In Good Taste: Raw Power

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Raw Power

Chef Ken Immer preaches the benefits and teaches the strategies of raw food

Thai Lemonade. Cucumber-Avocado Soup. Massaged Kale Slaw. Balsamic Grilled Veggies. Creamy Coconut Mousse. Such delicate dishes could easily belong on the menu of a five-star restaurant, tempting even the most dedicated diet devotee. But those wavering health nuts would be satisfied to learn that raw-food guru Ken Immer developed the mouthwatering recipes, far cries from the rocks and grass courses that many imagine when thinking of a raw, vegetarian dinner.

“We were blown away that raw food could be not just edible, but really good,” says Ellen Rickenbaker, who discovered Immer’s down-to-earth approach to healthy eating when her family took part in a nutritional detox program. Ellen, along with husband Brad and brother Mitch Hankin, was surprised by the results. “We felt amazing, especially when we got dairy out of our diets and began to experiment with different kinds of vegetables.” It wasn’t long before Immer was preparing most of Hankin’s meals, and Ellen asked him to come teach her and Brad his techniques and tricks.

While many raw-food advocates espouse an approach that can cost a fortune or impart as much nutritional misery as good health, the founder of OM Cooking and the all-raw granola snack gRAWnola is very clear on one fact: if a way of eating isn’t satisfying and accessible, people won’t embrace it for long. Whether he’s doing yoga, offering a cooking demonstration, producing gRAWnola, or creating recipes to share on his website, Immer strives to bring reality and wellness together in a way that puts happy eating at the center of a healthy lifestyle.

The irony is that his early career was firmly grounded on the opposite end of the culinary spectrum, as a sous chef specializing in meats and desserts. Then he began a transformative journey that started with yoga, evolved through raw foods and veganism, and eventually turned to the more pragmatic “eat with a purpose” philosophy that now governs his work and lifestyle. “It’s important to be aware of what you are doing. You should take note of how food makes you feel and follow the ones that make you feel better.”

Immer’s advice proved to be an ongoing source of inspiration to the Rickenbakers as they slowly worked their way towards practicing his methods full-time. “This kind of eating is not something you can just flip a switch and do. But if you are enlightened about the options, then you can make changes that are more healthful,” says Ellen.

Inspired by how great this new approach has made them feel, the Rickenbakers invited Immer to share his expertise directly with some friends during a cooking demonstration in their Mount Pleasant kitchen. Though the array of groceries that Immer unloaded onto the enormous center island was, at first, a little intimidating, the chef quickly demystified the raw, live, fermented, foreign-language-label ingredients. As guests took their seats at the counter, Immer started by preparing fresh Thai lemonade sweetened with agave nectar for everyone to sip during class.

While blending a fresh array of ingredients for the cucumber-avocado soup, the chef took the opportunity to teach the group that English cucumbers are a little easier on the stomach than the traditional kind and that the raw fermented soy sauce nama shoyu in place of salt can do magical things for the flavor of a dish. Soup samples were passed across the island as Immer moved on to the kale slaw, which includes mild arame. This seaweed provides a rich source of iron and calcium and can be soaked in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, making it a handy healthy addition to a meal.

Proceeding to the main dish, sprouted quinoa with balsamic grilled vegetables, Immer revealed to the crowd that even in a raw-food diet, it’s not a cardinal sin to lightly grill a few veggies. He also talked of the significant nutritional advantages of sprouted quinoa, a process that only requires the seed be soaked in water for a few hours. “It’s the tiny things that you can learn about how to handle your food that add up to a more healthful lifestyle,” says Ellen, “like sprouting your quinoa or the fact that a green pepper is simply an unripe red pepper and that’s why it upsets your stomach. In the process of learning these things, you feel so much better that you want to eat pure, light, healthy food.”

For a sweet finish, Immer demonstrated how to break down fresh coconuts for the creamy coconut mousse, a completely raw dessert that is not only delicious, but can be thick as ice cream if allowed to set overnight.

Just like his approach to individual clients, Immer’s main strategy during his classes is to help participants add good “building blocks” that eventually push out unhealthy choices. “Many people associate deprivation with vegetarian or raw-food diets,” he says. But using practical methods and a sensible approach, he’s instead able to instill a feeling of improvement and well-being.

Thai Lemonade

(Makes 1 Pitcher)

Ingredients 

• 3-4 lemons
• 2 limes
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 1-2 tsp. sriracha chili sauce
• 1 cup Oriental basil
• 4-6 cups iced spring water

Directions 

Juice lemons and limes. Mix juice with agave and chili sauce. Add basil and muddle. Allow to sit for one to two hours in the refrigerator. Add iced spring water to taste.

Raw Cucumber-Avocado Soup

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients 

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 8 cups spring water, divided
• 1 large English cucumber, chopped
• 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 green onions
• 1 tsp. umeboshi (plum) paste
• 2 tsp. nama shoyu (raw soy sauce)
• 1 ½ Tbs. olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 Tbs. fresh dill (or substitute 1 Tbs. dried dill)
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions 

Soak almonds in four cups of spring water overnight in the refrigerator. Drain water. In a blender, purée almonds and remaining four cups of spring water. Strain pulp through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth. Reserve almond milk and two tablespoons of pulp. Working in batches, place milk, pulp, and next nine ingredients in blender and blend until well puréed. Season to taste with fresh ground pepper.

Massaged Kale-Arame Slaw

(Serves 4-6)
 

Ingredients 

• 1/4 cup nama shoyu (raw soy sauce)
• 1/8 cup umeboshi (plum) vinegar
• 1/8 (2.1-oz.) package arame seaweed
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (Bragg brand recommended)
• 1 lemon or lime, juiced
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches green kale
• 3 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

Directions 

Combine nama shoyu and umeboshi vinegar. Submerge arame seaweed to hydrate. Allow to stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Arame will soften. Combine cider vinegar, lemon/lime juice, coriander, and pepper in a separate large bowl. Add onion and red pepper; allow to soften.

Meanwhile, chop kale finely (a quarter-inch wide or less). Add to onion and pepper mixture and toss to coat. Add sesame oil. Drain seaweed, reserving liquid. Add seaweed to kale, and one to three teaspoons of the arame soak liquid to taste. Massage slaw by squeezing and pressing between hands and/or bottom of bowl. This breaks down the kale and makes it softer. The dish can be enjoyed immediately, or covered and refrigerated for several hours or overnight to allow flavors to mature.

*Chef’s note: Reserve remaining arame soak liquid to hydrate more seaweed by adding a bit more nama shoyu and umeboshi vinegar. Store it in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.
 

Sprouted Quinoa with Balsamic Grilled Veggies

Serves

6

Ingredients 

• 2 cups quinoa
• 6 ½ cups spring water, divided
• 1 red onion, peeled & sliced into rings
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup nama shoyu or light soy sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 carrots, sliced into large strips
• 1 zucchini, sliced into large strips
• 1 red pepper, sliced into large strips
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Celtic sea salt
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• Pesto (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/8 cup umeboshi (plum) vinegar

Pesto

• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for 4 hours in spring water, then drained
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions 

Soak quinoa in five cups spring water overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Marinate onion in balsamic vinegar and nama shoyu with some black pepper. Place remaining vegetables in a bowl and toss with olive oil, just enough to barely coat. Sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper. Reserving balsamic marinade, grill vegetables just to soften them; be careful not to burn. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Strain quinoa. Add quinoa, vegetable broth, and remaining spring water to a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a very low simmer for approximately eight to 10 minutes. When all the liquid has been absorbed, turn off heat and allow to rest for two to three minutes.

Roughly chop grilled veggies into bite-size pieces. Mix with quinoa, pesto, coconut oil, umeboshi vinegar, and balsamic marinade. Serve immediately, or allow to cool.

Pesto
Purée all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well-emulsified.

Raw Creamy Coconut Mousse

Serves

6

Ingredients 

• 1 cup Brazil nuts, soaked in spring water overnight, then drained
• 3 young Thai coconuts
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut water
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
• 1 Tbs. vanilla
• Dash Celtic sea salt
• 2 pints mixed berries

Directions 

Open coconuts by first removing most of husk near pointed top. Then, using a heavy cleaver, crack top of coconut with the bottom corner of the blade. Using the edge, pry the coconut open just enough to pour out the water into a small bowl. Once empty, lay coconut on its side and slice across through the open slit to completely expose the inside. Scrape soft, white flesh out completely. Put all ingredients except berries in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth, scraping sides often. Slice berries if they are large. In tall glasses, alternate layers of berries and mousse until full. Serve immediately, or chill overnight to set (mousse will be as firm as ice cream).