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Practically Raw: Flexible Raw Recipes Anyone Can Make
Practically Raw's revolutionary practicality and flexible approach let you enjoy Chef Amber's delicious vegan dishes your own way, according to your budget and taste, every day or every once in a while, and as raw -- or cooked -- as you like.Certified raw chef Amber Shea has designed these recipes to be made with ordinary equipment and ingredients, and with the flexibility of many substitutions, cooking options, and variations. Ideal for beginners as well as seasoned raw foodists, Practically Raw has something for everybody, whether you want to improve your health and longevity, cope with food sensitivities, or simply eat fresher, cleaner, and better!Chef Amber's creative, satisfying recipes Almond Butter Sesame NoodlesVegetable Korma MasalaFiesta Taco Roll-UpsPrimavera Pesto PizzaMaple-Pecan Kale ChipsCherry Mash SmoothiesParisian Street CrepesWarm Apple-Walnut CobblerThis beautiful new full-color edition (previously published by Vegan Heritage Press) includes a pantry guide, menus, money-saving and make-ahead tips, and nutrition information.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2012
18 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 18, 2012
Well, first of all, I’m a vegan but I’m not a raw foods advocate, although I seem to have a perpetual goal of adding more raw foods to what I do consume. I love how this book and this author is flexible. I really appreciate how there are cooked options for a fair number of the recipes. Those even have an icon: CO.
I feel guilty for giving this book only 3 stars but really I only liked it. I have to say though that I predict that most vegans, and definitely most who eat a raw vegan diet 30%-100% of the time are likely to give this book 4 or 5 stars, especially if they like coconut, if they have or are willing to invest in a food processor and dehydrator, and if they are willing to put a little effort into food preparation. Actually, I’m going to give the book 3 ½ stars. I’m giving an extra ½ star because it has an entire section of kale chips; I’ve never seen that before in a cookbook. But I can’t give it more. I don’t like coconut and it makes an appearance in so many dishes, especially the sweet ones, and I don’t have and don’t have room for a food processor, food dehydrator, and I’d never heard of some of the equipment she mentions. Too much fuss for me.
This author is a chef, and she’s also a linguist, and I love that she is the latter. I have to say that this book is enjoyable to read, and it is very well written. There is so much good information about raw foods, and food preparation, and there is interesting biographical information about the author, focusing on her transition to raw foods, her chef training, and her food philosophy.
I love the icons (especially CO since I like much of my food cooked.) They are lower fat, cooked option, and 30 minutes or less. All the recipes are gluten and soy free, if careful about which oats, miso, etc. is used.
There aren’t photos for every single recipe but there are photos for many, including some title pages that have a photo that includes multiple recipes.
In the milks & smoothies section, I didn’t find anything that wowed me. But I’m a water drinker, with occasional tea, and I don’t like drinking my food; I like eating it. Some of the smoothies that contained chocolate or banana did look good to me, if they could be made thick enough. They reminded me of (vegan) milkshakes, which on rare occasions I do enjoy.
In the breakfasts & brunch section there were many recipes that looked tasty, and I assume will be very appealing to most, but none jumped out at me that I absolutely had to try them.
In the breads & crackers section, there are a lot of cooked options, which I appreciated, and I have liked this kind of food in raw restaurants, but not enough to make it myself. Very tasty though, I’m sure, whether raw or cooked.
In the cheeses, spreads, & sauces section, none of the cheeses looked good to me, but I have to say they were very inventive and intriguing. However, some recipes here looked good enough for me to want to make them: Garlicky Guacamole, Garden Fresh Salsa, Basil-Parsley Pesto, Raspberry Jam, and Expresso Reduction.
And then there is the kale chips section, which I loved. I appreciated that there are cooked and raw options for each. The recipes that appealed to me most are: Naked Kale Chips, Smokin’ Hot Kale Chips, Curried Kale Chips, and 2 sweet varieties: Chocolate Kale Chips and Maple Pecan Kale Chips. I’ll make them cooked if/when I make them.
In the hummus section, many look good, but they require a food processor or high speed blender and I don’t have either.
I find it amusing that the author is not a salad fan. I’m not either, but I’m not a raw foods advocate/cook. She does include a few salad recipes though. In the soups & salads section I found 3 must try soups, the first two of which I’d probably make with the cooked option: Butternut Squash-Chipotle Soup, Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Avocado Cream Soup.
In the main dishes section I found 5 dishes I’d especially like to eat, though maybe not make: Mushroom-Nut Burgers, Indian Tartletts with Tomato Chutney, Sopes con Mole Poblano, Cantonese Veggie Stir-Fry, and Spanish Garden Paella.
In sides & snacks I loved, loved, loved the Build-Your-Own Energy Bars. There are many possible varieties, they’re so versatile, and so delicious looking. Also looking particularly worth making are the Cauliflower “Rice” Pilaf, Quick Curried Cauliflower, Simple Seasoned Mushrooms, and the Moroccan Grated Carrot Toss.
The desserts section was a huge disappointment to me because everything has coconut in various forms: coconut palm sugar, coconut butter, coconut oil, shredded coconut, young coconut meat. I don’t like coconut. For the majority of people who seem to love it, they’re going to find a lot of tempting desserts they’ll probably enjoy.
The menus in the back are varied and they’re titled: Mexican Fiesta, Indian Soirée, Italian Family Dinner, All-American Chow, Middle East Feast, Pizza Night, Picnic al Fresco, Brunch Buffet, Wine & Cheese Party, Liquid Diet for a Day.
Contents:
Foreword by Matthew Kenney
Introduction
Raw, Practically
Milks & Smoothies
Breakfast & Brunch
Bread & Crackers
Cheeses, Spreads, & Sauces
Kale Chips
Hummus
Soups & Salads
Main Dishes
Sides & Snacks
Desserts
Menus & Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
I’m glad this was a library book but I think it will be a keeper for many. In fact, I am going to recommend it to some people, vegan and not, raw and not.
The cooked options feature make this a special raw vegan cookbook.
I feel guilty for giving this book only 3 stars but really I only liked it. I have to say though that I predict that most vegans, and definitely most who eat a raw vegan diet 30%-100% of the time are likely to give this book 4 or 5 stars, especially if they like coconut, if they have or are willing to invest in a food processor and dehydrator, and if they are willing to put a little effort into food preparation. Actually, I’m going to give the book 3 ½ stars. I’m giving an extra ½ star because it has an entire section of kale chips; I’ve never seen that before in a cookbook. But I can’t give it more. I don’t like coconut and it makes an appearance in so many dishes, especially the sweet ones, and I don’t have and don’t have room for a food processor, food dehydrator, and I’d never heard of some of the equipment she mentions. Too much fuss for me.
This author is a chef, and she’s also a linguist, and I love that she is the latter. I have to say that this book is enjoyable to read, and it is very well written. There is so much good information about raw foods, and food preparation, and there is interesting biographical information about the author, focusing on her transition to raw foods, her chef training, and her food philosophy.
I love the icons (especially CO since I like much of my food cooked.) They are lower fat, cooked option, and 30 minutes or less. All the recipes are gluten and soy free, if careful about which oats, miso, etc. is used.
There aren’t photos for every single recipe but there are photos for many, including some title pages that have a photo that includes multiple recipes.
In the milks & smoothies section, I didn’t find anything that wowed me. But I’m a water drinker, with occasional tea, and I don’t like drinking my food; I like eating it. Some of the smoothies that contained chocolate or banana did look good to me, if they could be made thick enough. They reminded me of (vegan) milkshakes, which on rare occasions I do enjoy.
In the breakfasts & brunch section there were many recipes that looked tasty, and I assume will be very appealing to most, but none jumped out at me that I absolutely had to try them.
In the breads & crackers section, there are a lot of cooked options, which I appreciated, and I have liked this kind of food in raw restaurants, but not enough to make it myself. Very tasty though, I’m sure, whether raw or cooked.
In the cheeses, spreads, & sauces section, none of the cheeses looked good to me, but I have to say they were very inventive and intriguing. However, some recipes here looked good enough for me to want to make them: Garlicky Guacamole, Garden Fresh Salsa, Basil-Parsley Pesto, Raspberry Jam, and Expresso Reduction.
And then there is the kale chips section, which I loved. I appreciated that there are cooked and raw options for each. The recipes that appealed to me most are: Naked Kale Chips, Smokin’ Hot Kale Chips, Curried Kale Chips, and 2 sweet varieties: Chocolate Kale Chips and Maple Pecan Kale Chips. I’ll make them cooked if/when I make them.
In the hummus section, many look good, but they require a food processor or high speed blender and I don’t have either.
I find it amusing that the author is not a salad fan. I’m not either, but I’m not a raw foods advocate/cook. She does include a few salad recipes though. In the soups & salads section I found 3 must try soups, the first two of which I’d probably make with the cooked option: Butternut Squash-Chipotle Soup, Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Avocado Cream Soup.
In the main dishes section I found 5 dishes I’d especially like to eat, though maybe not make: Mushroom-Nut Burgers, Indian Tartletts with Tomato Chutney, Sopes con Mole Poblano, Cantonese Veggie Stir-Fry, and Spanish Garden Paella.
In sides & snacks I loved, loved, loved the Build-Your-Own Energy Bars. There are many possible varieties, they’re so versatile, and so delicious looking. Also looking particularly worth making are the Cauliflower “Rice” Pilaf, Quick Curried Cauliflower, Simple Seasoned Mushrooms, and the Moroccan Grated Carrot Toss.
The desserts section was a huge disappointment to me because everything has coconut in various forms: coconut palm sugar, coconut butter, coconut oil, shredded coconut, young coconut meat. I don’t like coconut. For the majority of people who seem to love it, they’re going to find a lot of tempting desserts they’ll probably enjoy.
The menus in the back are varied and they’re titled: Mexican Fiesta, Indian Soirée, Italian Family Dinner, All-American Chow, Middle East Feast, Pizza Night, Picnic al Fresco, Brunch Buffet, Wine & Cheese Party, Liquid Diet for a Day.
Contents:
Foreword by Matthew Kenney
Introduction
Raw, Practically
Milks & Smoothies
Breakfast & Brunch
Bread & Crackers
Cheeses, Spreads, & Sauces
Kale Chips
Hummus
Soups & Salads
Main Dishes
Sides & Snacks
Desserts
Menus & Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
I’m glad this was a library book but I think it will be a keeper for many. In fact, I am going to recommend it to some people, vegan and not, raw and not.
The cooked options feature make this a special raw vegan cookbook.
May 4, 2012
I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher. They, of course, know that I give honest evaluations. I guess my evaluations are TOO honest for some writers because one defriended me on Goodreads and Facebook after I gave her book 0 stars and a bad review.
Fortunately, I don't have to do that with this lovely cookbook. I am a vegan and administer 3 large pages on Facebook for vegetarians/vegans so I am always on the prowl for new books I can recommend to my members.
The author, Amber Shea Crawley, has a sense of humor as proven by the adorable photos of her kissing a watermelon and drinking coconut milk through a straw from a real coconut! I like that about this book along with the photos of some of the recipes.
Many vegans are trying out a raw diet but others don't want to do that full time. Many want to have a raw day each week or just incorporate a few raw recipes into their diets here and there. I am in the latter group. Amber starts the reader off right with info on raw diets and offers a lot of useful nutritional info at the beginning that is specific to the raw recipes you will see. She includes three things in this book that I found especially useful (besides the recipes!) and that is (1) A handy raw vegan pantry guide (2) Basic techniques you will need for the recipes and (3) A resource guide to help you find the more difficult to find ingredients.
On to the recipes. They are excellent. Amber covers Milks and Smoothies (including how to make your own almond and nut milks), Breakfast and Brunch, Bread and Crackers, Cheeses, Spreads and Sauces, Kale chips, Hummus, Soups & Salads, Main Dishes, Sides & Snacks and Desserts. Guess what? You don't have to make these raw! Amber includes information on how to make a cooked version of most of them and she also lists all sorts of options for ingredients if you don't have something on hand or can't find it in the store.
I already have some favorites here. They include: Chewy Pear Chips, Mesquite Candied Pecans, Baklava Nut Medley, Sugared Doughnut Holes, Almond Butter Banana Ice Cream, Chocolate Covered cookie dough Truffles, Cinnamon Crumble Coffee Cake, Cantonese Veggie Stir Fry, Chilled Watermelon Soup, Mango chutney, Rosemary Garlic bread, Breakfast Banana Split, Purple Pearberry Smoothie, and Cherry Mash smoothie. I can see we will be having a whole lotta eating going on here in the next few weeks! We intend to try pretty much all of the recipes and from the ones we have started with, we are in for a treat.
Fortunately, I don't have to do that with this lovely cookbook. I am a vegan and administer 3 large pages on Facebook for vegetarians/vegans so I am always on the prowl for new books I can recommend to my members.
The author, Amber Shea Crawley, has a sense of humor as proven by the adorable photos of her kissing a watermelon and drinking coconut milk through a straw from a real coconut! I like that about this book along with the photos of some of the recipes.
Many vegans are trying out a raw diet but others don't want to do that full time. Many want to have a raw day each week or just incorporate a few raw recipes into their diets here and there. I am in the latter group. Amber starts the reader off right with info on raw diets and offers a lot of useful nutritional info at the beginning that is specific to the raw recipes you will see. She includes three things in this book that I found especially useful (besides the recipes!) and that is (1) A handy raw vegan pantry guide (2) Basic techniques you will need for the recipes and (3) A resource guide to help you find the more difficult to find ingredients.
On to the recipes. They are excellent. Amber covers Milks and Smoothies (including how to make your own almond and nut milks), Breakfast and Brunch, Bread and Crackers, Cheeses, Spreads and Sauces, Kale chips, Hummus, Soups & Salads, Main Dishes, Sides & Snacks and Desserts. Guess what? You don't have to make these raw! Amber includes information on how to make a cooked version of most of them and she also lists all sorts of options for ingredients if you don't have something on hand or can't find it in the store.
I already have some favorites here. They include: Chewy Pear Chips, Mesquite Candied Pecans, Baklava Nut Medley, Sugared Doughnut Holes, Almond Butter Banana Ice Cream, Chocolate Covered cookie dough Truffles, Cinnamon Crumble Coffee Cake, Cantonese Veggie Stir Fry, Chilled Watermelon Soup, Mango chutney, Rosemary Garlic bread, Breakfast Banana Split, Purple Pearberry Smoothie, and Cherry Mash smoothie. I can see we will be having a whole lotta eating going on here in the next few weeks! We intend to try pretty much all of the recipes and from the ones we have started with, we are in for a treat.
March 17, 2013
This is definitely one of my most favorite food prep books, and I own a heck of a lot of 'em. Here's why: not only is it the only raw book I have where I make a lot from it, but it's actually one of the easiest to use of any cookbook at all. For each recipe, the author gives a list of substitutions you could make for almost any ingredient in it. Don't have a dehydrator? I sure don't! No worries, there are usually cooked options. And lots of the recipes just don't require dehydrating in the first place.
I don't follow a raw diet, but what I like about raw recipes is that it by necessity only has whole food ingredients. I'm sure it's true that cooking diminishes nutrient quality of a lot of foods, but I don't think that when you're eating mostly veggies that this is a dire emergency. So even if I bake my Mushroom-Nut Burger and eat it atop a slice of toasted whole-wheat bread, I still think I'm doing OK. I'm still eating a burger made out of celery, carrot, marinated mushrooms, shallot, garlic, walnuts, and lemon juice. Not too shabby, health-wise! And, to me, it's delicious. Here it is unadorned:
I've loved just everything I've made from this book and there's still so much more I want to try. Plus, the author is coming out with an all dessert one, which obviously I need to have because, look:
For someone like me who desperately wants to break her baking habit, but craves sweet things, recipes like the above Caramel-Fudge Brownies, and even more, the below Famous Five-Minute Blondies (more because they're easier and don't have any agave, which means less sugar) are just what the homeopathic doctor ordered (lol, jk, I don't have a homeopathic doctor).
I have something else important to say about this book. I've been cooking entirely vegan at home for a long time, and actually been one long enough to have done my fair share of hummus. But I don't love a lot of hummus recipes. Yes, finding a tahini you like is key. But also, the recipes for hummus in this book are just the best ones. OK, OK, I admit, I never made the nut-based one, but I love the raw zucchini hummus and all the variations and I pretty much make the (cooked, obviously) chickpea hummus twice a week. Especially the Kalamata olive variation. Hummus win.
Here's what all I've made from this book, all of which were just OMG good:
--Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Smoothie
--Apple Pie Smoothie
--Rosemary-Garlic Bread
--Nut and Seed Flatbread
--Mediterranean Herbed Crackers
--Classic Chickpea Hummus
--Zucchini Hummus
--Kalamata Olive Hummus
--Sundried Tomato-Pesto Hummus
--Tex-Mex Hummus
--Mushroom-Nut Burgers
--Simple Seasoned Mushrooms
--Famous Five-Minute Blondies
--Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies
--Caramel-Fudge Brownies
And I've still got lots of pages dog-eared to try. But most of those I've made at least 5 times, some many more than that.
I don't follow a raw diet, but what I like about raw recipes is that it by necessity only has whole food ingredients. I'm sure it's true that cooking diminishes nutrient quality of a lot of foods, but I don't think that when you're eating mostly veggies that this is a dire emergency. So even if I bake my Mushroom-Nut Burger and eat it atop a slice of toasted whole-wheat bread, I still think I'm doing OK. I'm still eating a burger made out of celery, carrot, marinated mushrooms, shallot, garlic, walnuts, and lemon juice. Not too shabby, health-wise! And, to me, it's delicious. Here it is unadorned:
I've loved just everything I've made from this book and there's still so much more I want to try. Plus, the author is coming out with an all dessert one, which obviously I need to have because, look:
For someone like me who desperately wants to break her baking habit, but craves sweet things, recipes like the above Caramel-Fudge Brownies, and even more, the below Famous Five-Minute Blondies (more because they're easier and don't have any agave, which means less sugar) are just what the homeopathic doctor ordered (lol, jk, I don't have a homeopathic doctor).
I have something else important to say about this book. I've been cooking entirely vegan at home for a long time, and actually been one long enough to have done my fair share of hummus. But I don't love a lot of hummus recipes. Yes, finding a tahini you like is key. But also, the recipes for hummus in this book are just the best ones. OK, OK, I admit, I never made the nut-based one, but I love the raw zucchini hummus and all the variations and I pretty much make the (cooked, obviously) chickpea hummus twice a week. Especially the Kalamata olive variation. Hummus win.
Here's what all I've made from this book, all of which were just OMG good:
--Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Smoothie
--Apple Pie Smoothie
--Rosemary-Garlic Bread
--Nut and Seed Flatbread
--Mediterranean Herbed Crackers
--Classic Chickpea Hummus
--Zucchini Hummus
--Kalamata Olive Hummus
--Sundried Tomato-Pesto Hummus
--Tex-Mex Hummus
--Mushroom-Nut Burgers
--Simple Seasoned Mushrooms
--Famous Five-Minute Blondies
--Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies
--Caramel-Fudge Brownies
And I've still got lots of pages dog-eared to try. But most of those I've made at least 5 times, some many more than that.
January 10, 2014
So excited about this raw recipe book. So many great looking recipes with staple ingredients and even an option to cook if desired. I've tried some and they are good. I am going to get myself a copy of this book and returned the borrowed one to the library.
edited 1/2014: I made the chocolate kale chips from this one and they are AMAZING!! and addicting...I'm going to be trying the vanilla and coconut ones next. :D
I'm updating my rating to 5 as many things from here have been delicious!
edited 1/2014: I made the chocolate kale chips from this one and they are AMAZING!! and addicting...I'm going to be trying the vanilla and coconut ones next. :D
I'm updating my rating to 5 as many things from here have been delicious!
July 22, 2019
I grabbed this book from my sister’s house and was intrigued by the info as well as recipes for the dehydrator. I have a dehydrator and was never quite sure what to use it for. The recipes are simple and scrumptious! Can’t wait to try more of them.
December 15, 2012
This is a fantastic book. Not only does it provide the basics for someone to start on raw food - kale chips, healthy smoothies and breakfasts, nut milk, 'cheeses', hummus, breads, crackers, but also plenty of unique recipes that will appeal to even long-term raw foodists.
One of the things I especially appreciate about this book is the flexibility - in most of the recipes Amber provides details of how to substitute ingredients - so I know that if I don't have one particular nut on hand the recipe will still work with another, if I don't have maple syrup, agave will work etc.
Most of the ingredients have been stuff I usually have around in the kitchen, and I live somewhere that doesn't have access to a lot of the stuff many US cookbooks ask for. When 'weird' ingredients are called for, there is usually a substitution listed, or they are entirely optional, for example in the case of Irish moss the author lets us know exactly what purpose this serves in raw breads, and has made the recipes both with and without it so we know that they will work. When recipes call for fresh coconuts, she offers alternative ingredients that can be used in their place - great for people that have trouble finding fresh coconuts.
The cooked options are good for those of us that don't have dehydrators, haven't planned meals ahead or don't want to be raw all the time, but still want to make healthy allergy-friendly recipes from whole food ingredients.
I've read a few raw food books and none have appealed to me as much as this one. Recipes that I have marked out to make include: apple pie smoothie, chia porridge with blueberries, banana bread squares, apple cinnamon raisin bread, nut and seed flatbread, basic flax crackers, graham crackers, basic nut cheese, sour cream and onion kale chips, pizza kale chips, coconut-vanilla kale chips, spinach salad with asian ginger vinaigrette, spaghetti alla marinara, almond butter sesame noodles, mushroom-nut burgers, sopes con mole poblano, deconstructed sushi bowl, stuffed peppers with sunseed hash, vegetable korma masala, primavera pesto pizza, moroccan grated carrot toss, cauliflower 'rice' pilaf, build-your-own energy bars, chocolate almond butter cookies, crunchy salted cashew cookies, white chocolate coconut fudge bites, chocolate-covered cookie dough truffles, caramel fudge brownies, cinnamon crumble coffee cake, warm apple walnut cobbler, sugared doughnut holes, classic vanilla bean ice cream and strawberry cheesecake gelato.
So far I have made the cooked options for these recipes:
Chocolate kale chips - these are a really tasty way to eat this nutritious green, and my 18 month old liked them too and (with the exception of smoothies) I've never seen him eat leafy greens before.
Baklava nut medley - this tastes just like baklava, but without all the hassle of working with filo pastry. Really easy to make and nice to eat.
Vermicelli with pecan cream sauce - Delicious. I made it with walnuts instead, and didn't plan this ahead so I didn't soak the nuts - just added some extra water and left all the ingredients in the blender to soak for a few minutes before blending while the pasta cooked, it still turned out really well. Served it with cooked wholemeal spaghetti and raw sugar snap peas.
Famous 5 minute blondies - really nice, I've made this twice and it's only taken 5 minutes to make before getting to eat it. I used almonds instead of walnuts (this wasn't listed as an alternative ingredient in the book, but worked anyway).
Caramel fudge brownies - delicious. I've had raw brownies before which are always tasty, but the caramel icing on these really turned them into something different.
The great recipes and flexible approach to raw foods make this a book I will be using a lot - and given the quality of the desserts in this book I can't wait for the author's next book Practically Raw Desserts.
One of the things I especially appreciate about this book is the flexibility - in most of the recipes Amber provides details of how to substitute ingredients - so I know that if I don't have one particular nut on hand the recipe will still work with another, if I don't have maple syrup, agave will work etc.
Most of the ingredients have been stuff I usually have around in the kitchen, and I live somewhere that doesn't have access to a lot of the stuff many US cookbooks ask for. When 'weird' ingredients are called for, there is usually a substitution listed, or they are entirely optional, for example in the case of Irish moss the author lets us know exactly what purpose this serves in raw breads, and has made the recipes both with and without it so we know that they will work. When recipes call for fresh coconuts, she offers alternative ingredients that can be used in their place - great for people that have trouble finding fresh coconuts.
The cooked options are good for those of us that don't have dehydrators, haven't planned meals ahead or don't want to be raw all the time, but still want to make healthy allergy-friendly recipes from whole food ingredients.
I've read a few raw food books and none have appealed to me as much as this one. Recipes that I have marked out to make include: apple pie smoothie, chia porridge with blueberries, banana bread squares, apple cinnamon raisin bread, nut and seed flatbread, basic flax crackers, graham crackers, basic nut cheese, sour cream and onion kale chips, pizza kale chips, coconut-vanilla kale chips, spinach salad with asian ginger vinaigrette, spaghetti alla marinara, almond butter sesame noodles, mushroom-nut burgers, sopes con mole poblano, deconstructed sushi bowl, stuffed peppers with sunseed hash, vegetable korma masala, primavera pesto pizza, moroccan grated carrot toss, cauliflower 'rice' pilaf, build-your-own energy bars, chocolate almond butter cookies, crunchy salted cashew cookies, white chocolate coconut fudge bites, chocolate-covered cookie dough truffles, caramel fudge brownies, cinnamon crumble coffee cake, warm apple walnut cobbler, sugared doughnut holes, classic vanilla bean ice cream and strawberry cheesecake gelato.
So far I have made the cooked options for these recipes:
Chocolate kale chips - these are a really tasty way to eat this nutritious green, and my 18 month old liked them too and (with the exception of smoothies) I've never seen him eat leafy greens before.
Baklava nut medley - this tastes just like baklava, but without all the hassle of working with filo pastry. Really easy to make and nice to eat.
Vermicelli with pecan cream sauce - Delicious. I made it with walnuts instead, and didn't plan this ahead so I didn't soak the nuts - just added some extra water and left all the ingredients in the blender to soak for a few minutes before blending while the pasta cooked, it still turned out really well. Served it with cooked wholemeal spaghetti and raw sugar snap peas.
Famous 5 minute blondies - really nice, I've made this twice and it's only taken 5 minutes to make before getting to eat it. I used almonds instead of walnuts (this wasn't listed as an alternative ingredient in the book, but worked anyway).
Caramel fudge brownies - delicious. I've had raw brownies before which are always tasty, but the caramel icing on these really turned them into something different.
The great recipes and flexible approach to raw foods make this a book I will be using a lot - and given the quality of the desserts in this book I can't wait for the author's next book Practically Raw Desserts.
October 16, 2012
There's a lot of great recipes, including many photographs (essential!) Plus, the recipes are flexible for if you want to be completely raw or if you don't care so much about raw. Most are pretty healthy. I'm inspired to try the dehydrated corn chips, though I haven't made anything from the book yet. I did see she includes a lot of my favorite raw recipes that I've found in other raw books.
February 4, 2015
This is a good way to dabble in what raw foodists eat without jumping in whole-heartedly or buying an expensive food dehydrator. Although it did make me want to have said food dehydrator. I'll be trying out one of these recipes but cheating by baking. It also had quite a few quick, healthy snack and dessert ideas.
March 4, 2013
Fantastic book for anyone new to a raw food lifestyle. I enjoy that it provides instructions for preparing the food cooked, my husband and teenage son will not eat "my food", but if I cook the same thing they will devour it.
March 17, 2014
The book gives substitution and variation. Many recipes has its cooked counterpart. For those in transition phase i feel this will be a good book. Some recipes call for many ingredients.
Overall a good one
Overall a good one
July 21, 2012
I love Amber Crawley! Her practical guide to healthy eating is refreshing and her pizza and cheesy kale chips are amazing!
January 1, 2014
RAWsome cookbook! :-)
April 10, 2014
Love the recipes and how practical it is.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews