I take it raw

I have never in my life eaten red meat … on purpose, that is. I accidentally ate a nondescript brown substance that I hadn’t noticed on my pizza when I was 10 years old and became offensively ill. My stomach wasn’t accustomed to digesting anything tougher than celery. Growing up, my mom made simple dishes like spaghetti with marinara sauce, bean burritos and fake hotdogs. I also ate unknown quantities of General Mills’ multi-colored, sugar-chocked cereals, or anything in bar form from the candy aisle at 7-Eleven. I knocked back sodas and gobbled boxes of crackers and cookies. So I was a vegetarian, but not a healthy one. When I got older, I realized that my diet had an effect on some health issues I was dealing with, so I started to improve my eating habits. And what do you know, healthy food made a healthier me. You can find out how eating unrefined, raw foods can improve your health and learn how to prepare them in simple and delicious ways by attending a seminar with New York raw-food chef and restaurant owner Dan Hoyt, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 22-23. The course is $200 and will take place at Meadow Wood Courtyard, 5851 S. Virginia St., 853-2935.