Make your own vitamin C at home, and make it better than any store-bought vitamin C

Vitamin C Recipe

So you may not know that almost all of the vitamin C supplement manufacturers are making their vitamin C from genetically engineered corn. What! You exclaim. How am I supposed to get enough vitamin C into my family if I don’t buy store bought supplements? Answer: You make your own! What you are about to read is something that the giant pharmaceutical companies don’t want you to see.

Even the health food stores don’t want you to know about this secret. You can make your very own vitamin C supplement that is ten times better than anything you could buy in a store at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU!

Does it have a 1,000 mg of vitamin C per dosage? Nope. Does it have the USRDA amount per dosage? Not at all. Has it been approved by the FDA?  Absolutely not!

What homemade vitamin C does have is live enzymes that allow the vitamin C to be 100% assimilated into your body.  It has its own natural source of rutin, hesperidin, and bioflavonoids. It’s easily acquired, easy to make, and even tastes good, too. It’s just orange & lemon peels.

It’s that easy. Any organic orange or lemon peels left over from the fruit you  buy will do the trick.  Save all of your peels after you eat the inside of the fruit and cut them into thin strips. Place them on a plate on your dining room table and let them dry at room temperature for a couple of days until dry and crisp. You can also dehydrate the peels with a food dehydrator and then store them for about a year in a dry container. For consumption, one idea is to break up peels into smaller pieces and mix them with your favorite tea. This makes the tea taste great, but the downside to this approach is that heat destroys the enzymes. A better option is to place the peel strips into your coffee grinder and grind them into a powder (which won’t hurt the enzymes) and use to mix with your early morning smoothie. One rounded teaspoon will supply you with more organic vitamin C complex, rutin, hesperidin, and bioflavonoids than your body needs for the day, regardless of your size. And this homemade citrus peel powder mixed in your blender with some fresh organic apple juice tastes good too.

Check out these articles if you are looking for tips to boost your immune system, or heal from chemotherapy. Also, be sure to read up on Leaky Guts and Autoimmune Diseases.

Recommended Supplements:

• Total Nutrition Formula

Further Reading:

• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• Homemade Calcium and Magnesium
• Things You Should Know About Garlic – DIY, Recipes, Other Tips

This is such an amazing dish, and so easy to prepare! It’s sure to impress even an those who aren’t fond of asparagus. If you are looking to go 10% raw, that’s easy too. Just don’t boil the vinegar, and cut the amount of vinegar you use in half. You may want to sweeten it a bit, as balsamic vinegar reduction is very sweet, but the mangos may take care of that so taste it before sweetening.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds asparagus
• 1 large mango
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• Hot sauce to taste (I use a peach habanera hot sauce I love!)

Instructions

Boil balsamic vinegar for 3 minutes to create a reduction (making the vinegar sweeter and thicker). Cut off tough ends of asparagus. Combine all ingredients and let set for 3 hours in refrigerator.

Alternatively you can cook the asparagus lightly if you prefer. In the image above I used three kinds of asparagus, and cook the purple and white variety lightly and left the smaller green asparagus raw. It’s also good served room temperature or warm if you chose.

With kid friendly organic healthy recipes

In our convenience focused society, many kids are learning that it is quicker to open up a bag of chips then it is to take the time to wash off a piece of fruit.  By now, I’m certain that very few of us have not heard or read about how important it is to back off of the commercialized, processed, packaged fare and to get back to the fresh, Earth~produced foods that we are biologically designed to consume.

This past weekend, our family met up with a few friends for a picnic. One of the other kids began commenting on what my children were eating- claiming that veggies are “tasteless” and that he refuses to eat them unless they are fried. The whole conversation triggered the question in my mind:& how can we motivate kids to harmonize with and enjoy healthy eating habits? The following are a few simple strategies that I believe will help if your child isn’t so fond of the fresh stuff……………

Blend up a fresh fruit and greens smoothie.

Blending is an easy, fast and fun way to pack a lot of nutrition into one simple drink.

Begin by using your child’s favorite fruits and blend them with mild greens (spinach, lettuces, etc.) and a small amount of water to create a smoothie that is both palatable and nutritionally potent.  As your child acclimates to the taste- you can begin to branch out with different fruits and darker greens.  You can also use nut milks or fresh juice as a base for added nutrition.

Dips!!!

If your child is having trouble ‘digging’ a particular fruit or veggie~ try making a dip to go along with it.  Dips are fun to eat and add a whole new dimension, taste~wise.  Examples-> almond butter, sunflower butter, blended fruit or chocolate dip (cold pressed oil, cocoa or carob powder, vanilla stevia, sea salt.)

‘Fun’ify’ snacks

Pretend play with your child while eating…maybe you’re at a cocktail party- or eating with the Queen and King….use fancy cups and plates, cocktail umbrellas or reusable straws.  Create the dish to look like an animal or bug…remember thee ol’ ‘worms in the dirt’ recipe from our childhood?  FUN!  There are several great and easy-to-find online sites to stir up ideas.

Include a colorful salad with dinner.

The way a meal looks is often just as important as how it tastes.  Use a variety of different veggies (and/or fruits) so that your salad will be colorful and visually appealing.  Try blending up your own dressing using apple cider vinegar or lemon, cold pressed oil, and fresh herbs.

Healthy desserts!

Does your child likes ice cream?  Try making ice cream from coconut milk…or avocados and natural flavors/sweeteners.  Get creative with fruit by topping it with the above chocolate sauce or nut/seed based crumble…..or go for something equally as delightful, yet beyond simple- like apple slices, almond butter and cinnamon.  The possibilities really are endless.

Naturally, each above idea can be customized to your child’s unique tastes and preferences.  You’ll find it easier and easier to replace processed, packaged, nutrient~stripped concoctions with nutrient~rich, realfood…Enjoy!

“I learned from my two year’s experience that it would cost incredibly little trouble to obtain one’s necessary food even in this latitude; that a man may use as simple a diet as the animals, and yet retain health and strength. I have made a satisfactory dinner, satisfactory on several accounts, simply off a dish of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) which I gathered in my cornfield, boiled and salted.” ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden (Life in the Woods)

While, apparently, not one of the more sought after wild plants- or even that well known in North America- purslane is a popular food in the Mediterranean and many other areas of the world. Look for purslane in open, sunny areas as it is a warm weather lover- not sprouting until the ground temperature reaches around 80 degrees F- very determined once established and flourishing with ease. The tear drop shaped leaves (though they remain rounded- not quite reaching a ‘tear drop’ point where the leaf meets the stem and are typically no longer than 1 inch in length) are green with a hint of red, first sprouting as four propeller~looking leaves out of a reddish system of stems that resemble pipes stretching across the ground. The plant rarely reaches more than 2 or 3 inches in height.

Purslane is a succulent- a plant which has fleshy, water-storing leaves or stems. In extreme cases of drought, the stems of the plant will pull water back in from the leaves and drop them. With the way that it spreads across the ground, purslane has the look of a plant that would root at each node. It does not. Though, interestingly, much like a starfish, it does grow new plants from cut segments- granted that the soil conditions are ideal. Purslane’s hardiness, along with this ability to grow new plants from chopped up pieces make for an unruly task for those trying to eliminate its presence from garden space or farmland…….and a delight for wild~food enthusiasts;).

It is fairly easy to identify purslane based on its leaves and stems, alone- for those who still feel uncomfortable, however- the plants do produce flowers once they reach a certain age. The flowers are tiny (less than 1/4 of an inch,) are usually yellow in color, 5 petaled and found on older growth. The tiny black seeds are barely larger than grains of salt.

Nutritionally, purslane is potent! It tops the list for quality amounts of vitamin E and contains an impressive amount of omega-3 fatty acids- unusual for a plant. I have read that purslane contains up to 4000 ppm of the omega-3 fatty-acid alpha linolenic acid. For those who take fish or flax oil supplement, purslane could offer up a nice alternative during the summer months while saving money in the process. Purslane contains glutathione, is rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium and phosphorus, and nicely compares to spinach in its iron content.

With a mild, very slight hint of sour flavor and chewy texture- purslane leaves and stems are edible raw and make a fantastic addition to salads. After rinsing, you can steam or add them to soups, stir~frys or other veggie dishes.

**Be mindful of spurge, a similar~looking, poisonous plant that can grow near purslane. The leaves of spurge usually grow in a pair across from each other on the stem~ which is not as thick as purslane’s stem, and gives off a white, milky sap when you break it. If careless, it would not be difficult to toss some in your bag while out scouting for purslane.

Purslane Potato Salad

• 6 medium red potatoes, cooked and cubed
• 3 cups purslane, washed and chopped
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 4 tbps. homemade mayo, blended nut~based cream or simply any cold~pressed oil
• 2 tbps. dijon mustard
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Wash and chop all ingredients. Mix together in a bowl with mayo, cream or oil of choice. Add in seasonings to desired taste. Chill until ready to be served- (can garnish with fresh dill sprigs.)

*blending nutrient~dense leafy greens with antioxidant and water~rich fruits into a ‘green smoothie’ is an easy and incredible way to boost your health and vitality…

Purslane & Plum Smoothie

• 1 head of red leaf lettuce
• 1 bunch chard leaves
• 2 cups purslane, washed
• 4 black or red plums, pits removed
• 1 cup mixed berries
• 1/2 avocado
• stevia, to taste

Add just enough water to blend until smooth & Enjoy!

The one rule, sans exception, of foraging; KNOW YOUR PLANT. While the benefits of eating wild plants are significant and very worthy~ there is no room for error. You can, and should, take all of the time that you need to get to securely know a plant before consuming it….in a way that you can comfortably and positively identify it 100% of the time.)

When walking through a forest~ or any other natural place that radiates abundance~ I feel most alive. I know that I am far from alone when I write that I deeply sense the power behind and artistry within the way ‘eco~pieces’ fit so perfectly into a rich and dynamic whole. I lack an adequate description for how this harmony puts me at ease…

While enjoying the nutritionally rich ‘sparkle’ of a salad that was collected five minutes before meal time (when much of the produce at the market was grown a month ago) and curtailing grocery bills are both notable benefits of foraging~ one of the greatest treasures of collecting and eating wild foods is of a soulful and mindful nature. There is something about picking and noshing on wild plants that ‘charms in’ the most discerning of onlookers. Even folks who sport a serious disinterest in nature will toss out a dozen questions when they spot you, trail side, plucking up an ‘offensive’ weed and sticking it in your mouth. This intrigue is more than just inquisitive criticism; it is an outward expression of a deeper, more intuitive, nudging. Foraging reminds us that our food is not created in a factory or a supermarket. It is created by our Earth…and it reconnects us in a deep and sustaining way~ going far beyond the boundaries of physical nutrition. No advancement in science can make this variety of beautiful connection obsolete. While the below is about dining directly from Earth’s garden, if you have skills at reading between the lines, you’ll recognize a very sincere plea for less consumption and more self~reliance. I encourage all of us to do all that we can do to nourish ourselves, our children & the planet that nourishes us all……
……dig up, dig in, ‘re~wild’ yourself…..and enjoy!!!

Elderberries

Clusters of small white flowers dropping from the elder tree give signal to the nearby arrival of small, round, juicy, deep-purple elderberries.  Hanging in clumps from the busy branches of the 5-12 foot elder tree (or shrub)- they’re not difficult to spot. The most well known species is the American elder.  This medium to large shrub is a member of the honeysuckle family- and has smooth, gray bark and opposite, compound leaves.  The leaves are divided into several sharply serrated, 2-5 inch elliptical (widest in the middle- and tapering evenly to both ends) leaflets.  The fragrant, lacy blooms of the American elder open in late June and July and contain hundreds of five-petaled, white flowers that span out about 6 inches.

Like most wild plants, the berries of the elder bush are packed with highly bioavailable nutrients. They provide large amounts of potassium and beta-carotene as well as calcium, phosphorous and vitamin C.

The fun scoop: The most powerful wand (the ‘Elder Wand’) in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is concocted of wood from Sambucus canadensis or the American elder. Because I am a fan of all things magical, especially in relation to the hidden (and not so hidden) mystical properties of the sacred plants around us- I’m further pushed to share that in European folklore, fairies and elves would appear if you sat underneath an elder bush during midsummer nights. Interesting, as the strong scentof large masses of elder leaves are thought by some to have a mild narcotic effect. It is written that the lovely elder possessed potent magic~ with the capability of driving away evil-doers. Pocketing the twigs was considered a charm against certain illnesses. All passed down tales aside, my guess is that much of the elder’s charm hails from its ability to heal. The flowers and fruit are wonderfully medicinal. Hippocrates had already made note of this in 400 B.C……..
An infusion or tincture is commonly used to help alleviate ‘colds’ and ‘flu’ as it is astringent, expectorant and induces perspiration- making it helpful for bringing down a fever. The flowers can be steeped in oil to make a soothing ointment for sore muscles, burns and rashes.

The berries and the flowers of the elder bush are edible. The leaves, roots and bark (though medicinally mentioned in several older herbal books) contain a bitter alkaloid and glycoside that may change into cyanide~ and are not edible!

Harvesting elderberries is fairly easy- a carrier bag or bucket and a good pair of scissors (or simply your hands to pinch off clusters) will reward you with a bag full of berries in very little time. Each berry can, then, be removed from their stems~however, if you do not want to take the time for this semi-tedious task or to deal with berry stained hands~ the following method will be a treasure;). -> Simply place the entire clusters in the freezer- giving space to each on a plate or tray of some sort. After the berries have frozen solid, they are very easily removed by rubbing the clusters of berries between your hands. Make sure to do this over a large bowl as the berries snap off from the stems easily and can become a bit of a nightmare to cleanup if not careful. You can place the frozen berries back into the freezer for later use or use them frozen or thawed in recipes.

I have read that elderberries (like the above mentioned leaves, roots and bark) also contain a certain amount of cyanide. While eating a few of them raw doesn’t necessarily create a problem (noshing on a couple is so much fun while collecting)- eating too many can make for a not-so-pleasant experience. Cooking the berries apparently takes the cyanide out, making them safe for consumption. I’ve experienced my fair share of feeling ill after ‘testing’ out non-staple food items…and, as a result, have not been brave enough to test the limits of raw berry consumption;). With foraging, I like to lean towards safety and familiarity, at any rate, and would suggest cooking the berries if you’re planning to eat many of them.

Elderberry syrup is a staple in many of my herbalist friends’ cabinets—after perusing through several past shared recipes, however, I have opted not to dabble in syrup making almost solely based on the amount of sugar that it takes to preserve the concoction. It’s true- I have a ‘thang’ against concentrated sugar, and am dedicated to avoiding sizeable amounts of it. That written, I’m not as enthusiastic about side stepping the antioxidant bliss of elderberries altogether- so, after much ‘strategery’ (thank you, G. W. Bush;)), I decided to try freezing the cooked elderberry juice~ a method that I’ve successfully used for preserving other juices and herbs…it worked out quite well………

Elderberry Recipes

Elderberry Juice Cubes

• Pick berries off stems as best you can (you can use a fork to separate berries from stems, or use the freezer method described above.)
• Rinse berries in a bowl of cold water until clear and clean~ drain water.
• Using a size appropriate pot, heat on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes~ stirring frequently (berries will turn from a black-purpl’ish color to red-purpl’ish once they’re all cooked.)
• Remove from burner, let them cool off a bit~ then mash them up using a potato masher or the bottom end of a glass jar.
• Try to release as much juice from the berries as possible.
• Spoon (or pour) mixture into a strainer positioned over a bowl, and press with a spoon to push the juice through.
• Pour syrup into ice cube trays and freeze. When you need an immune system boost, just pop a couple out and blend with leafy greens, fruit, spring water, lemon juice (whatever sounds good) for a rejuvenating treat!

*blending nutrient~dense leafy greens with antioxidant and water~rich fruits into a ‘green smoothie’ is an easy and incredible way to boost your health and vitality…

‘Elder~Green’ Smoothie

• 2 bunches of any variety of lettuce
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 4-6 elderberry juice cubes (from above)

Add just enough water to blend until smooth & Enjoy!

Chocolate Elderberry Ice Cream

• 3 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups cooked and strained elderberries
• 1 avocado
• 4 tablespoons cacao powder (or carob powder)
  vanilla stevia, to taste (usually 2-3 dropperfuls)
• a pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients (except elderberries) until smooth.  Pour into a chilled ice cream bowl and run according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Mid-way through, or after the mixture begins to freeze~ add in the elderberries.

(The one rule, sans exception, of foraging;  KNOW YOUR PLANT.  While the benefits of eating wild plants are significant and very worthy~ there is no room for error.  You can, and should, take all of the time that you need to get to securely know a plant before consuming it…in a way that you can comfortably and positively identify it 100% of the time.)

I grew up picking black raspberries and occasionally found interest in the deep purple gems hanging just overhead, but, it wasn’t until very recently that I took a serious look at these often unnoticed, untouched beauts.

There are two common mulberry tree species (plus many off shoot hybrids) here in the U.S. , the native red mulberry and the Asian white mulberry. The red mulberry, which reaches a height of about sixty-five feet, has rough, reddishbrown bark and the leaves are rounded, toothed, some oval shaped, some lobed. The fruit, also oval in shape, hangs from a thin, green fruit stalk and is composed of many very dark purple berries (when ripe.) Each little berry has its own seed. Red mulberry trees will be the ones that you are more likely to come across while foraging.

With the thought of beginning a silk industry in mind, white mulberry trees were imported from Asia during the 1800’s. Being too much work, this idea was quickly abandoned, though, not before this fertile tree swept its way across much of America. As the name implies, white mulberries are white with clearly visible black seeds in the center of each tiny berry.

It is not at all surprising to me that these little berries are being sold in stores as a superfood! As it turns out, mulberries mean business in the nutrition department. They are fairly high in protein; one handful contains about 3 grams of protein (for comparison- bananas are about 4% protein and mulberries are about 11%.) They are a sweet source of vitamin C, with about one handful (I don’t necessarily dig the counting’ game when it comes to food, but when I must- it is usually by the handful), a 28-30 gram serving containing around 130% of the recommended daily amount. They’re also a decent source of iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, potassium, and fiber.

Mulberries are one of those foods that I believe are best enjoyed, solostyle. Still, I’ll post a recipe for a fantastic smoothie and mulberry crisp below.

Mulberry Recipes

Wild Mulberry & Celery Smoothie Recipe

• 1 cup wild mulberries
• 1 banana (omit if you have lower glycemic needs)
• 1/2 cup pineapple, chopped (again, lessen or leave out for less sugar)
• 1 cup nut or seed milk (hemp, almond, coconut milk, etc.)
• 3-4 stalks of celery
• Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Mulberry Crisp Recipe

Fruit Layer

• 4 cups wild mulberries
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon (about 1 dropper ful) liquid stevia (or 1 tablespoon honey)

Crumble Topping

• 3/4-1 cup coconut flour
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 dropperful) liquid stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• (can add in ground nuts/seeds and/or oats)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine fruit layer ingredients in a bowl and then pour the mixture into a fitting casserole dish.
3. Combine the crumble topping ingredients (mix in coconut flour, slowly, until it reaches a crumble consistency. Evenly distribute crumble mixture on top of the fruit layer.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.
5. (Serve hot or cold)

(The one rule, sans exception, of foraging: know your plant. While the benefits of eating wild plants are significant and very worthy, there is no room for error. You can, and should, take all of the time that you need to get to securely know a plant before consuming it. You must comfortably and positively identify it 100% of the time.)

Recommended Reading:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Three Homemade Toothpaste Recipes – Better Oral Health for Less Cost
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula

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!

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.

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.

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

Going Raw

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:

• Live-Live.com
• Raw Food.com
• EatRaw.com
• Naturalzing.com
• AlissaCohen.com
• Macaweb.com
• Highvibe.com

Just to name a few. Good luck.

Raw Chef Dan

Picky Eater

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.

Good luck.