Choosing Raw: Making Raw Foods Part of the Way You Eat

by Gena Hamshaw

Overview

After her health journey led her to a plant-based diet, Gena Hamshaw started a blog for readers of all dietary stripes looking for a common– sense approach to healthy eating and fuss–free recipes. Choosing Raw, the book, does in an in depth manner what the blog has done for hundreds of thousands of readers: addresses the questions and concerns for any newcomer to veganism; makes a plant–based diet with many raw options feel easy instead of intimidating; provides a starter kit of delicious recipes; and offers a mainstream, scientifically sound perspective on healthy living.

With more than 100 recipes, sumptuous food photos, and innovative and wholesome meal plans sorted in levels from newcomer to plantbased pro, Hamshaw offers a simple path to health and wellness. With a foreword by Kris Carr,New York Times–bestselling author of Crazy Sexy Diet, Choosing Raw is a primer in veganism, a cookbook, the story of one woman's journey to health, and a love letter to the lifestyle that transformed her relationship with food.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738216881
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	07/01/2014
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	453
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Gena Hamshaw is a certified clinical nutritionist and author of the popular blog Choosing Raw. Her work has been published in O Magazine, VegNews Magazine, Food52, and Whole Living Daily. A former book editor, Gena is currently a pre-medical, post-baccalaureate student. She hopes to bring an integrated and evidence-based approach to a career in health care.

Table of Contents

Preface Kris Carr 1

Introduction: My Story 3

Part I The Why

Chapter 1 Your Health 15

Chapter 2 Beyond the Plate 23

Part II The What

Chapter 3 Vegan Nutrition 33

Chapter 4 All About Raw Food 43

Chapter 5 Frequently Asked Questions About Raw and Vegan Foods 47

Chapter 6 Myths and Misconceptions 51

Part III The How

Chapter 7 Setting Up 63

Chapter 8 Getting Started 78

Chapter 9 21 Days in the Life 82

Part IV The Food

The Recipes 95

15 Essentials

Classic Almond Milk 98

Basic Green Smoothie 99

Cashew Cheese 99

Homemade Hemp Milk 101

Nut or Seed Pâté 101

Green Soup (Blended Salad) 102

Herbed Flax Crackers 102

Basic Massaged Kale Salad 103

5-Minute Guacamole 105

Buckwheaties 105

Zucchini Pasta with Red or White Sauce 107

DIY Snack Bars 108

Basic Chia Pudding 108

Chocomole 110

Banana Soft Serve 111

5 Juices

Green Lemonade 112

Cucumber Cooler 112

The Veggie Bowl 114

Spring Greens 114

Jungle Greens 114

10 Snacks

Easy Roasted Chickpeas (and Variations) 115

Nori and Pumpkin-Seed Cigars 116

Sweet and Savory Trail Mix 119

Hemp-Seed Power Balls 119

Zucchini Ranch Chips 119

No-Bake Sunflower Oat Bars 120

Superfood Trail Mix 120

Classic Cheesy Kale Chips 123

Hummus Kale Chips 123

Reinvented Ants on a Log 124

20 Dips, Dressings, Sauces, and Spreads

Apple Cider Vinaigrette 126

Lemon Turmeric Vinaigrette 126

Green Herb Dressing 127

Spicy Cilantro Vinaigrette 127

Almond Butter and Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing 127

Creamy Maple Chipotle Dressing 128

Ginger Miso Dressing 128

Carrot Miso Dressing 129

Multiseed Gomasio 129

Classic Zucchini Hummus 130

Hemp Hummus 131

Curried Sweet Potato Hummus 131

Red Lentil and Walnut Hummus 131

Raw Cashew Alfredo 134

Hemp Parmesan 135

Raw Marinara Sauce 135

Basic Vegan Pesto 135

Kale and Pistachio Pesto 136

Simple Raw Vegan Avocado Mayonnaise 136

Raw Corn Salsa 138

5 Meal-Size Salads (and Meal-Size Salad How-to)

Dinosaur Kale and White Bean Caesar Salad 14

Kale Salad with Sweet Potato, Almonds, and Creamy Maple Chipotle Dressing 141

Acorn Squash, Frisée, and Brown Rice Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts 142

Raw Cobb Salad 145

Romaine, Cherry Tomato, and Arugula Salad with Chickpeas and Raw Parmesan 146

Level 1 Tried and True 147

Level 1 Breakfast

Toasted Pumpkin Granola with Homemade Hemp Milk 148

Millet and Almond Zucchini Muffins 148

Simple Avocado Toast 151

Chickpea Tofu Tahini Scramble 152

Easy Berry Breakfast Pizza 153

Raw Vegan Bircher Muesli 1SS

Level 1 Lunch

Sweet Pea Hummus Tartines with Sunflower Sprouts 156

Sweet Potato Salad with Miso Dressing and Chives 156

Apricot Quinoa and Mint Salad 158

Asparagus Quinoa Sushi Rolls 158

Curried Chickpea and Carrot Salad 162

Easiest Vegan Pumpkin Soup 162

Level 1 Dinner

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas 163

Carrot and Millet Pilaf with Mesquite Glazed Tempeh 165

5 Quick Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Spicy Cilantro Vinaigrette 166

Easy Red Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Coconut Curry 167

Root "Rawvioli" with Nut Cheese and Pesto 168

Zucchini Pasta with Quinoa Meatless Balls 168

Level 2 Something New 172

Level 2 Breakfast

Plant Protein Shake 172

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding 172

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Vanilla Almond Butter and Goji Berries 175

Quinoa Breakfast Pudding 175

Peachy Keen Smoothie 176

Avocado Black Bean Breakfast Scramble 179

Level 2 Lunch

Raw Gazpacho 180

Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes and Mint 180

Nori Rolls with Gingery Almond Pâté and Raw Veggies 182

Collard Wraps with Hemp Hummus, Tempeh, and Red Peppers 185

Sprouted-Grain Wraps with Kale-Slaw Filling 185

Carrot, Avocado, and Turmeric Soup 187

Level 2 Dinner

Raw Carrot Falafel with Tangy Tahini Sauce 188

Heat-Free Lentil and Walnut Tacos 191

Raw Pad Thai 191

Raw Spinach and Mushroom Burgers 192

Pumpkin Quinoa Risotto with Pomegranate Seeds 135

Portobello "Steak" and Rosemary Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes 196

Level 3 Brave New Would 199

Level 3 Breakfast

Mocha Maca Chia Pudding 200

Blueberry, Mint, and Kale Smoothie 200

Chocolate Raw-Nola 202

Cashew Banana Yogurt 203

Banana Almond Coconut Raw-Nola 205

Raw Banana Breakfast Wraps Almond Pulp Porridge 207

Chocolate Açai Bowl 209

Level 3 Lunch

Creamy Basil and Ginger Noodles 210

Jicama Fiesta Rice Salad 210

Raw Corn Chowder 213

Dilly Raw Vegan Sunflower "Tuna Salad" 214

Zucchini Pasta with Mango, Avocado, and Black Bean Salsa 216

Zucchini Roll-Ups 213

Level 3 Dinner

Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce 220

Raw or Cooked Ratatouille 222

Coconut Curry Kelp Noodles 223

Raw Lasagna 224

Un-Fried Vegetable Rice with Scallions and Ginger 227

Carrot and Zucchini Pappardelle with Pesto and Peas 223

13 Desserts far Everyone

Coconutty for Chocolate Chip Cookies 230

Fig Bars 230

Raw Peach Cobbler 233

Chocolate-Covered Superfood Clusters 235

Raw Key Lime Pie 235

Almost-Instant Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 236

Simple Raw Vanilla Macaroons 237

Blueberry Cheesecake 238

Raw Vegan Blueberry Ginger Ice Cream 240

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting 240

No-Bake Tartlets with Raw Vegan Chocolate Ganache Filling 243

Burnt-Sugar Coconut Ice Cream 245

Cherry Vanilla Tahini Ice Cream 245

Metric Conversions 246

Recipe List By Meal 347

Resources 250

References 253

Acknowledgments 257

Index 260

Editorial Reviews

09/15/2014
For Hamshaw, a popular blogger (choosingraw.com) and clinical nutritionist, a healthy diet is both vegan and infused with a variety of raw foods. The author devotes a third of her first book to motivating people to embrace this fully vegan, partially raw approach by providing an overview of the two types of nutrition, debunking many vegan myths, gently advocating for animal rights, offering advice on transitioning to a new diet, and exploring ingredients and kitchen tools. In the same spirit as the text, Hamshaw's simple recipes are designed to make complementing or replacing cooked foods with uncooked ones easy. They also demonstrate how cooked and raw can meet in the middle: cooked chickpeas in an otherwise raw dip or a cooked grain mixed with raw veggies. Buying resources and citations backing up Hamshaw's nutritional claims are helpfully included. VERDICT Among vegan cookbooks, this volume will appeal most to those who are interested in better understanding a vegan diet and curious about raw foods. Cooks looking for vegan recipes without the raw focus have lots of other great recent titles to choose from, such as The Oh She Glows Cookbook by and Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.—Jude Baldwin, Coll. of the Siskiyous, Weed, CA

Library Journal

"I've been a fan of Gena since I first started reading her blog in 2009. Her approach is logical, and her recipes are easy to make, functional and delicious. Choosing Raw is an excellent book."—Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive and Thrive Energy Cookbook

"A breath of fresh air—and whiff of fresh cuisine—Choosing 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

Food52.com, 7/8/14
“Will come in handy on all of those days when you don't want to acknowledge your stove's existence.”

StyleBistro.com, 7/1/14
“Fantastic for beginners and healthy food veterans alike.”

Hudson Valley News, 7/30/14
“This book answers the questions, ‘Can you get the nutrition you need from a plant-based diet?' and ‘can those raw and vegan foods still taste satisfying and delicious?'…And unlike many books of all kinds…this one has an introduction that is truly a joy to read.”

Library Journal, 9/15/14
“Among vegan cookbooks, this volume will appeal most to those who are interested in better understanding a vegan diet and curious about raw foods.”

Midwest Book Review, September 2014
“Packed with details on how to embrace raw foods while on a budget, and discusses everything from getting enough nutrition from a plant-based diet to making the most of raw-based meals…The result is a fine survey highly recommended for any interested in the basics of adopting a raw diet plan.”

T.O.F.U. Magazine, 10/15/14
“As informative as it is delicious.”

Portland Press Herald, 11/5/14
“Blogger and nutritionist Hamshaw pulls together 125 of her mostly raw but also cooked vegan recipes that will guide raw-interested readers away from the world of detox diets and juice fasts and toward healthy, hearty food. The book is loaded with answers to common questions, myth-busting information about raw foods and details about ingredients and kitchen tools.”

Spirit and Destiny, August 2014
“Looking for ways to make your diet healthier but feel raw food is a step too far?...A flick through this book could change your mind.”

CleanPlates.com, 7/22/14
“Raw food blogger and author Gena Hamshaw has us swearing up and down to add more raw foods to our diet after reading her new release, Choosing Raw…Her approach feels easy and refreshing, instead of intimidating.”

Portland Oregonian, 7/22/14
“Following a raw vegan diet is widely perceived as difficult, intimidating and time-consuming, which is ironic when you think about it, since the idea of uncooked dishes seems like it ought to be easy. But nutritionist Gena Hamshaw shows that it can be uncomplicated and creative, going way beyond basic salads and green smoothies…[she] strives to hit the right balance between cooked and uncooked ingredients, a commonsense approach that's more accessible than the extreme all-raw focus some books advocate.”

InfoDad, 7/24/14
“Sensible…for people already thinking about eating more raw foods—for whatever reason—Choosing Raw can be a reasonable place to get more information on how, if not why, to move into the raw-food arena.”

"Gena's inspiring collection of fresh, uncomplicated, and mouth-watering vegan recipes prove that a healthy diet doesn't have to be intimidating or time-consuming."—Angela Liddon, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Oh She Glows Cookbook and creator of OhSheGlows.com

"I'm one of those people who will eat healthy as long as it's easy; Gena's book has made that possible! The recipes herein are infinitely do-able, and tasty, and they're wholesome to boot."—Kathy Freston, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Lean

"Warmly written and packed with recipes that are both simple and spectacular, Choosing Raw makes healthy eating fun, delicious and completely accessible. Gena's 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 Herand Never Too Late to Go Vegan

"As an integrative gastroenterologist, I can't think of a better resource than Choosing Raw for anyone interested in healing their digestive tract, or improving their overall health."—Dr. Robynne Chutkan, author of Gutbliss: A 10-Day Plan to Ban Bloat, Flush Toxins, and Dump Your Digestive Baggage

From the Publisher