| I've been hearing the buzz surrounding raw food | | | | place looked...it had a very hip and trendy look, |
| for years now but the whole concept never really | | | | not at all like the sort of place that would try to |
| appealed to me. It all seemed to "fringe | | | | get away serving you a salad-only meal. The |
| element-ish" and, to be frank, not very tasty and | | | | menu was just amazing! The food was even |
| certainly not very filling or satisfying. Every | | | | better. It was gourmet all the way. |
| misconception I had about raw food completely | | | | By the time we finished a three course meal |
| changed last summer on a trip to NYC with my | | | | (including a decadent dessert) and felt totally |
| good friend Cherie Fromson. | | | | satisfied but not at all stuffed, I was so sold on |
| After a long first day we were ready to hit the | | | | eating raw foods that I could barely contain my |
| town and find a great spot for dinner. I ran right | | | | enthusiasm.. |
| down to the concierge to get a suggestion for a | | | | So, until I can get back to NYC and visit Pure |
| hip and healthy restaurant. The guy behind the | | | | Food & Wine, the recipe below is my "fast food" |
| desk couldn't stop raving about a raw food | | | | fix for a gourmet tasting raw food soup that is |
| restaurant. He didn't exactly look like a raw food | | | | satisfying, energizing and fabulously nutritious. My |
| enthusiast himself (he looked like the sort of guy | | | | soup is a convenient and super tasty way to |
| who could go for a burger and beer at any given | | | | introduce raw foods to your diet...without going to |
| moment) but he assured me even people who | | | | extremes & without trekking to NYC! Enjoy |
| don't like vegan food rave about this restaurant, | | | | Ingredients |
| including him. Sold! | | | | 1/4-inch piece ginger root (no need to peel) |
| I enthusiastically dashed back to the hotel room | | | | 1 orange bell pepper |
| to tell Cherie all about the exciting raw restaurant | | | | 4 carrots |
| our burger-loving concierge had recommended. I | | | | 2 tablespoons lime juice |
| could immediately tell Cherie was less than | | | | 1/4 cup raw cashews |
| enthused. She was just barely getting in the | | | | 1 cup mango |
| groove eating the "whole foods" I talk about in | | | | 1 cup water |
| our books, and now this whole raw thing just | | | | 1 teaspoon raw honey |
| seemed a bit too extreme. We were planning on | | | | 2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil (such as |
| meeting another friend for dinner and she too | | | | Barlean's) |
| was highly suspicious of the raw restaurant. Not | | | | Sea salt (such as Costco's Kirkland brand), to |
| to worry, I was highly confident that if the beer | | | | taste |
| and burger loving concierge loved this place we | | | | Raw, unsweetened, unsulphered shredded |
| would too! | | | | coconut, for garnish |
| By the time we made it to the restaurant we | | | | 1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or |
| were all starving and even I was beginning to get | | | | food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. |
| a little nervous that maybe we'd only find sprouts | | | | Place soup in a covered container and chill for |
| and salad on the menu. When we walked in the | | | | several hours before serving. Sprinkle shredded |
| door I was consoled by how "normal" the whole | | | | coconut on top just before serving. Serve cold. |