In October 2021, we went to Italy together on a raw food adventure, looking for the best fruits and vegetables in the countryside of Tuscany. We discovered a whole new world of freshness and simplicity, and adopted the Italian philosophy of “less is more” and “quality over quantity”. Our meal preparation became an artistic endeavor to celebrate the intensity and wonderful flavors of the tomatoes, zucchini, olives, peppers, greens, grapes, cucumbers, kale, basil, and all of the other amazing produce that we found at the local farmers’ markets and fruit stands.

We became fascinated with finding the freshest, most colorful, and most flavorful fruits and vegetables, and wanted to fully explore the idea that the less we do to food, the more enjoyable the meal will be. As professional chefs from California and Sweden, we had learned to surround ourselves with modern electrical kitchen equipment: blenders, food processors, juicers, and grinders. We had gotten used to overly manipulating food with machines, and transforming it into something different than what it originally was. All of this changed as we became familiar with the tastes and smells of the vegetables and fruits that came from the ancient orchards and well-curated gardens in Italy. We decided to let go of our electrical tools and motors, and work with the produce more directly, so that the food stayed true to its natural state. With this new philosophy, our job as chefs was not to overly control the outcome of food preparation, but to step aside and elevate the wonderful aromas and complex flavors that were already inherent in the amazing gifts from nature.

This book is a way for you to adopt this same philosophy in your kitchen, and become more connected with the local produce available in your area. Turn off the blender, unplug the food processor, and develop an intimate relationship with the farms around you. A tomato fresh from the garden, or a newly picked head of lettuce, is already delicious on its own, and the recipes in this book focus on combining those flavors into a new experience. Food preparation done in this way becomes an exciting journey of natural discovery, and we hope that you will find delight in allowing the organic fruits and vegetables available to you to shine brightly through the simplicity of these recipes.

As an athlete, it’s important to maximize the intake of protein in order to rebuild and repair muscles during long workouts. Many athletes use legumes and products derived from them, such as tofu and tempeh, in order to meet their protein macros. However, cooking legumes damages many of the available proteins, and the enzymes that are normally present in the living plants are destroyed by heat. There is an alternative way to increase protein intake, involving a very simple change to how food is prepared.

Rather than eating protein, which requires the body to break down the foreign proteins into their constituent amino acids and then rebuild the proteins needed for cell repair, the amino acids that are the building blocks of protein can be eaten directly,. This reduces the amount of energy needed to digest and assimilate the amino acids.

There are 16 amino acids used by the human body, and 8 of them are only available from food sources. Amino acids are universal, but proteins are not. Eating pre-built protein is less efficient than eating amino acids. This method of absorbing amino acids rather than protein speeds up recovery and allows the body to use the energy normally expended in protein disassembly to be used for other purposes.

The best source of amino acids is sprouted legumes and seeds. As the young plant is developing from seed into a seedling, it needs to build cells quickly, and produces amino acids so that the cell walls can be built. Eating the high concentration of amino acids available in a young, growing plant allows the body to use them immediately. Sprouts are the perfect workout food!

Thanksgiving in America can be difficult for living foodists to enjoy, since traditional family gatherings center so heavily around overeating, cooking, and animal cruelty. This recipe guide is intended to bridge the gap between a standard Thanksgiving dinner and a modern living foods lifestyle by reinventing familiar recipes with 100% plant-based living ingredients.

The first course is a hearty Brown Bread, which can be paired with a simple olive oil herb dressing, or enjoyed with a store-bought cultured raw vegan butter. The bread is formed into dinner rolls and decorated with nuts and seeds to make a textured, flavorful, grain-free and gluten-free alternative to baked wheat bread.

The next set of courses bring simple fall vegetables to life by with gentle spices and herbs. The Herbed Cauliflower is incredibly full of flavor, the Green Bean Casserole modernizes a 1950s-era canned food classic, and the Mashed Notatoes with Gravy uses zucchini to create a light, fluffy version of the ultimate “stick to your ribs” comfort food.

What Thanksgiving feast would be complete without the main course? Turkey and Stuffing is an artistically designed sculpture, bursting with poultry spices, and creating a playful and filling centerpiece that will fill the kitchen with mouth-watering aromas.

The final dessert course is almost indistinguishable from the cooked versions of Apple Pie and Sweet Potato Pie. Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla create the memorable flavors of these American classics.

A traditional American breakfast is a huge, heavy meal; full of starch, fat, and sugar. As a raw vegan, it can be challenging to participate in breakfast with family and friends who have not yet embraced a living foods lifestyle. This recipe book bridges that gap and provides a new way to enjoy American breakfast classics. Start off the meal with the Western Omelette, which brings together green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and thyme to create a mouth-watering flavor of a diner classic. Accompany the omelette with Pancakes, Southern Biscuits and Gravy with Zucchini Bacon, Pumpkin Seed Sausage, or Cheesy Hashbrowns. These dishes take some advance preparation, but can be stored for the entire week.

All of the recipes in this book are dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and salt-free. They are designed to be experimented with, and the ingredients should be adjusted to taste. Make sure to sample everything as you go, and use only half of the amount of each spice first, so that you can fine-tune the final dish by holding back on the rest of the spice, or adding more, as fits your particular tastes. If you choose to keep the dishes salt-free, you can enhances the flavor by using onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and/or fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, cilantro, basil, and arugula.

A traditional Continental breakfast is fresh, inventive, and light, with bold flavors and colorful fruits. Many elements of the breakfast translate very easily to living foods, since the focus of Continental cuisine is the use of fresh, whole ingredients. For a quick breakfast, try the Buckwheaties Cereal recipe with Berry Nut Milk and fruit for a satisfying meal that takes only minutes to prepare. The cereal can be made and stored for weeks in an airtight jar, and makes a nice snack at any time of the day.

If you prefer to have a drink for breakfast, try a Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, Orange Julius, Berry Nut Milk, or a Morning Refresher juice, and boost your energy without feeling heavy. Brunch classics such as Avocado Toast, Coconut Yogurt, Jelly Donuts, or Cinnamon Rolls, paired with a Nut Milk and fresh fruit, are perfect for kids.

All of the recipes in this book are dairy-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and salt-free. They are designed to be experimented with, and the ingredients should be adjusted to taste. Make sure to sample everything as you go, and use only half of the amount of each spice first, so that you can fine-tune the final dish by holding back on the rest of the spice, or adding more, per your particular taste. If you choose to keep the dishes salt-free, you can enhance the flavor by using onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, and/or fresh herbs. It’s amazing how a sprinkle of chopped chives, a garnish of fresh cilantro, or a dash of freshly ground black pepper can bring out the flavor of a dish!