Around the world, a revolution is quietly occuring as people switch to “raw food” diets. Raw food-ists — with their youthful complexions, vibrant health, radiant skin, and clear eyes — are inspiring others to add “living foods” into their meal plans. This new way of eating is delicious, easy, and fun … and it’s the ultimate contribution to going green for the world’s environment.

Far from just boring salads, living cuisine consists of creamy and crunchy dishes such as burritos, lasagna, pasta, and apple pie — all cleverly created from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains. Restaurants devoted to raw food are popping up internationally, and celebrities are touting its fountain-of-youth benefits.

The philosophy behind raw behind raw food is both nutritional and spiritual. Fresh produce contains living and healthful enzymes, which are killed when it is cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. By profession, I (Jenny) am the owner and executive chef of a living-foods restaurant called 118 Degrees in Costa Mesa, California. I know that the enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and pure energy within raw food can heal and detoxify the body. Many formerly ill people credit their raw diets with saving their lives.

The highly processed, cooked food of the Standard American Diet (SAD) contribute to lethargy, obesity, and disease. Just by adding a small percentage of raw food to the SAD, people lose weight and feel better.

Raw food also answers the call to “go green,” since it supports sustainable organic farming; and as a vegetarian diet, it’s a cruelty-free lifestyle.

I love food. I love eating food, I love cooking food, I even love pictures of food. And sometimes when I’m feeling lazy I go out to eat. I also work in a restaurant.

But as a vegetarian, it can be difficult finding a restaurant where you can eat something that isn’t a salad. And even salads can be frustrating. (Why must you have meat in all of your salads, Ruby Tuesday??)

For my birthday a few years ago, my aunt took us to Pure Food & Wine in New York City, and I was introduced to the wonderful world of raw food. Every time we ventured into the city, I wanted to eat there. When I was living in Boston, I wanted to try and convince my friends to go to to a raw food restaurant up there.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to a raw food restaurant. But I was in Barnes & Noble the other day looking for monologue books, and I figured I’d take a look at the vegetarian cookbooks. What I found was nearly half a shelf of various raw food cookbooks. I had to buy one.

So I’m going to blog my way through this cookbook. With my activity packed schedule - two jobs, school, college applications/auditions, costuming a show - and my college student salary, I’m going to try and do at least one recipe a week. And once I finish this book, maybe I’ll move on to another one, maybe I’ll try out a few recipes of my own.

When I talk about raw food, a lot of people find it either weird or potentially gross. But it is neither of those things. It is wonderful. It is delicious, fun, and healthy.

So join me on my wonderful journey through raw food. Trust me. It’s going to be amazing.