Last year right around this time I found The Raw Foods Detox Diet by Natalia Rose.  I was so excited and convinced by all the rawesome stuff in her book that I did a bunch of things she said to do, as well as the one big thing she said not to do; that is, “don’t dive head first into the raw food deep end.”  Bah!  I’ve been eating raw food since I was a baby!  How hard can it be?

*jump*

*SPLASH*

*smash head*

*drown*

So OK yeah, you don’t become a high raw foodist overnight. Check.  After a couple weeks of attempting a largely raw diet I pretty much bailed completely and went back to eating cooked food again.  It did lead me to juicing though for which I am eternally grateful. I also came away with a new found respect for food that didn’t require quite so much damn chewing, so I appreciated that too.

With spring and summer produce raining down on us like, well – rain, I’ve been thinking about the Raw Food Detox Diet again and have been brushing up on my food combining skillz and raw recipes too.  As the case usually is with me, thoughts turn to action and suddenly I’ve found myself on a raw rampage.  The table and fridge have been filled with more raw meals than usual and for the time being, I’m treading water in the raw food deep end.

Raw Deal #1: Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

Here lies four unsuspecting portobello mushroom caps, which I promptly scalped and sliced after snapping this picture.  I made up a quick and easy marinade of an unmeasured amount of olive oil (probably half a cup), balsamic vinegar (maybe 3/4 c), 1 clove of garlic (minced) and a dash of salt.  Shrooms into the bowl of marinade and then into fridge for a few hours, stirring (and sampling) occasionally when I thought of it.

Marinated mushrooms were then delicately plopped onto a bed of mixed greens and then drizzled with remaining marinade.

And then those perfectly marinated mushrooms met their maker.

Raw Deal #2: Curried Coleslaw

I originally stole got the idea for this recipe from my mother, but it can also be found here.

My version of this recipe went a little something like this (I doubled it):

1 bag of shredded cabbage (have you ever tried to cut up a head of cabbage?  Yeah, once was enough for me too.)
1/4 c shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/3 c Braggs Amino Acid (soy sauce would work too)
1/3 c apple cider vingear
1/3 c olive oil
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 or so inches of ginger, grated
Juice from 1 lemon
Curry powder, cumin, salt to taste

My favorite little ginger grater flounder doesn’t get nearly enough blog time. Please allow me to present you with your gratuitous porcelain nubbed flounder shot:

(Totally worth it.)

Curried Coleslaw for lunch anyone?

Raw Deal #3, a deal that can’t be beet! (har har har)

Beet and Apple Slaw

3 smallish beets, trimmed and scrubbed and grated (in that order)
2 mediumish apples, grated
1 smallish red onion, diced
Juice from 1 lemon
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of salt, pepper

Shred, mince, etc all fruits and vegetables, add other ingredients. Stir. Place on bed of greens. Eat.

I made this today and it’s already gone. No shame! Lunch and dinner, done and done. It was that good. Even the Potato Head macked on this beet slaw. Your purple lips don’t lie Monsieur P to the H! Let’s just say it’s a good thing raw potato isn’t that great, otherwise Raw Deal #4 would have been Raw Potato Salad.