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    Add more raw

    Author | Kemi Nekvapil

    I do find it slightly odd when I hear people say “Raw food is really big now!”. Raw food has always been ‘big’ – it was the first food we ever ate.

    Because we have been tempted in the last century by so many other ‘food stuffs’, we think that eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables is a trend.

    We all know that we should be eating more fruits and vegetables, but I think that many people do not know that if you eat a lot of raw fruit and vegetables, your energy levels soar, you gain mental clarity and you experience a greater sense of well-being – who doesn’t want that?

    The philosophy of Kemi’s Raw Kitchen is to ‘add more raw’. Whatever you eat, whatever label you have for how you eat, be it vegetarian, omnivore, vegan, locavore etc. – adding more raw foods is going to enhance your experience of food but also your experience of life.

    As a trained baker, chef and organic gardener, it is really important to me that the recipes I create use seasonal organic ingredients, are easy to prepare and taste great.

    When I first heard of raw food, I thought it was all about carrot sticks and wondered why anyone would eat like that when there was pasta in the world! Kemi’s Raw Kitchen has always been committed making food that is flavour-filled, and just happens to be extremely good for you, as opposed to ‘healthy food’.

    For me, being told something is healthy is another way of saying it does not taste that good.

    The concept of adding more raw is very simple, as you do not need to stop eating anything you are currently eating. What many people experience though, is that once they start adding more raw, the foods they want to eat less of start to lose their appeal anyway.

    I believe the best way to start adding more raw a food to your life is to start by adding green smoothies.

    A green smoothie is a powerful life-filled drink that will have you wondering how you ever lived without them once you start drinking them regularly. When you first start preparing green smoothies you are aiming for 70% fruit and 30% greens, as your body gets use to them you will increase the greens over time

    My favourite Winter green smoothie is a blend of kale, pear, passion fruit and ginger. In Summer I love mango, raspberries, celery and greens.

    There are as many green smoothie recipes as there are people on the planet, they should always taste great. Green smoothies are not a medicine to be endured but a food to be enjoyed.

    If you grow your own greens there is nothing better than walking around the garden to harvest your greens for your smoothie, such a great start to the day. As the seasons change so will your smoothies and the greens you use, inspiring you to eat seasonally, which means you will never get bored.

    So get blending and get lively.

    Happy eating!

     

    Kemi was a professional baker and chef for 17 years. From school kitchens to some of London’s top restaurants, Kemi has worked in a wide variety of kitchens in many countries, preparing multicultural cuisines. Head over to our recipe section to try out Kemi’s Winter Green Smoothie. For more information, see her website Kemi’s Raw Kitchen

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