Raw Chit-Chat!
Hi everyone!
I'm planning on going raw for the entire month of August and I thought it would be great if we had a raw chit chat spot! I know a lot of other vegwebbers have expressed interest in either eating raw or going raw--so maybe we can help each other out here! I'm a total noob when if comes to raw, but I'm hoping my 30 day experiment will turn me into a master class raw veganist! I will be blogging everyday during August and posting pics and recipes of what I am eating--should be some great stuff plus all the "Raw Blogs" will be public!
I already have a bunch of questions! Can anyone help?
Raw milk--are there any store brands out there or do I have to make my own? Any super simple recipes for nut milk?
Dried sea weed (like wakame) how long do you soak it for?
I don't have a dehydrator and 150 is the lowest setting on my oven--how can I dry/toast oats, etc. and still have them be raw?
How the heck do I make sun tea?
OK then! That's what I got for now--I hope this can be a great place for raw info!!!
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e171/ginsoak/vegetables2.jpg
here are some of my latest uncooking noms...
peanut marzipan (very dense)
vabeachraw - i've been LOVING the new recipes you've been coming out with. i hope to see these soon also. they look almost like little truffles!
thanks! :) hopefully i'll have more to post after my mis-adventures at my parents' place the next few days...
so conversation with my sister:
carlene: 'so what do you want for christmas?'
me: 'a vita-mix blender and books on raw foodism'
carlene: 'wait...i thought you were a vege---vegan'
me: 'yes, a raw foods vegan; its a lot more fulfilling.'
carlene: 'oh ok...so if i go into barnes and noble, will someone know what that is? do i walk up to the cust. service desk and say 'i need some raw foods?!' ma...leslie's a raw fooder now!'
my mom: 'oh...ok...so how will i cook for you then? you'll have to show me'
and suddenly the idea of telling my family about my raw food adventures doesn't seem quite so daunting after all!
home is awesome; my mom prepared some vegan dishes for me, and though they're not raw, its a start. i explained RAW to them and they thought it was interesting; i don't think my dad's on board. he made a jack lalanne joke, about how he went to the store and saw a demo for his juicer, and saw the person put an apple and a celery stalk in the same machine for the same juice...he said it turned him off to juicing. of course, though, the whole convo got started when i told them i brought my juicer home with to make fresh juice for everyone. he said that he would try some tangerine juice if i would make him a glass. progress!
and my sister has become my mom's vegan advisor; letting her know what products have animal products in them, and helping her discern this from that. she's soo sweet. she helped my grandma pick out a sushi-making kit and 'ani's raw food kitchen' for me for christmas.
so yea i did eat the green beans my mom prepared, to be nice and show i soooo appreciated her effort, but it turned out to be a fair trade...i made a raw pasta dish (despite being limited in preparation tools) and she loved it! :)
pics to come soon...defff
OMG! VBR! I just saw your pic for the first time! You're some raw, sexy stuff! <3
I just stopped by the thread to say hi's and hello's! I am just not into the vegweb forums lately...feel like there is nothing for me to really post about--so don't think I have abandoned y'all on the raw journey--I am lurking everyday--just not saying much of anything...truth be told, I just updated my blog for the first time in a MONTH! I usually write a couple pieces a week...so yeah...
Anywho--I empathize with you ladies trying to lose weight, eat healthy, all that good stuff we want raw to do for us--I have gained back a lot of weight in the past year (which isn't all bad...considering where I was with my weight before). I am a good 20 lbs above where I want to be--damn those last few lbs (you know what I am talking about Storm!) Welllllll...anywho--I have been working on getting back on track with raw--just going simple for right now--raw fruit, raw veggies. Done deal. I love all the fab, raw recipes being put out--but man I am lazy and in the long run it all tastes like raw apples and carrots right? *lol*
I am starting to feel a bit more creative though--I got a new blender and food processor for the holidays and am excited to put that bad boy to use--I still very much want to invest in an Excalibur--and have plans to do that this year! But the old one will just have to do for now :)
I really miss talking to a lot of you--please feel free to message me here or on fb--or hell, I'll give you my personal email too if anybody wants it :)
So much love for all of you!!!!!!!! <3
aww thanks cappy--- soo good to have your presence grace the raw forum again!!!!! :) pop in anytime~
wow i can't believe it--- new years is almost here! :-O gasp! and i will have fulfilled my first ever new years resolution from exactly one year before! this year i'm going to keep that same resolution and in addition, will add two more:
1) Eat raw, live raw. that says it all.
2) save money to travel to europe & northern africa (GB, france, spain, morocco)
I got some maca powder for Christmas (you know you're a food dork when you put stuff like that on your Wish List)... ::) ;)b I really love how it tastes in smoothies! I made a smoothie yesterday using raw almond milk, strawberries, banana, a bit of raw cacao powder, and a Tbsp. of maca - and it reminded me of those malted milk ball things (Whoppers?)! Maca is sort of malt-y tasting to me for some reason. Anyway, delicious stuff! :)
Would you consider this recipe to be raw? --> RAW Chana Masala
Would you consider this recipe to be raw? --> RAW Chana Masala
I suppose as long as you make your own tomato juice and don't use stuff out of a bottle. Tabasco isn't raw, but I don't nit pick the little things (like dried spices) as long as they aren't a substantial part of the recipe. I try to use fresh herbs/spices whenever it is possible. I'm going to have to try that recipe myself this week as I love Indian food, but I'm going to use fresh ginger, fresh garlic and a fresh chile (instead of Tabasco). Not much I can do about the curry powder and cumin. I guess it's more like Raw-ish Chana Masala if you use all the powdered spices.
rawish--- hillarious storm! hope your holiday weekend was rawesome! are you feeling any better??
jessicita--- that is awesome!!! you Rawk as well! i deff used the Christmas Cash my parents gave me to stock up on the raw stuff i couldnt otherwise afford to purchase all at once: a big bag of Maca powder, spirulina, pounds of nuts and seeds, and some other things --- it was awesome....
happy holidays to everyone else!
I got some maca powder for Christmas (you know you're a food dork when you put stuff like that on your Wish List)... ::) ;)b I really love how it tastes in smoothies! I made a smoothie yesterday using raw almond milk, strawberries, banana, a bit of raw cacao powder, and a Tbsp. of maca - and it reminded me of those malted milk ball things (Whoppers?)! Maca is sort of malt-y tasting to me for some reason. Anyway, delicious stuff! :)
ooOooOooO! Raw maca?? That sounds exotic! I just might have to go a huntin' for that!
oh yea cappy, its good stuff! i love it. also get some dulse, its a great salt substitute when ground up.
I got some maca powder for Christmas (you know you're a food dork when you put stuff like that on your Wish List)... ::) ;)b I really love how it tastes in smoothies! I made a smoothie yesterday using raw almond milk, strawberries, banana, a bit of raw cacao powder, and a Tbsp. of maca - and it reminded me of those malted milk ball things (Whoppers?)! Maca is sort of malt-y tasting to me for some reason. Anyway, delicious stuff! :)
ooOooOooO! Raw maca?? That sounds exotic! I just might have to go a huntin' for that!
My mom bought it for me on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-Superfood-16-Ounce/dp/B000FFLHU2
I'm not sure if you could find it anywhere else for cheaper, but it's really good! I couldn't eat it plain or anything, but like I said - yummy in smoothies!
i am incorporating maca into my smoothie/juice fast. it enhances flavor, and for me, it really helps to clean me out.
i am incorporating maca into my smoothie/juice fast. it enhances flavor, and for me, it really helps to clean me out.
I like the sounds of this! I am definitely on a maca hunt now... ;p
I get my maca on Raw Guru.
http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food-diet/organic-raw-maca/
It costs a couple of dollars more than Amazon, but they do free shipping a few times a year and that's when I stock up. One HFS here carries it too, but they charge almost $25.00 for a pound. :o
So, how are all my raw sisters doing? Any new experiments in uncooking? I'm working on "perfecting" a raw Asian broth for use in faux Tom Yum.
I get my maca on Raw Guru.
http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food-diet/organic-raw-maca/
It costs a couple of dollars more than Amazon, but they do free shipping a few times a year and that's when I stock up. One HFS here carries it too, but they charge almost $25.00 for a pound. :o
So, how are all my raw sisters doing? Any new experiments in uncooking? I'm working on "perfecting" a raw Asian broth for use in faux Tom Yum.
i am doing well; my 5-day green smoothie-juice fast is going really well; i only got 'hungry' once, i mean, really hungry; and that was because i hadn't drank a smoothie in over 4hrs.
i decided to do the 'fast' because i wanted to 1.) cleanse myself into the new year, 2.) recoup from the raw gourmet overload i had been indulging in for the past month or so, and 3.) to prepare my mind, body, and spirit (and appetite) for my new year's resolution- high-raw. I know i've been doing it for a while, but i am making it a resolution for ish-n-giggles. this year i haven't been totally raw i only started in the summer. but i want to go into this year raw. mind you; i do really well with new years' res.; i gave up drinking because i found it to be getting problematic last year, and it will be a year this thurs.
i didn't want to do a water-fast; i just, nahhh....i wanted to nourish my body with enzymes, minerals, and vitamins while i flushed the toxins and the murk out. plus a smoothie-juice fast is do-able for me.
i must say, i have really concocted some rawesome green smoothie combinations; i am impressed. i am impressed with some of the changes i've noticed:
-my jaundice is clearing up (well, i guess thats what you call when your eye whites are dark yellow?)
-my urine is clearing up (it was dark yellow just like my eyes)
-increased energy
-more time in my day (not searching for food, finding food, thinking about the next meal all the time)
-i am able to tell when my body is telling me that i am really hungry
-i also found that it actually takes a lot less for me to get full than i thought.
Geez VBR, sounds like you've got it all figured out. I, too, am hitting high raw (95%+) at the New Year, but I refuse to call it a resolution because I suck at keeping them. I'm going to juice fast for the first 3 days. I'm also going to cut my calories way back which means uncooking without all the nuts and limiting the EVOO, though I refuse to cut into my avocado habit!
By the way JC, I think it's awesome that you're a food dork!
i see that the weallfalldown chick is also a raw foodist--- we should invite her to join our group~ :)
i am, though, pondering what i want my first meal in the new year to be....hmmm...
~*Suggestions?*~
oh, and i also came to the conclusion that i am, forreal, TIRED of buying 'green powders' and supplements... too expensive for something i can make myself.
i'm thinking about experimenting with some speltgrass....i am thinking about dehydrating it, then processing it to a powder, and then using it to supplement my smoothies and juices, or to pour into my water bottle when i don't have access to either....
Jess, you totally made me want to get some Maca! I just ordered some last night! I couldn't believe how many people online were saying how it helped their, um, libido 8-) so I said, hey, I'm sold! ;D I've been having issues in this area (sorry TMI) due to early menopause/pituitary tumor so I'm ready to try it. Lord knows my docs have tried to put me on every medicine known to man and I hate taking chemical crap so I'm ready for this. I'll report back on how it works!
I got a dehydrator for Christmas - nothing fancy, just a Nesco that I got for $55 on Amazon so I'm excited to try some new recipes. My favorite new recipe is Gena's Moroccan soup on choosingraw, it is sooooo amazingly delicious! :^ I want to make her raw falafels using the dehydrator as well as the blonde macaroons from Living Raw Food. I bought a bag when I was in NYC recently and, oh boy, these are amazing!
lebkuchen-- thanks for sharing that, that's awesome! I hope maca helps out with your...er...issues, haha. congrats as well, on your dehydrator!
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