On Earth Day: Rock Your World with Seductive Raw Cuisine

Years ago a satirical cartoon left an indelible impression on me: a rather rotund fellow places his order for fast food—two double cheeseburgers with bacon, French fries, onion rings, and a soft drink. The clerk responds, Would you like chemo with that?

A two-buck burger, trailing a substantial price tag for its accompaniments of illness down the road pales against the robust health value of live food. And, a sustainable diet is not only filled with real nutrition, it benefits the planet as well.  

Rod Rotondi, author of the soon-to-be-released, Raw Food for Real People: Luscious Vegan Food Made Simple, says Choosing organic, vegan, raw foods is not only supporting our individual bodies with optimally nutritious foods, but supporting the growth of the whole organic and vegan industry—basically, our health and the health of our planet.

 

Rotondi is founder and Executive Chef of Los Angeles’ three Leaf Cuisine restaurants, which have received rave reviews and a steady stream of celebrities, including André 3000, Woody Harrelson, Ali Larter, Alicia Silverstone, and Phil Jackson, the coach of the L.A. Lakers. The restaurant will celebrate Earth Day by launching a brand new sandwich menu.


Leaf Cuisine's Holy Moly Guacamole with Crackin' Corn Chips

Researchers at the University of Chicago have concluded that switching from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to a vegan diet is more effective in reducing global warming than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid.

Chef Matt Amsden finds his book on display in NYC shop window.

Matt Amsden, author of the un-cookbook, RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine (Harper Collins, 2006), says, According to a United Nations report, raising animals for food is the single biggest cause of global warming, in addition to land degradation and the pollution of our air and water. Raw vegan foods don't contribute to that! At RAWvolution, we also promote the use of, and use organic foods, exclusively. This way, we're not contributing to exposing farm workers, our customers, or the planet to toxic chemicals!


RAWvolution's signiture dish- the 'Big Matt'

In addition, the prospect of having more control of our own wellbeing is prudent in the wake of the insufficiencies of modern health care. It seems practical to live life outside the parameters of the medical community as much as possible, in a country where iatrogenic illness is the leading cause of death.  Iatrogenic illness is defined as illness caused by the medical community, and it accounts for over a quarter of a million deaths annually, more than cardiovascular disease (the second leading cause of death) or cancer (the third).

The choices we make affect our wellbeing.

But don’t despair: when you think “raw food,” if a cheerless vision of limp celery sticks comes to mind, you’re in the wrong ballpark.

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