The antipasti at La Scala is a handsome platter of local vegetables, cheese and meat, but on this sunny afternoon chef Francisco Serrano adds a new touch: a sprinkle of nasturtium — yellow and violet edible flowers plucked from his home, the Small Wonder Farm. 

The nasturtium resembles the pansy — also delectable — but this flower has a peppery bite.  Like the rest of the antipasti, it tastes wonderful raw. 

This dish, served as an appetizer for two for $11 at the downtown Lafayette restaurant, shows why raw foods might be the trend to watch out for in 2014. 

More and more people are eschewing the notion of buying packaged food at the supermarket, taking it home and cooking it.  Going back to a prehistoric diet, raw foodism suggests, has numerous health and environmental advantages. 

"Antioxidant and vitamins are lost in cooking process.  For example, iron leeches out of spinach when you boil it," said local raw foods enthusiast and farm-to-fork chef Justin Henry. 

Going raw can mean a full commitment to foods cooked under 40 degrees Celsius, or it can be as simple as trying out a new vegetable or nut smoothie recipe. 

Those wanting to ease into the habit of eating raw can start with non-traditional salads at local restaurants that emphasize proteins over lettuce.  The pea salad at Sylvia's Brick Oven has enough protein for a small meal, while the Mediterranean quinoa salad (with pine nuts) at Bistro 501 is a heartier offering than most in town. 

You can buy more seeds and nuts than you'd ever want at City Foods and at the Sunspot Natural Market, and the C & T Market and other local Asian groceries in West Lafayette have delectable bean sprouts, kimchi and seaweed.  A personal favorite: the fermented duck egg, which is best served as a topper for congee. 

Alternatively, slice the egg up and simply serve alongside kimchi and rice.  Sure, the slippery egg white — turned black by fermentation — and green mushy yolk are an acquired taste, but it's another great source of protein in the raw food diet. 

Serrano said that because La Scala emphasizes local, fresh ingredients, he doesn't need much seasoning for uncooked dishes like the antipasti or their signature salad, the Fontina fruit salad — a luxurious yet easy-to-make explosion of raw vegetables and fruits. 

It's a 10-year-plus tradition at La Scala, and, like most raw creations, it's lightly dressed.  Serrano, in a floral mood, garnished the signature recipe of mixed greens, sharp Fontina cheese, apples, walnuts and grapes with a few heads of wild chive blossoms.  The blossoms are crisp and spicy, like onions.  The final touch is a slight drizzle of pureed raspberries with vinegar and olive oil. 

Serrano's wife and co-owner, Kirsten Serrano, touted the virtues of food plucked from the ground. " Some of my meals have been eaten on my front porch, just food we grew outside and eaten as- is," she said. 

In other words, the more naked the food, the more important its quality — get it at the local farmer's market.  Though that may mean waiting a few weeks for area farms to bring in the bulk of summer produce, as crops growing in plastic tunnels are just now hitting the market, Kirsten Serrano said. 

But that's OK.  Recipes like the apricot smoothie are easy to do any time of the year.  This overlooked fruit packs a punch in fiber and taste, and smoothies are as simple as blending frozen apricots and apricot juice with a sprinkle of nutmeg.  I've included a basic recipe, but feel free to toss in peaches, strawberries, bananas or ginger. 

Though I prefer to cook kale, I've heard great things about kale smoothies, which can be a meal-replacing delight when blended with pumpkin and/or flax seeds. 

Unpasteurized fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickled vegetables and kefir are on the rise. 

That topic, fermentation, is closely related to raw foods, and it's one I'm just delving into — stay tuned. 

Apricot smoothie

1 cup apricot juice

1 to 1 ½ ripe, pitted apricots (frozen)

1/8 tsp.  nutmeg

Place juice and 1 cup frozen apricots and nutmeg in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add extra ½ cup apricots for a thicker consistency.  Serves one.