The Ottawa Citizen, a Canadian newspaper, recently published an article profiling a 45 year-old woman who says she has eaten raw (almost exclusively) for the past 14 years. Story excerpt below…

Dining in the Raw
by Louise Crosby

Natasha Kyssa is lean, fit and glowing. At 45, she is a picture of youth and vitality. She says it's the raw food. For the past 14 years, this Ottawa woman has eaten "living foods" almost exclusively. In the vegan raw foods culture, this means only fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains, much of which is made more digestible by soaking, sprouting, blending, juicing and fermenting. That means no meat, chicken or fish, obviously. No dairy foods, sugar, coffee or tea. No canned fruit or vegetables or commercial fruit juices that have been heated or pasteurized. No bubbling macaroni and cheese, wood oven-fired pizza or sizzling stir-frys. No steaming, roasting, grilling or baking.

It sounds restrictive, but raw foodists have come up with clever and imaginative ways of turning raw ingredients into gourmet masterpieces.American celebrity chef Charlie Trotter, a huge fan of raw foods (although he is not a vegetarian), has added raw dishes to the menu of his fine-dining restaurant in Chicago. His 2003 cookbook, Raw, has recipes for Bleeding Heart Radish Ravioli with Yellow Tomato Sauce, and Salsify with Black Truffles and Porcini Mushrooms.

Raw foods are also turning up at the world's most luxurious spa retreats, along with the detox and yoga. And at the monthly raw vegan pot-luck hosted by Natasha and her husband, Mark Faul, at St. Giles Presbyterian Church in the Glebe, people bring everything from lasagnas and sushi rolls to mango pie and carrot cake.

Why raw food? Raw foodists say enzymes — catalysts that aid digestion and the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream — are destroyed at temperatures higher than 118 degrees F (48 degrees C). A raw food diet, along with other good habits like getting lots of sleep, fresh air and exercise, contributes to exceptionally good overall health, increased energy, a strengthened immune system, resistance to colds and flu and better concentration and mental clarity.

Natasha's earliest influence in the whole-foods department was her Austrian-born mother, who for many years ran The Pantry, a mostly vegetarian tea room in the Glebe Community Centre. Today, Natasha and Mark run SimplyRaw, which offers personalized healthy lifestyles coaching and workshops on preparing raw foods. They recently gave a presentation to medical staff at Elizabeth Bruyere Health Centre.

Adopting a completely raw food diet is a serious commitment and not for everyone. But if you'd like to increase the amount of raw food you're getting every day, you may want to re-stock your pantry and invest in a few essential pieces of equipment: a high-speed blender and food processor; a jar with a mesh lid for sprouting beans and seeds; a spiral slicer for making "noodle" strands out of zucchini, beets and other vegetables; fine mesh bags for making nut milks; a dehydrator, which gently removes the moisture from foods and turns out things like crackers, pizza crust, granola, cookies, dried fruits and vegetables. Natasha and Mark sell many of these products through their website.

A few weeks back, Natasha whipped up this Angel Hair Pasta with Marinara Sauce in my kitchen. It was room-temperature but tasty, with strong, bold flavours. I made the almond milk and it was quite delicious in banana-strawberry smoothies. Despite long soaking and prolonged blending, however, my dates didn't puree successfully. If you don't like chunky bits of date in your smoothies, but want to stay "raw," use a couple of tablespoons of wild raw agave nectar instead. It's made from agave cactus plants and rates very low on the glycemic index.

Angel Hair Pasta with Marinara Sauce

Serves 6
For the marinara sauce:
2 cloves garlic
1 cup (250 mL) sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water until soft, drained
4 dates, soaked in water until soft and drained, or 2 tablespoons raw agave
4 to 6 medium ripe tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 cup (50 mL) minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons (25 mL) fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried thyme
1 teaspoon (5 mL) onion powder
4 tablespoons (65 mL) cold-pressed olive oil
1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice or unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Celtic sea salt, or 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Nama Shoyu or Nama Tamari, to taste
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) black pepper
Pinch, cayenne

For the topping:

1/2 cup (125 mL) pine nuts
Fresh basil
Olives

For zucchini pasta:

4 to 6 large zucchini

1. In a food processor or blender, chop garlic. Add soaked sun-dried tomatoes and dates; blend. Add all remaining ingredients; blend, adding filtered water or the sun-dried tomato soaking water for a smoother, thinner consistency, if desired. Season to taste.

2. Slice the zucchini crosswise into quarters. Use a spiral slicer, shred zucchini into thin "noodles." Place noodles in serving bowls and top with marinara sauce. Garnish with chopped pine nuts, basil and olives.

Vanilla Almond Milk

Makes 3 cups (750 mL)
1 cup (250 mL) almonds with skins, soaked overnight
3 cups (750 mL) filtered water
6 dates, soaked until soft
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece vanilla bean, or 2 tablespoons (25 mL) wild, raw agave nectar
Blend almonds and water at high speed until creamy. Strain using a nylon nut bag or fine sieve. Return milk to blender, add remaining ingredients, and blend again. Serve over cereal, in smoothies or alone.