RahRahRaw

It all began with a trip to the library.

I was in search of a book I had come across in Barnes and Noble that looked like a very good explanation of some how-tos in vegetarian cooking.  Though I am not a vegetarian I find the cuisine delicious.

World Cat told me that we had a copy in our library, but, alas, after a searching and checking, it was mistaken.   It was in the new book section I found a copy of this book.  It was such pretty book and the food looked delicious.  I tucked it into my stack of a few other interesting sounding cook books such as Indian Cooking and another. 

Later that evening I began thumbing through the books.  And this is when I started to read Everyday Raw.  The recipes were so simple, and sounded so delicious.  I was intrigued.

The fact of the matter is that the Standard American Diet is not a fit for me being that the entire group of dairy does sit well.  The standard raw food diet is vegan, meaning that animal products are not consumed.  Personally, there are a few animal products I love (honey) and will not be excluding them from my diet.  No dairy, that is a positive.  When I consume dairy I feel terrible - not only gastronomically - but I am tired and cranky.  I've known the first part for a few years, I've been fooling myself for the past year and consuming the food that is so not right for me.  It wasn't until the last few weeks that I have figured out that dairy has mental effects on me as well.

In reading Everyday Raw I began to get an idea of lifestyle that focuses on consuming food for nutrition and keeping it in its original uncooked state.  The diet consists of vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts.  I began to Google and read what I could.  It made sense.  I had already begun much of this discrimination process in my external factors by being very conscientious of the cleaners, clothing and soaps I use.  The more I read the more persuaded I became that this too would be a positive lifestyle choice for me.

I began to test the water. 

Smoothies were first.  Some were delicious...some not so much.

Sprouted Hummus. 

I tried Swiss Chard for the first time (not bad).

Fresh fruit is my go-to for breakfast.  

Whatever kind of "rabbit food" I can order up at the local lunch joints often leaves much to be desired at noon time.  

Chopping up this or that for dinner and assembling and eating as I go is so simple.  I don't miss standing over the stove and the gamble of cooking it well or botching it up.  I know what the food will taste like and it is great.

It has been a couple weeks now and I'm feeling really good.  I've lost that dairy bloat that was so often a reminder of any meal I had eaten.  I have more energy and less fog, less grump.  I can't say it is always easy, but there is no gamble of wondering if I will feel the negative effects of the dessert or bread product I just scarfed down.  I just don't eat them.  Easy.

In the future I would like to get my hands on a dehydrator and start to whip up some flat breads, pizza crusts and sweet treats.  I've got a jimica root on the kitchen counter waiting to be experimented with as "mashed potatoes"or "potato salad". 

All in all I am finding that food doesn't have to be fancy or elaborate and it tastes delicious just the way it was grown. 

I find that it is not so easy to tell people.  They don't quite understand why someone would want to "deprive" themselves of cooked food or meat or dairy (I must be crazy).  The response I give, that I am working to improve my health and prevent a lifetime of health issues, doesn't really win understanding either.  People would much rather I take pills to return me to a normal state of consumption instead of listening to what my body is telling me and feeding it accordingly. 

Will I eat cooked food again?  Of course, just not as much as I have been.

This change is just something I will work on with time and this is where I am at now.