A year and a half ago, Angelena Bosco of Rainbow went on a raw food diet to try to lose weight. Eight months and 45 pounds later, she decided she had found a better way to live. "The human body is meant to process plant foods [not meat or refined, processed foods]," she said.

Bosco now eats a partly raw diet with the goal of "feeling healthy and preventing disease, aches and pains." "It is very calming when you eat raw, very peaceful," she added. Her mood swings went away, as sugar is a depressant to her.

Inspired by her weight loss and newfound sense of wellbeing, Bosco took raw food classes and became a Certified Live Food Chef and Instructor so she could teach others the benefits of raw foods.

The Raw Food Diet (also called the Living Food Diet) is a step beyond a vegetarian diet. Besides excluding all animal products (meat, eggs, fish and dairy foods), the Raw Food Diet also excludes foods cooked above 112 degrees. Raw and living foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Instead of being cooked, they are eaten whole or are merely chopped, diced, shredded, juiced or mixed.

"By not heating our foods we preserve the enzymes that are necessary for all body functions," said Bosco. "The live enzymes in our food can then assist in their digestion and reserves the enzymes in our bodies to perform their necessary functions, such as distribution of nutrients and cleansing."

In an effort to lose weight, avoid allergies and go off medications, many local residents are trying raw foods. Bosco teaches Raw Food Preparation classes at Rainbow Valley Grange twice a month. A total of 14 interested people, a few from as far away as Escondido, attended her Advertisement

Youngren Construction Inc. class on March 29, the theme of which was "Comfort Foods." As in most of her classes, Bosco demonstrated the preparation of the raw foods on the menu while she talked about the nutritional value of the methods and foods used. Once the food was prepared, everyone shared the meal.

The "comfort foods" consisted of Chili topped with onion dip, a salad with Smooth and Creamy Avocado Dressing and Chocolate Mousse dessert. All recipes were taken from "Living on Live Food" by Alissa Cohen.

The Chili, uncooked, involved soaking kamut (a grain), dates and sun-dried tomatoes; chopping and dicing a green bell pepper, red onion and several tomatoes; shaving two corn cobs; crushing garlic; and juicing two oranges. Several spices and seasonings were also added to the mixture. Topped with the onion dip (made from macadamia nuts, water, sea salt and onion), the chili tasted better than anticipated. The salad dressing (which included cucumber, olive oil, honey and apple cider vinegar) was predictably good on the salad.

The biggest and most delicious surprise of the evening was the Chocolate Mousse, which is made without chocolate but is very rich and chocolaty. The most unexpected ingredient is avocado! One avocado is blended with almond milk, dates, carob powder and almond butter to make a dessert that not only satisfies the sweet tooth but is also nutritious. And that is the point of the raw food classes: to show people how to prepare healthy food that also tastes good.

Angelena Bosco’s next Raw Food Preparation Class, "Party Foods," will be on April 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. She will also offer classes on May 10 and 24 (themes to be determined). For more information including cost, or to register, call (760) 809-6668.