Raw Food for Real People

New World Library, 2009

Raw food is a pretty simple concept eating food in its most natural state. However, the “raw food” dining experience is a little more complex, involving soaking, sproating, blending, and dehydrating. But with Rod Rotondi’s new book, Raw Food for Real People, Rotondi presents a new spin on the diet, making it more manageable for people who are interested in eating more “living” foods.

While the science behind raw vs. cooked is up for debate, his philosophy isn’t. He states that the raw food diet is the way we used to eat, and he’s correct; at one point in time, we didn’t have ovens to bake in, and most food was consumed in a raw fashion (other than meat). His recipes are inviting, including the Real Deal Oatmeal with almond butter, bananas, oat groats, agave nectar, and apple (yum!). My favorite part of the book, however, is his premise we don’t have to eat raw all the time, which can seem like a very unattainable (and undesirable for some) goal. But, instead, we should try and eat foods in their natural form as often as possible, not beating ourselves up over the heated food we do eat. (Unless its fried chicken, and that’s another story.) ($24.95)

M.B.W.