Are you a Raw Foodie?

[O2BNSD]

I have heard about this way of eating, but didn't really know much about it until recently. Four weeks ago I came across a very interesting article in a health magazine explaining this way of eating. It even had recipes that really grabbed my attention as they were so easy & so do-able! So, I forged ahead with giving this a try. It wasn't hard at all as I have always been semi-vegetarian anyways, but the big surprise was how delicious the food was & how easy it was to do. I have been on it for three weeks now, feeling so much better, more energy, less coughing/phlem (cough/phlem had been due to wheat & being lactose intolerant), etc. I'm amazed at all the incredible recipes that are available & believe it or not, I am not missing any of the previous health robbing foods that I used to eat!!

[Guest Godless]

No, my ribeye has to be cooked for at least 30 seconds before I'll eat it.

[pam]

Care to share any of the recipes you have tried?

[applepansy]

I believe in eating as many raw foods as possible. Its just healthier. You also have to remember the grocery store produce is 5 to 7 days from harvest before it reaches the store. They have lost most nutrients.

I also know that a percentage of the population has celiac disease. But this gluton allergy craze has me concerned. There are varieties of wheat that are easier to digest than red what.... one being spelt. There are exzymes in wheat we need.

Lactose intolerance can be cured with probiotics. In particular Kefir.

We no longer have the enzymes in our diets to digest the foods in the stores.

In short...yes I'm a raw foodie. The more the better. But I also eat rare meat, and I eat grains and dairy too. For me...its all about balance and the WoW.

[Guest Godless]

There are exzymes in wheat we need.

+100 to this. As far as grains go, wheat and barley are far more nutritious than corn and rice because of the proteins and enzymes they contain. And barley is virtually useless in solid form, so the king of food grains would appear to be wheat. Cooking it a bit may make it easier to digest, just don't overdo it. As with veggies, overcooking tends to do more harm than good.

We no longer have the enzymes in our diets to digest the foods in the stores.

This is why the nutritional value of whole foods (organic and/or small farm-produced) cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to produce. Commercial produce is designed to be grown in large volume, which often comes at the expense of important nutrients.

[pam]

Now Godless..next you will be stating that because of the barley..beer is good for us. Oh wait..I think you have said that before. :)

Okay back to the subject of this thread. :)

[O2BNSD]

Care to share any of the recipes you have tried?

Sure Pam, no problem..I'll list a few that I was truly impressed with:

Strawberry Oat Bars

(great for breakfast or a snack)

1 1/2 C pitted dates

1/4 C raw macadamia nuts

2 Tbsp old-fasioned rolled oats

pinch of sea salt

1 C strawberries, hulled & thinly sliced

Pulse dates, nuts, oats & salt in a food processor until combined. Press the mixture into a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Mash half of the strawberries & spread on top of the mixture. Top with remaining sliced strawberries. Slice into rectangles & serve.

Tropical Spring Rolls

1 head of tender lettuce such as Boston, leaves separated

1 mango, peeled & thinly sliced

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded & julienned

1/2 C fresh cilanto

Sea Salt (preferably Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, available at Trader Joe's)

Lime wedges

Stack two lettuce leaves and top with some mango, avocado, red pepper & cilantro. Season with a light sprinkle of sea salt & a squeeze of lime. Roll up like a burrito, cut in half, then serve.

These were incredible, as well as, very refreshing! I made them for my lunch for work & they held up extremely well.

Now this next one will be very strange sounding, but believe me you will be blown away by it!! The taste is unbelievable, decadent & very low in calories not to mention no white sugar, no dairy, no wheat! I was skeptical at first, but when I took that first bite...I was in chocolate heaven!

Chocolate Pudding

3 ripe avocados (yes, I did say avocado)

6 Tbsp cocoa powder (preferably organic, can get it at Trader Joe's or Sprouts)

1/4 C raw honey (I used 1/4C organic coconut syrup instead)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (preferably non-alcohol, to preserve the chocolate flavors)

pinch of sea salt

Puree avocados, cocoa powder, honey, & vanilla in a food processor until smooth. Refrigerate, if desired. Sprinkle lightly with the sea salt right before serving. The sea salt enchances the chocolate taste!

Now a little bit about organic coconut syrup...I recently discovered this delectable ingredient & found out how extremely nutricious it is. It has the lowest glycemic index compared to other sweeteners - it helps in balancing blood glucose and insulin levels, highest in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, but the best part is it's taste which kind of similar to a buttery caramel! It works well with just about any recipe & I also use it in my smoothies instead of agave syrup.

And speaking of smoothies...here's a taste treat:

Strawberry Blast Shake

2 med or 3 small bananas, fully ripened

1 C strawberries (frozen strawberries can be used for a frostier shake)

2 Tbsp raw cashew or almond butter (I like the cashew butter better)

1 Tbsp organic coconut syrup (can also use organic agave syrup)

1 1/2 C Almond Milk (I use the Vanilla Almond Milk, can be found at Trader Joe's, Almond Milk is so much better than Soy Milk)

Place ripe bananas in bottom of blender, followed by the strawberries, cashew butter, coconut syrup & then the Almond Milk. Blend to desired thickness (if you want thicker, add a couple of ice cubes) & then enjoy!

Now I've made myself hungry!!

Edited July 25, 2011 by O2BNSD

[pam]

The tropical spring rolls sound yummy as I love mango and avocado.

[Guest Godless]

Now Godless..next you will be stating that because of the barley..beer is good for us. Oh wait..I think you have said that before. :)

Okay back to the subject of this thread. :)

Hey, I think I did a very good job of biting my tongue this time.

[Avrham]

My favourite>Banana advacodo with almond milk:)and honey smoothie

Pretty basic

too answer the question my wife is Vegitarian for the last 21years who eats maybe 60%+( I have observed my wife who eat fruits whole and Juice the Vegies and eat soaked nuts and seeds the rest of the family are shifting towards being Vegitarians kids who prefer Vegies and fruits over alot of processed foods(even processed vegies/fruits exists ), for myself sort of crossing over too being Vegitarian I still cook meat but very rarely its been a very enlightning experiance with eating more vegies and fruits a bit of an eye opener:)

:)

[O2BNSD]

My favourite>Banana advacodo with almond milk:)and honey smoothie

Pretty basic

too answer the question my wife is Vegitarian for the last 21years who eats maybe 60%+( I have observed my wife who eat fruits whole and Juice the Vegies and eat soaked nuts and seeds the rest of the family are shifting towards being Vegitarians kids who prefer Vegies and fruits over alot of processed foods(even processed vegies/fruits exists ), for myself sort of crossing over too being Vegitarian I still cook meat but very rarely its been a very enlightning experiance with eating more vegies and fruits a bit of an eye opener:)

:)

That was us too, Avrham. My children were raise predominately semi-vegetarian & pretty much follow the same practice, even with their own children. My youngest daughter (24 yrs old) has been vegetarian for the last 6 yrs & became vegan about 2 yrs ago. She is interested in my raw food recipes & will be incorporating them into her diet, too. I wish the mainstream media would report the devastating effects that processed foods have caused. I have been in medicine for 30 yrs (Cardiology) & have seen what the so called American diet has done to people. What I can definitely state with regards to a raw foods diet, is that I feel so much better. There has been a big decrease in the excess phlem & coughing that I used to have (caused by dairy & wheat products) and my energy level keeps increasing. I don't feel deprived of anything as the recipes are delicious, can even make raw food crepes with a decedant vanilla non-dairy cream filling with fresh fruit!! Wonderful!

Edited July 25, 2011 by O2BNSD

[Backroads]

I've always toyed with the idea of going vegetarian as I really don't like meat all that much (fish is the exception).

This thread has been a good read.

[Shown]

Hello everyone. i am a raw foodie because i know raw food is best diet food and has lot of benefits. Raw food are easy to digest and has more nutrition value then cooked food. Raw food is good for weight lose so i always prefer raw food. I suggest everyone to eat raw food.

dental newsletter

Edited July 30, 2011 by Shown

[O2BNSD]

Hello everyone. i am a raw foodie because i know raw food is best diet food and has lot of benefits. Raw food are easy to digest and has more nutrition value then cooked food. Raw food is good for weight lose so i always prefer raw food. I suggest everyone to eat raw food.

Thanks, Shown, everything you pointed out in your post is everything that I am experiencing since I've made this change. Of course, it wasn't really hard for me as I had always been semi-vegetarian. I definitely am feeling so much better & definitely loosing weight, my coughing/phlem problem is disappearing, etc. I am so pleased with how it is working for me. I have found some amazing recipes, so I definitely do not feel deprived in any way. Tonight, I am taking a refreshing frozen dessert to Relief Society meeting tonight...a wonderful raw fresh strawberry granita...very simply made by pureeing fresh sliced strawberries & combining it with water, lemon juice & agave syrup, then freezing. To serve, use a fork to shred into icy, tendrils, place into dish & immediately serve. Can add some minced fresh mint leaves or to make it an even more decadent treat, drizzle organic aged balsalmic vinegar over top!

Last night I had raw 'pasta' with marinara sauce...the 'pasta' was made out of zucchini, juliened into spaghetti strands & the marinara sauce was made from pureeing roma tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, sea salt, agave syrup & olive oil together. I was so surprised that it tasted just like the regular pasta! Good stuff!

Edited July 28, 2011 by O2BNSD