The Fully Raw Diet: 21 Days to Better Health, with Meal and Exercise Plans, Tips, and 75 Recipes Paperback – Illustrated, January 5, 2016

I'm reviewing this book for a couple of reasons. First, when I was evaluating whether or not I wanted to buy it, I read through a number of reviews penned by people who love the author's You Tube channel, but hadn't actually read this book yet. I love the passion, but actually just wanted to know if people think this is a good book.So, for others like me who may be scratching their heads over this, I will attest that I have read it!Honestly, The Fully Raw Diet is unlike any book I've ever read, and that is saying something because I read extensively on health and diet. I read cookbooks for fun, and I have a handful of books written for raw vegans. Most of my exposure to raw vegan cuisine entails a lot of dehydrating foods and high fat recipes that center around nuts. (All of which is fine with me, but this book presents a truly different take on things vegan and raw.)First, the book is clearly an intense labor of love on the part of the author, and that comes through boldly on every page. I dig that.Second, and even more importantly, I have tried some of the recipes, and I'm smiling. The author is a proponent of a diet that is very high in fruit, and very low in fat and proteins. My eyes practically popped out of my skull when I read the recommendation to eat 6-8 pounds of fruit per day, and I'm not sure I could keep that up day after day. However, in my mind raw veganism never has to be an all-or-nothing proposition, so I was intrigued and read on. The first section of the book is comprised of a 21-day food and exercise plan, and contains all sorts of fun information for anyone who is following the plan closely. I read that part quickly, though, to get to the good stuff: The FOOD!!Section Two contains a bunch of recipes, including juices and smoothies, salads and dressings, full meals, and desserts. These recipes do NOT involve cranking up the dehydrator at all, not even once, and the fat content is extremely low, with a heavy focus on fruits and vegetables. Results to date: The infused water recipes and suggestions are divine. Who knew water could taste that good? The juices and smoothies offer clever ideas for combining herbs and fruits and contains great suggestions for flavors that pair well. I made the Lemon Creme sauce recipe right off the bat and sort of squealed when I tasted it because the flavor is INTENSELY lemony. Maybe my tastebuds could adjust to it, but it was easy to customize the recipe by throwing in a few cashews and extra water to mellow the flavor out a bit. This sauce is intended to pair with raw fruits and salads, but I actually thought it was delicious on lightly steamed broccoli and cauliflower. I made the spinach strawberry salad, and again adapted the dressing recipe slightly (by adding cashews again) to suit my palate - and it was incredible: light, colorful (I added some extra veggies to it), tangy and festive. And different - I don't think I have ever tasted a spinach/strawberry salad that was not topped with a vinaigrette. Magnifique! (Also, the nutrition geek in me always appreciates the combination of iron-rich spinach with citrus/Vitamin C for augmenting iron absorption). The banana ice creams offer some unique twists on the basics, and, well, ALL of the dessert recipes are going to be tried in my household. Most of them use a lot of dates, but are still low in fat. The collard-wrap burrito recipe offers an intriguing blend of flavors, and I like the low fat take on guacamole. Bravo!I don't think one has to follow a strict raw diet to to enjoy this book. It's interesting to me because the flavor combinations are clever and the recipes are nutrient-rich AND low in fat/calories. I enjoyed the voice and optimism of the author, and the suggestions about exercise that are peppered throughout.I would like to see a more in-depth discussion about nutrition here, as this book left me with questions such as, 'What about essential fatty acids', and 'what about vegetables that are known to become more nutritious when cooked (such a carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms)?' But for a fresh take on raw food, I heartily recommend this book!Addendum to original comments: I'm upgrading my rating to 5 stars. I started to wonder why a whole bunch of people would write such glowing reviews for a book they have not yet read, so I checked out the author's YouTube channel for myself. I think I get it now. That is one delightful YouTube channel! The video clips are colorful and pretty to look at, the food presentation made my mouth water, and Kristina explains her vision with a clarity of purpose that can only be described as inspiring. Watch a few of her videos and see if you don't feel a bit happier for having seen them. :)

This book is alive with inspiration. The author has a true message of health that she embraces and it is in the heart of every page of this book. In focusing more on being conscious about how to take care of my body and how closely the food I eat reflects my physical, mental, and spiritual health, I found support in Kristina. My journey to health has been a challenge. I spent many years restricting foods that I knew were unhealthy for me, but did not have a strong knowledge of how to feed my body and fought through being underweight and empty of energy. I sought help, and had loving support, but few understood my desire to put on health weight with what I refer to as real food.I had many struggles before I returned to health and found others who promoted my healthy lifestyle. One of my biggest struggles was with an eating disorder dietician who wanted me to bring in "food" labels to calculate up my daily nutrition. All of her meal suggestions were how to make quick processed meals which for me felt heavy and drained my energy. I know her goal was to increase my weight, but it seemed like that was the only thing she saw as what I needed to be healthy. I wanted to eat meals filled with fruits and vegetables, foods that didn't come packaged with a label, but that was seen as me being psychologically set on restricting and not as wanting to be healthy.I stuck to my beliefs and during this time found Kristina. Her own journey was overwhelming to me and hit home. It was the first time I saw a positive picture of someone who struggled with being underweight to get back to health with following a lifestyle that included eating raw whole foods. Her energy, kindness, and openness about her path has touched many more than me. I know my life and lifestyle have changed in a positive way because of the message she shares and is so passionate about.Kristina's book is as bright and vibrant as she is in this world. I feel this book focuses on a fully raw food lifestyle and meets others wherever they are on their way to health. It promotes health with positivity and not judgement. The structure is laid out so that anyone, no matter how introductory or scholarly their understanding of this lifestyle is, can easily flip through the daily meal/exercise suggestions, see meal prep requirements (kitchen utensils/gadgets) or just go directly to recipes.My favorite thing about the book is meals are simple, full of flavor, and nutrient packed. So many raw food books and recipes I've seen include dehydrators and long preparation or many ingredients that often include hard to find or more costly items. Kristina's recipes are fun, vibrant, and delicious. I love that she includes mono-meals and describes the logic behind it. Just sitting with a bowel of strawberries or grapes and noticing all of the flavor that comes from it without seven other ingredients mixed in. Her description of how we are more easily connected to when we are satiated when we eat in this way versus continually triggering our taste senses with many foods in one meal is definitely something I agree with and makes sense as to why there is a difficulty with overeating in our world.I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to try a healthier lifestyle. It is a great guide for those wanting to just introduce a few raw meals into their diet, and those who are looking to see if going fully raw is the right path for them. Kristina is great at emphasizing the importance of maintaining health, especially the importance exercise and of eating enough if one does switch to all raw foods. The book is a great guide and I would suggest looking up Kristina's YouTube videos for added support and a positive outlook no matter what changes in your lifestyle you decide to try.