The raw food revolution has been around a lot longer than you might think, maybe forever, as some raw foodists like to point out, since mankind was out roaming the earth in search of sustenance way before the microwave oven existed. A rapacious opportunivore myself, I admit I cultivate a certain skepticism toward the array of exotically-packaged esoterica on the “Raw Foods” shelf at my local health food store. Products that seem to lose sight of the fact that raw food is just food — and needn’t be inaccessible to those of us who don’t have the requisite dehydrators, or ten bucks a pop to shell out for small packages of flax-seed “bread” sticks or raw chocolate maca bars. So here’re a few raw food ideas for the busy, the broke… and the blender.

Raw Wrappers Raw, de-stemmed collard leaves or fresh whole cabbage leaves are great as wraps for raw vegetable “burritos,” while Romaine lettuce is a trusted contender for raw spring rolls and nori seaweed for raw veggie “sushi” rolls.

Raw Greens “Cook” your leafy greens by massaging them with raw olive oil and lemon juice until they take on the consistency of braised or sautéed greens. Add some sea salt, raw pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes to the mix for a delicious Tuscan touch.

Raw Spreads and Dips Raw tahini and lemon juice can be used as the base for a variety of intriguing spreads including raw herbed “hummus” or mock tuna salad with plenty of celery and carrot chunks. Raw pesto made with pine nuts or walnuts, basil, garlic and olive oil is great as a spread or dip as well as a sauce. Pureed avocado can be much more than just guacamole. Try it with Middle Eastern or Mediterranean seasonings, or just blended with some lemon and chives.

Raw Soups Just as almost any fruit will make a good juice, almost any vegetable will make a good raw soup. Vegetables with lots of water in them like cucumbers, zucchinis, or tomatoes make good bases, while the addition of some avocado, raw tahini, or nut milk will lend a creamy consistency to the finished product.

Now get on with your raw self!

Photo courtesy of tifotter.