Handy Tips when using Plastic…

By Jodie Power

It’s back to school time which is a great time ensure your kids lunch containers are safe.  At home we try to use glass whenever possible, but that’s not going to work for school.   My kids are tough enough on plastic never mind trusting glass in their clutches at school.  Stainless steel containers are another option.  I don’t have any experience with stainless steel containers so I cannot comment on how practical or how well they hold up.

A good article to check out if you do need to go the plastic route was put out by the Environmental Working Group, a non profit organization, .

If you have time I would suggest spending a little time poking around on this site – you are bound to find other useful information on a number of other subjects ranging from the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables, to the best (and worst) cell phones.

Basically some of the key points from this article, as well as from a couple of other articles:

Stay away from anything marked 7 or PC, 3 or PVC and 6 or Styrofoam.

Plastics marked with 1, 2, 4 or 5  do not contain BPA, and are considered better choices.  But beware, some say 1 is okay for single use only.  You’ll find a lot of the bottles you get your water in marked 1.    Other sites also note that plastics marked 5 are okay but can be hazardous in production.

On most plastics you can find the number in the recycle sign that is usually on the bottom of the container.

A couple of other points, which will not be an issue for those of you whose kids are all raw:  It is best not to put hot items in plastic, let them cool first.

Never microwave plastic. I’m definitely anti-microwave – ours got the boot a couple of years ago.

I’m not telling you to throw out all your plastic containers,  as I know replacing things can be expensive,  just be aware of what you have and which ones are preferable, especially as you buy new ones.

Remember,  in the world we live in what’s safe today may not be tomorrow, especially when it comes to anything man made.  So whenever you want to take another inventory of what containers are the best, make sure you have the latest research.

Try it!

If you read my last article I mentioned a game of “Try It”.
We’ve started this up again and this week we tried Celery Root (aka Celeriac).   Celery Root is high in dietary fiber,  manganese,  magnesium,  potassium,  thiamin,  vitamin B6 and vitamin C.  These are all good things, but you also need to keep in mind that it’s high in sodium and sugar.

I’m not sure if the Celery Root I purchased was bad,  as we’ve never had this before, but it got 4 thumbs down.  Maybe it’s meant more as an addition to a dish than as the main star?
If you’ve had success with celery root let me know.

Take care,
Jody

** Jody is a Mom transitioning from Cooked to Raw and sharing her joys and tribulations with us.  Keep watching for further stories from the Transitioning Mom….

From Doll’s Kitchen. . .

I had a nice chat this afternoon with a great Raw Food advocate, Natasha Kyssa and one thing we talked about was how important greens are in our diets. Although I’m doing very well keeping my food plan clean I realize that I’m still not adding enough green smoothies to my daily routine. I really believe that I need to fix this.

I love checking in on the Green Smoothie Blog to see the recipes and fun ideas people share. I have the same smoothie over and over again: bananas, spinach and celery. Don’t get me wrong. I really do love my green smoothies like this. They are tasty and in a quirky way becoming familiar to me. Not quite comfort food but I think they’re coming close.

I’m going to step outside of my comfort zone today and make something completely new and different for me. So for something new and exciting I give you :

Tropical Tune-up and Relaxer

• Fruit of one ripe mango
• Big chunk of fresh pineapple
• Coconut – as much as you’d like
• Very small bit of fresh ginger

Blend together adding enough water to make a nice blend.

To this add:

Greens – fill the blender (I’m using Romaine since I don’t want to play with the flavors too much!)

Blend again. Taste.

Add whatever to make it taste and feel like a tropical breeze.

For an added bite add a pinch of cayenne.

Serve with a spike of pineapple and a cutesy umbrella! Close your eyes and imagine you’re hearing the surf.

Wonderful!

Do you feel relaxed? Add some great Beach Boys surfin’ music and you’re there.

Moments in Thyme . . . Food in Film!

By Joyce Wiatroski

Recently, I went to see Cloudy with Chance of Meatballs. As interested as I am in food, nutrition, and the sad state of our collective health, a mainstream, animated film that carries the message “don’t fill up on junk food” certainly caught my attention.
The film does a neat job of sending an important message to kids and their folks. Having your fill of easy eats, such as chicken wings, cheeseburgers, and French fries, has dire consequences. The message is: “ease up on the junk food before it kills you”. I wonder how many viewers will take the message to heart. I also wonder how many left the theater and headed for the nearest fast food drive-in window.

On the ride home, I thought about how film influences our lives — how our culture is both reflected and informed by the films of an era.

Film offers escape, entertainment, enlightenment and education. It’s a medium that encourages us to lose ourselves, for a short while, in the adventures, joys and sorrows of other people. People much like us, and also people whose lifestyles and mores are completely different from ours. Film transports us, visually and audibly, to new worlds offering the opportunity to gain new insights, and develop broader understanding as we grow intellectually.

Before television, movies were our window on the world. Each current generation has grown up with some exposure to film. For many of us, movies are woven into the fabric of our lives, subtly influencing many of our decisions.

Film has always been a big deal in my life. As a kid, Saturday at the Movies included a double feature, newsreels, cartoons, and coming attractions (trailers). We spent entire Saturday afternoons glued to the big screen. All for a quarter. Imagine!

As a pre-teen, after seeing a fascinating ice skating movie, I imagined myself as a swirling, twirling, Sonja Henie, waiting to be discovered on the ice rink at our local firehouse. The fact that I couldn’t skate backwards, let alone twirl, didn’t diminish the dream one bit!
Then Esther Williams stole my heart, and the dreams went from the frigid skating rink to the sensuous movements of a lithe ballerina in the wet depths of an exotic swimming pool. I couldn’t figure out how to give my adoring audience a big smile, while continuing to breathe under water. The mere fact that I couldn’t swim very well didn’t begin to slow down those exciting fantasies.
I went on to dance with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly — giving Ginger Rogers a run for her money. Dressed in glamorous gowns, I pranced upon the stage in my mind. The movies were a wonderful weekly adventure, teaching me to aspire and to dream. Movies magically opened up beautiful new worlds, expanding horizons for a skinny, freckle-faced New Hampshire girl.

Now I seem to gravitate toward health related documentaries, yet I’m easily lured by any film about food. Food speaks volumes about nurturing, caring, and love. The joy with which we prepare foods for family, friends or simply for ourselves is a major component, adding to the total nourishment of the final dish, make no mistake about that. The sentiment that food and love go hand in hand is reflected in many a well-written film treatment.

For a comprehensive list of food films, check out Gastronomica. I was entranced by some of the titles, for instance: Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers, Killer Tomatoes and . Many of my favorite food films are listed: Big Night, Babette’s Feast, Like Water for Chocolate, and so many more, along with plenty of informative documentaries. Check out the list and find some grand food related films to watch. Don’t miss the recent release, Julie and Julia. Just because raw foodists choose not to cook, or vegans not to cook with butter, watching Julia Child (Meryl Streep) make culinary history is a pure delight.

Food — the center of attention.  What does that say about us as a society?

Today we each have the opportunity to make healthy food choices the center of attention. An opportunity to nurture, care and show love to our circle of influence by setting a good example, eating to nurture the body, mind and spirit. It will be interesting to see what impact we have on our immediate circle and watch the ripple effect on the world.

Maybe someday we’ll see a film entitled: Sunny with Chance of Kale!

Meanwhile, let’s each do our part to manifest . . .

Like fine wine, women grow better with thyme.

**Joyce Wiatroski is the wit and wisdom found on foodiefumblings blog. You can watch for her contributions on the Diva blog on Tuesdays.

“Watch Out! Mom’s Hungry!”

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

Hunger was never acceptable.
For me, hunger was always equated with lack of, with less than, with fear, with need, with urgency. Hunger meant some part of me was being denied. If I had even a hint of a hunger pang, I dropped everything I was doing, saying, and thinking, and ran to the fridge… or the nearest restaurant… or the nearest convenience store. I could not stand to feel that for more than a few minutes. I could feel panic rising in my chest, my jaws start to clench. I would begin to get angry – at everything and everyone that stood in my way of food. It became a running joke with my family and friends that “whenever Lisa Marie’s hungry, watch out!”

How did this behavior come about?
Is this the kind of body relationship that I want to teach my kid? That I want to foster within myself? Why did I encourage this pattern? Why did my friends’ accept it and even joke about it?

I am a recovering food addict.
I know this now. I came to this understanding while working through Angela Stokes’ book, Raw Emotions. Upon introspection I realized that I obsessed over food. At first I rationalized it; I mean, I’m a chef! It makes sense. But as I looked deeper, I found I was using this obsession as a front: there were other things buried beneath and this rationalization was an excuse to not delve deeper.

I’ve been transitioning to a raw diet since February 2008. In April I decided to bump up my raw percentage to about 90-95%. Since April, I’ve lost 35 pounds, going from 232 to 197. I expected the weight loss and wasn’t really attached to it one way or another. I’ve been accepting of my size for most of my life… or so I thought. Looking back, I’m see now that I didn’t immediately go 100% raw because, quite frankly, I don’t think I could have handled it emotionally.

Angela Stokes calls weight loss “releasing“. Initially, I rolled my eyes at this word choice because it seemed like such a minor point semantically. But as the weeks have passed and the weight has dropped (been released), I’m finding that the word is more than apt – and even necessary. Toxins are stored in fat. As fat is released, so are the toxins. Everyone experiences this toxic “flood” differently. Some people get headaches, others are lethargic. Dealing with the emotional toxins, however, are unique to the person who stored them initially.

I have found that some days I am an emotional wreck.
I cry and rage and feel unbelievably vulnerable. The next day I will feel light and confident and centered. And this seems to yo-yo as I continue on this journey. Some days I feel like I can’t take another emotion coming to the fore, another old wound coming up and rearing its ugly head… and I want to reach for food, for something chocolate, for something warm and reassuring. I want my grammy’s roast beef, some cheesy pizza, a submarine sandwich – anything to dull these newly-resurfaced emotions.

And then the moment passes. My husband (who should be sainted) has listened to me rant and watched me fold under my own old weight. He’s talked me down from the ceiling and kept my hands out of the proverbial cookie jar. Well… it’s not really him that’s doing this. It’s me. I’m the one who has ultimately had to believe in another version of myself, this smaller-bodied, more open-hearted woman.

I think it’s getting easier. The more raw foods I ingest, the more toxins are released. And the amount of raw foods I eat a day is in direct proportion to the amount of fear and anger and doubt and insecurity I can handle for a day. And I’m OK with this. I have to be. I’m all I’ve got.

So, now when I’m hungry, the questions are different. Instead of asking myself where to eat and what to eat, I stop and listen. What am I feeling? Am I craving a certain thing? And, if so, is there an emotion tied to the craving? And I sit on it, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 2 hours. When I let myself experience this old pattern, it’s not as loud and ends up sounding more like a wounded child than a raging maniac.

And I guess this has become my new hunger:  me.

** Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt is a raw foods chef and teacher and owner of Rite Food and Company, which offers workshops on intentional and joyful eating. Lisa Marie and her homeschooled daughter, Mo, record a weekly podcast – called Sweet Peas Podcast – chronicling their raw foods journey together.

A Parable For The Heart…

A couple of nights ago I had the luxury to sit uninterrupted and read my book Reconnective Healing by Dr. Eric Pearl. I had just finished the section of the book where he tells an abridged version of Lee Carroll’s The Parable Wo and the Suitcase from his channeled Kyron writings. If you have never read this parable I strongly urge you to do so. Its message is so simple and beautiful.

That same evening my little whippersnapper asked for me to tell him a story rather than read him one from a book. Generally speaking I don’t think of myself as a storyteller, but I know how exciting it is for him to hear me tell him a magical tale. As I couldn’t think of anything, I decided to tell him a kiddy version of Wo and the Suitcase. To my delight he loved it and has repeatedly asked for me to tell him it. So this is our version of Wo and the Suitcase:

Once upon a time there was a little being named Wo. He was neither a boy nor a girl, but for the sake of the story I will refer to Wo in the masculine. Wo was getting ready to embark on a very long adventure and needed to pack his suitcase.

But Wo was not very good at packing. He wasn’t very organized and had no idea what to pack. So Wo went to his wardrobe, opened his suitcase and emptied his ENTIRE wardrobe into his suitcase. He packed everything! Wo had bovver boots, skirts, trousers, sunhats – the whole lot in his suitcase. And Wo’s suitcase was bulging! As he tried zipping his bag up he had bits of underwear and socks poking out. In the end he managed to zip his suitcase up.

Then Wo thought he would need to take some books for the journey. But once again Wo couldn’t decide which ones to pack. So Wo went to his bookcase with another suitcase and emptied his entire bookcase into his suitcase. Once again Wo’s suitcase was bulging! He had packed every book imaginable – recipe books, car books, how-to books. As Wo tried to zip his suitcase up, he had book corners bulging out the sides, but in the end he managed to close his bag.

Wo looked at his two very large heavy suitcases and realized he still needed to pack some food for his journey. Wo got out a third suitcase and went into his kitchen. He opened his refrigerator and couldn’t decide what to pack, so emptied his entire refrigerator into his suitcase. And as if that weren’t enough, he emptied his cupboard into his bag, too. Once again Wo’s suitcase was bulging. When he tried zipping his bag up he had cucumbers and apples rolling out of his suitcase, but in the end he was able to tightly fasten the bag.

Suddenly, Wo realized he hadn’t packed any toys, games or puzzles for his journey. Wo got a fourth suitcase and went to his toy box. As he stared at all of his gleaming toys, he realized once again he didn’t know what to pack. He said a little prayer and then began tipping all of his toys, games and puzzles into his suitcase. For a fourth time his bag was bulging. As he tried zipping up his suitcase he had cars roaring out and puzzle pieces dropping out, but in the end he managed to close his bag.

Wo stood up and looked at the sight of his four bulging heavy suitcases, when who should appear but the Angel of Packing. She was a glorious looking angel with long locks, a shimmery gown and big, colourful wings.

Wo greeted the Angel of Packing with such relief. The Angel saw all of Wo’s bulging bags and asked how she could help him. Wo said “Oh Angel of Packing I am going on an adventure and I had no idea what to pack. So I packed everything. I want to make sure I am prepared for whatever comes my way.” The Angel of Packing looked lovingly at Wo and replied “Yes, I see you have made sure that you’ll never be unprepared. But Wo do you know you don’t actually need any of those things in your suitcases? You see everything you will EVER need is right there in your heart. You will always be provided for. Just look into your heart.”

Wo thought deeply about this and understood. He thanked the Angel of Packing and said goodbye to her. Then Wo left for his adventure with only himself, leaving all of his suitcases behind knowing everything was already within his heart.

Fruity Veggy Smoothie!

I like taking other recipes and changing ingredients but this week I have been inventing my own. And I have now discovered the secret to enjoying green smoothies. Add More Water!

Makes more than one litre

Aran’s Apple Adventure

• 2 Mangoes
• 3 Apples
• 1 bag of spinach leaves or 4 cups of fresh from the garden.
• 1 cup Blackberries frozen or fresh
• 1 head of Celery (you have to like celery or substitute a favourite veggy)
• 8 large Tomatoes
• 1 pint of Blueberries (small box from grocery store)
• 2-3 bottles of Spring or Distilled water

Blend it all together starting with the softer ingredients, and drink!

*Will last me all day.

***Aran is a Blog Coordinator here at Green Smoothie Queen, and will  be featuring Smoothie recipes each week.  She is looking for more yummy Smoothie recipes to share on our Green Smoothie blog.  So, come on you Smoothie fans! Send in your original Smoothie recipes to contributors@therawdivas.com and you too could see your name in (Green) Lights!!!

A Meal Fit For a Man: Zucchini!

When I got home from work on Friday evening my husband Dan was working in the garage on his long term project of rebuilding two ATV’s at the same time.  Long term in this case can be defined in two ways: he has been at it off and on for a couple of months; and,  he was working on the ATV’s when I went to bed Thursday night, was still working on them when I left for work Friday morning and had continued all day long Friday.  When I walked into the garage to say hello Dan immediately expressed his desire for dinner as he had not eaten in 24 hours.  He said that he was not going to cook his own dinner, as he usually does since he eats meat and I don’t, but would gladly go to KFC – at which point I interrupted him (EEK! KFC! I thought.) to say that I would make dinner for him…manipulating or just starving, or both, he got me to fix him dinner.  He thanked me profusely and said repeatedly how delicious it was and that I should write about it this week.  Feeding a starving man can be great for your ego.

The focal point of Dan’s dinner was actually zucchini; amazing huh?  Every time I have made Dan a zucchini dish he lets me know that he enjoyed it, even though I have made it differently every time.  Actually every zucchini meal so far has been more of a winner than any other healthy dish I have made for him. As the raw vegan population is quite small, I am sure most of you know a meat-eater or even prepare meals for one. Maybe you can healthy up your meat-eater’s diet with some zucchini too.

Here is some of what makes zucchini healthy:

It is full of water, filtered perfectly by nature; great for hydration
It contains wonderful nutrients such as protein, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium
It contains fiber; great for digestion
It is low in calories, about 30 calories for a medium zucchini; great for weight management

Easy  Zucchini *Pasta*

• 1 zucchini, cut in ribbons with vegetable peeler

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut in ribbons

• 1 tablespoon raw pine nuts

• Pinch sea salt

Toss all ingredients together.

Enjoy!

Have you made any zucchini *pasta* lately?  Dan says it is delicious (I think so too)!

Happy Eating!
Mary
Voice Of The Vegan

Disclaimer:  This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, prescribe or treat illness.  It is valuable to seek the guidance of an alternative health care professional before making any changes to one’s diet and lifestyle.

Power-Full…

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

I always find myself stuck in the middle of  letting go and hanging on – with my kid, with my husband, with my finances,  with my emotions… just to name a few. This sense of spiritual and emotional  vertigo, this pulling between disparate directions, is one I could do without.  Let me give you a recent example.

Mo had a few warts on her feet. I did some  research on the internet to see what my options were for homeopathic treatment.  I found that taking echinacea tincture internally in addition to applying tea  tree oil directly to the warts could be effective. Since it seemed the least  invasive, I told Mo about it and said, “So, we’ll start that tonight and see if  it works.” She said, casually, “Well, I’ll think about it.” I said, utterly  confused, “What? Why?” She said, “It’s my body and I’ll decide if I want to do  that or not.”

And what was Lisa Marie’s brilliant  response? I mumbled, “Well, we’ll see.” And I walked away, noticing that I was  feeling hurt. What was going on here?

Mo is 12. She is also homeschooled, quite  clear about her needs and… a raw foodist. All these can be a deadly  combination – especially for a parent that’s stuck in an old paradigm of the  parents making the health care decisions for their children. My husband and I  are raising her within an environment where questioning is encouraged and  expected, where power-over structures are broken down and analyzed, and where  self-empowerment is required. I hate this. This means that I have to let her make  her own choices! If I let her do that, how do I play the mom?!

OK. So, obviously, I need to step back  here. Why were my feelings hurt? Why am I hating this independence when I’ve  encouraged it for 12 years? And what does it really mean to be a mom if power-over  isn’t allowed?

Why were my feelings hurt?
My immediate response was defensiveness:  “Hel-LO! I’m the mom! Obviously, I know what’s best here! I’ve got 28 years on  you, kid! I just spent all that time researching warts and you’ll think about  it?!”

So, as I walked away, all these thoughts  were clamoring for attention, each one putting up a hell of a fight. I took a  few breaths, did some dishes, and thought, “OK. She’s not saying she doesn’t  appreciate you looking up an answer. She’s not saying she doesn’t respect your  opinion. She just wants to think about it.”

This hurting, I think, is because I’m  recognizing that our relationship has begun to change. A leveling of the  playing field is happening. All the tools that I’ve given her are starting to be  used. She is becoming more and more aware of how food and medicine and thoughts  can affect her and is exercising control over what she lets in. Oh, man. Am I  ready for this? Can I let go of the toddler mom and build a new mom that is  less about power-over and more about power-with?

Why am I hating this independence when I’ve  encouraged it for 12 years?
I hate it because it means I have to  change. It means I have to look inside and see which of my tools aren’t needed  anymore and replace them with new ones. And, most importantly, it means that I  have to do all of this with grace and honesty without getting sucked into  negative self-talk.

And what does it really mean to be a mom if  power-over isn’t allowed?
I don’t know yet. I get glimmers every now  and then of authenticity and lightness and being the best of friends with my  kid. Maybe that’s what it means. Or it could mean just living by example and  letting her go… and knowing that my love for her is enough.

It’s scary to be somewhere unknown. All you  can do is pull from your own toolbox and trust that you have everything you  need. And if you don’t, maybe you can ask your kid.

Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt is a raw foods  chef and teacher and owner of Rite Food and Company, which offers workshops on intentional and joyful  eating. Lisa Marie and her homeschooled daughter, Mo, record a weekly podcast –  called Sweet Peas Podcast – chronicling their raw foods journey together.

Berry, Berry, Green Smoothie

I am a ‘by gosh or by golly’ type of cook. . . .   Entirely intuitive, no recipes allowed. . . lol   Which means I take a little of this and a pinch of that in all my recipes, raw or otherwise. I hope you will enjoy this recipe and change it as much as you like.

Berry, Berry,  Smoothie. . . .

(Makes 1 litre or more of smoothie)

• 3 Bananas
• 2 Ripe Peaches
• A couple of handfuls of Frozen Blueberries
• Sugar snap peas (lovely fresh flavour)
• Frozen Blackberries and Raspberries (handful each)
• 2-3 Cabbage leaves from the Garden
• 1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
• Fresh herbs from the garden (Thyme, Cilantro, Parsley)
• 1 or 2 bottles of Spring or Distilled water depending how dilute you want it.

Blend everything together beginning with the softest ingredients. Add the   water to make the smoothie to your preference.  (My personal preference is for a thin, ‘dilute’ smoothie)

***Aran is our Blog Coordinator here at Green Smoothie Queen, and will  be featuring Smoothie recipes each week.  She is looking for more yummy Smoothie recipes to share on our Green Smoothie blog.  So, come on you Smoothie fans! Send in your original Smoothie recipes to contributors@therawdivas.com and you too could see your name in (Green) Lights!!!

10 Easy Tips to Stay Raw.

by Linda Douglas, Ph.D., R.D.

Are you a transitioning raw food enthusiast or high raw eater? Do you ever find your best intentions of eating mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds going down the tubes because you crave more savory food?  Have your raw resolutions sometimes burst into flame-broiled madness? If this sounds familiar, you may be interested in a few easy strategies to keep your actions and intentions grooving together.

We all know that we should keep fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds stocked at all times.  However, just filling the fridge won’t get the food on the table or in the lunchbox.  Try this easy approach to move your raw dreams into reality.  The plan involves making yummy, mostly savory foods in advance of when you need them, keeping things simple and fresh, and having food with you at all times.

1. When you first get your food home from the farmstand, co-op, or grocery store, wash and pre-prep your produce.  This sets you up for quick, fresh meals at a moment’s notice.
2. Over the weekend or when you have free time, make a nut or seed-based pate or two that you really love.  This alone will keep you in yummy dips, salads, wraps, and sandwiches for the week.  A great pate can even be thinned and blended as a soup base.
3. Use collards, kale, and lettuce for those wraps and sandwiches. Dehydrating raw breads and crackers can be great.  But fresh leafy greens are better nutrition-wise, especially if the filling is nut or avocado-based, and are important time savers.  If you need something more substantial, go ahead and use a sprouted whole grain tortilla and wrap away!
4. Likewise, use cucumbers, celery, carrots, and squash, etc. for dippers.  Kids and adults are much more open to eating vegetables when they are fresh, crisp, and dipped.  A whole grain cracker is also good option that will keep you high-raw.
5. Discover raw soup.  I have to say that raw soups have been the most delightful surprise and I have introduced raw food to several people through a delicious, nutritious soup!  Soups can be nearly instant, keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, can be varied endlessly by chopped garnishes, and are very satisfying.
6. Make enough of a tasty salad dressing to last for the week.  Unless you are a black-belt raw foodist, dressing can make the difference between a gratifying salad meal and feeling deprived.
7. In general, put a little more effort into the savory side of fresh, raw foods.  Raw desserts tend to be easy.  Fruit is delightful without any work at all, and smoothies are a cinch.  But, a lot of the satisfaction in any cuisine, as a whole, comes from the main dishes.
8. Use spices to jazz up your burgers, pates, soups, and salad dressings.  A few dashes of curry or chili powder or other seasonings can completely transform a meal and keep you on the raw path.  If you are into savory, this tip alone can keep you going.
9. Dehydrated foods are the bells and whistles of a raw food diet, in my opinion.  For the most part, stick to water-rich veggies, fruits, and non-dried pates and burgers.  These options are fast, simple, and satisfying. If you want to use a dehydrator, plan to make those recipes when you have a lot of time and plenty of other food around.  It’s no fun being hungry and smelling a dehydrating goodie that still has a few hours to go before you can eat it.
10. Finally, pack all these good foods for your lunch and snacks!  Fresh raw recipes are very portable and will last for about 4 hours without refrigeration.  Add an ice pack or refrigerate and you can have food for a day with no worries.  Never go anywhere without a good raw food option.  Even if you grab a cucumber and some celery or an avocado while running out the door, don’t be unprepared, especially if you are transitioning.

Setting yourself up for success with a couple of easy recipes and a little pre-preparation will go a long way toward helping you live a raw or high-raw, healthy lifestyle.  Just look for the simple options and get in the habit of having a little food with you at all times and flame-broiled madness will be a thing of the past.

Linda Douglas, Ph.D., R.D. is a food scientist and registered dietitian and has an extensive professional background in prebiotics, functional foods, and alternative nutrition. After finding raw foods in 2003, Linda began transitioning herself to a high raw, natural living lifestyle and introducing as much raw food as possible into her family’s meals.