IN the beginning, the onlookers are doubtful — but one taste of a ‘raw’ mince pie is often enough to convince.

“Of course it tastes good, that’s why I’m there — to show people how to create wholesome dishes that not only have flavour, but can aid a longer and healthier life,” enthuses naturopathic nutritionist and raw food enthusiast Lesley Woods, of Sawley.

Newly qualified, she is now giving courses on healthy eating, with lectures, recipe demonstrations and group discussions on how people can adjust their diet and lifestyle for improved wellbeing.

With Christmas just around the corner, Lesley’s next course in Chorley in a fortnight will highlight a healthier alternative to traditional — and processed — festive fare. She will demonstrate a new way to make Christmas cakes, mince pies, chocolate logs and other goodies that contain no flour, added sugar or fat — and need no cooking.

All they’re made from are nuts and fruit and a little raw chocolate with none, stresses Lesley, of the chemicals and additives found in the cakes and desserts usually available at this time of year.

The proof of her naturopathic pudding, as it were, is her other half, her husband Michael, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago.

Lesley said: “After the initial feelings of panic, we decided to take a natural approach to his condition and went down the diet route to help relieve his symptoms — even now he doesn’t take any prescribed medicines and has no need to visit his GP.

“I had always been interested in nutrition and when I read up on naturopathy, I knew it was the one we should follow, starting out on a healthy eating regime and lifestyle that has led us to look with confidence to the future.”

Raw foods are only part of their healthy eating, which comprises organic foods and plenty of oily fish, cutting out dairy, wheat and animal fats.

They will tuck in to a traditional turkey on Christmas Day but will follow it with a raw dessert.

Lesley said: “I like the idea of raw desserts and I have been experimenting with my recipes — in fact, now I can’t stop Michael eating my mince pies!

“I also make a raw fruit and nut bar, flavoured with either mint or orange, which is a healthy alternative to a chocolate bar, while my raw pizza is also very tasty.

“There is a growing community out there who eat raw food, but when people come on courses, there is a perception that it’s not going to taste very nice. They are pleasantly surprised when it does.”

Her raw food recipes comprise mainly fruit and nuts and she admits it involves a lot of soaking and a lot of whizzing in the food processor.

Dishes are bound together by nut creams, or by soaking fruits overnight, such as dates, so it does involve forward planning.

Her ‘pastry’ for her mince pies, which are filled with fruits, for example, is made from ground almonds, ground linseeds and dried apricots.

A Christmas cake can be made similarly, with a variety of nuts and dried fruits and flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg and maybe orange zest.

Lesley concluded: “ Every person makes him or herself with the foods they eat. My courses show that by adjusting diet and lifestyle you can live in a natural way that may lead to a longer life.”

  • The one-day course at Lancashire College in Chorley is on December 11 and is organised by Lancashire County Council’s adult learning service. For details contact 0845 600 1331. Other courses will be staged at Chorley and Shuttleworth College, Padiham, in the New Year, while Lesley is also planning talks for local WI groups.

Raw fruit and nut bars

100g dates 50g almonds 50g cashew nuts 1tbsp cocoa powder — optional. Extra flavouring: ½ tsp mint essence ½ tsp orange essence ½ tsp ground ginger

  • Grind the nuts up in a food processor and remove.
  • Chop up the dates in the processor until they are a sticky paste.
  • Add back the ground nuts and cocoa powder (and essences). Mix.
  • Shape into balls or bars.
  • Wrap in clingfilm.