Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #764 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-06
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Booklist
A cookbook dedicated to raw food appears oxymoronic to the uninitiated, but people who aim to pursue a raw vegan diet soon realize that eating uncooked foods involves more than simply chomping into whatever sits on grocers' produce shelves. Phyo shows how to create more complex flavor harmonies. Nutmeats of all sorts serve as a basis of many recipes, offering a spectrum of uses from cheese substitutions to pie crusts. Dates stand in for the sweetness less healthfully derived from refined sugar. Raw zucchini strips mimic fettuccini. A close reading of the nutritional analysis for each recipe reveals the high levels of dietary fiber this diet introduces. Although most of Phyo's ingredients are readily available, she does occasionally call for unfamiliar items such as liquid aminos, a replacement for soy sauce. Phyo also provides recipes for raw vegan dog food. Illustrations consist mainly of photographs of the author. Knoblauch, Mark

Juliano Brotman, author of Raw, The Uncookbook
"Ani's food is...inspiring. This book...makes raw cuisine accessible for everyone to enjoy."

Edward Kim MD, Director of Interventional Cardiology Evergreen Hospital, Kirkland, WA
"Provides a feasible...method to rejuvenate your mind and body."

Customer Reviews

Greater Starter Book
Some reviewers have expressed concern that the book is lacking in pictures, ingredients are not always easy to find, and the recipes are intimidating. I thought the same way until I broke down and bought the almonds, flax seed, etc that are called for in many of the recipes. I am not vegan or vegetarian, nor I have plans to become 100% raw. I have looked at many raw food books out of curiosity and the simple fact that I do not like to cook. I wanted a healthy alternative to fast food that wouldn't frazzle my Southern tastebuds. Ms. Phyo's book was full of interesting tips and at no point did she come across as an extremist--which is important for someone just starting this diet.

For the most part, I found this book easy to use and the recipes pretty easy to shop for. She lists substitutions (for example, I could never find raw dates in my area so I used maple or agave instead) and offers basic recipes with multiple invitations to experiment and make revisions.
Anyone just starting on a raw food diet or interested in the diet should start with this book. It is a down to earth, common-sense, and flavorful introduction, which is a trait lacking among many other popular raw food books. Start with her "Coconut Pancakes" recipe and you will be hooked.

Raw food cuisine takes some prep work, but once you try it, it is not a daunting task at all. Most of these recipes can be refrigerated and she notes approximate storage times. The most time consuming task is waiting on the dehydrator. Otherwise, its several prep steps that take only small snippets of time.

And her bits of advice can be helpful. If not for the book mentioning it, I never would have noticed coconut water or hemp seed oil. Thanks for those Ani!

I also want to add that the index is very well organized and easy to use. You got an avocado laying around that you don't know what to do with? Go the index and there are eight recipes using avocados.

interesting but not realistic for "real" eating
I had very high hopes for this book, even after reading quite a few negative reviews. I can't say if the recipes are good because I haven't even tried one yet. . .most of the recipes that look good to me are the desserts. I don't own a dehydrator on principle (because of how much electricity they use) and many of her recipes call for one. All in all, not the best book I've bought.

Great Book
As a raw food coach, I love finding books that help me and my clients stay on the raw food path. If you love the raw food lifestyle you have to learn how to make the food. Bonita Kindle