What the Hell is a Vegan and How Did I Get So Raw?
Once upon a time, I had never heard of a raw vegan diet… It’s strange that I honestly never even thought about vegetables or fruit being involved as mainstays of a raw vegan diet. Hell, I had never heard of such a thing. But I guess that if I’d been forced to hazard a guess as to what it was, my ideas would have hovered around sushi and steak tartar. Or maybe food you hadn’t cooked and shouldn’t even think of eating. But honestly? I was clueless. My friend, Alisa, changed all of that for me. She alone is responsible. What Do You Feed A Vegan? I operated a Bed…
Why A Plant Based Diet?
There’s a lot of arguing that goes on about whether man was designed for a plant based diet or is essentially an omnivore. To add to that pot, I recently heard a new one on a Ted Talks: man is a ‘coctivore’ – the species that cooks. It makes me laugh at times. Because whatever he (or she) is or was, let’s face it: man has proven that he will eat pretty much anything. Are We Made For Meat-Eating? We can look at the basics, though. It took a hell of a lot for man’s jaw to even evolve to the point where meat-eating became easier. There was one indisputable ingredient involved…
Raw Food and Me: How It All Began
My real introduction to raw food came as a result of a party and a dream. And in many ways, it was magical. From the moment we met, Alisa and I liked each other. There was no ‘becoming’ friends. We just were. But beyond that we both recognized tremendous benefits to our joining together as business partners. Oddly enough both of us had corresponding visions of creating a women’s community. Now, granted, in Alisa’s community all the women ate raw food – but basically our ideas of creating a space where women could bloom physically, spiritually and creatively were so similar that it seemed synchronistic that the universe had succeeded…
The Raw Diet: Winterized
It’s winter again and with it comes the quandary about just how far to take the raw diet and where or if to make concessions. There is no sugar coating it: winter is not my favorite time of year. Apart from the occasional awe elicited when my high desert view arbitrarily masquerades as a winter wonderland – usually for all of two hours – I am definitely with the bears on this one and would gladly hibernate if it were at all possible. That not being in the cards, last year I decided to take up skiing again after a twenty year absence from the sport. People told me I…
Easy Raw Carrot Ginger Soup
We kind of take the carrot for granted but it is really the most wonderful vegetable: it can reward you with beautiful skin, better vision and oral health, improved digestion and heightened cardiovascular function. Plus it’s the ultimate immune booster! And I’ve got to admit that carrots are definitely tastier in their raw state. I have a very distinct memory of my mom serving carrots as a consistent side-dish in my youth and they were always soft enough to mush and relatively tasteless and somehow always unappealing. Once upon a time carrots were definitely one of the ‘red-headed-stepchildren of the vegetable world, coming into a close tie with peas and…
Vanilla Scented Parsnip and Apple Soup
The sensual vanilla scent of this parsnip and apple laden soup gives an added boost to this lovely and elegant concoction through the olfactory experience alone! There’s just something about vanilla…It is not necessary to strain the soup but this step gives it an added level of sophistication. Sometimes- when it’s just ‘dinner for one’ you don’t need that but it’s nice to know you have the option. Myself, I have no problem with chunks; keeps it earthy and I like earthy! I also like it a little warmed. Seems like parsnips have their real moment in cooler weather and it just makes sense to heat things up a little…
Nuts and Seeds Morning Muesli
Until you really get the hang of it, the winter months can be challenging for the raw foodist – even if you’re just raw till 4. Sometimes a refreshing juice in the morning just isn’t cutting it. It’s completely normal to crave heavier foods as insulation against the cold. That’s when we have to turn to heartier fare to banish the winter doldrums. Enter our friends the nuts and seeds to give a little heft to our diet and keep us feeling pleasantly full and imminently satiated. That’s where this wonderful muesli makes its welcome appearance. Muesli is one of my favorite ways to start the day when it’s blustery…
I Get Raw With A Little Help From My Friends
Friends can be the ‘secret sauce’ when it comes to succeeding at something. Friends are the ones who encourage you, praise you and sometimes even give you a kick in the ass when you can’t reach around to do it yourself. They can be the glue that keeps you together, the cheerleaders who pump you up through the rough stuff. Most of my close female friends are far away. Sometimes I really miss them. Now it’s not that I don’t think of them often. I do. But it’s in a sort of ethereal way…like lovely background music that you somehow take for granted but would be looking around for if…
Good Greens Everything Salad
Greens need no introduction. One of my favorite salads, hands down. No matter what you put into it, it’s gonna’ be good! RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Good Greens Everything Salad 1 cup curly green kale, stems removed 1/2 bunch collard greens, stems removed 1/4 cup basil leaves 3/4 teaspoons sea salt 2 cloves garlic, crushed 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 Tablespoons lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 apple, diced seeds from 1/4 pomegranate 1/2 red pepper, diced 1/4 red onion, diced 1/2 an avocado, diced 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup dried cranberries Chop the kale medium fine. To chop the collards and basil, first stack…
