Practically Raw Woman

28/03/2022

Could it be a personality disorder?😨 Nope.

I'll admit it: I'm a smoothie-holic.

Some people can't function without coffee but for me a super-sized smoothie is my wake-up call! A day with no smoothie is like a day without love! Or energy, for that matter. Can't have that. WON'T have that!💚

What gets you going in the morning?

21/01/2022

Found three of these in our frozen garden and brought them inside for a little warmth. Volunteer tomato plants blooming in the middle of winter.

Life will find a way.

20/01/2022

Biggest issue with going raw? Eating ENOUGH!

At the beginning most people crave all those water-rich fruits. Bring on the 🍉! Problem is... they don't have a lot of calories to sustain you so you've got to eat a LOT of them! At first it's hard to conceive how much. I love watermelon but it might be a chore to eat two of them for breakfast! I don't even know that I'd have the time to accomplish that feat!

There are three 'must-haves' to a raw vegan diet. Volume, calories and nutrition. This is the terrific trio essential for success.💯

Many raw foodies lean so heavily on the fruits, they forget about the veggies. But if you don't get the mineral density that vegetables have to offer, you could end up frail with far less muscle mass. Mix greens into as many meals as you can.

Biggest tip to get more of everything you need: the humble smoothie. Green juices can be great for mineral density but they're not going to provide much in terms of calories. It's fast energy. Smoothies are like a energetic time-release capsule and you can pack a huge amount of calories in their if you start with a few 🍌 as your base and build it up from there. Don't be afraid to add some spinach or kale. It's a good place for flax and chia and spirulina too!

More tips? Eat more meals in a day... translation? It's as easy as packing in another smoothie. Or two. Buy fruits and veggies in bulk. Keep frozen fruit on hand always. Don't load up on nuts. Embrace variety. Find some fun recipes for snacks that tantalize your taste buds ... and maybe seem like a different kind of treat!And make it easy on yourself by prepping salad ingredients and dressings in advance so theres always something readily on hand that requires little thought.

Remember, the best thing you can do is eat as much of a smorgasbord of fruits and vegetables as you can in whatever ways you can dream up. Each brings something different to the table. And all of it is good for you.

Load up and keep eating!!!💚

For some gre

19/01/2022

In the non-raw world, I always hated oatmeal but...I’m not going to lie, I had to give half of these raw oatmeal raisin cookies away to prevent myself from eating them all in one sitting!😋

For recipe go to LINK IN BIO.

18/01/2022

Thinking about going full on raw?

Make sure you build in a little wiggle room for mistakes and failure. Nobody's perfect. There will be misteps... some of them not even intentional.

Forgive yourself. Fast.

So what if you used nutritional yeast or maple syrup or something else off the 'not exactly raw' list! 😵The world will not end. No need to wear a hair shirt and whip yourself over it.

That list of things that aren't exactly raw (and yet tons of people in the raw world are using in their recipes) is pretty extensive.

Many raw recipes call for cashews because of their creamy texture but cashews are not legitimately considered raw. Because the shell of the cashew is very toxic, the nut is removed from the shell through a process using extreme heat. This is bound to have some sort of effect on the nut itself but, because the nuts are not further roasted or treated the ‘raw’ labeling is allowed. Raw enough, apparently. Almonds also fall into this category. You’ll easily find almonds that are labeled raw but the fact is that ever since a slew of salmonella outbreaks in the early 2000’s , the government mandated that all almonds be pasteurized at 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Most raw vegans still include them in their diet.

Spices, too. Who can tell what temperature they're dried at? 🤔Bet is it's over 118 degrees F!

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

So you can go completely pure with just organic fruits and vegetables. Or you can allow for some small flexibilities.

Do what you need to to stay the path.

Sometimes going raw can feel like an ongoing science experiment as you play around with different flavors and ingredients. Fortunately it’s a science experiment that’s not going to explode in your face if you use a little tamari. 💚

18/01/2022

Our youngest here is doing a science project all about the effects of different foods on our health. As part of it , he had to use himself as a guinea pig.

On the first day he ate strictly fruits and vegetables.

On the second day he ate a 'normal diet'. ( For him this is a pretty good diet as well but would include things like bread)

On the third day, he was supposed to eat only unhealthy food. I honestly had to buy a whole bunch of special stuff for that day because processed food has no place in our house and I couldn't find anything on hand that could even remotely fit the bill. I was feeling pretty 'high and mighty' there for awhile...

Until I actually did find, a bag of petrified jerkey that someone brought here I-don't-know-how-long-ago. Poor kid got scared for a moment, that I might make him eat what he identified as 'fat strips' but, tempted as I was, my vegan-ness got the best of me. There's plenty unhealthy, processed vegan food out there to choose from too.

While I don't necessarily think that doing something like this for one day is a fair indicator of anything, I have to admit that I was surprised at how easily this little guy determined what day he felt the best. It was that first day with the fruits and vegetables. He said he had the most energy that day.

I could have cheered. Because I have to admit that I was afraid he would be all about all that bad, sugary junk he ate on that last day.

But what actually happened? He almost threw up. And it wasn't just from the sight of the 'fat strips'. He also got a lower score on this physical education challenge than he ever had before. That just pi**ed him off. Must mean something, don't you think?💚

16/01/2022

This whole thing started with a little bag of sumac that I came across in my spice cabinet. Where did this come from and what're you supposed to do with it? 🤔

I suspect it belonged to my friend Melissa when she lived over here, but unfortunately she left no direction as to its useage. So I spent the morning reading all about it and then, awash with information, I started the afternoon experimenting.

If today is anything to go by, sumac is coming out of the cabinet for good.🤩

If you're a raw vegan, then you know that the right spice changes everything! Sure, salt and pepper are great, but they can only take your meals so far. Sumac is a small red berry, rich in antioxidants, that is most typically dried and ground. It's used a lot in Middle Eastern cuisine so that's what I ended up concentrating on ... till I came up with this simple, yet exotic fatoush that actually made me drool- even without the pita bread that's traditionally in there! Sumac and a little cinammon may seem strange in a salad but wow! did it ever work. I liked the cinammon so much I added more!!! And, even though it's off season now, in the summer I can add purslane to make it even more traditional. That stuff grows like a w**d here! But you could always throw some romaine lettuce in there too... not that it needs it! 💚

Fatoush Recipe
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 mini cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 cup purslane (if available) OR romaine lettuce
Dressing
juice of 2 Meyer lemons
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon cinammon
salt and pepper

16/01/2022

I'm not one of those people who live in a bubble and only associate with other raw vegans. In fact, many of my friends are decidedly NOT raw vegans. Or even vegans. My sister - who was here for the holidays - is not vegan either. The rest of my family? Well, I’ve dragged them along for the ride because, for the most part, I’m in charge of the kitchen. But it would be a lie to say they didn’t vacillate at times…. usually when we go out to eat. Yep, they see that as an opportunity to ditch the vegan train and leave me to my principles.

When you make this lifestyle choice, this is what you sign up for, apparently.

And yet, I manage to stay true to my beliefs while still enjoying time with all of them. How do I do it? It's all about balance. And a bit of confidence.

The balance comes from the Raw Till 4 Diet. I can actually eat at a restaurant now and then and find something healthy and vegan to eat. And let’s face it: there’s always salad! Even if I have to double down on those and sometimes even bring my own dressing. It's worth it to hang out with friends, have a good time and not appear to be starving myself.

Act normal about it and most of your companions won’t blink an eye. You don’t have to apologize for anything. Just do what you do. If you’re comfortable with it and don’t make a fuss, there’s a pretty good chance they’ll all play along.

A lot of people will tell you to try and educate your ‘audience’. Honestly, talking about veganism when you’re dining out might fall into the same category as talking about politics. 🤐Don’t. Wars could start.

Your best argument is yourself. The longer you’re eating this way, the better you will look and feel. People will be asking YOU what you’re up to!

At that point, you're welcome to treat them to your "why" and recommend watching "Earthlings".👍

We had a guest over the holidays. She couldn’t help but notice a pattern. And meat was remarkably absent. “Are you vegan?”, she finally asked. “You know”, I said, “I have this thing about animal cruelty. But honestly, it’s just what I like to eat. It makes me feel really good”. And that was pretty much that! 💚

12/01/2022

Since the holidays I've become seriously disillussioned. Food shopping for 'the masses' really got me down. 😑

Let's face it: for the most part, the grocery store is a minefield when it comes to your health.

Add the holiday crowds and your mental health can suffer too.😱

You can probably count two or three aisles in there that contain anything you could really consider 'healthy' on their shelves. There's the produce section. The bulk food section. And we could throw some spices in there, too.

The rest? There's stuff in those stores that should have WARNING labels on it, masquerading as health food.☠️

I always thought this whole Raw Till 4 thing was great because it's not extreme. And I'll admit that in winter I really do look forward to eating something with a little steam coming off of it in the evening.

Raw Till 4 's been looked at as eating Raw for the early part of the day and then having a vegan dinner. BUT vegan isn't necessarily the best option anymore either. Sure, it's gotten easier. Unfortunately thats the problem. Most of it's as processed as all the other stuff out there!

We really have to look beyond plant based. Plant based alone doesn't keep the chemicals off our plates.

What we need is real food. Not to mention, if you rely on processed foods, not only will you be missing out on all those essential vitamins and minerals found in fresh produce but you'll also likely experience mood swings due to lack of fiber! Fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels by slowing down how quickly carbs are digested - meaning no crazy fluctuations that have you acting all Jekyll and Hyde and scaring all the neighbors... never mind having to deal with your own sweet self! Trust me: I've had the experience. A few faltering steps over the holiday season and I truly see the light.

So I'm making it a point this year to keep myself sane. Don't veer too far from those three aisles. Don't assume because it's vegan it's okay. Maybe get myself a greenhouse... finally.

And, if we really want to insure the integrity of our food, we're going to have to spend a lot more time in our kitchen... Or just take up residence at the fruit bowl!💚

04/12/2021

Winter. Ugh. I admit I'm not a fan. If it weren't for skiing and tea, I'm not too sure how I'd get through it. Not well, I can assure you. There are reasons animals hibernate.

Winter can be challenging for all us raw folks who aren't fortunate enough to live in the jungle... or at least somewhere where it stays pretty warm through the year. For the rest of us, cold weather means: less of a selection of fresh fruits and veggies and mornings when the thought of drinking that huge smoothie is enough to bring on the shivers. Being raw in this all can make someone doubt their sanity.

Let's be serious: there weren't any raw vegan Eskimos.

So what's a raw girl to do?

What I do? Drink a ton of herbal tea and turn to my dehydrator for extra help in frigid moments. It warms things up just enough to fool me into believing that my diet's just as 'normal' as everyone elses. Often, it fools everyone else too!

Winter is the time I'm most likely to get super creative... messing around with turning 'cooked' recipes into raw ones with the help of my trusty Excaliber. I also go heavier on the warming spices. I up the fats just a little.I make my own herbal tea blends. These are all things that help take the chill off.

In the summer, I find it super easy to eat raw pretty much all the time, without giving it much thought. In winter, I think about it more. And, so I don't drive myself crazy, I allow myself the luxury of a Raw Till 4 diet where a whole food, plant based dinner comes at the end of every frigid day. There is nothing wrong with this. It works.

It's when your diet starts to feel like personal abuse, that you're most likely to abandon it. Sometimes being a little practical, being a little less restrictive makes the most sense. Especially in the wintertime, the preparation of a warm vegan meal will do nothing to deter your efforts towards healthy eating and living and it may help you to live up to your goals without making you feel like you’re being punished. All I know is: it works for me... I've been doing this for YEARS!!!

Do you have any special secrets for getting through the winter? Please share!!!

29/11/2021

Feeling a little purple today…

17/11/2021

A favorite once upon a time... and even though my salads have become more elaborate these days, I've found myself literally pining for the simple pleasure that only Thousand Island dressing could have the power to resurrect. Practically raw. Like me.

Raw Thousand Island Dressing is just tops when it comes to creating the ultimate raw vegan 'comfort salad'... with just a few extras!