Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow

I don't review often but I felt compelled to share my thoughts on this amazing book. I cried when I read it because Matthew and Sarma came to the same spiritually conscious, holistic, and life-embracing path as I, but their journey was initiated through a love of food, where as mine originated in animal rights. Reading their "cookbook" gives me increased hope. As for the recipes, they are divine. Yes, one must rearrange his or her kitchen to go completely raw (Vita-mix, dehydrator, juicer, etc.). However, compare that with a decent range, which can easily cost $2,000 to $7,000. I was delighted to find recipes I could use to entice my spouse and kids and meals I could proudly serve my non-raw friends. Prior to this book, everything was "sprouts, sprouts, sprouts". I'm pretty granola girlish so it didn't bother me personally to have bottles of Rejuvalac fermenting everywhere, but I do like entertaining and it's nice having food to serve with a great bottle of champagne. I can't recommend this book more: It's a hilarious, humble and yes, very sexy recounting of two peoples' journey from carnivores to raw vegans. For the reviewer who objected to the "skinniness" and sexiness and even the beauty of Sarma (i.e., why would that need to be included in a "Real World" cookbook...), I believe we are all beautiful; it could be any one of us on those pages and a raw food diet brings all of that beauty to the surface, literally inside out. And raw foodies often are thin with clean colons. And many vegans, animal rights folks and environmentalists eat organic from locally produced farmers as it's an integral part of the spiritual quest. Changing over to raw can take time (and different equipment) but it's worth it to master the new learning curve. Take it slowly: it does get easier. And when it does, this book can help you take it to the next step. Again, the recipes are fab. If you have kids, I recommend starting with the chocolate pudding or suck one of those healthy smoothies through your own luscious lips!

I completely love good cookbooks, to be inspired to try new dishes and tempted by the photographs. This cookbook (or un-cookbook!) does not dissapoint! Throughout the book are beautifully photographed pictures of Matthew and Sarma, their restaurant and of course the food! A recipe might be great but if it has no photo, or yet even worse a bad photo then Im not usually compelled to try making it. Every picture in this book makes my mouth water! Even meals made with ingredients I dont typically love are tempting me from the pages. The recipes are clearly written and easily understood.The process for preparing the food is also explained throughout the book.In the back of the book is a special section for locating ingredients, whether easy or hard to find. Special chapters focus on tools, techniques and the why's of raw foodism. Also chapters on cleansing, organic living and dealing with friends and family about your new way of eating. Throughout the book are Matthew and Sarma's personal stories and comments. These make the book fun to read and as though they are speaking to you from the pages. It's not just a cookbook, but almost a journal of sorts and we get a sneak peek! I have read a few complaints about the recipes in this book using expensive machines and taking too long to prepare. But I dont find this a problem. Ebay has given me many a good deal on dehydrators and blenders, Im sure you can find a deal there too! But the key to any successfully run kitchen whether restaurant or home is being prepared. And that certainly comes into play with raw food. Unless you want to eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables as they are out of the fridge then you need to make an effort. Other raw cookbooks who claim to give you recipes in 10 minutes or those without machines may be fine, but I wouldnt want to eat them very often. Without using a dehydrator or soaking nuts and seeds you wont get any variety in texture as far as moisture content. Simply plan out your next weeks meals and make your grocery list. I like to prepare items such as cookies and cereals at the same time to let the dehydrate on the weekend ready for the week. And while some recipes require you to think about what you want to eat tomorrow, they are well worth the effort. Who knew you could enjoy so many delicous foods on a raw food diet? You will find delicously tempting recipes for cereal, maccaroons, pizza, samosas, tacos, ice creams, smoothies, juices, apple cinnamon crepes, cocktails and more! I am in LOVE with this book! Thank goodness for these two wonderful chef's and their creativity for raw foods! Buy it......you WONT be dissapointed!

I have dozens and dozens of raw recipe books and this is hands down the absolute best!!! The recipes are easy and the food is delicious! You'll find delicious chocolate macaroons, samosas, ice cream, chocolate banana shake, Zucchini and green tomato lasagne, as well as many more mouth watering recipes you and your non-raw family and friends will enjoy. In most of my raw recipe books the recipes are either extremely difficult or they taste terrible, this book is refreshing because the recipes are simple, don't require impossible to find ingredients and they taste fabulous. This is the only raw food recipe book you'll ever need!! An absolute must for the raw-fooder!

I own several books on raw foods, but this is by far my favorite. The recipes are delicious, and they do not attempt to imitate cooked food--a mistake made by so many other books. Matthew and Sarma realize that fresh, natural foods are a culinary delight in their own right and the recipes showcase the ingredients perfectly. The book does require a few pieces of equipment to get the full experience--most importantly a good blender. You will never regret having bought a Vita-mix or other power blender, whether you incorporate a little or a lot of raw food into your life (either way, you'll be the absolute envy of your frozen cocktail drinking friends--my father is constantly joking that my Vita-mix could probably blend wood). Also, several recipes require a juicer and/or a dehydrator. I adore my juicer, and use it daily, but my dehydrator is packed up away from me right now; usually I just put my oven on warm and leave the door open. This works fine for recipes that call for two or three hours of dehydrating. I'm guessing it wouldn't work as well for those requiring 12 to 24 hours. If you don't have any of this equipment, the book can feel a little less "real world," I'm sure. The vast majority of ingredients used in the recipes are easily available, especially if you have a health food store in your town. If you live near a Whole Foods (or TJs, or Wild Oats, etc.), you should be able to find everything, no problem. I don't live near a Whole Foods-type store, and so, for me, the recipes calling for fresh young coconut will have to wait. I cook from this book constantly. The lasagne is fabulous, the quinoa tabbouleh is delicious (I even managed to sprout the quinoa), the cucumber-pineapple gazpacho is sublime...the list goes on and on. Most recipes do not take much time, and with a little planning, are even easier. If you are considering incorporating more raw food into your diet, this book will help you take the leap. The raw food movement may seem like so much hype, but I must say, the glow is for real! I still eat cooked food occasionally, and wow, what a difference. There is a big difference in the amount of energy I have, my skin quality, the amount of sleep I need, the functioning of my eyes and nose (I now smell tons of things I didn't notice before...some of which are not so pleasant :-), the list goes on and on. If you're transitioning to raw foods, I also recommend Natalie Rose's "The Raw Food Detox Diet" as another great resource. Here's to better living! Buy this book!

Hello folks, I have many raw food cookbooks, each with their share of good and bad recipes - but this one takes the cake! Matthew and Sarma have created a cookbook that is totally innovative and stands alone when compared to the rest of the raw recipe books out there. Having gone raw for a year now, I was busting at the seams, because I was becoming bored with many of my recipes. This book has enough new treats and entrees that will be my favorites for a life time! Wait until you try their Banana Chocolate Shake, Almond Tart, and Tacos!