Veg Out for Summer

My mother was quite interested in the "back to raw food" movement sweeping through Germany when I was young. To this day I am very thankful that she served up raw vegetables before every meal because I believe it helped to build my bank account of good health.

The fresh, unadulterated vegetables of summer are a delight to eat raw. But it is also possible to prepare cooked veggies in ways that allow you to benefit from their innate energy and vitality. One method is to enhance the flavour and nutrition in your cooked food by adding fresh chopped herbs just before serving. You can also return some enzymes to the food by adding soy bean or sunflower sprouts after cooking, as in the Stir-Fried Vegetable Cabbage Wrap.

When preparing tomato sauce, it’s wise to blend two to three raw tomatoes into the cooked sauce. You can stir in freshly juiced vegetables to your soups before serving. As well, simple cold soups such as gazpacho make a refreshing change in the summer heat.

A good rule is to the start every meal with raw vegetables or a green salad. Then you can enjoy your cooked food knowing you’ve given your body the enzymes it needs to digest the rest of the meal properly.

Summer Gazpacho

Celery Hearts With Herb Spinach

Peas in the Pod and Carrot Stars

Stir-Fried Vegetable Cabbage Wrap