Full Moon Fare

Every year, Philadelphia becomes a city that's more about kale and collards, than well, those other things. I'm excited to welcome Full Moon Fare, a raw food delivery service, to the mix.

For those of you who like it raw, or simply want to try something different, the raw and vegan enterprise from Chef Lisa Ransing offers a rotating menu of  seasonal bounty with weekly deliveries. 

I had a chance to meet Lisa and try the fare during a First Friday event, and I'm happy to confirm, the food is raw food like the city has never quite seen it, full of flavor, satisfying, and delightfully inspired. I'll be posting a full recap of the 3 day meal plan soon, so stay tuned for that. For now, I have a few questions for Lisa as well as a recipe to share below, along with photos of some a la carte items I tried.

Chef Lisa with one of her star ingredients, kale

Living on the Vedge: How did you first become interested in raw foods?

Lisa: About 10 years ago, I had the privilege to attend a dinner prepared by Chef Matthew Kenney.  I was having some health problems and had been reading about the raw vegan lifestyle.  I was so impressed by the dinner, the next day I rid my house of any “non-living” foods and dove headfirst into raw veganism.   Since then I have been dreaming about starting my own raw food business, but I wasn't sure that there was much of a demand for raw food in Philly at the time. I continued working in the food and restaurant industry, and eventually left my last job as a private chef a little over a year ago to start Full Moon Fare.

Living on the Vedge: Lucky for us! What are some of your favorite Full Moon Fare items?

Lisa: I have a big sweet tooth, so I would have to say, all of the desserts!  One of the most exciting things about eating raw to me is that the desserts are GOOD FOR YOU! I eat raw desserts for breakfast all of the time, they are mostly made from fruit and nuts, so why not?

Living on the Vedge: Where do you find menu inspiration?

Lisa: Like any good chef, I look for seasonal inspiration.  I design my menus around whatever the peak produce is at the moment. I think it’s an exciting way to eat, it adds a little aspect of anticipation. Concord grapes are in season right now, and I cannot eat enough of them.

I also try to create dishes that anyone will enjoy, not just die-hard raw foodists.

I like to try to recreate healthy raw vegan versions of familiar dishes. Nothing is more satisfying to me than to see someone’s face light up after their first time trying raw food, especially if they are skeptical at first. Some people can’t believe how good it really can be.

Living on the Vedge: We try to eat raw often but it's definitely easier in the summer. What are your tips for eating raw into the fall/winter seasons?

Lisa: Like I mentioned previously, I think it’s extremely important to eat what is seasonally available.  You don’t want to be buying strawberries in January—just because they are raw, doesn't mean they will taste good. Also, I find that adding warming spices like ginger, chile, and curry to my dishes makes them more satisfying in the colder months. Dried fruits are always an option, too.

Living on the Vedge: Can you tell us about the future of Full Moon Fare?

Lisa: We are currently looking for a café space in Fishtown. Also, I will be teaching a series of raw food 
preparation classes at Whole Foods Market on Callowhill St. in Philadelphia. The first class is scheduled for October 19th.  You can also find us out front of Adorn Boutique on Frankford Ave. every First Friday from 5-9pm. I would recommend following us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, as we are always adding new events to our schedule.

And now for that promised recipe!

Curried Carrot Apple Soup

2 large carrots, peeled

½ of a large apple, reserve other half for garnish

1 stalk celery

1 clove garlic

1 tsp braggs liquid aminos, or nama shoyu

½ tsp curry powder

1/2 c warm water

2 tbs coconut oil, warmed to liquefy

Place all ingredients except coconut oil in a blender. Blend to liquefy.  Continue blending and slowly add coconut oil. You can warm the soup gently by running your blender for a few minutes.

Garnished with a little salad of baby kale, the leftover apple, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and olive oil.

A few food shots..

Raw Falafel Burger w/ Cashew Hummus & Tahini Sauce (insanely delicious!), Garlic Miso Kale Chips (best kale chips I've ever had)

Raw Apple Cider Donuts

Ready to give Full Moon Fare a try? Each box includes 12 items, for 3 days of meals, with the option to add on a la carte menu items to your order. The cost is $150/week or $550/4 weeks. Good news? Lisa is offering $25 off your first order. For the weekly menu,  visit Full Moon Fare on Facebook.