The massive growth of raw food restaurants and healthy dining choices is amazing.
Certain mainstream restaurants are beginning to offer special "raw vegan" and "organic vegan" menus. As more people become aware of how much food affects our health, energy levels, and mood, I expect even more restaurants to adapt to the growing trend for healthy menus. Instead of McDonald's franchises dotting the landscape, maybe one day we will have healthy restaurants everywhere — restaurants that serve living food, fresh fruit, and local produce.
The newest version of the Raw Food Restaurant Guide includes a number of new international restaurants – in addition to U.S. locations. There were a few closings, a few address updates, and a lot of new restaurants. This is the biggest update I've ever completed, and it's incredible to see the growth of raw food.
Thanks to everyone who contributed including: Amanda, Jennifer, Michelle, Kristine, Lenette, Dean, Tammy, Emma, Allison, Julie, Roxane, Eli, Curt, Leigh, Kathleen, Jen, Francesca, Lawrence, John, Bonnie, Tommie, Gunther, Alice, Samara, Tina, Richard, Linda, Michael, Sylvia, Craig, Jason, Kimberly, Lisa, Kim, Tomi, Denise, Claudia, Mireille, Luke, Heidi, Leslie, Eireen, Lillian, Cedric, Ali, Mike, Elaine, Lauren, Bill, Jack, Fred, Meg, Laura Lee, Terrie, Seth, Heather, Diane, Juliene, Carolyn, Lee, Sherri, Todd, Sarah, Rosette, Shelly, Dana, Breelanda, Mariela, Jon, Carol, Eliana, Stefanie, Leah, Eva, Sharon, Hiromi, Zhanna, Rufus, Gaby, Ronnie, Lucy, Tiago, Eleanor, Chana, Hana, Patricia, Shana, Janine, Monika, Josh, Amy, Lori, Alex, Sumana, Alicia, Bianca, Kelly, Colette, Grant, Chad, Schall, Jeni, Andrew, Rob, Rachel, Ron, Adam, Ines, Teri, Wallace, Timothy, Danielle, Randy, Anna, Veronica, Eric, Kalan, Waverly, Jonathan, Theresa, Jai, Robin, Paige, Abel, Luis, Judy, Taryn, Cliselidis, David, Karen, Rob, Jane, Susan, Jean, Lynn, Judith, Wendy, Caroline, Gina, Alvaro, Marie, Sara, Christina, Eric, Tracy, and Lindsay.
Special thanks to: Jassandra for her help in compiling and verifying restaurants.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Published on Nov 26th, 2009. 6 Comments 
Andrea, who lives in Northern Ireland, recently visited Grezzo during a trip to the U.S. She kindly took the time to write a restaurant review about her experience at Grezzo. For those who are unaware, Grezzo is Boston's newest raw food restaurant, owned by Alissa Cohen. Andrea writes:
"Grezzo was, as expected, amazing. On the website, the only way of booking was by phone, but we wanted to secure a table since we were only going to be in Boston for 3 nights, and our UK cell phones don't work in America, and so we emailed them and got a reply back with a confirmation of our booking. A great and very profesional and helpful start!
We found the restaurant (at 69 Prince Street) easily enough, in the heart of Little Italy, which is a really fun and lively district of Boston and a great place in which to eat out during the evening. Grezzo is small, with only around 10-12 tables, and not much space to move around in, but it was cosy and elegant and had a really good vibe. For starters, my husband, who isn't a raw foodist, but will always enjoy at least one raw meal on holiday in a restaurant, went for the Grezzo Sliders – house-made patties on vine-ripened tomato. It was good, and there was plenty of it, but we both agreed my Gnocchi Carbonara was amazing—hand-rolled dumplings, creamy rawmesan and fresh English peas with pea shoots (the pea shoots were delicious) and crispy egg-plant. This was a really stand-out dish.
For the main course, I had the Lobster Thermidor—a terrine (so stacked like a lasagne really) of tarragon and mustard seed cashew cheese, black grapes and baby spring vegetables. The black grapes really made this dish stand out, as did the addition of papaya – delicious! My husband had the star-anise encrusted papaya steak, which is really Grezzo's signature dish and it was delicious—imaginative and filling, delicately flavoured and refreshing, it also looked really cool. We both loved the use of papaya, so imaginative! We've never had that in any other raw food restaurant before, but it really made the dishes fresh and flavoursome.
For dessert, I had the rich brownie sundae, which is another one of their signature dishes and it was amazing—really indulgent, filled with house-made gelato (lavender from what I remember, although I may be mis-taken), chocolate truffle and brazil nut crumble. Raw foodists don't usually get such indulgent desserts and this was fabulous! The alcoholic cocktails featured sake and my husband had one of those (can't remember which one) but we felt the drinks were expensive compared to the food. The tap water was plentiful though and our glasses kept being refreshed. Of course, we went back again the next night. My husband had the Gnocchi Carbonara as his only course. I had the Vietnamese Coconut Soup, which I was a little disappointed with, simply because I had been expecting more lemongrass and ginger to give it a kick. I felt it was maybe a bit bland.
My husband didn't have a main course that evening, but I had the Land & Sea—a mushroom dish made from locally-harvested maitake, yellow oyster, black trumpet, hedgehog and honshimeji mushrooms. It came with lemon ricotta, dulse and kelp. I have to say I was disappointed by this dish. I felt that the mushrooms could have been marinated in something to bring out their individual flavours more and it was just a bit too heavy on the mushrooms (and I love mushrooms!). I wish I had ordered something else and wouldn't had that dish again, but would jump at the chance for any of the other dishes. The photo at the top shows the Land & Sea mushroom dish.
My husband didn't eat dessert either, but that night I had (from what I remember) the chocolate torte, with chocolate and golden raisin crust with salty almond gelato (pictured).
It was delicious—as you can see from the photo on the left. It looks fabulous, and it tasted every bit as good as it looked. The staff was really friendly and professional, and I'd love to go back again any time I'm in Boston—it's a real gem. Bostonians are very lucky to have Grezzo, and the small size of the restaurant seems to work in its favour. It feels like a real "find," in the heart of Little Italy.
The menu was small enough so that we didn't feel overwhelmed by choice and you can tell that everything has been thought through. Alissa Cohen has really brought her own imagination to the menu, and doesn't rely on the usual raw lasagne/pizza/burgers options."
Thanks Andrea! If you're in the Boston area, be sure to check out Grezzo.
Published on Sep 19th, 2009. Comment
I've remained silent on the "swine flu" drama—but after discovering new information, I feel compelled to write about this topic. Here's what you need to know about swine flu, vaccine dangers, and how to protect yourself.
1. There is evidence to suggest that swine flu was manufactured in a laboratory. The swine flu contains avian, human and swine genes (a triple reassortment). This is extraordinarily rare in nature. The swine flu is 4-8% nearest match in terms of genetic material from its closest genetic relatives. There is no remotely close match in the public National Institute of Health (NIH) databases. This suggests lab origin.
- Virologist Adrian Gibbs, renowned scientist and inventor of Tamiflu, has gone on record stating that various metrics (nucleic acid ratios), as well as genetic history indicates that this virus was passed through eggs. This indicates artificial laboratory cell culture origin (not natural). Adrian Gibbs was one of the first to analyze the genetic construction of the swine flu virus.
- Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said that the virus currently circulating in Mexico and the United States is not swine flu. "The virus has not been isolated in animals to date. Therefore, it is not justified to name this disease swine flu," the OIE said in a press statement. The virus "includes in its characteristics swine, avian and human virus components," and urged that it be called "North American influenza," after its geographic origin. The OIE said it was urgent that scientific research be carried out to determine the susceptibility of animals to what it said was a "new virus." Read more on Swine Flu Vaccine Dangers, and Protecting Your Health…
Published on Aug 22nd, 2009. 9 Comments
Want to lose weight? Raw food weight loss is one of the best ways to shed those stubborn pounds.
Weight loss on a raw food diet is quick and practical. Best of all, it’s totally natural. With raw food, you don’t need to drink processed shakes, count calories, or swallow terrible-tasting (and ineffective) pills. Our bodies were naturally designed for fresh, raw foods.
Here’s How the Raw Food Weight Loss Diet Works…
When you’re focused on losing weight with raw foods, you never feel deprived because everything you eat satisfies your body’s nutritional needs. If you’re still hungry, have some more raw food. You can eat as much raw food as you like (when following a few simple rules)—because the food you’re eating is healthy and nutritionally satisfying. With raw food weight loss, there are no empty calories. Raw food provides maximum nutrition with minimum calories!
Do you know why people overeat? Often, it's because your body is not getting the nutrition it needs. This problem disappears on a raw food diet. A raw food weight loss diet gives your body the nutrition it craves. It gives your taste buds the delicious taste they need, and it satisfies your stomach. With raw foods, you get a mega-dose of nutritionally dense foods – plus the satisfying feeling of being full.
Here’s What You’ll Discover When Following a Raw Food Weight Loss Diet…
- How to super-charge your body’s natural ability to burn fat—fast.
- How to end late night hunger cravings, and cravings for unhealthy foods.
- Eat as much food as you want, as long as it meets a few simple criteria.
- How to enjoy food, and never worry about counting calories.
- Release weight naturally using a system that has been proven.
- How to get a slimmer, trimmer, and more beautiful body.
A raw food diet is the healthiest diet you can follow. My friend Angela Stokes has been featured on CNN and BBC for her incredible raw food success story. Angela lost 160 pounds on a raw food weight loss diet! Here’s a video from Angela’s appearance on CNN.
Losing weight on a raw food diet is simple and easy – once you have a proven plan to follow. Find out how Angela can help you lose weight, and get the body of your dreams.
About Angela Stokes: Angela lost 160 pounds, and recovered from morbid obesity by following a raw food weight loss diet. Angela has been featured on CNN and BBC for her incredible weight loss story. You can start losing weight today with a 30-day raw food weight loss plan, plus easy raw food meals.
Published on Apr 12th, 2009. 3 Comments
Raw food has benefits for everyone. Eating lots of raw food can make a big difference in your energy, health, weight, mood, and quality of life. Let’s look at 7 raw food benefits that you can experience by eating more raw and living foods.
Raw Food Benefit #1: More Energy
One of the biggest raw food benefits is having more energy and feeling younger. Raw food contains simple sugars, enzymes, nutrients, and minerals that our bodies need in an easily digestible form. Since less energy is needed for digestion, you have more energy available for other tasks—such as working, playing, exercise, or anything else you want to do. Which brings us to raw food benefit number two…
Raw foods contain living enzymes that help your body digest food quickly and easily. These enzymes are destroyed when food is cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. When you eat a big cooked meal, a large amount of energy is required to digest the meal. This explains why you feel tired and sleepy after a big Thanksgiving dinner (or any large cooked-food meal). With raw food, digestion & elimination are quick and easy.
Raw food assists in naturally detoxing your body. When you eat plenty of raw foods, you’re getting lots of fiber, allowing your body to release mucus, toxins, and accumulated waste. When you eat clean food (fresh fruits and veggies), your body can focus on detoxing—instead of having to focus on digesting unhealthy, artificially processed, dead, and packaged foods. Good health requires good elimination—and fiber assists in that process.
Raw Food Benefit #4: Rapid Weight Loss
Another fantastic benefit is raw food weight loss. When you eat a raw food diet, you’ll probably lose weight. Why? Because raw food is pure – it doesn’t contain junk food, harmful additives, hydrogenated oils, or lots of empty calories. Raw food provides maximum nutrition for minimum calories. Plus, fruits and veggies are naturally low in fat.
Foods cooked above 118F° will lose enzymes, nutrients, minerals and vitamins. You can compare the energy that surrounds living food to the energy that surrounds cooked/dead food using Kirlian photography. Living foods have more energy, which can be seen with Kirlian photography.
Among other raw food benefits, you might experience the need for less sleep. When we eat large amounts of cooked food, the energy required for digestion taxes our bodies. As a result, we need to sleep more to recover. Many people report feeling more rested, and needing less sleep on a raw food diet.
Raw Food Benefit #7: Anti-Aging Benefits
Raw food contains anti-oxidants, which play a big role in reducing the signs of aging. Researchers have concluded that free radical damage causes oxidation — and this is the central process of aging.
Free radicals are created as a side-effect of natural metabolism. They are also caused by drugs, environmental poisons and pollutants. The antioxidants and micronutrients in raw foods (fresh fruits & vegetables) reduce free radical damage, and help prevent the signs of aging.
Published on Apr 4th, 2009. Comment
Want a simple recipe for a green smoothie? The simplest way to create a healthy (and great-tasting) green smoothie is to combine greens with fruit, and add a small amount of water.
I never measure anything when creating green smoothies. I just add greens, fruit, and water to the Vitamix blender, and blend until smooth. If the smoothie tastes too bitter, you can always add more fruit. If you're new to creating green smoothies, I'd start-off with a 50/50 mixture, and then increase the greens or fruit to your liking.
Basic Green Smoothie Recipe
60% Fruit
40% Greens
A small amount of water
Add all ingredients, and blend until smooth. Using frozen fruit is great because the smoothie is already cold. You can also add one or two ice cubes. However, people who follow Ayurveda and natural hygiene don't believe in adding ice cubes. The theory is that cold foods—such as ice cubes—slow (inhibit) digestion. I do add ice cubes occasionally.
In the video below, Robyn shows you how to make a green smoothie.
Published on Mar 25th, 2009. Comment
New to raw foods? Do you feel overwhelmed with all the raw food options and choices? Would you like an easy-to-follow raw food plan?
Laura Bruno has written a very practical book called The Lazy Raw Foodist's Guide. The Lazy Raw Foodist is perfect for people who want a practical, simple, and EASY raw food plan. There's a great chapter called "Sneaky Ways to Get More Greens" with 7 ways to add more greens into your diet.
The "Deficiency or Excess" chapter covers 9 potential deficiencies to watch out for—and I especially liked the chapter on raw food and dental issues (lots of people have questions about raw food and their teeth). Another helpful chapter was "The Great Raw Pretenders" which discusses 24 foods that are NOT raw, even though many people think they are.
Inside the Lazy Raw Foodist, Laura covers…
- How to quickly create delicious raw food meals (no complicated ingredients needed).
- Raw food recipes, including soups, salads, appetizers and desserts.
- Understanding your motivation: Why do you want to eat raw foods?
- What you need to know about detoxing.
- Choosing which raw food path you want to follow — Should you follow the 100% Raw path, the cleansing crowd, the High Raw path, the 80-10-10 diet, the Superfood/Cacao Crowd, or the Essene approach?
- What about colonics, cleanses, and juice feasts?
- Superfoods and the cacao controversy.
- How to find raw-friendly health-care providers.
- Understanding fruitarianism, natural hygiene, and under-eating.
- The truth about the Vitamix Blender.
- Is the Excalibur dehydrator more than hot air?
- 8 beauty tips (for guys and gals) to get you glowing
- Food combining made easy.
About the Author: One of the more amazing facts about Laura is that she successfully recovered from a traumatic brain injury (brought on by a car accident). Since her recovery, Laura has helped many other people regain their health through her work as an energy healer, Life Coach, Medical Intuitive, and Reiki Master. You can find out more about Laura and The Lazy Raw Foodist here.
Published on Mar 16th, 2009. 5 Comments
Do you have questions about the raw food diet? Would you like a step-by-step guide to eating a raw food diet, creating delicious raw food recipes, reversing disease, and losing weight?
My friend, Dr. Jim Carey, has created a massive raw food home study course, based on the teachings of Dr. Ann Wigmore.
Jim's raw food home study course (now in version 4.0) is jam-packed with raw food recipes, step-by-step guidance, resources, instruction, and everything you need to succeed with raw foods. Over the years, I've purchased a lot of raw food products—but nothing I've seen is quite as comprehensive as Dr. Carey's raw food home study course. It's massive! In the video below, you can see just how large and comprehensive the course is. Read more on Raw Foods Made Easy—With Dr. Ann Wigmore, Dr. Jim Carey, and ChiDiet…
Published on Feb 27th, 2009. Comment
Many of you are already familiar with Steve Pavlina, a well-known personal development writer and pro-blogger. Steve is now eating a raw foods diet (after experimenting with a 30-day trial), and it’s exciting to see how much publicity Steve has created for raw foods.
Steve recently published his first book, called Personal Development for Smart People, which is well thought-out, organized, and practical.
Over the years, I’ve read a number of personal development books. Steve’s book has a very spiritual/metaphysical feel to it—more so than other personal development books that I’ve read. Personal Development for Smart People begins by describing the core principles of personal growth—these are Truth, Love, and Power. Secondary principles are: Authority, Oneness, and Courage.
I especially enjoyed the chapters on Courage, Power, Habits, and Career. Steve’s thoughts on self-discipline (as it relates to personal power) were also very useful. The most practical section of the book was the chapter on habits. I will be applying a number of habits that Steve suggested. I am especially looking forward to running a 30-day experiment on early rising. To give you a taste of the book, I’ll include a handful of my favorite quotes… Read more on Raw Foods, Personal Development, & Steve Pavlina’s New Book…
Published on Oct 31st, 2008. Comment
Raw Vegan Restaurants are Growing
It's amazing to see how fast vegan and raw vegan restaurants are spreading. We now have 188 raw food restaurants (including some partially-raw restaurants) around the world!
New international raw food restaurants can be found in Scotland, Barbados, Germany, Australia, Canada, and London. Plus, Alabama, Oklahoma, and North Carolina all have their first raw (or partially raw) vegan restaurants.
There were, of course, several closings–most notably Cilantro Live (which re-opened under a new name in
Contributors
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the latest edition of the Raw Food Restaurant Guide. Special thanks to: Jonathan, Lila, Paz, Eli, Penni, Gloria, Amy, Tina, Jessica, Karyn, Brian, Laurelee, Jim, Wiebe, Julie, Audry, Tina, Deb, Katrin, Nikki, Katie, Cathy, Paul, Miin, Alma-Jade, Anna, Giedre, Lucy, Sue, Gloria, Chantel, Judy, Connie
Published on Oct 29th, 2008. 3 Comments
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