Introduction to Raw
with Serna Kramer, by Monica Codevilla and Ryre Cornish
To Raw or not to Raw??
There has been numerous speculation about Raw food diets. It seems to be a growing trend amongst many individuals seeking a better quality of life. Why would someone want to eat only raw food when there is so much taste variety to choose from? And most importantly what does raw food entail? To be honest when we first heard of eating Raw we visualised nothing but fruit and salads without all the juicy bits, but we were pleasantly surprised after experiencing the Raw food workshop with Serna. We now realise there is so much more to Raw food that meets the eye and understand why individuals choose this way of life due to the endless health benefits.
The benefits are endless from having regular bowel movements, a healthy, and stable weight, to boundless energy Not only that, but raw foodists are also known for their clear skin and sparkly eyes. Serna is an inspiration as she was able to shed excess kilos once she started listening to what her body really needed, and bid cravings farewell now that her body gets what it REALLY craves- loads and loads of bio-available nutrients from eating Raw!
After reading a book or two on the topic, and having met one or two raw foodies and hearing their success stories, we decided to find out more. We found what we were looking for at Leafy Greens, where Serna Kramer taught us more about the wonders of Raw Food.
At her workshop, Introduction to Raw, Serna shares the many healing benefits that raw food can bring to the body and mind. She also demonstrates the immense variety that comes from a little imagination. On the day, Serna demonstrated how to make a vegetable based smoothie that even your children would beg for, butternut soup with a delightful zestiness hard to describe in mere words, and many refreshingly tasty vegetable juices. It was truly refreshing to know that so much taste and goodness could come from such basic raw ingredients. The options are also endless and left up to the imagination of you, as you experiment with your own taste preferences and textures. Not only was the food varied but so were the individuals attending the raw food workshop. Individuals attended from all walks of life and health challenges such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), being overweight, bored of food, diabetes, and anorexia. We were all there sharing a common goal.. to learn about going RAW.
The day was filled with tactile delights as we watched Serna milk almond nuts to form an almond milk from a soggy nut bag … so much for those lattes keeping you going - the nut milks are definitely a new found treat and its surprisingly therapeutic ‘milking’ the bag! Besides its wonderful flavour we also explored the varied uses of coconut oil by decadently lathering it into our skin. And it was not just milk we were drinking that morning; Vegetable juices provide readily available nutrients, and one can reap the benefits of 2 – 3 serving of vegetables into a single glass! The seemingly unlikely combination of green beans, spinach, fennel, and apple juice was given to the group, and this turned out to be a real favourite for the day.
Dehydrated savoury crackers that someone mentioned tasted like sausage, and lentil burgers acclaimed as the best burgers a particular carnivore had ever tasted...makes one realize that our South African meat eating mentality can be swayed by an open mind and a little gastro-ecentricity. And with more colour, texture, and flavour than most restaurants can fathom to dish up.
When someone asked whether raw can cure bad body odour, Serna and her assistant, Katrina, confidently recommend including fennel into the diet. Serna shared her knowledge of various literature, links, and useful products that are central to raw food living, as we lovingly munched away on dehydrated goodies.
We were shown how one can use a dehydrator to make brownies, fruit snacks, and burger patties, and we learned how to sprout a variety of different legumes and seeds, which play a vital role in the raw food diet. There is also an emphasis on balancing the subtle flavours of fresh foods – sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. When one gets this right, raw food becomes a real pleasure, and the taste sensations are limitless. This follows many philosophies of the eastern diet when it comes to ‘whole’ cooking and flavour savouring.
As if we hadn’t snacked and sipped enough, The workshop ended with an oh so scrumptious lunch, made by Ingrid Litman, from Raw Alchemy. Our plates were filled with eclectic flavours, bursting with freshness and imagination. Everything from savoury crackers, dips, and salads, to strawberry and chocolate mouse dessert, too delicious for words.
We are definitely going to take our friends and family to leafy greens restaurant so that they too can savour the taste of raw. And we encourage you to try it out too.
To discover more about the wonders of raw food 'cooking', contact Serna Kramer (Raw Works) 082 579 0440 or serna@telkomsa.net.
Other useful raw food loving links include:
Leafy Greens shop - 0828827300 / antonia@lgcafe.org
Raw Alchemy - 0794 199790 / www.rawalchemy.org
Soaring free Superfoods – www.superfoods.co.za
Jozi-Uncooked - 084-200-3400 / www.joziuncooked.wordpress.com.
About the authors:
* Ryre Cornish – BSc (hons) Psychology & Biochemistry, is a health consultant and Pilates therapist, and is currently studying her BSc in Nutritional Therapy.
* Monica Codevila - Dip. Reflexology & Meridian Therapy, is a health consultant and reflexologist, and is currently studying her BSc in Nutritional Therapy.
