The raw deal on natural, fresh food

Naturally, you’ve heard about the health benefits of a raw diet. Certified raw food chef and lifestyle coach Mona Lisa Neuboeck advocates raw living foods with a burning passion. But in her “wayward” youth, this daughter of an Austrian butcher was raised on a hefty meat diet. And then she discovered how good raw natural food is not just for the body but for one’s soul as well. She learned more about this truly healing diet from live food legend Dr. Gabriel Cousens whose alternative treatment reportedly worked wonders with his patients suffering from heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. She’s never looked back since.

 Today, Mona Lisa preaches it and lives it: “Raw and living foods increase vitality by preserving the enzymes, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients of whole foods in their natural state. You get to absorb 100 percent of the goodness of the food you buy, not a measly 20 percent as with a cooked food diet … Raw plant-based foods are alkalizing — your system becomes oxygenated, thus preventing and curing countless diseases, including cancer.”

And now, she shares some of her raw food recipes that are both flavorful and healthful. (Ingredients are available at Sugarleaf with branches in Greenhills and at the Medicard Building on Buendia Ave., Makati City.)

Tropical papaya pudding

Did you know that papaya is superbly high in enzymes (most of our bodily functions rely on these biological catalysts)? Mona Lisa’s raw vegan pudding is very high in soluble and insoluble fiber, that aids in digestion and acts as a gentle colon cleanser. Top it with nutrient-rich raw cacao, organic cranberries, and coconut to add a burst of energy and a lovely chewy texture to this smooth creamy pudding. Serves 4-6.

4 cups ripe Red Lady papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 mango ripe, scooped

1 ripe banana, peeled (optional)

5 calamansi, juiced

1/2 tsp. vanilla essence (optional)

1 Tbsp. coco sugar or a pinch of stevia (optional)

1 Tbsp. soy lecithin

4 Tbsps. psyllium husk

1 cup shredded niyog or desiccated coconut (optional; set aside for garnish)

Blend all ingredients until smooth. You may add a little bit of coconut juice or purified water to aid in blending.

Pour into bowls and garnish with a few Tbsps. of desiccated coconut and toppings of your choice.

Optional toppings are (one Tbsp. each): goji berries, raw cacao nibs, raw cashew nuts, dried organic cranberries, bee pollen.

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Banana flax porridge

Going bananas? Try this unsweetened raw porridge with ripe lacatan bananas, high-fiber organic flax meal, and a dash of real vanilla to supercharge your energy reserve for the day. Enjoy this deliciously comforting and gluten-free porridge for breakfast or for merienda.

10 lacatan bananas

2 Tbsps. soy lecitin?

4-5 Tbsps. flax meal?

2-3 Tbsps. VCO (virgin coconut oil)

1⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract

1⁄2 cup ice cubes

1 apple, sliced (set aside for garnish)

Blend all ingredients in your Vitamix on low using the tamper, then switch to high until the lecithin granules are dissolved. Serve with chopped or sliced 1⁄2 apple each serving.?Sprinkle with cinnamon and/or bee pollen. For additional toppings, throw in some goji berries and dried mixed berries. Berry yummy!

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Fruity banana butter (DIP)

Dip some fresh crisp apple sticks in a guilt-free “butter” of banana, organic sesame paste, and a pinch of raw honey. Quick and easy to prepare, this dip is also very popular among kids! Serves 4-6.

6 apples, sliced into sticks or 1/4 inch “half-moons”

5 ripe lacatan bananas

3 Tbsps. tahini

1/8 tsp. sea salt or Himalayan Salt

1 Tbsp. VCO

1-2 Tbsp. raw honey or agave (adjust to your liking)

1 pinch stevia powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

Optional garnish: organic dried berries

Chop the bananas and put all ingredients in your food processor. Process into a smooth buttery consistency.

Serving suggestion: Scoop 1/4 cup full into small individual serving bowls. Place on a plate and arrange the apple slices like flower petals around the bowl in the center. Dust with cinnamon powder and garnish with dried berries.

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‘Fool-adelphia’ cream cheese

You will swear this dairy-free raw dip tastes like Philadelphia cream cheese! Serves 6 to 1 (depends on how much you like cream cheese)!

2 cups of raw cashew nuts, soaked for 15 minutes, then drained

1 lemon, juiced?

1/2 tsp. sea salt?(or to taste)

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp. white pepper?(optional)

2 Tbsps. spring onions, chopped (set aside)

Blend everything except the spring onions until smooth. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to personal taste.?Transfer the cream cheese into a bowl and add the spring onions. Mix well, using a rubber spatula. This cheese keeps in the fridge up to five days. Serve with veggie sticks, dehydrated flax crackers or on jicama slices.

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Zesty mango sorbet

Now, who says that a raw vegan diet ain’t cool? Indulge in the dairy-free, guilt-free goodness of our very own zesty mangoes.Serves 6-10.

4 ripe mangoes, scooped

1 lemon, zested and juiced

A few pinches of stevia powder

A pinch of sea salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

1-1/2 Tbsp. organic soy lecithin

1 cup buko juice

1/4 cup raw agave or raw wild honey or 1/3 cup coco sugar

1-1/2 Tbsp. psyllium husk

1-1/2 Tbsp. VCO

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Taste to adjust the sweetness to your liking. Pour into a high-quality Tupperware and store inside the freezer overnight. Before serving, let the sorbet soften in room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then scoop with an ice cream scooper, and garnish with a mint leaf.

Truly “raw-some” treats, don’t you think?

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We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com.