For the past few months I’ve been gravitating away from meat. (And sugar. And dairy, too, for that matter.) Perhaps it’s a result of my various experiments in food: juice cleanses, gluten-free, chia seeds – even a brief dabbling in colonic therapy. But that’s beside the point. What matters is that I’m feeling more energetic – and stronger – than I have in a long time; so naturally, save a few extracurricular burgers, I’ve embraced it. A resource that’s recently become a bit of a touchstone for me is Mimi Kirk’s Live Raw, a review copy of which landed unexpectedly – and most fortuitously – on my desk last month. At 70, Kirk was voted PETA’s sexiest vegetarian over 50, which makes her living proof that eating well is good for you both inside and out. Her book is sprinkled with must-have advice on detoxifying (so gravity won’t get you down), as well as what you need to eat to properly feed your body every day – and why. Emphasizing the roles that attitude and mindset play in the way we all look and feel, Kirk stresses that even though the end result might be the same, the difference between “dieting†and “getting healthier†is tremendous. Live Raw includes tips for your looks, your attitude, and your health, but just as important, it includes delicious raw food recipes – a phrase I never thought I’d utter with a straight face – that anyone can integrate into a busy life; and even the most refined of palates can appreciate: stuffed portobello mushrooms with basil pesto, pomodoro lasagna, lemony cheesecake, and – my favorite – banana pudding. An engaging, one-of-a-kind guide, I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone who’s flirting with raw food or simply interested in exploring veganism. Beyond its practical applications, Live Raw also makes for fascinating reading.
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