Victoria Boutenko

This is not really a book to read if you're looking for information on switching to a raw foods diet, but it is an interesting story of how an entire family went from being rich in money and indulgent in food to diseased to healed (after they totally went out on a limb and switched their diet overnight) to broke and homeless to very happy and peaceful.
It's a very fast read (68 small pages - the rest of the book is recipes and photos), and one of the most interesting things is how each member show more of the family contributes to the telling of the tale. Each passage starts out with the name of the family member who wrote it. My favorite section was Sergei's message to teenagers. I love how he is so positive about his diet and how he talks about how easy it is to still be social even if your diet is radically different from that of your friends'. show less

This was a highly entertaining and compelling one-day read full of fascinating information that definitely dovetails nicely with sustainable living. I'd say the common theme between the two is taking personal responsibility for our health as well as our future and those of our children and future generations. It's packed with tremendous food for thought, no pun intended.

The author is a raw food activist that offers the premise that human beings need to eat more leaves (greens) and that smoothies with greens and sweetened with fruit is the best way to do it. I believe she has good ideas but I am suspect of her science. It's reasonable but not science! The book is readable - and I am adding greens to my daily smoothies.

While I found this book to be the perfect companion to the book "12 Steps to Raw Foods", I also believe it stands very well alone. If you are considering a raw food diet, or if you've already started, this book is a MUST READ. Ms. Boutenko shows you how to make her family's favorite dishes. I must say I have NEVER seen a cookbook that is so easy to follow! Each recipe has lists of ingredients as well as tools needed and helpful informational boxes. Did I mention the HUNDREDS of color photos? show more The photos show EVERY step of the cooking process, so that I could literally see the dish form before my eyes. The pictures really 'make' this book.
I had no idea it was possible to make raw desserts like cakes and pies - they look absolutely delicious and I can't wait to try one.
Lastly, the back of the book contains helpful recommendations on the Boutenko family's favorite kitchen appliances that will help you make any of these dishes.
Five Stars. show less