Food Combinations and Menu Ideas For Entertaining Raw

This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni'sShe's spending close to one and a half to two
Renegade Roundtable, which can be found at Intimes as much as the clients I buy all vegetables
this excerpt, Joel Odhner shares on foodfor.
combinations and menu ideas for entertaining raw.Kevin: Wow.
Renegade Water Secrets with Joel Odhner,Joel:So I'm buying this stuff from the exact same
restaurant owner, chef, and raw food chef withstores, so it's not like it's a cheap store and an
clients from Delaware to New York.expensive store. In fact, the store I buy from
Kevin: So let's move into food combining. Whathappens to be kind of expensive all across the
are some raw foods that go together like peas inboard and yet she's still spending more than the
a pod and what are some that shouldn't bevegetarian group. So it's really if you think about
putting in yourmeals.it, you're just sort of shifting rather than spending
Joel:Okay, well, one of the obvious ones somein the past if people were spending money on
people don't think about is, if you are going to eatmeat, cheese, and dairy you're now just going to
a melon, only eat melons. So just oftentimes, intake those dollars and it's probably going to end
fact, often I'll just have a whole melon for lunch. I'llup being less and spend it on fruits and
just eat the entire watermelon or cantaloupe orvegetables. Because you really can't from a
whatever it is and nothing else. I consider melonsquantity standpoint, how much can you eat?
kind of like jet fuel. It goes through you muchPeople used to eat a fair amount of meat, but
quicker than anything else does and digests muchnow, you're not going to eat three pounds of
quicker. So sort of the worst thing you can do isvegetables at lunchtime. You're just not going to
to eat like some nut- based or that kind of thing,unless you're juicing.
a pate or something like that and then follow it upKevin: I've tried it and it doesn't work.
with some melon because it will move throughJoel:Yeah, exactly. If you're going to eat an entire
faster than you wish it did. I'll just put it to youhead of celery, an entire cucumber, four carrots
that way.and a whole thing of romaine, you're to eat a little
Kevin: Right, right.bit of that.
Joel:And then the sort of the big no-no, there's aKevin: Right.
lot of talk about mixing fruits with vegetables,Joel:No, I was going to say as people start eating
other kind of fruits. And it really in my ownmore and more raw, you are going to notice that
privileged brain it all depends on you. Everyone'syou are actually going to eat less in volume. When
digestion system is just a little different, a littleI first started doing raw eight, nine years ago I
more sensitive. Personally, I'm not real sensitive todid. I had like the mixing bowl that's the size that's
stuff. I know that, I mean I love avocados andprobably a foot and a half across and I'd eat
yet I know I don't digest them really well. So Ithese monstrous salads and within a very short
have to be careful and about eating those on topamount of time I was down to pretty much of a
of a lot of other things, as much as I love them.normal size salad and that was it because you're
So I try not to actually mix them like with astarting to get so much more of the vitamins and
tomato, sort of like an avocado, tomato, onionminerals from the quality of the food that you're
kind of mix. Just kind of like chopped up, salsaeating. You don't need near the volume you used
kind of thing. This is a great case. You really gotto. I'm a six-one, 200 pound guy. It's not like and I
to listen to your own body and see what worksdon't eat massive amounts of food. And I eat
for you and just kind of use yourself as yourand I exercise. I mean I'm like you. I'm always out
own test. In general, the heavier nuts and beansdoing something.
and things like that, sprouted beans and any ofKevin: Yep. And you mentioned juicing. Now, how
those based items remember that they are theare you preserving your juices as you're driving
heavier food, so if you have those and thenaround? Do you have any sort of technique?
follow it up with much lighter food it tends to kindJoel:Certainly, keep them in glass.
of stop up yoursystem a little bit. So try to eatKevin: Yeah.
them at separate meals or I would eat those,Joel:And when you do put them in glass you want
actually eat the lighter foods first and the otherto fill them up to the absolute top so that there's
ones on top.no air getting into it because air is what is going to
Kevin: Got you. And you mentioned sprouts. Dostart breaking it down. And then I have a little
you use a lot of sprouts when you're preparingcooler that I keep a little freezer pack in. I keep it
meals or not?cold, which will help preserve it as much as
Joel:Sprouts, as in like sunflower sprouts and thatpossible. Pretty much I carry what I'm going to
kind of thing, yes. Not a lot per se, but I do.do for the day. I'm not going to carry more than
Sprouted, I don't really use many sprouted peas,that.
beans or lentils. They're great. I love them. I don'tKevin: Here is a great question here that I got
happen to personally use them. It's not for anythat I really like and the person asked, I'm having
particular reason other than I just make a lot ofguests over, they're none raw, they don't really
other dishes. Speaking of that, sproutingeat raw, but she wants us to prepare them
something like a group or like a thing of peas,something raw that they'll really like. So what are
beans and lentils, it's really simple and you just putone or two things that you found are great
it in the glass jar, maybe put a quarter cup ofcross-over type meals. That people are just like,
each one in one jar all mixed together, cover itwait a minute, this is raw?
with water, leave it overnight, drain the waterJoel:Well, kale salad's a great one.
off, and, you know, do that twice a day andKevin: Yeah.
within like three to five days, you'll have sprouts.Joel:I mean if you want to do something different
You'll have sprouted peas and lentils which is greatthan a typical salad.
on top of a salad. It's a great protein source. It'sKevin: Right.
excellent and it literally costs pennies.Joel:I would often use, like I said before, stuffed
Kevin: Yeah.portabello mushroom, stuff it with a burger
Joel:And at this time of year you stick it in thebecause a lot of people are into mushrooms and
windowsill and you grow a little sprout and you'reit's a great thing, especially if you can marinate
all set. So anybody who's up for that, it's quitethe mushroom a little bit it makes it a little bit
simple to do. You don't need to go to the storesofter.
and buy it that way.Kevin: Okay.
Kevin: Do you think that's one of the cheapestJoel:Along with your burger. And depending on the
ways. I know a lot of people were asking how dotime of the year, certainly there are some great
you keep it into a budget? I know sprouts issoups. Like a gazpacho soup or that kind of thing
definitely one of them. What are some of theor you can even make a chili which is good.
other ways?Another thing is I will often make a burrito. A
Joel:Sprouts is definitely the way to go, youburrito I make is a walnut-based and it's like your
know, from a cheap standpoint and getting yourquote unquote meat. You just add some chili
protein. I don't think, it's like I said before, try aspowder and some cumin and cilantro diced up,
much as possible to buy in bulk. And if you canonion and tomato and you can roll that up, like I
share with another family or two, that's reallysaid before, like a wrap, like a sprouted wrap. And
great. I think going out and buying daily is a realso you're having it, you know, 99-percent raw
hassle. Although it's funny, I did notice someonebasically the insides are.
said that they live in New York and I thoughtAnd in fact, I will tell you a funny story I made
they said New York City and didn't like shoppingthat one time and one buddy of mine, he swore
every day. Well, it's funny. I would take thehe would never -- he has to have meat and so I
opposite of all places. I would think that was themade that burrito and put it in a little tortillawrap
easiest place to shop every day because soand I wrapped it up tin foil like it looked like I had
many places to pick from.bought it from a store and I brought it in and I
Kevin: Yeah.said, I stopped a while ago it's probably kind of
Joel:But from a time essence, hopefully you shouldcold, but it will be fine. He opens it up and inhales it
be able to buy, depending on how many peopleand he's like, it was great. And I said, by the way,
you're buying for, twice a week. I mean the keythere wasn't one animal product in there. He said
is you're just going to load your fridge up withyes, it was. So I mean it's a great item. Those
produce versus other than that, whatever elseare some easy, and those are all literally 15
you might have, used to have in there and it'sminutes of prep time.
funny. Speaking of cost I have one client who IKevin: Right. Imagine that, the person who is
have who actually eats meat, as well as otherputting on the dinner party, 15 minutes of prep
things, too. Compared to my other clients, shetime. Imagine what else you can do. You can
actually spends close to one and a half to twoactually sit with your guests. How cool is that?
times as much.Joel:Here's the great part. You can make all this
Kevin: Are you kidding me?food in advance and it doesn't go bad, it doesn't
Joel:I'm not kidding you.wilt. It's like it's ready to go.
Kevin: Wow.Kevin: Right.
Joel:So it's a big misnomer. Everybody thinks thatJoel:You can make these things and be all set,
eating vegetarian or being vegan is moreexactly. So you can actually spend more time
expensive, but it's actually less expensive. Thewith your guests and hold on I got to get it up to
funny thing is she does eat some vegetables, buttemperature and I'll be right there.
not many. So she is basically buying just meat.