Going Raw: Everything You Need to Start Your Own Raw Food Diet and Lifestyle Revolution at Home

This book is so great that it actually inspired me to write a review. (More to the point, this is the very first review I've ever written on Amazon and my husband and I have bought TONS of things on Prime!)For starters, the pictures are excellent, and definitely necessary for a good recipe book in my opinion. I find that pictures in "cook" books greatly help me to visualize the end result, and without them I honestly get bored looking through most recipe books that don't include pictures. But this book is truly an exception. My husband and I have looked through it every night for the past week since we bought it. Today we bought some different grocery items just because we wanted to try them in a few recipes found in this book.The quality of the paper is heavy and durable feeling, as well. I love that there are inner flaps on both sides of the book in order to have built-in bookmarks for finding your favorite recipe with ease. On one of the inner flaps is also a web link to visit that has short videos of Judita (the author) giving free raw "cooking" tidbits. I imagine the videos are not as necessary to a seasoned raw foodist, but for raw-curious newbies like me, they were helpful.I also like that the recipes are ones that are not only easily modifiable, but ones that I'd actually use. I already have a Breville juicer, cheap-thrift-store food processor, spiralizer (Westmark brand that I bought on Amazon and I HIGHLY recommend it), excalibur dehydrator, high-speed blender (not a Vitamix, but a Bosch), and other choice kitchen gadgets to get me ready for my raw food adventure. So no, I haven't actually made any of her recipes yet, but from the looks and ingredients she uses, I imagine they will be stellar. Keep in mind that I've already made amazingly tasty veggie burgers from our juice pulp (that my carnivore co-workers DEVOUR and have asked for the recipe on numerous occasions), eggplant "bacon", and some other things here and there, but I can't wait to try these. If these recipes don't deliver, I'll update my review. Otherwise, buy this book and begin your journey into a healthier way of life. It's much cheaper than a visit to the doctor... (Ok, I'll admit I stole that from a Ted Talk featuring 12-year-old Birke Baehr who said, "You can either pay the farmer, or pay the hospital", but the kid's got a point.) Enjoy! :)Update 12/1/2015: I am still loving this raw cookbook! My husband and I have made several recipes in the book, and many that we make daily (like nut milk to use in our delicious "Caffix" non-coffee mix.) The fruit granola bars come out perfect every time and I make them with the ground up nut pulp leftovers from my nut milks. (Just make sure you dehydrate the nut pulp after straining.) There are literally only a small handful of recipes in this book that we have not tried yet, and I'm still not bored with this book even after 3 months. Still strongly recommended!

I'm new to the world of "raw" but have already learned (the hard way) that the lifestyle is not as easy to adapt to as many would like to make us believe. In the initial stages of adjustment, being void of sugar often means void of flavor. And "no meat, no dairy, no breads, and nothing cooked" can be so overwhelming that it could make even the most determined health seeker give up before really ever getting started.I had already scoured the internet and started a collection of raw recipes. But let's face it: most of the recipes were bland, unappealing and down right lacking in creativity. I mean, there are just so many ways you can fix a salad, you know?! Just as I was about to give up, I stumbled across Judita's "Going Raw" book.I was admittedly skeptical. I mean the subtitle, "Everything you need to start your own Raw Food Diet & Lifestyle Revolution at Home" sure gave the impression that it would be THE best book to spend my hard earned money on. But could it really be that great?? I mean EVERY body claims their raw book is "the best".Well.....I took a chance. And I am SOOOO glad I did. This book FEELS good. It's pages are heavy and glossy and full of the most beautiful color photographs! They make her dishes just jump off the page at you and scream "TRY ME!"She's been diligent in documenting each step in fixing her creations, too, so that even those of us who are new to this will understand and be able to follow the directions.She starts the book off slowly, explaining the benefits of the raw lifestyle in simple, easy to understand terms, without coming across as condensending or judgemental that we might not be able to change all our bad habits over night.She has categorized the ingredients she commonly uses and has a pantry list of staples to guide the reader along. She explains terminology that many books have not and included pictures of her techniques so there is no question of how to produce similar results yourself.There are several pages dedicated to equipment and its uses. And I particularly appreciated the fact that she doesn't assume every reader has a thousand dollars to just rush out and buy all of these items at once. She even helps the reader prioritize the list of tools they might eventually want. This shows a very practical, down to earth side that I seldom see in those who have "made it big" in their area of expertise.The recipes themselves are unlike anything I have come across any where else. "Creative" would be an understatement! I never realized there would be so many ways you could use the ingredients! She has every ingredient you'll need listed in the margin of every page; and step by step directions guiding you all the way.This book also comes with a DVD that will help you learn new skills in the kitchen. In my opinion, you just can't go wrong with this book! Now.....if I could just win the lottery so she could come be my personal chef.... :)

I am a nutritional therapist (functional medicine, energy healing and ex pharmacist). my life journey has touched me off all walks of life.most normal people don't have a lot of time, energy or money for fancy food prep. Most feel bad about their diet, their body and all the things they feel that they should but don't for various reasons do. ending most on a merry go round of yo yo strict diets bouncing back to terrible. Most normal busy persons need gentle, kind, supportive and time and money affordable options. the book is great on many levels, yet it is also intimidating, time demanding, financially divisive and rather elitist for many to follow this way of eating. maybe if you are single, maybe if you can afford all the ingredients, maybe for a blast of extra healthy eating, maybe in summer (i am northern european), maybe if you can get the whole family on board. i think at times she can be a tad judgemental on those that eat meat, or may not be up for just a juice for breakfast to feel amazing. some persons need more calories (the menu plans are very low in calories and for busy persons or active athletes a tad too low)i do recommend this book for recipes ideas to add to your repertoire. i am a big believer in the make it better approach, little steady forwards steps that add to your diet. Don't be too hard on yourself that said if you cannot or dont want to or have the resources to go the full raw... especially in the thick of dark damp cold wet european winters. raw is NOT seasonally appropriate for these body types or climates. so try to overcome the slightly purist approach of the book and embrace all tje ideas, add them in to what you do here and there.... just make what you do better... and keep happy, moving and smiling.

If you are looking into Raw food you really need this book - the chef is practical, although she is English and we can make her recipes as they are ok for this country - no we don't have baby coconuts in our back yard or orchard - well I don't anyway.Lovely simple recipes that are doable, thank goodness as I don't want to be stood extracting the all curing extracts from a pomegranate pip on the stroke of midnight as it generates positive energy from some cosmic alignment . . . yes, some of the raw food books are weird, I'm glad to say this one and the other one 'Raw and Simple: Eat Well and Live Radiantly with 100 Truly Quick and Easy' by the same author are just pleasingly good solid, easy to follow and straightforward recipe books that makes raw cooking a pleasure.I had both the auhtors books in paper back, when I bought my ipad I sold the paper back book and downloaded the digital book - these books are really good for those new to raw food.

Many good things about this book. Lots of 'how to' stuff as well as explanations as to why raw is so beneficial. Also tips on how to make the whole process easier if you are a beginner to raw food preparation. There is a well-presented DVD included which has several concise and useful short clips. The whole book is beautifully laid out with step by step photographs to take the guess-work out of some preparations. Most of the ingredients used are readily available and the whole book is really informative with excellent recipes. Nothing too complicated and not too many recipes to confuse the reader. I found it very inspiring and would be an excellent asset in any cookery library for healthy eating. I highly recommend this book.

I'm a total newbie to raw, vegan etc. I simply enjoy healthy eating but never went so far as to really understand all the nutrition behind it. I don't think I had really connected that our bodies are acid or alkaline depending on what we eat and what that balance should be. This book, together with several others, has opened my eyes although to go raw does not suit my lifestyle as it requires far too much pre-planning that I am not capable of! Maybe one day....

Good helpful advice,and some great help for making raw chocolate. Some simple and quick things, but many complex gourmet dishes, that take days to prepare and then you may not even like them. Also depends on tropical fruits like baby coconuts and papaya, so cool temperate dwellers be warned...