Raw Vegan Food

Since arriving in London a little over two weeks ago I have been trying out a lot of raw vegan recipes, ideas and techniques. From breads, salads, raw vegan cheese and raw vegan sushi. They are really adding to my overall approach to a plant based diet by adding a further layer of texture, intensity and that all important unami flavour that we all crave. You just can't beat that richness of flavour in a dried portobello mushroom soaked in tamari and sesaeme oil. The food itself has a real emphasis of nuts, seeds, fresh and dried fruit and vegetables. It really avoids sugars, white flours and processed grains as well as dairy. A lot of this food is delicious but difficult for the home cook to produce, mainly because of the specialised equipment that is needed and the cost of it. High speed blenders, food processors, dehydrators as well as vac sealers etc. How ever this shouldn't really stop you as some of the tastiest food can be produced with little or no specialised equipment. The pudding below is a great example. I simply soaked Chia seeds in sugar free Almond milk overnight. I then added grated apple and pear as well as a little Vanilla and coconut nectar (for sweetness) and tossed chopped almonds over the top. Simple and tasty. You can add any kind of fruit like berries, bananas and mangoes.

My personal belief is to try and incorporate this type of food into you weekly menus. Add a beautiful raw salad to your repitore, make a green smoothie for breakfast or a chia seed pudding (see above). These are simple and easy to make and require little specailized equipment. I also like to mix up a little of cooked food into the raw food repertoire. I thinking that eating just one type of food is a little short sighted. Add a little bit of cooked food and raw food together on a plate to give a little more balance or Ying and Yang to your diet.