Hi there! I'm glad you found your way over. As far as raw vegan, I know a few folks who are totally raw and love it. There's definitely lots of value in consuming plenty of raw fruity, veggies, nuts & seeds. I personally prefer a mix of cooked and raw. I try to eat fairly seasonally, so right now I'm all about roasted veggies, soups and chili. In the summer I definitely tend to consume a higher percentage of raw foods when the local produce is at its peak!

There are so many cookbooks out there that are really great, but there are a few I really enjoy. Vegan Richa has a few books and a fantastic blog full of recipes. She has a lot of Indian recipes, but also great fusions and her baked goods have never failed me. I started out with the Forks Over Knives cookbook which has a lot of healthy basics that I go back to often (cornbread muffins are in the oven now to go with my chili tonight). I do love the Thug Kitchen books for the great recipes, as long as some curse words don't bother you. 😉 Oh She Glows is great, too. I'd suggest maybe stopping by a bookstore so you can take a look through a few to see which ones might suit your cooking style. I'll look through my collection to see if there are any others I really like.

I hope that helps a bit. Let me know if you have any other questions! And Happy New Year!