ASK Raw Chef Dan
In 1997 Raw Chef Dan stepped up to the challenge of bringing raw foods to the masses. He knew that to win people over, raw food had to be better than palatable; it had to be mind blowing and the dining experience had to be exquisite. Late in 1999, Quintessence's doors opened to a waiting audience... and the rest is history!
www.rawchefdan.com
www.rawchefdan.com
Soy Sauce
If I understand correctly, soy sauce is not raw, and for other reasons, not healthy. Do you have a replacement for the taste of soy sauce for raw foods dishes?
~ James
RAW CHEF DAN ANSWERS: Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce by Ohsawa is Raw. Nama is the Japanese word for raw and shoyu is the Japanese word meaning soy product. Therefore, Nama Shoyu literally translates to “raw soy product.” Live active probiotic cultures ferment the soy, breaking down the phytoestrogens and complex proteins. There is no pasteurization so the active cultures are still live. Nama Shoyu by Ohsawa is an age-old product produced by hand from 100% GMO-free organic soy beans. It is made as it’s been made for centuries in a mountain monastery by Buddhist monks. It is a high quality, very spiritual product.
Soy Sauce was originally the byproduct of miso. Tamari comes from a Japanese word, tamaru, which means to accumulate or to collect, which is what exactly this was: the
liquid collected or accumulated on top of the miso kegs during the preparation of miso. It was poured off and saved as a garnish to food at the dinner table. As its popularity grew, so did the demand and methods to produce the sauce.
If you cannot have wheat, the alternative would be a wheat-free Tamari; though I have yet to find one that is raw, both Soy and Tamari by Ohsawa are organic and GMO free. There are also Braggs Liquid Aminos and Dr. Bronner’s Mineral Bullion, but then again, neither is raw or 100% organic. If you really can’t do with any of those, I have used the brine from good quality olives or capers or you can just use good old sea salt, Himalayan crystal salt, celery salt, or many others.
If you cannot have wheat, the alternative would be a wheat-free Tamari; though I have yet to find one that is raw, both Soy and Tamari by Ohsawa are organic and GMO free. There are also Braggs Liquid Aminos and Dr. Bronner’s Mineral Bullion, but then again, neither is raw or 100% organic. If you really can’t do with any of those, I have used the brine from good quality olives or capers or you can just use good old sea salt, Himalayan crystal salt, celery salt, or many others.
Good luck,
Raw Chef Dan
Nonstick Cookware
I love omelets! I’ve read that nonstick Teflon pans are not good for you, and I am considering throwing mine out. What is the best alternative for a good non-stick pan? I’d prefer something light, so I can do the flip.
~ Mike RAW CHEF DAN ANSWERS: Well now. You know what I’m going to say, but I’m going to
say it anyway. STOP EATING EGGS!
There I said it. Do you know where they come from? Do you know what’s in them? I won’t attach the picture that goes with it, sparing you that image. You can go to the Peta website for that, or go to http://www.goveg.com/whatsWrong.asp. Though nutritionally speaking, if taken in moderation (2 or 3 times a month), eggs do provide some rather beneficial elements—omegas and some good (HDL) cholesterol—but only if you eat them raw. Once cooked, they become acid forming in the body. The fats and cholesterol have deformed under the heat, changing the good fats and HDLs to rancid fats and LDLs.
Unless you buy organic eggs, the greater problem is the added hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. That’s not even mentioning how the animals are treated and the fact that the eggs are formed inside a stressed, diseased creature.
As for the pans, most nonstick pans are no longer actually Teflon since the discovery of its contribution to Alzheimer’s. The newer versions, still coined Teflon, emit high levels of toxic gasses when heated. See these links for the long awful truth:
New Health Concerns... and Non Stick Coatings, and Birth defects from non-stick cookware.
There I said it. Do you know where they come from? Do you know what’s in them? I won’t attach the picture that goes with it, sparing you that image. You can go to the Peta website for that, or go to http://www.goveg.com/whatsWrong.asp. Though nutritionally speaking, if taken in moderation (2 or 3 times a month), eggs do provide some rather beneficial elements—omegas and some good (HDL) cholesterol—but only if you eat them raw. Once cooked, they become acid forming in the body. The fats and cholesterol have deformed under the heat, changing the good fats and HDLs to rancid fats and LDLs.
Unless you buy organic eggs, the greater problem is the added hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. That’s not even mentioning how the animals are treated and the fact that the eggs are formed inside a stressed, diseased creature.
As for the pans, most nonstick pans are no longer actually Teflon since the discovery of its contribution to Alzheimer’s. The newer versions, still coined Teflon, emit high levels of toxic gasses when heated. See these links for the long awful truth:
New Health Concerns... and Non Stick Coatings, and Birth defects from non-stick cookware.
Copper pans have good reports. They’re a little costly, but worth it in the long run. A less costly choice is a copper core stainless steel. If I were to cook again, then copper would be my choice. The best price that I know of is at Amazon.com. Search the All-Clad Cop-R-Chef 8” Frying Pan. Tell them RawChefDan-20 sent you!
Enjoy,
Raw Chef Dan
I’m looking to go all “raw.” I’m wondering if you cook anything, and if so, what are the rules? Is there a certain temperature I cannot go above? Do you ever use your stove?
Thanks!
RAW CHEF DAN ANSWERS: First let me commend you on your goal. It is quite an undertaking and takes commitment, though not as much of one as some might think. I know plenty of people who went raw overnight. The real trick is education. The more you know, the fewer cooked foods you’ll want to eat. The more you know, the better decisions you’ll make in the future. Knowledge is power.
Start by finding all the things you can eat, instead of focusing on all the things you can’t.
Look for new places to shop. It’s an adventure, a discovery to find the amazing varieties of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Go online and order some of the unknown: Gojie berries, Cacoa, Maca, Chia seeds, Mesquit, Toco Triennials. I will provide you with some links later. Also, get involved in classes, potlucks, and online raw food groups. Watch videos and DVDs and get yourself a book or two like Raw in Ten Minutes and Living in the Raw. There really are no rules for such a change other than to go at your own pace. Don’t stress over it, but try not to rubberband (to go all raw for a month then binge). Smooth and easy is the best. Remember: the more raw food you eat in a day, the less room there is for other stuff. If you do eat cooked food, eat it early in the day so you have the rest of the day to digest it.
Oh yeah, I don’t have a stove.
Here’s where to shop:
Oh yeah, I don’t have a stove.
Here’s where to shop:
Live-Live.com
Raw Food.com
EatRaw.com
Naturalzing.com
AlissaCohen.com
Macaweb.com
Highvibe.com
Ask Raw Chef Dan
Issue 10 | October/November 2009
Just to name a few. Good luck.
Raw Chef Dan
I have a 1 yr old who refuses to eat meat and eggs and veggies. She is iron deficient and is on a supplement. Is there anything besides beans and rice or dairy to get her protein and iron?
Raw Chef Dan
I have a 1 yr old who refuses to eat meat and eggs and veggies. She is iron deficient and is on a supplement. Is there anything besides beans and rice or dairy to get her protein and iron?
~ A Worried Mom
RAW CHEF DAN ANSWERS: First of all, this is a very dangerous situation. A child in her growing stages should not be living on rice, beans, and dairy. That’s enough to kill an adult, let alone a child. The starch intake is harmful by itself and dairy is full of hormones, steroids, and fats. Then there are the added antibiotics, formaldehyde, and a plethora of other disgusting things depending on the product. Now this is not necessarily a “chef” question and I am not really qualified to tackle such an issue, but what I can tell you is you will have to experiment.
Children are fussy and it’s hard to get them to eat what is best for them, but the search must begin ASAP. I would start with blended soups, using a variety of veggies. They are tasty and the variety of flavors is endless. I don’t know what your child’s tastes are, so you will just have to try many things. Soups are loaded with vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and are high alkaline
while being easy to digest. By adding things like Tahini or hemp seeds, you can boost the protein levels tremendously.
For more solid foods, try some of the raw food “granola bar” type snacks. The nuts and seeds are full of protein and many of these snacks have boost nutrients like Spirulina or Cacoa. Salads with the right dressing may do the trick (it’s all in the dressing). Watch for additives. You may want to make your own. And make smoothies, again adding hemp seeds, Spirulina, etc. The thing is to get a wide variety of veggies in and to stay away from dense proteins like meats, dairy, and even too many nuts. Starch should be avoided as much as possible. It’s tough to get kids to eat what you want them to, but when they’re hungry they’ll eat. To close, I will give you two last pieces of advice. Go to all the “Raw Food” websites and look over the free recipes. Read what’s on the sites and buy some of the books. Join myspace.com. The raw food group’s bulletin boards are full of people willing to help you with questions. Ask others like Dr. Gabriel Cousins www.treeoflife.nu; David Jubb, 508 East 12th Street, New York, New York, 212-353-5000; or Jeremy Saffron www.lovingfoods.com. They all can help you out a lot.
For more solid foods, try some of the raw food “granola bar” type snacks. The nuts and seeds are full of protein and many of these snacks have boost nutrients like Spirulina or Cacoa. Salads with the right dressing may do the trick (it’s all in the dressing). Watch for additives. You may want to make your own. And make smoothies, again adding hemp seeds, Spirulina, etc. The thing is to get a wide variety of veggies in and to stay away from dense proteins like meats, dairy, and even too many nuts. Starch should be avoided as much as possible. It’s tough to get kids to eat what you want them to, but when they’re hungry they’ll eat. To close, I will give you two last pieces of advice. Go to all the “Raw Food” websites and look over the free recipes. Read what’s on the sites and buy some of the books. Join myspace.com. The raw food group’s bulletin boards are full of people willing to help you with questions. Ask others like Dr. Gabriel Cousins www.treeoflife.nu; David Jubb, 508 East 12th Street, New York, New York, 212-353-5000; or Jeremy Saffron www.lovingfoods.com. They all can help you out a lot.
Good luck,
Raw Chef Dan 
Ask Raw Chef Dan
Issue 10 | October/November 2009
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