Raw diets and raw dessert recipe month
By Joel MacKenzie, Staff Writer
Cast away that macaroni and cheese! College Cooking is here to provide recipes, ideas, and healthy eating information to help post-secondary students create healthy, unique, satisfying food for cheap.
Raw diets are becoming increasingly popular. They consist of only uncooked and unprocessed food. They’re often similar to vegan ones, though the two should not be confused. Vegan diets consist only of plant sources, while raw diets may include some edible, uncooked meat and raw dairy products, including milk and eggs. Countless raw recipes exist today that transform regular uncooked foods into cuisine, often with the use of blenders, dehydrators, and techniques like soaking and freezing.
Supporters of raw diets argue that they are healthy for both people and the earth. They say heating food past a specific temperature destroys its naturally available nutrients and enzymes. Many also argue that food eaten as closely as possible to its living state is healthier for us. They argue that the healthy eating that accompanies the diet provides the many benefits of an overall healthy body. Also, raw eaters can feel more in tune with the Earth, as they see food in a very natural state, and reduce the waste created by packaged food.
But rebutters of the raw food diet also make some important points. They say that our bodies create all of the enzymes required for digestion, that ones found in plant foods are only suited for the plant while it is alive, and that our digestive systems destroy most of these enzymes, as well as any benefits that could come from food being closer to its living state. Also, they argue that humans have adapted to eating cooked foods, proven by the shape of our digestive systems and the presence of certain enzymes in our bodies.
It’s important to point out that no nutritionist would argue against including many raw fruits and vegetables in a diet. They do have benefits, including many phytochemicals that modern science has yet to completely explain. So adding more raw food into your diet can be a great endeavor, for health, for planet Earth, and the expansion of your culinary mindset.
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Raw Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream
In honour of the raw diet, this month College Cooking will feature four easy raw dessert recipes, starting with chocolate banana soft serve.
This recipe was taken with permission from cleangreensimple.com. I was amazed by its quality and easiness; the blended bananas alone make a delicious dish. Check out the website for even more awesome recipes!
Next week will feature another “ice cream” made with a common smooth, green fruit.
Ingredients (prices taken from Save-On-Foods)
-2 bananas, sliced then frozen, $0.80
-3 tbsp creamy peanut butter, Western Family, $0.33
-3 tbsp cocoa powder, bulk, $0.24
-1 tsp. agave nectar (optional), Wholesome Sweeteners $0.01
Total: $1.38
Directions
Blend bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa in a food processor until smooth. If the bananas become crumbly, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue blending. Add agave nectar to taste, and optionally, top with chopped peanuts and chocolate.
