IN THE RAW AT PROVIGO

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By Heather Boyd

My curiosity for new things led me to the Montreal Cooking Classes group on Meetup.com.  Since attending their “What’s for Dinner” class at Provigo Pierrefonds last month, I’ve been drooling over their diverse course schedule. The Raw Foodism class with Chef Marie-Lyne David appealed to my quest for greater health, and I was not disappointed.Screen Shot 2015-05-14 at 7.31.23 AM

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Raw veganism combines vegan and raw food diets. It excludes all animal food products including dairy and eggs. It includes raw vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut butters, grain and legume sprouts, fermented vegetables, seeds, plant oils, sea vegetables, herbs and fresh juices. To be considered raw food must not be cooked at a temperature above 40–48° C. Raw diets are helpful to detoxify the body, but must be transitioned into slowly and with caution if you are considering the diet as a daily practice.Heather Boyd

Chef Marie-Lyne was a delightful and passionate instructor. She is not vegan, but does occasional raw food detoxes for optimal health. She drinks daily smoothies and we were treated to three of her favourites: The Boost, The Detox and the truly decadent Indulgence. Who said healthy eating had to be boring!

She demonstrated how to make soup without cooking. The warm Miso soup was simple and delicious.

Rice is a no-no in raw foodism. The sushi was made with a raw veggie paté instead of rice. The paté was created in seconds in the food processor with random bits of vegetables, soaked nuts, basil stems and avocado.

The piece de resistance was the Pear Tart. It was sweet and tart at the same time. It is easy to make, but was prepared ahead of time due to the waiting time between steps.Screen Shot 2015-05-14 at 7.23.52 AM

I came home with many new ideas for simple, healthy food preparation. Chef Marie-Lyne has generously shared her original recipes with the West Island Blog readers:
Warm Miso Soup (1 portion)
2 Tablespoons miso paste
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tablespoons finely chopped or sliced mushrooms
1 finely chopped green onion
1 Tablespoon finely diced or sliced red and/or yellow peppers
Few drops sesame oil to taste
White pepper to taste

Directions:
Dissolve the miso paste in the water without raising the temperature above 40 degrees Celsius. Add remaining ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes.
Pear Tart
Crust:
1 cup pitted dates; soaked 15 minutes in warm water and drained
1 cup raw pecans; soaked 12 hours in cold water and drained
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil (optional for a more nutty flavour)
Agave syrup to taste
Topping:
4 thinly sliced red pears
juice from 2 lemons
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
Combine all ingredients for the crust in a food processor and pulse until combined. Press into a pie pan and refrigerate two hours.
Combine all ingredients for the topping and let sit on the counter for one hour.
Place topping on the crust and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

For more information on cooking classes contact Melissa McDonnell, Marketing Coordinator at Provigo le Marché Pierrefonds
(514) 624-6369 ext. 130
ecoleculinairepc.pierrefonds@provigo.ca

websiteHeather Boyd is a self-employed artist living in Beaconsfield, QC. Her work can be seen on her website http://heatherboydwire.com and at the Viva Vida Art Gallery in the Pointe Claire Village.

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