Preparing Raw Dishes!

Raw dishes are delicious!

It's an art form in food making that sets it apart from the standard kitchen techniques.

It takes patience, planning, and creativity when working on a recipe.

Let's start from the beginning! What is Raw food?

It is food that has never been heated over 104- 118F, treated with pesticides, and not processed in any way. This food is prepared by juicing, blending, dehydrating, sprouting, and soaking.

For about a year, I explored this art form with the help from some kitchen experts at

Turtle Lake Refuge Café. The café serves all raw dishes for lunch twice a week all year long. Lunches included a 'green drink', full plate (salad, soup, main entrée), and a slice of desert.

We had regulars, new comers, and volunteers that would light up the space with their smiles and conversations. I started by making the 'green drink' that consist of russian thistle, dandelion root, wild mint, amaranth, and dock. Half of these were plucked from the small garden out front the large windows. Using a blender and strainer to create a new