"How eating Seasonally and locally supports you most nutritiously and healthfully"

18 Raw Recipe Tips before you get started on your Recipes

Before you get started on a recipe, here are a few basic points to keep in mind:

Your ingredients should be raw, of course (raw carob powder, raw tahini, raw almond butter, unpasteurized miso, and so on). A few recipes call for items that are not raw . These can be used for flavor, if desired or ommitted.

• Use Organic produce when possible.
• Wash all produce.
• Peel what needs to be peeled (for example, bananas, avacados, jicama, papayas, and any waxed produce); otherwise, leave the peel on (for example, carrots, apples, and unwaxed cucumbers).
• Remove large, hard seeds, such as those as of dates and prunes, and also some smaller ones, such as those of citrus fruits and papayas.
• Remove woody stems, such as those as figs and apples.
• Use pure water in any recipe that calls for water (or for soaking).
• When a recipe calls for soaking nuts or seeds you'll typically soak them in twice as much water as their dry volume. Large nuts are generally soaked from eight to twelve hours. Small nuts and seeds are generally soaked from four to six hours. Rinse nuts and seeds in a colander after soaking, and drain them well and quickly before using them. Discard the nut soak water in the garden or use it to water plants. It is not for consumption. Dried fruit should be soaked in a small amount of water (just enough to cover) until it is tender. The soak water can usually be included to add moisture to a recipe. Certain recipes may deviate from these guidlines.)
• Soaked dates are called for as a sweetener in many recipes; if your using soft dates, however, you do need to soak them.
• It's fine to substitute! Try using almonds for walnuts, raisins for dates, lemon juice for lime juice, and so forth.
• If what you are processing in the food processor or blendor looks like it needs more water, add a little at a time.
• Feel free to omit any seasonings, including salt, from any of the recipes.
• The times given for food dehydration are not exact , as so much depends on the moisture of the food and the surrounding climate. You are the best judge of when something in your dehydrator is ready.
• When dehydrating, keep the dehydrator's temperature set to just under 100 degrees F.
• Consider using raw soups as salad dressings and as sauces for entr'ees or side dishes.
• Be joyous in your food preparation. Pray, sing, chant, and smile!
• It takes only a moment to decorate. Love, good cheer and humor conveyed through beautiful food will inspire others to try it and like it!
• Use your imagination be creative and have fun!

By applying eating seasonally to your life you are doing a great act of eating locally grown foods at the time in which they will naturally ripen. This vary act equates to saving money (food costs less when it's plentiful), and lastly you are supporting your own health (foods are most nutritious when and where they ripen), supporting local farmers and reducing wastes are also key to making a much better effort to our community and your health. I hope you enjoy and have a happy and healthy day!

By, Natalie Pyles

Health & Fitness Expert, Nutrition Specialist, Author, & NSA Speaker