farm shops are one step removed from pick-your-own, because the picking has already been done for you, and usually the produce has been picked the same day, or just a few hours before you arrived. Farm shop produce is renowned for being excellent value for money, providing truly delicious fresh and vibrant produce, and more and more organic farms are offering this service now.

ROADSIDE STALLS

In some parts of the country you may fi nd a table of produce outside someone’s home, or hidden down an alley, and you may fi nd some excellent bargains along the way. Often grown by the householder, they fi nd they have a surplus and display for passers-by to take advantage of, going on trust that the produce will be paid for as ticketed. As with local greengrocers and box schemes, the quality of the produce is bound to vary from vendor to vendor, but there’s no doubt that some bargains can be picked up this way, and of course there’s the novelty of surprise! The only drawback is, of course, if you fi nd a food you like, it may not be there again for a while, if ever!

MAIL ORDER COMPANIES

Possibly the best answer to today’s fast-paced lifestyle, mail order companies are waiting to take your call - often around the clock. Internet-based ones display their wares 24/7, so you can browse for as long as you wish, change your order as many times as you wish and pay without queuing. The other main benefi t of this route is that you can print off lists, compare prices between sites and often write messages to the company expressing preferences, questions or suggestions. The good thing for most people is that goods ordered this way often come within a day or so, direct to the delivery address of your choice. The downsides to this are that the packaging isn’t always environmentally friendly, orders can sometimes be picked wrong and you sometimes don’t know in advance what’s out of stock. For most people, though, the benefi ts outweigh the drawbacks, and mail order is proving more and more popular.

So these are your options. If you’ve found more – terrifi c! Most importantly, whether you are new to raw food or are a longer-term enthusiast, make sure you keep your mind and body open to new foods on a regular basis. Discovering a new food that you love is always a great thing at any stage of your journey.



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Quality vs. QuantityOne common mistake made amongst raw fooders, or indeed, anyone following any kind of healthy eating plan, is to assume that to eat a large number of fresh fruits and vegetables every day is enough, especially if they are raw. Absolutely not true!

When it comes to buying produce, you need to ideally be looking for whole, fresh, ripe, raw and organic plant food wherever possible, which, yes, we know usually costs more, but, as we also all know, is much better for us. Eating pesticides, no matter how cheap they are or how attractively packaged they might be, is not economical behaviour in the long run, as you can store up a whole host of possible health problems for the future. Besides, organic food usually tastes so much better. (See page 20 for cheaper ways to buy organic.)

One interesting fact which is not commonly known about, is that when you eat better quality food, such as organic, or home grown produce, you actually need to eat less of it. This is because the level of nutrients in these foods can often be well over 50% higher than those found in conventional, non-organic foods. So when you eat organically, you will actually fi nd you eat less in terms of quantity, because your brain will receive the “full” signal much earlier, owing to the fact that it actually looks for nutritional levels to be met, as opposed to waiting for a “full tummy”.

At fi rst this can be quite hard to comprehend, especially when we are used to eating until we are literally “full” in the physical sense. In fact, some raw fooders may overeat for a while as they adjust to the new feelings of satiation which occurs before this stage is reached. Sometimes it can feel disconcerting, and as if something is missing, and yet, on further observation, it becomes apparent that hunger is no longer present, and yet there’s still food on the plate, or portions have become smaller, or whatever. In time, eating smaller but more nutrient dense meals becomes much easier and defi nitely more pleasurable, enabling you to continue working or playing after a meal as easily and comfortably as you did before it!

As to how much is enough? This varies from person to person and depends on metabolism and lifestyle. From experience I have found that I need more when exercising, at some stages of pregnancy and while breastfeeding, but less in the summer, during certain times of the month, or when I’m more offi ce or house bound. Finding out what works for you is part of the wonderful adventure awaiting you, and learning when you’ve had enough to eat, rather than waiting for your plate to be empty, or your stomach to be full, is another enjoyable challenge waiting to be met.

Remember – when it comes to buying fresh organic foods, “less is more”.



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How to Select the Best ProduceDid you know that natural foods actually “speak” to us, and can communicate to us through colour, scent, touch, sound and taste as to how ripe or nutritious they are for us?

It’s pretty cool the way that this works, but because we have been so blinded my modern, processed convenience foods, it’s something that often has to be pointed out to us.

When it comes to selecting the best fresh produce, having the ability to “read” produce is invaluable. Check out the following examples – just a few of many - to understand what I’m talking about. You’ll soon get the idea and realise that food does indeed speak to us in its own special way…

Bananas – when ripe will develop black speckles

Avocado – when ripe will give gently to the touch

Mango – will smell fragrant, and also give gently when pushed - may also leak juice from the end

Pineapple – if the middle leaves pull out easily, it is ripe and good to eat

Melons – when you tap them, ripe ones will sound a dull thud and unripe ones will sound tinny

Durian – will split open naturally without having to be cut

Hard (old) coconut – you can tell where one is at in its maturation through the amount of coconut water you can hear swishing around inside

Sprouted beans and seeds – the length and colour of the sprout tells us if it is good and ready to eat, or too young or old to taste good

Generally:

When foods are green that are not naturally green in their fi nal state, it tells us that they are unripe. Classic examples of this are olives and bell peppers where people assume this is a different type of its kind. In actual fact, it is the young (unripe) version of its kind and will become darker as it ripens.

Bad smells generally equal rotten. Not the case for the durian, but in most other cases, defi nitely a reliable sign.

Bitter tasting is usually too young or too old.

Usually any split or indentation means over-ripe.



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I’m sure I’m not alone in wishing that food was still as free as it used to be, once upon a time… Unfortunately, as we all very much realise, most of the food we eat these days comes at a price, if not to our health, then at least to our fi nances.

Of course, you may have your own garden, allotment or even orchard, and you will already be enjoying the fruits of your labour. For those who lead a more urban or busy lifestyle, what are the alternatives?

FORAGING

Foraging is the term used to describe “gathering”, as in the hunting and gathering of old. Wherever you live, chances are that nearby, likely in an area you’ve never looked twice at, there’s a whole variety of natural, wild greens, edible fl owers, mushrooms and even berries or other fruits all ripe for the picking. All you need to get started down this route is some spare time, a carrier bag, a box or bowl for berries or delicate foods, such as fl owers, and a guidebook. The latter is especially useful when it comes to picking mushrooms – some of them are poisonous, so beware.

Good places to visit are parks, fi elds, some wastelands, woodlands and anywhere else that is relatively green and open. Local to us we found lots of blackberry bushes while out walking, as well as at the top of a hill in the park in which we lay in the summer. You just don’t know what’s around until you go looking for it…

OTHER PEOPLE’S PRODUCE

Perhaps you have a friend, relative or neighbour who grows their own produce, but has too much of it? This is very common amongst those with allotments who grow food for the fun of it, but then have masses of excess produce which they are happy to give away. If, despite asking around, you cannot fi nd someone who fi ts this description, there’s nothing to stop you from advertising! It could be as simple as placing a postcard in a local shop window stating what you’re looking for. You can say you’re happy to pay, and you may well need to, but it’s going to be a fraction of what you’d pay in the shops, and you might even fi nd they’re simply happy for it to go to a good home.

FRUIT PICKING/WORK EXCHANGE

There are always plenty of opportunities to work on a farm, in a vineyard or similar in return for free food and accommodation. It may not suit you or your lifestyle if you’re a parent, or with little free time, but if you’re young, free and single, it could be the perfect working holiday, or a great way to see the world travelling from one farm to the next!

Food for Free



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Buying on a BudgetEating raw can be either super cheap or super expensive – it depends on what kinds of foods you are buying and how much. The most expensive foods are typically the tropical fruits and out-of-season fruits, and organic foods are generally more expensive. That said, there are always ways and means of getting cut-price produce; it just takes a bit of time and effort to shop around, but once you’ve found some good suppliers, you’re well on your way to saving what can often be substantial amounts of money.

Here follow some ideas which, without exception, will pay dividends, both in terms of time and money:

Pooling resources with others is an excellent way to save time and money. You can bulk buy, pool your knowledge, and also take it in turns to do the shopping or ordering. You’ll also fi nd that when you order with other people you’ll likely try new foods you might not have otherwise, and discover some really lovely new ingredients or main meal staples.

Grow as much of your own produce as possible. If you don’t have the space or time to get into gardening on any great scale, you can still grow plenty of sprouts and indoor greens which can save you a small fortune, as well as supplying some of the most live and potent nutrients you will ever fi nd, and for next to nothing in many cases.

Dehydrate many of your fresh foods which are past their best (still edible), but which you’re not planning on using before they deteriorate further. Instead, you can dehydrate them in a number of ways (slices, chips, marinated and dehydrated, etc.) and use them later.

Another great tip for saving money is to fi nd out when your regular shops mark down their produce. Typically, supermarkets have a day where they reduce prices on fresh goods by up to 90%, and you can fi nd some real bargains. You just have to know when these days are and what times are best. The quick answer? Ask one of the checkout assistants!

When it comes to buying books or equipment, look out for decent second-hand pieces in the small ads section of your local paper, online, at car boot sales or through the classifi eds section of different raw food newsletters, chat groups or web sites.



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1) Make sure you have listened to the audio for this module and read through the content so that you understand everything completely.

2) Get your diary/calendar and a pen to hand so that you can schedule in any action steps that you take from this module.

3) Turn to the next page to complete the exercises for this module. By the end of it you’ll be clear on what raw food groups you want to explore in more detail, what “not-really-raw” foods you want to fi nd truly raw versions of and the ones that you are happy to consume (if any), which of the different food processing methods you want to explore more, which warming raw foods and methodologies you’ll turn to when you want some heating up, what places you’re going to explore more fully to discover new and exciting raw foods, and what actions you’re going to take to secure the best possible prices.

Your Action Steps for Module 2



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Which of the raw food groups are you going to make an effort to explore in more detail? Write below the group/s that you’re going to take the time to learn more about and experiment with, and specifi c action steps you are going to take (and when) around each action. Schedule these in your calendar/diary so they get put into positive, real-world action.

The “not-really-raw” foods I’m going to fi nd truly raw versions of are…

Action Date

The “not-really-raw” foods I am happy to include in my diet are…



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Which of the raw food processing methods are you going to experiment with, and how? Write below the method/s that you’re going to take the time to learn more about and experiment with, and specifi c action steps you are going to take (and when) around each action. Schedule these in your calendar/diary so they get put into positive, real-world action.

These are the warming raw foods and methods I’m going to utilise when I need warming up…

Action Date



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Which of the raw food shopping options are you going to explore further or for the fi rst time? Write below the options that you’re going to take the time to learn more about and explore, and specifi c action steps you are going to take (and when) around each action. Schedule these in your calendar/diary so they get put into positive, real-world action.

The money-saving options I am going to employ are…

Congratulations! You have successfully completed Module 2. The work you have done here will enable you to explore and enjoy the massive abundance that raw food eating has to bring.

Action Date

what can you eat?

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