going raw and going bored ;(

rawforhealth

I had another post out about my serious medical condition and inability to do much “fancy” stuff right now and how I was getting totally bored and unsatisfied with eating salads all day. I do have a blender and a good food processor and just got a sprouting bag but do not have the energy right now to make anything due to prep and even more so, clean up.

I read some posts that said that new raw foodists will want to “cook” alot of raw recipes when first starting out and then will eventually just do simple. Well…since I have not had the energy to “cook” anything, I have done simple and I am finding it boring and totally unsatisfying. I have been having salads every day, coupled with some cooked food (and occassional meat..i am transitioning :)

I am finding it much harder to make the full transition because I am unable to make my raw foods interesting and satisfying and I am eating more cooked food that I want. My husband cooks it for me when I am too ill to make anything and am sick of “rabbit food” (sorry ;( Traditional cooking is all he knows how to do quick, easy and tasty (but not necessarily healthy ;( He eats mostly cooked food and doesn’t have time to make separate intricate raw stuff for me after working 60 hours a week.)

I try to put different things in the salad and add nuts and seeds for variety and to make it more filling and do different salad dressings but unless I add a protein like chick peas, I am still hungry, I am finding eating to be more of survival than enjoyment..is that what raw food is about..just eating to survive?? I am asking seriously because unless I am able to “cook” some interesting stuff, I am finding salads boring and unsatisfying.

Is it that making raw food dishes in the beginning is in a way to get used to the greens and other veggies and then once your body gets used to them, you crave and enjoy them in their purest form?? I was told I was going to start craving green drinks…personally, if I don’t add an apple to my green drinks, I want to gag,sorry ;( I am having a hard time seeing how I will start craving them,..but I believe if it many others say the same thing. Oh, and i don’t eat any fruit except lemons in water and also in most of my dressings, occasional grapefruit- non sweet kind, and some apples to sweeten green drinks. I have bad candida and have been told to stay clear of all fruit because sugar is sugar even in natural form, but oh I miss it and love it.

Any thoughts on how to enjoy raw foods more without having to make fancy raw dishes? If noone has any answers, I’ll just nickname myself “rabbit” and try to tame my urges for cooked food or anything that tastes good ;)

Thanks!

pianissima

for me, it’s impossible to eat all veggies and stay raw. i can do all veggies with some cooked, but i’ve tried veggies and fats. no go. (this, because i too had candida over the summer… from eating WAY too much fruit, no fat, a little greens)

back to you: we are going into winter, and unless you live in a really lush place like hawaii, california, or florida, it’s going to be hard to do raw SIMPLE. why? because simple means relying on the natural delicious flavors of fruits and veggies in their natural state. if everything you are getting has been picked unripe and then shipped in cold storage, it’s no wonder you are getting bored. there are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes available at some farmer’s markets. in winter, we get ONE! in CT!!!!! i know some of you eat all raw in england during the winter. i grew up in the mediterranean, and eating an unripe mealy tomato salad is, ironically, very “SAD” to me.

that’s why in winter i gravitate towards easy to digest cooked vegan soups and steamed veggies for dinner. when i keep my diet really clean and i don’t have problems with fermentation (i.e. the candida villain). the candida is going to make you think that you are hungrier than you are anyway. i like to drink green tea and/or water with lemon juice during the day to curb my appetite. this also gives you time to digest. eating between meals is far worse than eating the “wrong” foods when you have fermentation problems.

have you had green drinks that are simple—like cukes and/or celery juice. they are much milder than kale, collard, etc. even spinach isn’t so chlorophyll-y and adds a nice saltiness. also, adding lemon helps.

anyway, that’s my suggestion: thinking about eating “clean” food. i don’t think the raw gourmet stuff would be helping you anyway. seriously poor food combinations and way too much fat are not great in my opinion.

(sorry this is so long…!!!!) one more thing: i think a big part of going raw is learning to eat less. but in that transition i would rather eat some steamed veggies (that i don’t feel weighted down by) than a big bowl of nut pate. i know some disagree.

rawforhealth

thanks ;) oh…i live in arizona so don’t have true winters, thank goodness! ;) but our produce leaves alot to be desired unless it is from ca.thanks for suggestions.

wheatgrass lass

I would agree with pianissima that some “clean” vegan soups might be a good option during this difficult period . Raw soups are also a nice easy option. In addition to the many recipes here, you might find some of the beautiful recipes at www.thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com to be helpful. Best wish to you on your healing journey!

rawforhealth

thanks…oh i forgot to mention…i HATE soup..always have..raw or cooked ;( oh well, i guess i have to deal ;)