Rawsome!: Maximizing Health, Energy, and Culinary Delight With the Raw Foods Diet (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: remove the dehydrator sheets, solid dehydrator sheets, use the jar method, Nama Shoyu, Foods Encyclopedia, The Raw Facts (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A raw foods diet advocates exactly that: eating raw foods. No cooking, no grilling, no steaming, no application of high temperatures. Why? Because eating food closest to its natural state engenders a tremendous exchange of energy between food and body. The result, over time, is a feeling of buoyant, radiant health. Tackling head-on the skepticism likely to greet proponents of what the world sees as a "fad" diet, renowned nutritional consultant and raw foods adherent Brigitte Mars presents historical data and scientific evidence confirming the efficacy of raw foods diets in: Supporting emotional stablity; Increasing energy levels; Clearing the skin; Boosting immune-system function; improving digestive function; Dispelling depression: Sustaing overall good health. In addition, Mars points out the environmental benefits of the raw foods diet, making a case for eating raw foods as a means of reducing waste, making the most of agricultural practice, and reducing the ! human footprint on the earth. Whether the reader wants to jump right into an all-raw diet or just wants to introduce more raw foods into the diet, Mars offers gentle encouragement and practical instruction. Readers will find advice on planning a balanced diet to meet their nutritional needs, combining foods for best effect, presrving raw foods, equpping the raw kitchen, sprouting, juicing, and evey other technique that makes the raw foods diet simple,delicious, and healthful. In-depth profiles describe the nutritional and health benefits of hundreds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seasonings. Perhaps most important, the author provides more than 200 kitchen-tested, real-people-approved raw foods recipes. Under Mar's instruction, readers will enjoy making everything from juices and shakes to salads, soupsdressings, yogurts, crackers, spreads, dips, vegetable burgers, curries, vegetable pastas, wraps, and more. And let's not forget desset: brownies, ice cream, lemon bars, fru! it leathers,pies,cakes, puddings, and other delectable treats. For people who want the vibrant energy and health that raw foods offe but don't want to give up the taste of good cooking, "Rawsome!" provides the answer.

About the Author

Brigitte Mars is an hebalist and nutritional consultant from Boulder, Colorado, who has been working with natural medicine for more than thirty years. She teaches herbal medicine through Esalen, the Boulder College of Masage Therapy, and the Naropa Institute. She is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild. She is the author of several books, including "Sex, Love & Health," "Addiction-Free Naturally," "Herbs for Healthy Skin and Nails," and "Dandelion Medicine."

Product Details

• Paperback: 370 pages
• Publisher: Basic Health Publications; 1 edition (March 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591200601
• ISBN-13: 978-1591200604
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #216,112 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Topnotch title for raw beginners especially!, April 9, 2005

By	Her Dotness (St. Louis, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews

This is the single best reference and recipe book in one that I've found thus far. Mars provides a detailed food-by-food breakdown of nutrients as well as suggesting what conditions this food may help heal. Her recipes are practical, relatively easy to assemble and appealing. The strongest point in her favor for me, the only raw eater in my household, is that many of her recipes make only 2 servings, thus making Rawsome! an excellent choice for singles or couples who prefer not to have to downsize recipes.

Mars also summarizes five classic studies supporting raw foodism as well as recommending three titles for those wishing to explore the scientific support more extensively. I'd suggest Gabriel Cousens' Conscious Eating for people wanting more scientific support with recipes.

The most annoying drawback for me for a number of Mars' more appealing recipes is the unbelievable amount of time required to soak, drain, soak, drain, and dehydrate ingredients before you can even begin to assemble the dish. And then, my little bitty dehydrator often takes well over 24 hours to do its work. Too much hassle for me! (To be fair, however, lengthy preptime is common for quite a few recipes in all-inclusive raw recipe books.)

Nevertheless, there are many usable recipes in Rawsome! Consequently, it's still the best all-around raw recipe book I've found, easily the equivalent of Betty Crocker's "big red" binder cookbook.

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My first introduction to raw foods, November 25, 2006

By	K. Nordman "minou" (NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am not entirely sure how I stummbled into raw foods but I am so grateful that I did.

Brigitte's book was one of the first that I picked up and a really great start for beginners. I was instantly converted reading her book. Although I have been a vegan for some time.. I did not feel entirely healthy. Brigitte's book really opened my eyes to eliminating all that processed foods (and even all those cooked veggies that I thought were so healthy for me!) and start really eating natural.

If you think you already eat healthy now.. read this book and you will be completely shocked! Not only is the introduction to raw foods she gives amazing and empowering, but her recipes are wonderful (and simple) for beginners. I do not have a dehydrator, but a lot of the recipes don't require it. I now drink homemade raw almond milk daily. I absolutely LOVE her recipe for Easy Almond Cheese Spread! Everyone I give it to can't get over it. Her shakes are absolutely fabulous I loved the Mango Lassi and Purple Haze. Brigitte has opened me to a whole new way of eating and all new foods that I probably never would have otherwise tried (I had never eaten almonds ever or drank coconut water! yummy!) Best of all even though I have only been eating about 75% raw for the past two weeks I am already noticing an improvement in my health. It is so exciting to know that for the first time in your life you are really doing what's right and natural for your body! I can't imagine ever going back to my old eating habits. If Brigitte's recipes weren't so good.. I may have given up on the whole raw food thing (as there are other gourmet raw recipe books out there that are so discouraging for newbies!). I take this book everywhere with me...it really is wonderful and I will recommend it to anyone who really has a genuine interest in being healthy. I cannot wait to see my health continue to improve.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the One!, August 17, 2006

By	Leland Fry - See all my reviews

If you can only get one Raw Food book--this is it! It includes sprouting charts, drying times for dried foods, Lists of every vitamin and mineral with the corresponding foods--even an alkaline/acidity chart. The recipes are simple. If you wnat more gourmet type stuff, I suggest Juliano's RAW. But this book is a must for every Raw kitchen--the most accessible Raw food book I've come across, and Thank You Brigette Mars for including research on uncooked foods--good research--there's a lot of hocus-pocus, magical thinking out there in the Raw Food World, and this is a breath of fresh air, because it's smart and straight forward.