Wellness coach, holistic nutritionist and raw food chef Stephanie Dodds is very much part of the California food culture. And while this Wanderblogger could never confuse a raw food diet with comfort food, Steph assures me that raw food isn’t as intimidating as it seems. In fact, she says it’s not hard at all.
“When I was young, I used to cook a lot and burn everything. Raw food, in that respect, is a lot easier!”
She uses a food dehydrator to make delicious quick snacks from locally sourced ingredients plucked from her CSA box, since eating as local as possible is a priority. She says “it keeps you connected to the earth” adding that her friends often call her “Miss California.”
But, while many California raw foodies tend to be inflexible in their crunchy convictions, Steph takes a refreshing approach to raw. She has fun with it, rarely taking time to write down her recipes because she’s just playing in the kitchen with what she has on hand: “If you have a lot of sprouts, you make a sprout salad. It’s a creative process.” Steph doesn’t harangue her clients to be raw all the time either, and she isn’t herself. She adds cooked beans and quinoa for nutrients that are warm and easily digestible, and doesn’t shy away from warm soup on a cold, snowy day. “I think it’s OK to gently heat your food to have something that feels substantial. I want to set people up for success,” she says.
For Steph, eating raw, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free is all about feeling good: “Putting live, healthy foods in your body makes you feel better – it makes sense.” But, Step also wants to make raw foods more approachable to everyone and is working on writing a Healthy Junkfood book with treats like Jalapeno Poppers and Superfood Jam.
It’s this acceptance that, to me, speaks of the best of California food culture. Instead of hitting people over their heads with a crisp zucchini (as I envision raw-zealots doing), Steph recommends that those interested in trying out raw food “start slow, do one day at a time. You don’t have to be perfect about things when you start eating a whole foods diet. You don’t have to have it all figured out right away. It’s a journey.”
And that is a very California sentiment indeed.
Raw Chef Steph’s Easy Recipes
Creamy Avocado Mustard Dressing
- 1 large avocado
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 1-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Blend until smooth. Use on salads and tacos.
Chocolate Banana Pops
- Bananas, cut in half horizontally
- 1/2 cup honey (or agave)
- 1/2 cup raw cacao
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
Blend honey, cacao and coconut oil until it becomes a smooth rich chocolate sauce. Place halved bananas on skewers and scoop chocolate sauce over the banana halves. Sprinkle with fun toppings (like hemp seeds, coconut shreds or chopped almonds) and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Spicy Cashew “Cheese”
- 2 cups soaked cashews
- 2 Tb lime juice
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 2 Jalapeno peppers
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- pinch of cayenne
- salt to taste
Place soaked cashews in a food processor and blend with lime juice, adding water as needed (but as little as possible). Scrape down the sides, and add remaining ingredients. Process until very smooth. (WanderFood note: I will make nachos out of this)
For more raw recipes, yoga news and health tips, check out www.RawChefSteph.com and follow her on Twitter @rawchefsteph
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