Raw? "What on earth does that mean?" You may ask. I was first made aware of raw foodists when I myself was vegan. It is exactly what it sounds, a raw food diet consists of raw, uncooked, unprocessed foods. I will first tell you the reasoning behind it and then show you that eating raw doesn't mean eating salad with no dressing day in, day out. The coolest thing about this recipe? Its use of kelp noodles.. I had never even heard of them before. They do not need cooking and are very low in calories.
I hate to break it to you but that delicious gas station doughnut isn't actually food. The dictionary definition of food is "A nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, in order to maintain life and growth." Unfortunately, the sugars, flours, preservatives and food dyes of our 99 cent doughnut are so far from their natural states that the body actually doesn't know how to process them and if enough of these processed foods are consumed, our bodies get sick. Sick with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and even general exhaustion and moodiness. The food we eat should nourish us in the long term, not make us sick and fat.
Basically, the western diet can lead to many people being "Over fed and under nourished." And that's where raw food comes in. Raw, uncooked, unprocessed ingredients are as close to nature as they come. A bell pepper grew on a bush, not a doughnut. Eating things as close to their natural form is that they are likely to be rich in enzymes, vitamins, minerals, essential fats and fiber. The very things that make food, FOOD. These micro-nutrients aid in cell repair, help maintain energy levels and are anti-inflamatory. Raw foodists keep food raw because even the cooking of vegatables can break down the enzymes and nutrients. I'm not sawing never eat a delicious pastry ever again but minus the 3 minutes of satisfaction you get while eating it, it can be harmful to your health, making you sick and tired. And I personally ,want you to have an amazing, healthy, energy full life. So indulge but balance it out and eat lots of the good nourishing stuff.
Pad Thai- RAW
Marinated Mushrooms (my favorite part)
1 tablespoon agave or other liquid sweetener
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Tamari or soy sauce
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (shitake are amazing)
Pad Thai Sauce
1 cup almond butter
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoon ground tamarind (red paste in Asian section of most stores, omit if you can't find it)
2 teaspoon pureed ginger
1 teaspoon siracha
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoon Tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave
1 lime, juice from
Veggies
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 cup sliced pea pods
2 cups mung bean sprouts
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 mango, diced
2 cups kelp noodles
marinated mushrooms (from above)
Marinate Mushrooms: Mix together sweetener, olive
oil, and soy sauce. Pour over sliced mushrooms and marinate. This can
be done the night before for more flavor. Set aside.
Place all sauce ingredients in
high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth **Alternatively you can whisk with a fork (that's what I did) Drain and pat dry the
mushrooms. Mix together with the rest of the veggies in a large bowl.
Mix in sauce, 1/2 cup at a time to taste. Enjoy! Nourish your body!
