Raw Vegan Almond Carrot Pate

Used for a main course or appetizer, making this pate will give you an introduction to cooking raw and living foods. Given that enzymes in fresh food are killed by cooking (116F), the idea of raw and living food is to enhance enzymes in the food by sprouting (living food), or at least to eat food in which the enzymes haven’t been killed by heating (raw food).

Why eat food rich in enzymes? Enzymes help digest food, and if the enzymes are all heated they won’t be as capable of helping the digestive process to help you get the maximum nutrition from your food. The acid of the stomach will deactivate the enzymes, but not kill them. The enzymes are then reactivated in the more alkaline environment of the small intestines. Enzymes that are killed by being heated can’t reactivate in this way.

Ingredients
2 cups almonds, soaked for 24 hours (this makes the almonds “living” food and not just raw)
2 cups carrots
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Celtic salt

Process almonds and carrots through a juicer, combine remaining ingredients and mix well.

Serves 4-6

— Adapted from Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine, by Gabriel Cousens, M.D. (North Atlantic Books, 2003).