Today we have an interview with Amber Shea Crawley, a creative and inventive raw vegan chef and cookbook author. Her first book, Practically Raw, is getting rave reviews. PR is a practical approach to raw foods, showing a cooked version of many of the recipes. This encourages the reader to try new foods and dispels the myth that raw food is weird or difficult to do. Let's get to know Amber a little better shall we?! And don't forget to enter to win her cookbook!
What inspired you to go almost vegan and explore raw foods?
After losing weight in college and immersing myself in the world of health and nutrition, I naturally gravitated to vegetarian and then vegan ways of eating. I started calling myself "almost vegan" because I don't believe it's necessary to be 100% vegan, 100% of the time to simply start making gradual, healthy, and lasting changes in diet and lifestyle. I started my blog, Almost Vegan, in 2008, and the more I read and learned, the more I began to feel drawn to raw foods, and after falling head over heels in love with them, I quit my life insurance job to attend culinary school in 2010.
What are your favorite summer foods and why?
Fruit! There's nothing better than chowing down on juicy watermelon and candy-sweet mangoes in the summer heat.
Who's work do you love in the culinary world? Who inspires you and why?
Matthew Kenney is my mentor and also one of my top culinary idols. I'm forever impressed by his creativity and ingenuity with fresh, living foods.
I know that you are battling some health issues right now. With all your research and experience do you believe that food can heal all?
No – but I believe it can come close. If there's one thing I've learned from being diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, it's that there are things about our health that even a fantastic diet and lifestyle can't necessarily "fix." I do feel certain that I'd be much, much worse off right now if I didn't have 4+ years of vegan and high-raw eating under my belt.
Do you have any tips for those wanting to go vegan who may also have health issues?
Focus on the fresh foods. As tempting as it may be, don't turn to fake meats and cheeses – they will not likely help any health issue you may have. Go for fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans, plus occasional whole grains and only very limited quantities of sugar. It may seem bland for awhile, but experiment with herbs and spices and you'll soon find you have a culinary rainbow to play with.
What does the future hold for Almost Vegan?
Lots! I'm still promoting my first cookbook Practically Raw, and I'm simultaneously working on my next project – but my lips are sealed for now. I can promise, though, that you are going to love it!
Thanks Amber for your insight! I can't wait to hear more about your new project!!
Now for the giveaway! GIVEAWAY CLOSED!
To enter: Answer this question = What is your favorite "raw" dish?
For a bonus entry = Follow @AlmostVeganChef AND @TheBlissfulChef on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (something like "I just entered the Practically Raw cookbook giveaway at @theblissfulchef")
Please let me know if you did this in the same comment.
A winner will be chosen Monday July 9th at 5pm. Good luck!
NOTE: The selected winner must provide an email address and a shipping address located within the 48 contiguous US states. Not my rules sorry!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 11:22 am
i just love amber <3 my favorite raw dish is a massaged kale salad with avocado and mango (with other seasonal veggies, too)!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 11:55 am
my favorite raw meal is definitely zucchini pasta!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 11:55 am
i just tweeted about the giveaway
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 12:03 pm
I am just getting into Raw foods and so far my favorite raw food is cheesy zucchini pasta! Soo good!! @Vegfoodtracker tweeted too
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 12:59 pm
I love a traditional Thai papaya salad, yum! Please enter my name to win a copy of Practically Raw.
I tweeted about this giveaway for an extra entry: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/218749837024305153
Thanks!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 1:03 pm
My fave raw food of the moment is Kale….but love mangos & avocados also; all three raw foods are so versatile on their own! The whole combo together, or with other things, can provide a bounty of great recipes…..salsa, salads, smoothies, etc!!! =D
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 1:11 pm
So many favorites! How about cheesy kale chips made in my dehydrator. YUM!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 1:25 pm
My fav raw dish- salad.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 1:35 pm
my favorite raw recipe is ground flaxseed/ground nuts/ cocoa/lemon kool aid 2teas., dried fruit chopped, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, ran through food processor. shaped as desired, or cut into squares.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 1:47 pm
My favorite raw dish is a big spinach salad with almonds, strawberries, blueberries and mangos. Also love the sweets I purchase from a raw food bakery – but don't know how to make any of them myself! I need a good raw cookbook!!!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 2:04 pm
My favorite raw food is pretty simple…avocado! I just love them straight from the shell. Also, I followed and tweeted about the giveaway
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 2:39 pm
I have many raw dishes that I absolutely love, but one of them would definitely be banana ice cream
I also follow @AlmostVeganChef on twitter, and have tweeted (https://twitter.com/sunobie/status/218775090979028992)
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 4:10 pm
Fav raw dish has got to be raw cheezecake. Although massaged kale salads w/ mango and pepitas are a close second.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 4:18 pm
I love raw zucchini with onion salads! YUM!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 4:18 pm
Following The Blissful Chef on Twitter!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 4:19 pm
Follow Almost Vegan Chef on Twitter!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 4:46 pm
My favorite raw dish is oatmeal raisin cookies. They don't make it long after I remove them from the dehydrator.
I am following both The Blissful Chef and Almost Vegan Chef on Twitter. I also tweeted "I just entered the Practically Raw cookbook giveaway at @theblissfulchef" .
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 4:52 pm
Thank you so much for introducing us to Amber. I, too, have been living with Hashimoto's Disease, and I would love to learn more from Amber on how healthier foods can – while not heal the condition – make it easier to live with. I'm new to raw foods, but a salad that I really enjoy right now is sliced avocado and tomato, with slivered basil, extra virgin olive oil (hope that counts), fresh squeezed lime juice, and salt and pepper.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 5:46 pm
My favorite raw dish is a spiralized zucchini salad.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 6:02 pm
Raw Fresh Garden Salsa!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 7:45 pm
I love vegan raw fudge! It keeps my sweet tooth craving in check!
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 8:11 pm
Oh wow deciding what my favorite raw dish is very very hard, I would have to say raw german chocolate cake.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 8:13 pm
Plus I tweeted too.
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 9:59 pm
I love the raw desserts @ Cafe Gratitude (all of them).
(I can't tweet cuz I don't have a twit)
Friday, June 29, 2012 - 11:48 pm
I am just starting this journey…..my favorite raw dish is a fruit/veggie smoothie!
Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 6:42 am
Raw Buddah bowl, Thai noodles made with raw kelp noodles and zucchini noodles, and zucchini noodles with raw pesto. Though I really love all raw food dishes.
Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 9:31 am
I love dates and nut creative "candies".
Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 12:12 pm
My absolute favorite raw dish of all time is the raw lasagna at Pure Food & Wine! I also eat A LOT of massaged kale salads!
I am following both you & amber & tweeted – https://twitter.com/vegenista/status/219100584987471873
Sunday, July 1, 2012 - 3:42 pm
I am loving raw kale salads with Raw date and chocolate balls for dessert!
Sunday, July 1, 2012 - 4:57 pm
A favorite raw food? So hard to choose! At the moment, I can't get enough of honeydew lemongrass soup. During the heat, there is nothing more refreshing.
Sunday, July 1, 2012 - 8:32 pm
I think my favorite raw dish is raw ice cream. It's perfect in the summer and my kids love it!
Followed & tweeted
Monday, July 2, 2012 - 11:49 am
Love raw zucchini salads and spaghetti. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 19 years ago. I am very healthy and have great energy all due to a clean food lifestyle. Mentoring to others with this disease is so rewarding.
Monday, July 2, 2012 - 11:56 am
Raw desserts = HEAVEN! Especially tarts with yummy nut crusts!
Already following you both on FB and now off to add you to Twitter. Thanks bunches for this opportunity!
Monday, July 2, 2012 - 2:49 pm
Right now I am loving fresh tomatoes and avocado salads.
Monday, July 2, 2012 - 5:35 pm
My favorite raw recipe is a "pizza" on seed bread with cashew cheese, pesto, and veggies.
I also follow you both on Twitter (my handle is @NutriSpeaking) and I tweeted about the giveaway (https://twitter.com/NutriSpeaking/status/219905536706101249).
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 4:11 pm
I definitely don't eat as much raw as I should…I do love massaged kale salads with avocado, and also snacking on raw nuts and pumpkin seeds. Thanks for the giveaway!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 4:59 pm
My favorite raw dish is certainly my homemade guacamole. Avocado, cilantro, tomato, onion, sea salt and lime juice.
I also followed your instructions to receive the bonus Twitter entry, thanks!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 5:02 pm
My favorite raw dishes are salads!
Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 11:20 pm
[...] over to The Blissful Chef’s blog to read and interview and enter to win a copy of the new cookbook, Almost Raw, by Amber Shea [...]
Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 11:21 pm
Yay for raw fun!!!! My favourite raw dish- that is a toughie… Probably raw tacos or avocado kale salad, and I feel less of a person without my green juices or smoothies daily!
Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 11:31 pm
Ooh, she sounds awesome.
My favorite raw dish is – guacamole. Short and simple.
Friday, July 6, 2012 - 5:54 am
My favourite raw dish is apple and cinnamon pie, made with a date, almond and cocoa crust. So yum!
Friday, July 6, 2012 - 1:53 pm
I think my favourite raw dish is probably cheeseless "cheesecake" made with soaked cashews…yummy!
Saturday, July 7, 2012 - 8:00 pm
Baked Kale with with sea salt. And homemade guacamole with avocadoes, tomatoes, lime juice and sea salt too!
Yum!
Saturday, July 7, 2012 - 8:03 pm
Let's see…..
I followed @AlmostVeganChef AND @TheBlissfulChef on Twitter and tweeted this giveaway on my twitter account. Here's my twitter status!
https://twitter.com/YogaWithGaileee/status/221755933259345920 <3 Gaileee
Sunday, July 8, 2012 - 10:14 am
My favorite raw dish is Raw Pad Thai Salad with Kelp Noodles!
Sunday, July 8, 2012 - 2:59 pm
I love a raw kale salad any day of the week. My second choice would be raw tacos. They're so fresh, flavorful and easy!
Sunday, July 8, 2012 - 10:50 pm
Kale salad!
Monday, July 9, 2012 - 10:57 am
So hard to choose a favorite! Maybe nothing's as good as a perfect strawberry. But I also love kale salad, sunflower seed pate with sundried tomatoes and cilantro, and big green salads with garlicky, nutritional yeasty vinaigrettes.
Monday, July 9, 2012 - 11:49 am
I have a lot of favorite raw dishes, but if I have to name an absolute favorite it would be Hazelnut Chocolate Cream Pie. (aka "I Am Bliss" at Cafe Gratitude)
Monday, July 9, 2012 - 12:04 pm
I'm now following theblissfulchef & almostveganchef on twitter. and I tweeted about this giveaway. I've been wanting a raw food cookbook and this looks like a great one to start with!