Raw Food

Two days ago I ate lunch at a raw foods restaurant in Lansdale, Pennsylvania called Arnold's Way. One thing I love about diets of any kind is they can teach you to be more creative with the ingredients you do have. That is why my favorite restaurant in the Bay Area is a raw restaurant, Cafe Gratitude. At Arnold's Way the food was not nearly as captivating. Arnold's heart seems to lye in the medicinal aspects of food and not in its artistry. In fact when I mentioned Cafe Gratitude to Arnold he responded that they are too elaborate with their food; using too many ingredients. Each meal, according to Arnold, should have no more than five ingredients. Each ingredient competes with the others for the body's attention, much like tryng to have a conversation with twenty people at once. Arnold believes five is the limit. He himself eats just fruit and greens. Not even vegetables or nuts. The body, according to Arnold, does not know what to do with protein or grains, they only bog it down and confuse it. Fruits and greens offer the necessary nutrients, but require constant consumption. Arnold eats all day.

As someone who loves food as well as its nutritive properties. I found Arnold fascinating. He touts that in terms of illnesses "you name it and he's dealt with it" meaning you can cure anything with such a diet. But really, is it possible we don't need protein or grains? What about bread as the staff of life?

I'm not convinced, and the mostly unforgettable combinations left nothing to convince me. The Polynesian salad, however was noteworthy; an interesting and pleasing combination of mango, pineapple, coconut, almonds, zucchini, and tomato. This salad can easily be made at home, it was simply all mixed together, chopped I believe with a grater feature on a food processor. The sweet potato pie was pretty good as well. Though it still boggles my mind how the sweet potato is soft without being cooked. One of life's little mysteries I guess.