Hi, everyone!
I’ve just been looking online to see if I can make a bit more sense of the raw thing. It’s very interesting to me though I haven’t taken any major steps (yet)...I really want to though. I’ve been a vegetarian for 15 years and now mostly vegan…
The thing I like about Gone Raw is that the members generally sound …normal, friendly and helpful! (I can’t be the only person who sometimes finds other sites/blogs relating to one of your interests a bit off-putting if you’re a beginner (either because you can’t decipher the jargon, or the views are more extreme or the contributors sound a bit mental, in a word).)
Perhaps you have some practical tips in relation to my (sadly numerous) queries…
At the moment I work and study (in London) so spare time/money is minimal to non-existent. Some good books for beginners have been mentioned, which is great… so far I’ve only read Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine which is cool but doesn’t seem pitched at the absolute beginner. At the moment I just have a coffee grinder and a crappy blender (not a high-end one at all). I don’t have a dehydrator. I’ve never even seen one. But it also bothers me that so many raw recipes call for a wide array of exotic ingredients from various corners of the globe; aside from food mile concerns (if that is a factor), ....
(1)how do you manage your shopping? I get an organic box delivery which covers fresh fruit/veg/herbs, dried pulses/seeds and other things but not really any specialist ingredients. Health stores here are either crap or beyond my budget.
(2)How much more do you spend on food if you are, say 50% raw? (So much more nuts, seeds, oils and specialist ingredients….!)
(3) How do you plan your life around extended cooking times (e.g. so many things need soaking and dehydrating)? It’s these first steps that are daunting! I’m sure that it just takes a little bit of time and a few tricks to get started, from what other members have said… Though personally I would rather prepare simpler food than things made from loads of ingredients that take 12+ hours before you can eat…
Any first steps you recommend? So far I’ve been making coleslaw or grating carrots, or making fennel and apple salad, or chopping kale, and adding these raw ingredients to complement a mainly cooked meal.(My plan is to gradually decrease the amount of cooked food and increase the amount of raw stuff.)
(4)Are there any specific raw resources for deliberately simple/low-tech recipes? I gather from other posts that juicing and salads are the way to start but too much repetition (unless it’s easy, clever and delicious) will demotivate me . (I don’t even have a juicer!)
(5) I gave up sugar (honey, syrup and other concentrated/fast-releasing sweet things) 3 weeks ago so I would probably avoid higher-GL things most of the time. Does anyone else avoid these and how do you feel?
(6) I have a large appetite (normal weight for my height though) and was wondering if my appetite is likely to decrease. I like to exercise, too. I just wonder what physical effects I might feel… increase in energy? decrease? Am I going to feel cold all the time? (I already feel cold easily) Am I going to be spending half my day chewing? Or spend half my income on nuts? ;-p
OK, I’m sure I’ll think of some other questions but I am looking forward to your no-doubt helpful, practical and supportive insight and experience. Many thanks! A
