Eat Smart, Eat Raw
Detox Recipes for a High Energy Diet, by Kate Wood
(Grub Street, ISBN 1-904010-12-1, £10.99)
review by Ysanne Spevack
Raw food is the currently biggest thing in Hollywood. Californians cannot get enough of it, and many big movie stars are aficionados of the diet. Essentially, a raw food diet consists of eating only raw organic vegan foods prepared with the very minimum of heat. In California’s sunny paradise, a raw food diet is easy and chic. But how can you healthily eat this way in the chill of London Town?
Kate Wood is a mother of three, and her whole family are raw food vegans based in London. She has adapted many Californian recipes and invented lots more to fit with the British palate and way of life. In her book Eat Smart, Eat Raw, Kate describes the most important elements of raw food cuisine. Ingredients are broken down into food groups such as protein, fats, vitamin B12 and calcium. Kitchen equipment is described with contact details for UK-based companies where they can be sourced. And a very personal introduction gives the reader an insight into how such a radically different diet can be incorporated into everyday city life.
The recipes are clearly described, with some excellent cook’s tips and nice photography. The dishes themselves sound intriguing, with names such as Pizza, Dolmades, ‘Chocolate’ Torte and Christmas Pudding evoking thoughts of hot ovens and steamy kitchens. However, almost every recipe in the book involves no cooking or cooked ingredients. Kate describes her journey of discovery from vegan to raw food expert, and explains the many benefits that she has experienced in terms of health, clarity and energy. And if you decide not to go without your cooked food, you are sure to pick up some exciting new tastes and ideas to serve alongside them.
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