Founded by Lillian Butler and Eddie Robinson about 6 years ago, Raw Soul offers dine-in, take out, deliveries, catering, raw products (available in health stores around Manhattan) and sometimes even cooking classes. It’s on 145th Steet, very close to the ACBD stop. The space is fairly small and casual, with table service provided by the person who’s also at the counter.

First was the Sorrel Punch, a Jamaican Christmas specialty made out of hibiscus flowers, which are named “sorrel” in Jamaica (very different from the green leaves I expected). It’s vibrant pink, chilled, fizzy, slightly bitter, and deliciously spicy (I could really taste the ginger); the perfect pick-me-up for a dark, hot, and humid afternoon.

Then a friend and I split a sweet tooth dinner: he had the Chocolate Heaven, a wonderful smoothie which, when ordered with no agave was just sweet enough, and with added spirulina turned into edible velvet. The spicy sweet potato soup was a bit too salty, but had a nice hint of garam masala, a spice I hadn’t had in ages and realized I’d been missing. The chocolate-fig brownie’s great if you’re a fig fan, but might be too sweet for dark chocolate fiends (if you don’t like the taste of chocolate syrup, you probably won’t get into it.).

My favorite was the Strawberry Cheesecake: a rawsomely smooth and firm velvety texture, ever so slight coconut flavor and traditional cheesecake sweetness, sandwiched between a crunchy nutty crust and a fresh strawberry coulis. It was pure all American dessert bliss at an all American portion size worth sharing with someone else.

Another day, stuck with hours of computer work and no time to cook, I went down for their dinner special (1 small soup + 1 iced tea + 1/2 burger, 1/2 wrap or a small pizza = $12). The cream of corn soup was fantastic. It had a smooth texture with crunchy bits of sweetcorn at the bottom, and a lovely creamy savory fragrant taste.

The personal pizza was phenomenal: an ultra think buckwheat crust covered with creamy walnut cheese, sweet tomato puree and colorful olive, tomato, onion, mushroom and basil bits. Only issue was that it was too small! And the iced tea hit the spot: fruity, sweet and fragrant.

On my last day in the neighborhood, after ogling the daily specials for some time (they included a peach cheese cake, mint patty cheese cake, pecan pie, and a layer cake) I ordered the curry pate collard green wrap. It’s served as two rolls of crunch spicy collard green leaves filled with a sweet, buttery curry paste, crispy watery sprouts in the center, and tons of deliciousness. Portions are fairly small, but unlike the pizza, a little bit goes a long way so I’d recommend getting a 1/2 wrap with soup, or sharing an order. Overall a good experience: if you like soul food and American staples, it’s worth a visit!



Raw Soul

348 W. 145th Street
New York, NY 10031
http://www.rawsoul.com

Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.; Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Sunday and Monday, Closed

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I’m sure by now everyone has noticed, the heat has officially set in this summer. It’s time to cool off with some delicious fruits and vegetables that actually help lower your bodies temperature and keep you nice and hydrated. The raw food diet is probably the most ideal diet for summer time as everything yummy is in season, lower in price, and there is no need to turn on that hot stove or oven to whip up a delicious meal. Nature provides an abundance of foods this time of year to help keep us cool and nourished. Many fruits and veggies that have a shorter season like summer squashes, cucumbers, and melons come into their full glory during the hottest months, and have the most cooling effect. Some cooling vegetables include crunchy lettuces, mixed baby greens, celery, crisp sunflower greens and sprouts, and brocolli which make great salad fixings. Chop up some fresh corn into your summer salads as well, I have certainly been enjoying that lately. For a light dressing try a high quality extra virgin olive oil like Bariani, and our brand new coconut vinegar and coconut aminos. Combine with minced fresh herbs and a pinch of salt and our salad will be rawkin and ready to go.

Aim for high levels of juicy fruits during the summer. Melons of all kinds are amazing, watermelon being especially cooling to the system. Try also different varieties like galia, crenshaw, canary, tucson cantaloupe, and casaba. Some of these melons are so sweet and delicately flavored and textured that they nearly melt in your mouth. Keep your melons in the fridge once ripe to avoid spoilage and to highten their cooling effect on the body. Make sure to load up on lots of tomatoes, fresh bell peppers, cucumbers, zuchinni, and yellow summer squashes too, as these are cooling fruits that will make great bases for savory meals when fruit isn't hitting the spot. You can make veggie chips out of the summer squashes by simply marinating in a little olive oil, salt and herbs and dehydrating until crisp. Also, one of my ultimate summer meals is zuchinni pasta, which is so light and flavorful, even your cooked food friends will be amazed that it is raw and so easy to make. Great for summer potlucks and family meals.

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Last week I had a complete moment of utter excitement in my local co-op. I spotted for the first time this season what is probably my all time favorite summer time fruit, fresh figs!!!! There is just something about figs that my body absolutely craves. The flavor of course is amazing, and the texture is like that of a gooey, sweet dessert with a nectar-like filling. But beyond this, the fig has an incredible array of nutrients and health benefits that make this delectable fruit deserve some spotlight attention.

Figs are incredibly alkalinizing due to their very high mineral content. As far as sweet fruit goes, figs are exceptional high in a few minerals that many other fruits skimp on. Calcium and iron being two, which are great for bone and blood building. They are known for having one of the highest calcium levels in the plant kingdom. They also contain high levels of copper, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K. They are a strength and energy food. Figs trees have been around since ancient times, consumed by both primates in nature and people living all over the world. Fig tree are native to southwest Asia and the Mediterranean region of the world, and are now cultivated in many other areas of the world with a similar climate.

Figs are very soothing and cleansing to the digestive system and are very high in soluble fiber, which gently keeps waste moving out of our bodies easily. They actually have the ability to help dissolve mucous buildup in the large intestines. Figs would be an incredible fruit to eat before and after an intestinal cleanse or juice fast.

I prefer to eat figs as a mono meal all by themselves, but you can also blend them in smoothies or chopped up in green salads with a little Coconut Vinegar and olive oil. Try making a figgy vanilla nut mylk by blending a few figs into your nut mylk base. Do this with sesame mylk (recipe included below) and you will literally have an akalinizing, calcium packed, bone building super tonic.

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