The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw [Paperback]

Mark Reinfeld (Author), Bo Rinaldi (Author), Jennifer Murray (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 1, 2008 | Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide

A raw food diet is a purely healthy diet.

More people than ever are turning to a raw food diet. In this guide, readers will find the secrets to raw food weight loss; how raw foods can heal the body and boost energy and enthusiasm; information on the anti-aging properties of raw food; and 100+ recipes that show how raw foods can be combined into delectable meals.

• Fully explains the benefits of this increasingly popular diet choice, plus presents a mini cookbook that gets readers started on their new regimen
• Recently published studies indicate that rheumatoid and fibromyalgia patients—who number in the millions—can benefit from an uncooked vegan diet rich in antioxidants, lactobacilli, and fiber

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I’ve seen a lot of raw foods books over the years, but none has left me so impressed.”
—Erik Marcus

“Recipes so good you may want to eat this book.”
—Woody Harrelson, actor

“The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Eating Raw is ideal for anyone looking to seamlessly adopt eating habits that will benefit overall health and boost athletic performance.”
— Brendan Brazier, pro Ironman triathlete and best-selling author of The Thrive Diet

“I love this book! Now we know that raw foods are able to take complete idiots and turn them into total geniuses! Great recipes! Wow!”
—David Wolfe, author of The Sunfood Diet Success System and Eating for Beauty.

About the Author

Mark Reinfeld is the founding chef of the Blossoming Lotus Restaurant, which won Honolulu’s Advertiser’s 2006 Ilima Award for “Best Restaurant of Kaua’i.” Reinfeld won the 2006 Platinum Carrot Award for living foods, given to the top “Healthy Gourmet Chefs” in the country, and his cookbook Vegan World Fusion Cuisine has won nine national awards. Bo Rinaldi is a vegan, herbalist, and vegan cook, and co-authored Vegan Fusion with Mark Reinfeld.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: ALPHA; 1 edition (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592577717
• ISBN-13: 978-1592577712
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

270 of 272 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff July 22, 2008

By Shelli

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've got 3 other raw food books. I like this one the best. Not alot of hype. I appreciate that. It is written for idiots...begins by explaining the benefits of going raw. I'd been raw for a month prior to reading this book, but the motivation to continue was good.

Step by step instructions for soaking and sprouting methods (easy to follow chart included). I was too timid to attempt this process til I read this book. Way easy. My kitchen is sproutin' right now.

Recipes with easy to find ingredients is important. I've got to prepare food for 5 s.a.d. enthusiasts so I don't have alot of time or cash to fool around with. This book's got the recipes I can use. The live oatmeal recipe was easy to prepare and delish! It touches a couple of times on this or that being gluten free, which is vital for me. It clued me into nama shoyu...major gluten goin' on. Thanks, it sucks to have a recipe picked out and find out at the grocery store while reading a label that I can't have that specific thing. So, I run around putting the other ingredients back on the shelf coz that recipe's a wash! Another thing, Idiot's Guide tells you exactly what needs to be soaked for any given recipe. I ruined a recipe from another book because it didn't tell me to soak $12.00 worth of almonds. I had to go on you tube to watch other people explain it before one of them finally mentioned that they needed to be soaked. I was bummed. This book helps me not screw things up.

Idiot's Guide has great insider tips on kitchen appliances...wish I'd have read this before I bought my dehydrator, blender, food processor, and juicer. The dehydrator to buy is the Excalibur. The hours it saves in dehydrating time due to its design is crazy! Now I'm bummed with my cheapy Walmart one. There are alot of chip, cracker, and bread recipes I can't make very well without the good dehydrator. The recipes are found in other books not just this one, so it's not a negative against this book. The dehydrating chart is helpful, as well. I like how Idiot's Guide explains why you have increased temps at the beginning of some dehydrations and not others, and why it is still considered raw at these temps. Also, a Champion brand juicer is the one recommended by all raw foodists I've read from. This book explains very simply the differences in how they work and therefore why Champion is the brand recommended.

Basically, the book imparts alot of knowledge, little tips and info on nutition without being too sciencey. It defines some of the raw foodist lexicon. It's like having a friend explain lots of little facts as well as some biggies, in a fun to read manner. I'd buy it again if I didn't already own it!

90 of 90 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love these recipes! August 26, 2008

By M. Perkins

Format:Paperback

After making another wonderful dinner from this book tonight, I decided that I should write my impression of the recipes. I have a lot of raw uncook books, so I am familiar with many recipes and food preparation techniques. These authors seem to have perfected the ingredients for soups and breads, and they really understand the concept of taste. I first made the Sweet Vanilla-Almond Dip - so simple but so yummy! I love it with apple. Then I made two salad dressings, the Tahini Dressing and the Fantastic Flax Dressing - both perfect and delightful! I made the Blueberry-Vanilla Macadamia Nut Granola and it is quite good. Then tonight I had for dinner the Carrot Ginger Soup with a sandwich made with the Foccacia. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to try raw cuisine, and I intend to keep exploring more recipes!

103 of 105 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book! July 18, 2008

By Barbara Andersen

Format:Paperback

I am reasonably new to eating live foods and this book has proven to be incredibly helpful with the transition. The recipes are so tasty and not overly time-consuming to prepare. Even if you only intend to add some raw foods into your diet this is the book for you. It's well written, quite thorough (with lots of helpful hints and tasty tips scattered throughout the recipe sections) and yet simple and very easy to understand. It's divided into five main sections so it's quite user friendly when you're trying to access the various information it contains.

Part One talks about the health benefits of raw foods, how to set up your pantry and what gear you'll need in your kitchen. Part Two teaches you about preparation, marinades, sprouting, dehydration and culturing techniques. It even includes a very complete chart for dehydration drying times and temperatures that I've found extremely helpful. Part Three contains delicious recipes for beverages, soups, sauces, dressings and lighter fare. Part Four contains more wonderful recipes for heartier fare including breakfasts, breads, wraps, main dishes as well as absolutely yummy deserts! Part Five talks about lifestyle changes, the transition into eating live foods and gives some fasting options as well as a wonderfully laid out 4-week Raw Food Success Program.

The writers have also included a resource section with helpful information on other books as well as web-sites for raw food and sustainability organizations, online publications, classes, retreats and workshops where you can learn more.

All in all I think this is one of the best "cook" books I've seen about raw foods. The recipes are tantalizing and delicious and the information is very accessible for everyone.