Surviving the Holidays vegan and raw

Surviving the Holidays Vegan and Raw
As seen in Natural Awakenings Magazine

The holidays are a time of family and food. Eating goes hand and hand with every holiday, making it especially hard if you are a vegan, vegetarian, a raw foodist, or simply trying to lose weight. If you find yourself in one of these categories, you will undoubtedly find this time of year challenging, as it is a time when traditional and comfort foods take precedence in most households, and eating healthy is put off for the New Year. There are many ways to avoid all of the problems that arise for those who are food conscious. Invite your family over for their first raw food feast or bring your favorite raw food dish to your holiday event to share! Bringing a non-traditional dish to a holiday event may feel like a risk, but by doing so you can introduce your loved ones to some very wholesome and tasty holidays meals.

Some people think Raw food consists of only salads or plain granola with no taste. To the contrary, chefs have developed wonderful raw gourmet recipes, such as Marinated Exotic Mushrooms with arugula or Bleeding Heart Radish Ravioli. Introduce your friends and family to this wonderful form of eating that is delicious and beautiful. I highly recommend the book “Raw” by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein. This book presents numerous wonderful recipes that could make your raw food dish a hit at any holiday party. You can find this book at BODY, as well as a five other raw food books that carry some great recipes for all year round. For a wonderful vegetarian book try One Taste by Sharon Louise Crayton.

Introducing family and friends to vegan, vegetarian, and raw food, may be the beginning for them to become healthier in their lives. One taste of delicious raw, vegan cheesecake or chocolate ganache could be the first step. It may be their turning point to make a decision to be healthier, lose weight, lower cholesterol, and feel fantastic. Creating healthy desserts is a great way to introduce people to raw or vegan food. Even chocolate can be healthy! It is only a matter of how it is produced and what is mixed into it that causes it to become high in fat and calories. Surprise your family by not telling them how healthy your dessert is until after they ate it and have been full of praises.

If you do not have time to spend preparing food yourself, BODY café can offer some very special treats for your holiday. You can order delectable cakes, exquisite pies, and many unique raw treats to go. BODY café has raw, vegan, and vegetarian food, as well as selections for those with other special diets. BODY café is currently working on developing their to-go selections, is beginning catering, and will be serving BODY chocolate all made in house. Their goal is to make eating healthy, easier and more accessible for everyone.

Lorin Parrish, Chef and owner of BODY, has shared a few of her favorite recipes for the Holidays. She believes that eating raw means feeling good without sacrificing great taste. There is no reason to give up flavor for health! The recipes are raw and are best when prepared with organic ingredients. Try the local farmers market to get the freshest organic ingredients.
The holidays are a time when it can be hard to eat healthy, but it is possible with a little determination, creativity, and help from BODY café.

Mock Meat Loaf
*1-2 sweet potatoes, grated
1-2 red potatoes, grated
1 turnip, grated
1 onion, cut-up
1 cup cauliflower
1 medium beet, grated
3 celery stalks, with leaves
1/2 lb brazil nuts
3/4 lb pound raw pecans
1 TB nutritional yeast
1 tsp Celtic salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper1 TB pressed garlic

Put each item in a food processor individually. When each item is processed, place in a large bowl. Mix together and refrigerate overnight. Next day, shape into a loaf. Dehydrate 6 hours at 105. Slice and serve.


*Mashed "Potatoes"*
6 C chopped cauliflower
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1/4 c flax oil
Celtic Salt to taste
In a food processor chop the cauliflower with an "S" blade. In a large bowl fold in the remaining ingredients and put in dehydrator for 1 hour. Serve warm.


Butternut Squash Cookies
4 C butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 C raisins
1 orange, juiced
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
3 T raw honey
Mash squash in food processor until smooth. Put in a separate bowl. Process raisins and orange juice until smooth. Add raisin/orange mixture, nutmeg, cinnamon, and honey to the squash, and mix thoroughly. Spoon 2 TB size cookie mixture onto a dehydrator tray. Press each cookie to a 1/2 in. thickness. Dehydrate cookies at 115 degrees for 4 hours. Flip cookies and dehydrate for another 10 hours.


Beet Salad
2 beets, peeled and grated
1/2 lg head of cabbage, shredded very fine
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1 C of raisins
1 apple, diced
4 TB lemon juice
4 TB orange juice
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C water
Mix all ingredients thoroughly


For more information about raw or vegan food contact BODY at info@bodyofsantafe.com.
BOOKS ABOUT RAW
• Raw: The Uncook Book: New Vegetarian Food for Life by Juliano Brotman and Erika Lenkert
• Raw by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein
• RAWSOME by Brigitte Mars
• The Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon

Kendra