Like our sports and reality television, dining has gone extreme, from the "Man vs. Food" pigouts that involve watching people tackle restaurants’ most massive dishes, to following the latest culinary adventurer willing to feast on insects, rodents or anything else that repulses most diners.

In spite of all this, I’m betting there are a lot of people who would consider going back to the basics of nuts, fruits and berries, another extreme when one considers the raw vegan lifestyle. And yet, for the sake of our health, I believe it’s a way of eating worth investigating. No one says you have to buy into it 100 percent, only that you take baby steps toward cutting down on meat and manufactured ingredients.

It’s one step closer to the mainstream now that Licious Dishes owner Sylvia Thompson has expanded her takeout and meal preparation service with Greens & Vines, showcasing raw vegan cuisine in a bright, contemporary restaurant setting.

The operation has moved from Dole Cannery to the corner of Ward Avenue and Kapiolani Boulevard, across from Jack in the Box. She’ll continue to offer meal pickup service as well as to-go goods on site and at farmers markets. Look for updates at www.e-liciousdishes.com/events.html.

Those unfamiliar with raw cuisine may be thinking salads and granola, but that is not the case. There’s a lot of work that goes into food that can’t be heated beyond 118 degrees, the point at which raw foodists believe foods lose their nutrients and enzymes. It’s also known that certain types of cooking produce dangerous chemicals due to the interaction between heat, fat and carbohydrates.

One of the deadliest things you can eat is a french fry or potato chip, high in the carcinogen acrylamide, which forms when starchy foods are fried or baked at high temperatures.

I remembered that after ordering Syl’s Garden Burger ($8.95), which came with what looked like a small order of fries. Sadly, french fries are one of my favorite foods, so I was excited, then remembered it couldn’t be potatoes. It turned out to be crunchy jicama, coated in a thin layer of sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, onion powder, salt and paprika. Maybe I wasn’t as sated in the moment as I would have been eating a regular fry — eating healthier does involve a mental adjustment — but after lunch I felt light on my feet, alert and happy.

Thompson said she hears this kind of story all the time, including one from a heavy-set gentleman who has become an inspiration to fellow staffers at Macy’s. He lost 11 pounds in two weeks while eating her food and practically skips around the sales floor. For him it’s been a revelation after becoming accustomed to midday lethargy following a meaty plate lunch.

She’s also lived the story. In 2003 her husband, Pete, had a heart attack two days after Thanksgiving. He returned home with a stent implanted in his blocked artery and six medications that doctors said he would take for the rest of his life.

They both read Dr. Dean Ornish’s book "Reversing Heart Disease" and adopted a vegetarian diet as prescribed.

Travels introduced them to vegan restaurants such as Pure Food and Wine in New York, and Cafe Gratitude and Alive in San Francisco, and Thompson said, "I was blown away by how vibrant the flavors were."

The couple went vegan, and 18 months after his heart attack, Pete was off all medications and Thompson said she conquered the eczema that had plagued her all her life.

Opening Licious Dishes, she said, was a way to share a lifestyle "that’s really good for people, and show them they don’t have to feel they’re being deprived."

That said, it’s unfortunate that it often takes a life-changing health scare to wean people off unhealthy foods and super-size portions. Even among vegetarians I know, portion size has been a point of concern here. Portions just don’t fill a plate the way they do at other restaurants, but this is not diet food. While some dishes, such as a Living Lasagna ($10.25), may leave you hungry because it comprises mostly vegetables — spinach, pesto, zucchini and tomatoes — other dishes include nuts that pack needed calories and fat. An appetizer of cumin-spiked "falafel" ($7), shaped from pulsed almonds, proved to be more filling than the two-meatball portion appeared.

I can usually polish off a whole beef burger, but I ended up taking half of Syl’s veggie burger home. The burger is chewy, and all that chewing allows the body to message the brain that you’re full. The nutty, veggie patty is sandwiched between two thin pieces of onion flatbread, "cooked" through dehydration. While it may not sound appetizing, dehydration works well when it comes to Thompson’s crisp flax-seed thins, served with a no-bean hummus or tri-layer Mexican dip.

The vines part of the equation is the wine that will be part of the menu once the restaurant gets its liquor license. In the meantime, guests are invited to B.Y.O.B., and Thompson says pinot noir pairs well with much of the menu.

What I like about her operation is the transparency in how her ingredients are chosen and how the food is made. Those who opt for take-home dishes will see items clearly labeled.

For now, lunch is an offering of past greatest hits. Among new dishes offered in the evening are spinach-wrapped jicama samosas served with sliced Bosc pears, mole sauce and a salad with raspberries and cilantro dressing and killer veggie sushi ($7) comprising a mash of organic sunflower seeds, zucchini, carrots, red onions, tahini, lemon and lime juice, rolled with avocado and celery leaves in nori, and served with a side of namasu and wasabi/tamari sauce. I really didn’t miss the fish at all.

Neither do I miss the fish in her Not Tuna Salad ($7), which starts with organic sunflower seeds and macadamia nuts, organic Medjool dates, onions, coconut water, lemon juice, celery, scallions, olive oil, organic brown mustard seeds, organic dill, garlic, highest-lignan flaxseed oil, organic wheat-free tamari, sea salt, organic onion powder and organic white pepper. It’s like a crunchier version of tuna salad, with the citrus giving it the flavor of relish-spiked tuna salad, without any of the fishiness.

The bright side of eating this healthy means enjoying guilt-free desserts that range from truffles of organic raw cacao powder and coconut, or a Wicked chocolate tart ($6.50) with raw organic agave on an almond chocolate crust with raspberry coulis and vanilla bean sauce.

Consider stopping by en route to or from the Blaisdell Center, or before or after an overindulgent holiday meal. And of course, the timing’s perfect for any New Year’s dietary resolutions.

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Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.