Gourmet Raw Food and my new Excalibur Dehydrator

Well, despite my best efforts, I came down with the flu, so I have been out of commission for awhile. I am also working against deadlines for some paintings I need to complete ASAP!

While recuperating, I got on a kick of looking at raw food cookbooks. I was always kind of leary of the whole idea of the raw food movement. It just seemed kind of extreme and I was skeptical of how beneficial going 100% raw really is. The idea of raw versions of cooked food didn’t really appeal either.

However, reading testimonials of people who have cured their chronic and life threatening health problems by making drastic changes in their diets, including drinking a lot of green juices, have piqued my interest. Maybe if I had more greens in my diet I would have been able to fight off the flu. My theory is that, since my tonsils were removed when I was six years old, I have low immunity, but perhaps improving my diet could improve my inability to fight off viruses.

My eyes have been opened up to the possibilities for making amazing raw food after perusing the gorgeous pictures in Matthew Kenney’s books, such as Everyday Raw and Matthew Kenney’s Entertaining in the Raw.

The key item for really creative food preparation (where nothing is heated high enough that nutrients and enzymes are harmed) seems to be a food dehydrator and the cadillac of those is the Excalibur 9 tray. I am happy to say I am now the proud owner of this kitchen appliance and although it is big, black and noisy, I love it. I have already made Cheezy Kale Chips (no dairy involved), Coconut Vegetable Crisps, Candied Pecans and two kinds of cookies – Chewy Lemon Macaroons and Chocolate Macaroons.

I have also found a lot of inspiration from websites by fabulous raw food chefs such as Carmella Soleil and Heathy (who makes the most amazing deserts). I had no idea these kinds of interesting yet healthy culinary feats were possible. The food is good for you and tastes amazing! I feel like a whole new world has opened up and I am really excited to create some great stuff in the kitchen!