Raw...don't be afraid!

When I first started hearing about the raw food movement, I was, shall we say, skeptical about the whole thing (the phrase 'crazy people' may have uttered on more than one occasion). As a vegetarian who thought veganism was too restrictive, raw foodism seemed way too out there, not to mention unappetizing. Recently though, I've had to change my tune somewhat. While I still can't imagine following a strict raw diet, I've experienced firsthand how yummy raw food can be (Live anyone?) and lately I've seen a lot of really interesting ideas on raw food blogs, like this zucchini pasta from Choosing Raw. With a lovely zucchini and a julienne peeler from Pampered Chef on hand, I decided to give this a try tonight. I would have loved to try the cashew alfredo sauce used in the original recipe, but I am sadly lacking a food processor, so instead I tossed the zucchini, carrot and tomato with some store bought pesto.

Yum, I LOVED this!! It was so fresh tasting...a perfect meal for a hot day. I think the zucchini 'noodles' would work well with lots of different sauces and toppings. What a great way to get in veggies!

This recipe is a good example of why it's important to try veggies in a variety of ways. If you don't like a vegetable cooked, try it raw (or vice versa). Or if you've only had it cooked a certain way (say, boiling the heck out of it, a good way to ruin most veggies), try it roasted, stir fried, steamed... If you are close-minded about veggies you will miss out on some delicious possibilities - as I almost did!