Coconut and Berries

Healthy, Vegan Recipes by Emma Potts

Choosing Raw: The Book

Choosing Raw- the book

I’ve been anticipating this book since before it was even announced, so you can bet I’m absolutely thrilled it’s finally arrived!

I’d be surprised if you’re a blog reader and haven’t come across Gena Hamshaw yet. Her blog, Choosing Raw, has a huge following, and very rightly so.

It was one the first blogs I started reading many years ago and one that had a huge influence on leading me towards veganism, something that has had an unimaginably positive impact on my life.

Beyond the food, it was Gena’s personal background which first resonated with me. If you know my story, you’ll be aware that my relationship with food didn’t use to be so positive as it is today. Gena has openly shared her own past struggles with food and, unknown to her, she has been a kind of mentor to me throughout my own journey towards recovery. She has written some very moving, thought-provoking and inspiring posts on the subject which I definitely urge you to take a look at, wherever you’re coming from with food. Some of my favourites are listed here.

  Gena’s warmth and compassion shines through in every one of her posts, making them a joy to read, before we even get to the great food! I’m sure a lot of you are here for that though…so let’s get to it!

Cherry Vanilla Tahini Ice Cream

Cherry Vanilla Tahini Ice Cream- Gena was the one who brought us banana soft serve so it’s only fitting that it gets a little spot in the book. I would never have thought of this flavour combination but it gets a big thumbs up.

If you do read Choosing Raw, the blog, you’ll be happy to know that the recipes very much reflect the “Gena-style” we know and love- that is to say- simple but still creative and super nutritious dishes, ideal for your everyday meals, not just for special occasions.

There are 125 recipes in the book so a lot to sink your teeth into. I’ve only had the book a couple of days and have been out at work most of the weekend, but have already made quite a few of the recipes. This book definitely won’t be sitting on your shelves gathering dust!

No-Bake Sunflower Oat Bars

No-Bake Sunflower Oat Bars- A great staple snack bar, easy and inexpensive. Just 10 minutes kitchen time and now I have tasty snacks for the whole upcoming week!

Though the recipes emphasize raw foods, there are also some healthy cooked foods in there too, like sweet potatoes, whole grains, legumes and the occasional tempeh or tofu.

After the section on “essentials” and a sampling of some of Gena’s staple recipes: juices, snacks, dressings/dips and meal-sized salads, you’ll find breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes divided into three chapters, working from mostly cooked, to exclusively raw. If you’re just dipping your toes into vegan food then you might want to start in the “Tried and True” chapter, or, if you want to get stuck into all raw immediately, then head straight to the “Brave New World” chapter.

Kale Salad with Sweet Potato, Almonds, and Creamy Maple Chipotle Dressing

Kale Salad with Sweet Potato, Almonds, and Creamy Maple Chipotle Dressing- Gena is queen of the meal-sized salad! The dressing really makes this sing and will no doubt even have greens skeptics chowing down on platefuls of kale.

In case it’s a concern, unlike many raw recipes out there, those in the book that call for a dehydrator are in the minority. And in any case, Gena always gives the option and instructions for using your oven instead so it’s certainly not a necessity if you’re not concerned about your meals being “officially” raw.

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding- Chia pudding for breakfast is always a good start to the day up. Gena’s ingredients ratio was spot on for a thick, perfectly sweet (but not too sweet!) pudding.

I’ll admit to often skipping the non-recipe sections in vegan cookbooks, since, 5 years into veganism, I’m pretty familiar with the ingredients, equipment and the usual things discussed. But, as well as being a recipe collection, this book is a resource/lifestyle guide on all things vegan and nutrition related. Gena discusses the why, the what and the how of veganism and vegan and raw foods, in such a way that everyone, from the newbie to the well seasoned vegan, will learn something new.

I especially appreciated her balanced perspective on some of the big issues in nutrition which seem to cause a lot of controversy these days- oil in a vegan diet, soy, gluten, food-combining, and more.

Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes & Mint

Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes and Mint

While you wait for your copies of the book to arrive…I’ve got a couple of recipes from the book for you to get started with! A big thanks to Gena for allowing me to share them.

The Raw Carrot Falafel and Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes and Mint are a perfect pairing and such a fun twist on the classic cooked versions. The falafel have a sesame seed and carrot base and are dehydrated (or oven-baked) not fried. I was particularly excited about the tabouli. It looks so much like the traditional Middle-Eastern bulgur wheat and herb salad, but is fully raw! 

Raw Carrot Falafel, Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes & Mint

(Raw) Carrot Falafel with Tangy Tahini Sauce

Print
Raw Carrot Falafel, Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes and Mint

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

    Raw Carrot Falafel:
  • 1 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups carrot pulp from juicing or 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrot, squeezed firmly between paper towels to remove excess moisture
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons flax meal
  • 1/4 cup fresh curly parsley
    • Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes and Mint:
  • 1 cup fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 medium yellow vine or Jersey tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup shelled hemp seeds
  • 2 tablespoons hemp oil
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

    For the Falafel:
  1. Grind the sesame seeds and sea salt in a food processor until finely ground.
  2. Add the carrot pulp, garlic, lemon, cumin, if using, and flax, along with 1/3 cup of water. Process until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Add the parsley to the processor and pulse to combine.
  4. Shape the mixture into twelve small patties. Dehydrate at 115 F for 6 hours, flipping once through.
  5. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 350. Bake the falafel for 15 minutes. Flip and cook for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Top with tangy tahini sauce (pg. 188), and serve.
  6. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, both dehydrated and baked falafel will keep for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen.
    7. For the Tabouli:
  7. In a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, process the parsley, mint, and sea salt until minced.
  8. Transfer the herbs and salt to a large mixing bowl. Add the tomatoes, hemp seeds, hemp oil, and lemon juice. Mix well, and serve.
  9. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the tabouli will keep for 2 days.

Notes

From Choosing Raw by Gena Hamshaw. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/06/29/choosing-raw-book/

Raw Carrot Falafel, Hemp-Seed Tabouli with Yellow Tomatoes & Mint

Congratulations again Gena on your first cookbook! It’s all I hoped for and more!

Get your copy of Choosing Raw: Making Raw Foods Part of the Way You Eat now if you haven’t ordered it already.

I want reports back on your favourite recipes too everyone!  N.B. All pictures here are my own but the recipes in the book are accompanied by beautiful photographs from Hannah Kaminsky. 

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 [Disclosure: I was sent a free copy of this cookbook for review purposes, but, as always, all opinions are my own]

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Comments

  1. Emma, I’m blown away by the generosity of this post. Thank you for making my food look so extraordinarily beautiful, and for your kind words. Thanks, too, for saying that my blog had a positive impact on your recovery. Thank means a lot to me — reaching people about body image is every bit as important to me as reaching their tastebuds, if not quite a bit more so.

    I’m delighted that you like my food, and endlessly grateful for your support!

    • Hey, that would be great this book was published in Spanish. Another thing in the falafel recipe did not put the amount of sesame seeds and sea salt. Greetings.

      • Thanks for catching that. My mistake. The sesame seeds and salt just got missed off when copying up the recipe.
        And maybe the book will be translated some time! It would be great to really get it across the globe!

    • Hope I didn’t embarrass you saying that 😉 I truly mean it though. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do.
      And of course for inviting me to be a part of your book tour. Congratulations again! xx

  2. I am so impatiently awaiting delivery of my book! I loved your post . . . it helps ease my impatience to be able to preview the book through your eyes. You’ll definitely be seeing me making and posting on Instagram!

    • I’m usually the opposite- makes me extra impatient seeing other people cooking from books I don’t yet have! Glad that’s not the case for you anyway.
      I know you’ll love the book Eve. Looking forward to seeing what you make over on Instagram.

  3. looks like an amazing book- and so good to see recipes that use up juicing pulp (the carrot falafel). thanks for promoting this.

  4. This is a lovely review of a book that has me excited too. I love Gena’s blog and writing style (and the different mix of posts she shares) and it seems that her new book is going to live up to her reputation!

  6. Really interested to read about the book. I love Gina’s blog and have found her a really generous and unjudgemental person in writing about raw and vegan diets and I have learnt a lot from reading her blog. I will look out for her book in the shops - good to hear it is full of her warmth and creativity

  7. Gena’s book looks absolutely stunning - and your photos make me want to dive in! Thanks for this thoughtful review, Emma!

  8. Hi Emma,
    I’m visiting from the food community on G+ . So glad I found your blog! Love the falafel recipe and looking forward to checking out your other recipes. I blog real food that is mostly vegan and some vegetarian. Just started following you on G+ and Twitter !

  9. Gena’s blog was one of the first vegan blogs I came across too, and she’s been such an inspiration to me. I love the relative simplicity and accessibility of her recipes. When I was a total newbie to food preparation, I always felt confident that I could follow her recipes and they would turn out a success.
    I can just imagine how thrilled she is with your review. It is perfect in every way ♥ I can’t wait to try that falafel and tabouli dish. It looks totally scrumptious!

    • I surprised myself with how many I made but, you’re right, Gena’s recipes are so accessible and delicious-looking that you can’t help but want to get in the kitchen!

    • Head back over there Laura! Gena’s such an inspiration. Just like you, she has a great down-to-earth attitude to food and body image that I really appreciate.

  13. My daughter refuses to eat anything that looks healthy. She took one look at the classic Cheese Kale Chips I made using your recipe and said “No way”! But after watching her friends try them and eat them all she decided to grab the last one and was blown away with how yummy they are.

    Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to make them again.

    • That’s amazing Mindy! Gena’s recipes are definitely like that- though they might be super healthy and scary to the uninitiated, you’re won over at the first taste!
      I’ve got to try those homemade cheesy kale chips :) I spend far too much money on the store-bought kind.

  14. Stunning photographic cookbook review, Emma, your photos look mouthwatering…and I think I need to make some lunch now, hehe! I received her cookbook last week and absolutely love it and adore Gena as well, she’s such a sweetheart! I’m planning to try her no-bake sunflower oat bars this week - I agree, they are easy to make and inexpensive! I haven’t tried her falafel & tabouli yet, but I love her tahini sauce, so delicious and garlicky!

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