Wild

Book excerpt: Reconnect with nature to feel happy and healthy. The Mayan Salad. The Raw Chocolate Tart. The Forgotten Ecstasy Smoothie. These delicious and creative offerings from London’s revered Wild Food Café have become classics for a new generation. Now their creators are ready to share them with the world – as well as the natural, seasonal philosophy that underpins them. Joel and Aiste Gazdar have grown the Wild Food Café to become an oasis of nourishing raw-centric plant-based food in the middle of the city: a beacon of community, wellness and innovation. At the very heart of what they do is playful learning inspired by time, elements, seasons and nature. How might the energies of dawn inspire a light savoury meal to wake up the senses? How can we use herbs in our daily routine to keep calm and balanced? How can we create rich and intricate root vegetable feasts to ground and support us in the darker, colder days? From hearty one-pot stews, raw breads and sea vegetable salads to super-food custards, probiotic tonics and iconic raw desserts, as well as transformative well-being practices such as wild water foraging and recapitulation meditation, this is a book for anyone who wants to nourish their mind, body and heart.