by Liz Hamill Scott

July 1, 2010 — Raw food dieting — once the province of the fringiest of hippie groups — is gaining popularity and going gourmet. It’s not all nuts and berries anymore — raw food can mean everything from a 15-ingredient super-salad to a plate of prime sashimi to a luscious raw cheesecake.

So what is raw food, exactly?

Raw food, according to folks who eat raw food diets, is any food that has not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. (Some raw foodies prefer to keep it to 104 degrees.)

So your average green dinner salad with an herbal vinaigrette dressing is raw food — you’re off to a great start!

Many proponents of raw food are vegan as well, eating only plant-based foods. That means lots of organically grown vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, dried fruits, seeds and sprouted grains. For flavor, raw foodies use cold-pressed oils, vinegars, herbs, spices and mustard. Chefs at raw vegan restaurants dream up amazing dishes that don’t require fierce heat to put out fierce flavors.

Raw-leaning omnivores are finding more variety all the time. Some raw foodies have begun playing with raw dairy products: cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, cheeses, creams, butters, eggs — things that can be turned into delectable treats like raw chocolate mousse.

Even red meats and fish make it into some raw food diets. Standard sushi doesn’t make the grade — the rice is cooked. But sashimi is raw; ceviche is, too. Even carpacchio — super-thin sliced raw red meat — and steak tartare qualify as raw foods.

Oh, and cacao can be eaten raw too. That means raw chocolate!

What’s good about raw food?

Lots of things are great about raw food. Proponents point to increased nutrition, anti-aging properties and weight loss as great benefits of raw food diets. According to pro-raw nutrition experts, it’s all about the enzymes. Heating foods to typical cooking temperatures destroys many of the enzymes they come by naturally, which may diminish their nutritive value.

Some folks swear by the efficacy of raw food to diminish the effects of chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis. Others love the energy boost they get from eating raw food, and still others enjoy clear and healthy-looking skin.

How much raw food should I eat?

Serious devotees of the raw food diet eat 70-100 percent raw food — a serious commitment that can radically change cooking habits and social lives. Luckily, eating raw food doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Plenty of people slowly add raw dishes to their diets at home, and occasionally splurge on a meal at an all-raw restaurant like Café Gratitude.

If you’re interested in adding raw food to your daily diet, a reasonable start might be to try to eat at least one serving of raw food at every meal.

Can I cook raw food at home?

Absolutely! Fixing raw food is simple — after all, there’s no actual cooking involved. Raw dishes seem especially appealing in the heat of summer, with fresh, cool produce ruling the meal. Lettuce wraps filled with fresh carrots, cucumbers, zucchini and sprouts tossed in an herbal vinaigrette make a delicious luncheon entrée.

For more creative ways to create family-pleasing raw dishes that look and taste like cooked foods, you could attend the raw food cooking classes that chef Jenny Brewer teaches at New Leaf Markets — usually in the kitchen at the flagship Westside store in Santa Cruz. Her delightful recipes include pastas, pizzas and ethnic dishes.

What do I need to know about raw food safety?

Although most raw veggies are safe, it’s always a good idea to keep foodborne illness in mind when pursuing a raw food diet. Be sure to check the reliability of your sources of raw dairy products and raw meat. Local, organic and grass-fed sources of beef and dairy tend to be the cleanest and healthiest. Any raw seafood should be sushi grade.

Raw poultry is never safe to eat, nor are most raw unsprouted grains. Also be very careful about raw eggs; if you must eat them, “cook” them in a strong acid — such as vinegar or lemon juice — to kill any bacteria.

Where can I get raw food on the Coastside?

The New Leaf Market in Half Moon Bay has a whole raw section, featuring dozens of brands of fresh and packaged foods, including snacks. In the bakery, you can pick up a raw cheesecake from the Earth Café for dessert, and tabouli over in the deli. Chez Shea on Main Street isn’t a strictly raw food restaurant, but it’s got a few tasty raw vegetarian options.

Other sources are the Palmetto Organic Grocery in Pacifica, the Pacifica Farmers Market in Manor Plaza, and Phipps Country Store and Farm in Pescadero.

Recipes by chef Jenny Brewer

Angel Hair Squash Noodles in Sun-dried Tomato Marinara

Serves 4

4 zucchini

2 cups tomatoes (heirloom, vine-ripened or plum), chopped

1 clove garlic

1⁄2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1⁄2 lemon

1⁄2 teaspoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon oregano (fresh or dried)

1⁄2 teaspoon rosemary (fresh or dried)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1⁄4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), chopped

To make the sauce, blend the fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, agave, oregano, rosemary and salt until smooth. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and blend until mixed well. The sun-dried tomatoes will absorb excess moisture and make your marinara thicker.

To make noodles, cut off the tops and bottoms of each squash, and then cut in half to make two short cylinders. Use spiralizer to make angel hair noodles. Alternatively, you may use a peeler to make long strips if you don’t have a spiralizer.

Toss the angel-hair noodles with marinara. Serve immediately, as it will begin to release water. Top with Cashew Garlic Parmesan Sprinkle if desired.

Cashew Garlic Parmesan Sprinkle

1 clove garlic

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raw cashews

Process garlic and salt. Add the cashews and process into a powder. Use to top raw pasta dishes, soup, and salads.

Raw “Pizzas”

Almond “Crusts”

Makes 18 “slices”

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup sun dried tomatoes, loosely packed and soaked in warm water

3 cups almond flour (see note)

1 cup ground flaxseed

3 medium zucchini, peeled & roughly chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons herbs de Provence or herbs of your choice

Process the olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, zucchini, lemon juice, salt and dried herbs until thoroughly mixed. Add the almond flour and process again until a batter is formed. Turn mixture out into a bowl. Add flaxseed and salt and spices to taste.

Divide the mixture in two and place on ParaFlexx sheets, on dehydrator trays. Use a spatula or your hands to spread the mixture evenly to all four sides and corners of the ParaFlexx sheet. If mixture is too sticky you can wet the spatula to make things easier. With a knife score the whole thing into 9 squares. Dehydrate for 2 hours and then remove the ParaFlexx sheets by placing another dehydrator tray and mesh on top and invert so that your original sheet of bread is upside down. That will allow you to peel the ParaFlexx sheet off and continue to dehydrate the underside of the bread. Dehydrate for approximately 8 hours more or until bread feels light in your hand.

Note: You can make almond flour a number of ways. You can save the pulp from making almond milk and dehydrate it. You could also use the almond pulp wet. Another way would be just to grind some almonds into flour in a high-powered blender or coffee mill, or buy almond meal (not always raw).

Cashew Cheese

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)

In a food processor, purée cashews until well ground. Add remaining ingredients, and purée for 5 minutes, or until mixture is very smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Enjoy!

Cleansing Pesto

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup walnuts

1 bunch dandelion greens, washed and chopped

1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped

1 bunch basil, washed and chopped

1 cup arugula

1/4 cup hemp seeds

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon unpasteurized miso

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon flax seed oil

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Process the garlic and walnuts in a food processor until well ground. Add all of the greens, hempseeds, lemon juice, umeboshi paste or miso, and yeast and process to combine, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. While the motor is running, add oils until the pesto is holding together. Season to taste with salt as needed and refrigerate until service.

Marinated Broccoli and Parsnip “Rice” with Tahini Sauce

Adapted from a recipe on rawchef.com

One small head of broccoli

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Wash your broccoli. Cut off the stem and trim away any hard knobby bits, then thinly slice the stem and the head. Place in a bowl and pour on the lemon juice, oil and salt and pepper and give it a little massage. Marinate for about 30 minutes.

Parsnip “Rice”

1 1/2 cups peeled parsnips

1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts

1 tablespoon macadamia nuts

1 tablespoon light miso

1 tablespoon cold-pressed sesame oil

3 spring onions, finely chopped

Grind all ingredients, except the spring onions, in a food processor until fluffy and rice-like. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped spring onions

Tahini Sauce

1/4 cup tahini

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 date, finely chopped (if hard, soak in hot water for a few minutes)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3 teaspoons tamari

1/2 garlic clove

1/2 small de-seeded chili

1/2 cm cube of fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.

Raw Sunflower Seed Taco Filling

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight and drained

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon tahini

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a food processor, pulse seeds, garlic and jalapeño until well ground. Add remaining ingredients and process until creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Add more salt or spices to taste. If you are eating this with lettuce, you want it to be very flavorful on its own.

Pecan Sandies

Serves 12

1 cup pecans

1/3 cup pitted dates

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch sea salt

pecan halves or coconut, for garnish

Soak pecans for 2-4 hours. Drain and rinse. Soak dates in 1/2 cup fresh water for 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain off the soak water and set aside.

In a food processor, chop pecans into a fine meal. Add dates, honey, vanilla and sea salt, and blend into a smooth paste. It may be necessary to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and continue to blend for a smooth consistency. Add a few tablespoons of the date soaking water as needed to assist in blending smooth.

For soft cookies: roll into 24 balls — about 1 1/2 tablespoons dough each — and roll each ball in coconut.

For crispy cookies: Roll 24 balls as above, then place on non-stick dehydrator racks and gently press flat with the bottom of a drinking glass. Wipe and wet the bottom of the glass between cookies to keep from sticking. Place a pecan half into each cookie and dehydrate at 108 for 12-20 hours, until quite dry. Flip the cookies over and continue drying without the non-stick sheets for 1-2 hours.