EAT RAW, EAT WELL
400 Raw, Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipes
by Douglas McNish

“[It was]…after he watched an undercover video from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), that his life would change forever.”

Cooking since the age of 15, Douglas McNish fell in love with the kitchen instantaneously. He felt a deep and sincere love for all things food related. Camaraderie, hard work, attention to detail, and the constant creativity were all factors in drawing him to continue his goals and move on to Chef School.

After attending George Brown Culinary Chef Program, Douglas took an apprenticeship and continued to hone his skills learning the inner workings of a busy professional kitchen.

After working for Toronto’s best chefs in some of the most challenging atmospheres, he found that he needed to make a change. Not realizing then how much food is a factor in all aspects of life, he found himself overweight and unhappy. It was at this point, after he watched an undercover video from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), that his life would change forever. After witnessing such atrocities, he made a choice to become vegetarian.

Over the course of the next six months (while working on a grill in a steakhouse), Douglas began to transform his diet and his life forever. Slowly weight began to peel off and he began to feel a lightness he never experienced before. By taking what he already knew from his years of culinary training he began to relearn how to prepare food in a healthier light. Pairing this with a deep concern for the planet and the welfare of all its inhabitants, the next most logical step was to become vegan.

Since then, Douglas has taken healthy, organic, plant-based cuisine to a whole new level, and has created his first book called Eat Raw, Eat Well (Robert Rose Inc., www.robertrose.ca).

If you’re like most people, when you hear the words “raw food,” you conjure up images of thinly sliced carrot and celery sticks. Years ago, Chef Douglas thought the same thing. But, then he came to understand that there was an entire world of raw food that he knew nothing about. It tasted great, was beautifully presented, and exploded with flavours and textures he had never experienced before. The raw food dishes he was seeing and learning about were so fresh and vibrant… so incredibly full of life!

Doug believes that when you eat raw, unprocessed foods that have all their enzymes intact, your body can use the energy it saves for other things. He considers himself to be a walking testimony to the fact that eating raw can have a profound effect on your life, both physically and mentally.

Raw-food diets (where food is eaten raw or, if heated, the temperature can’t exceed 118 degrees Fahrenheit) are becoming increasingly popular for a variety of reasons: some seek the benefits of weight loss and increased energy, as well as a reduced risk of certain diseases; others have an aversion to animal-based foods or simply wish to consume more whole, nutrient-rich ingredients.

This wonderful collection of recipes in Eat Raw, Eat Well will appeal to both newcomers to and veterans of the raw-food lifestyle—the recipes are imaginative and feature easy-to-follow instructions, and the results are incredibly delicious. From hearty breakfasts that will get your day off to an energized start to satisfying soups and sumptuous main courses and sides to lush, decadent desserts that will indulge the most discriminating sweet tooth, these recipes reflect Doug’s talent and commitment to raw cuisine.

In addition, there’s a wealth of information on how to properly prepare the ingredients in advance of meal preparation to enhance their nutritional value, as well as a comprehensive list of “raw pantry” essentials.

Douglas McNish is a Certified Red Seal Professional Vegan Chef, cooking teacher, and raw-food consultant who is passionate about sharing his knowledge about the raw-food lifestyle, as well as challenging mainstream thought on diet and ethics. Since embracing raw food, Doug has lost a significant amount of weight and consistently enjoys an improved sense of physical, mental, and emotional well-being. He is a two-time vegan iron chef winner, has been featured on national and local television, contributes to several magazine publications, and continues to grow and expand his mind and career daily. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.