The One Month RAW Challenge

[Sim]

Whoa,

Just a short note to check in.

I love this thread, and think of you guys often . . . even when I cannot get online and write a decent note. Oh it has gone crazy at work, just when I think it is going to settle down it goes to the next level. I get to practice my 'NOer'.

Anyway, thanks for reading, I am just bushed else I would write you by name.

Love and hugs!

Hi Nance! Oooooh, it's so good to be back with you all again! Boy do I know how you feel...so little time to do everything...don't worry about "writing by name"...we all know that you're talking to each and every one of us!

Isn't it fun to imagine that you're a chef? The raw just lends itself to creativity because you almost can't ruin anything (well, almost; I seem to have a talent for fixing, ruining, and fixing...and it all comes out just fine). About the cycle stuff: yeah, me too. Being "of an age", I'm never sure if it's going to be regular, since I had missed 3 back in the fall BEFORE cleansing and raw...and I had hot flashes, but not sweaty ones. Well, guess what? I cleansed, went on raw and haven't had any flashes since and I missed one cycle due to a January D&C. I think cleansing and raw have set me aright. Weird, but not so weird...my body's getting younger! (only in my dreams; naked, I look EXACTLY my age... ) Never mind...physically, I'm convinced that the MC and raw have had a positively tremendous physically altering effect on me...and I'm not going back to the pre-MC me, ever. (Wow, I'm emphatic this morning )

I get soooo hungry when it's "that time.." Anyone else, besides Nance and me? I get very tired for one day, too...the day before. I was going to ask if this is normal, but what's normal, except what's normal for each of us?

I made Cohen's pizza this week, delicious. I made a HUGE batch of Nomi's Sunny Paté, one of my all time favorites. But a strange thing is happening: nothing is tasting quite right to me and I'm wondering if it has to do with the extended cleanse and a too-quick return to solids. I'm also finding that because of the hot, humid weather, all I really want is fruit and my eyes are way bigger than my tummy at this point. Let me tell you, eating a whole watermelon in the course of 24 hours is NOT a good idea But it certainly was scrumptious after apples, oranges, and bananas in Ireland.

Don't you all find that summer produce is an inducement to eat differently? It's now blueberry season and I'm really looking forward to those smoothies...

Okay, children, time to book....have a great day everyone, keep the love I'm sending you and send back the empty container so I can refill it for another shipment!

[charlottebird]

Hi Rawbies!!!!

It's been a while (I know ) since I posted but I am never far from the raw food
thoughts.

Sim: WELCOME BACK! I was amazed at your tenacity sticking to raw foods while in Ireland (of all places!). You are a testament of raw food lifestyle's vitality and a major role model for me.

MtMouse: Can you please post Cohen's "easier" (middle) pizza crust recipe? I am gearing up to try that this week. You seem to be the Pizza Guru here so your experience in making these is a bonus!

I was away for 10 days traveling through the Maritimes. I loved PEI the most. There is not a bad view on the island and the land is rich, fertile, unspoiled ... just heavenly! Nova Scotia's coast was just lovely and I had the most amazing, spiritual hike through woods and along coastline. So many shades of green and breathtaking ocean views. I savoured every precious moment and took hundreds of photos.

I made raw energy bars for the trip (yumm!) and ate as much raw fruits and veggies as I could. It really made a difference in how I felt and how I think about going forward with more raw foods. It's still a slow transition but every time I make a raw food choice, my complete self (body, mind and spirit) is grateful.

Be well!!!!

[Sim]

It's been a while (I know ) since I posted but I am never far from the raw food
thoughts.

And you, Charlotte, are never far from our thoughts!

Sim: WELCOME BACK! I was amazed at your tenacity sticking to raw foods while in Ireland (of all places!). You are a testament of raw food lifestyle's vitality and a major role model for me.

Know what? It wasn't tenacity...after these seven months, it's just the way I eat now. Seems a little strange to my family...the other day, my youngest son, 20, said, "Oh, yeah, I forgot; you don't eat real food anymore." Funny to think that cheese pizza, fast food, and Twinkies could be considered "real food" as opposed to fresh raw veggies and fruit, nuts and grains. But hey, to each his/her own!

I was away for 10 days traveling through the Maritimes. I loved PEI the most. There is not a bad view on the island and the land is rich, fertile, unspoiled ... just heavenly! Nova Scotia's coast was just lovely and I had the most amazing, spiritual hike through woods and along coastline. So many shades of green and breathtaking ocean views. I savoured every precious moment and took hundreds of photos.

Oooh! Can you post any pix so we could see?

I made raw energy bars for the trip (yumm!) and ate as much raw fruits and veggies as I could. It really made a difference in how I felt and how I think about going forward with more raw foods. It's still a slow transition but every time I make a raw food choice, my complete self (body, mind and spirit) is grateful.

Talk about tenacity!! You made your own bars and I just relied on Lara! You, Charlotte, are an inspiration and very realistic. Some cooked, some raw...eventually, the scales might just tip in favor of more or all raw, only because it feels so good. Welcome back...I'm now going to look up the Maritimes to see if a mini-hiking vacation before the end of summer is in order!

[mtmouse]

MtMouse: Can you please post Cohen's "easier" (middle) pizza crust recipe? I am gearing up to try that this week. You seem to be the Pizza Guru here so your experience in making these is a bonus!

Haha. I like that: Pizza Guru.

Here's Cohen's "Easy Crust" (as opposed to Gourmet Crust or Easiest Crust):

2 cups sprouted buckwheat (I use sprouted wheat, which I prefer)
1 cup soaked flax seeds
1 cup red bell pepper
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Just combine all ingredients in a food processor until well blended and smooth, then spread approximately 1/4" thick on Teflex or parchment sheets in whatever shape/size you prefer (i.e., rectangle, circle). Dehydrate 2 hours or more until crust can be flipped over and the sheets peeled off. Dehydrate further until firm but not hard or crispy. (Unless you like a tostada-like crust for guacamole, which I do. But for pizza, it's best not to get them too hard.)

They freeze really nicely. And someone on here even freezes them with the sauce, cheeze, and toppings in place. I haven't tried that yet. Some guru!

[Ginger]

I just made Matt's Mock tuna salad. OMG . The picture is from before the dressing is put on. I cut back on the garlic and dill...he used an awful lot. And you really don't need to add all the dressing. But it is fabulous!

I also made his french onion soup. It was a bit salty, I think I'll use less namu shoyu next time. But it was a quick soup and I got it very warm in my vitamix. MMMmmm

Getting ready to use my dehydrator. Making Matt's onion bread. What's the diff between teflex and paraflexx?

[mtmouse]

I'll have to try the mock tuna, Ginger.

I did an online search for Teflex and couldn't find anything but Paraflexx, so I think they're the same. I suspect the name must have changed since most of our gurus wrote their books.

Everyone says that about Matt and his nama shoyu, LOL.

[TeePee]

I just put the onion bread in the dehydrator and I can't wait. The carbs, breads and crackers, even the dehydrated potato chips are all I crave in addition to fruits and salads. With this trying to sell two houses and get ready for vacation, I have not had time to DH a thing or prepare anything except smoothies and cut up produce.

I miss the DH goodies and had to taste (tiny bites) of cooked stuff at my dad's birthday dinner at my parents yesterday. Nothing outlandish. A couple bites of corn on the cob (no butter, just plain) and some beans. I feel like complete crap when I do that and it definitely pulls at your heart strings of "wanting more". I am such a firm believer in Boutenko's notion of cooked food being an addiction and having a few bites here and there makes it harder. IT IS TRUE, I HAVE TESTED THIS THEORY OUT!! Sim has the right idea, don't look back. It is of course easy to say! I am really hoping I do as well on my vacation next week as Sim has done!!! Always inpiring, Sim!!

I am thinking of just slicing up the one zucchini I have in the fridge to make something crunchy very quickly!!

[Ginger]

The mock tuna makes a HUGE amount. I got my daughter to try it (she thinks I'm crazy for eating raw) and she said it tasted like chicken salad w/o the chicken. It reminds me of potato salad with dill.

TeePee - did it seem there were too many onions in the mix? I didn't use the processor, I just sliced thin in the mandoline.

[TeePee]

Ginger,

It did seem like a lot of onions and I only used two as opposed to 3 stated in recipe. It is STILL drying of course! I think I have always used only 2 onions. I also used the mandoline because the food processor does it to thick. I was very careful. When I got to the end of the onion, I stopped slicing, and put the bigger chunks of left over onion to marinate in Nama Shoyu and then into the dehydrator to get like crispy "onion rings".

Didn't get to the burgers yet, I should go do that now before I go toBF to paint. That way, I'll have something yummy when hunger strikes!! I may be eating mushy onion bread wrapped around a mushy burger at 9 pm tonight!!

I have all this to do, but it is sooo beautiful outside.

[charlottebird]

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!

Sim: You are too gracious! I will be happy to post some raw bar recipes. I am experimenting with some new variations this week.

Here is a link to the wonderful Taylor Head park we hiked through in Nova Scotia (near Sheet Harbour - 1 hour East of Halifax). It is so beautiful and hardly ever used. We didn't see another soul on the trail. One part at the point looks very similar to Scottish highlands.

http://parks.gov.ns.ca/parks/data/TaylorHead07.pdf

I will get my photos downloaded somewhere to post a few. Any recommendations on a free site for sharing photos?

Mtmouse: Many, many thanks for posting that pizza recipe. I have got to get using that dehydrator and start 'baking'. Question about the sprouting process. Can you use just regular grains or do I have to purchase particular sprouting varieties (silly question but such a newbie here - lol!).

TeePee: Holy Dehydration, Girl! You are amazing! I've had my dehydrator for a month now and it still sits on my counter and you are drying up a boatload of food. Way to go! Hey, let me know how those dehydrated onions turned out.

My raw food fest this weekend included loads of fresh picked raspberries. I picked lots for my mom (her favourite berry) and plenty for my family, most of which are in the freezer for future use. I just LOVE picking produce. Being among the fields is a glorious thing. I'll go out once more with the kids this week.

Enjoy your day, Rawbies.