When its too hot to even think about turning on the oven, what’s the best way to eat well?
This summer has been one of the hottest ever, and while it hasn’t broken records, it has everyone breaking a sweat.
Plus 30 C temperatures can make simple things like walking the dog or running errands difficult. Cooking can especially be a challenge.
But there’s hope.
Kyla Whitmore, chef and owner of Rawlicious KW, has the answer.
The restaurant serves only ‘raw’ food, or food that hasn’t been cooked above 115 degrees Celsius.
“We use dehydrators instead of ovens, which take moisture out of the food, just at a lower temperature. So some things take 48 hours to make like our onion bread, or nacho chips,” she said.
“Its a different approach really. Different ingredients, just a little bit more prep time.”
It’s an approach that she recommends to individuals trying to beat the heat in hot summer weather, and avoid turning on the oven, or even the barbecue.
In the summer, a raw food diet hits the spot, she said.
“Your body kind of craves it around this time of year. Things that are lighter, easier to digest.”
While Whitmore uses a dehydrator and produces raw tortillas, bread and cashew cheese, there are a number of recipes that anyone can make at home, including one of her favourites: Zucchini noodles.
Using a ‘spiralizer’ she can turn virtually any vegetable into a noodle shape, which goes into the restaurants signature pad thai dish.
“Just fresh zuchinni made into noodles, add some veggies in, a sauce, and its super easy but fresh and tasty,” Whitmore said.
Whitmore provided a recipe for those wanting to try it out.
Zuchetti Pesto
Ingredients:
6 medium-sized zucchini
1 cup pesto *see recipe below
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
10 cherry tomatoes
1 spring parlsey
Yeild: Four servings
Freshness: 1 hour
Instructions:
1. Peel and spiralize zucchini using a spiralizer.
2. Slice the sundried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.
3. Toss noddles with pesto.
4. Garnish with parsley.
Pesto recipe
Ingredients:
1½ cup basil
1 cup spinach
3/4 cup sunflower seeds – soaked for 4-6 hours and drained
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1½ cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Yields: 1½ cups
Freshness: 5 days
Instructions:
1. Process everything except the sunflower seeds in the food processor.
2. Add sunflower seeds and combine.
Clare Bonnyman 