Can I steam food?

[casey]

Hi!

I am about as new as you can get. I started this morning!

I have to wait for my next paycheck to buy the book, so I am gathering as much info as I can off the web.

Quick question that may be answered elsewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Can I steam vegetables? Does steaming hit 102 degrees? My guess is steaming is out, but I am curious.

Thanks!
Casey

[Revvell]

Tell ya what ya do. Steam up some water and hold your hand over it. If you can't, steaming is out IF you wish to eat raw.

Baking, broiling, micro-waving, toasting and boiling is also out.

Oh! Welcome! :)



Can I steam vegetables? Does steaming hit 102 degrees? My guess is steaming is out, but I am curious.

Thanks!
Casey

[tvillemom]

Welcome Casey! Since you are BRAND NEW to raw, think of food this way....eat everything as fresh as you can get it, at least for now. Fresh fruits and veggies. If you want to eat nuts, some MUST BE soaked first. Almonds especially. Keep asking questions! And just keep thinking...."no heat" when it comes to eating.
Wendi

[Nimmanu]

Steam gets extremely hot. In fact, a steam burn can be worse than an oil burn! :eek:

So yes, steaming is definitely cooking, and is out, if you want to consider the food to be raw.

[girlsmiley]

Renee Underkoffler, in her book "Living Cusine: The Art, Science, and Spirit of Raw Foods" says that "Blanching and steaming are techniques that involve short-term heating with steam or hot water to help break down the indigestible cellulose of some vegetables and complex startches of sprouted beans and grains. Be advised that these techniques are not technially considered "raw food" or "living food," but are a gentle compromise that will improve the flavor and digestibility of certain foods, like "tough" vegetables and sprouted grains and beans."

So, if I am wanting to eat something warmed up, e.g., asparagras, what I do is get my pot boiling, put the veggies in the steamer portion, turn the burner off, put the steamer in and put the lid on ... wait for 10-20 minutes ... the veggies are still very crispy and not cooked ... I drizzle some EVOO and grind some sea salt and voila! Dinner :D

[cassidy]

TVILLEMOM - Why do you say almonds need to be soaked??? I eat them unsoaked all the time... :confused:

[Ariannah]

Yes, but it's not raw.

[casey]

Thanks!

One more question - I've got a freezer full of veggies I used to steam and make veggie soup with. Can I thaw them and then do something with them? I was reading somewhere frozen veggies are blanched, so that kinda ruins them, doesn't it?

[girlsmiley]

Well, you don't want to waste them ... I don't know how they will taste defrosted to eat in a salad ... depending on what they are.

You could make some blended soup ... what kind of veggies are they?

If you really don't want to eat them do you have someone you could give them to?

[casey]

Oh, i've got everything. Green beans, lima beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and veggie soup mix.

I'll see how well they defrost. I was mostly concerned about what happened to them before they were frozen. Were they blanched? Are they still considered raw?

[Revvell]

Were they blanched? Are they still considered raw?

They've probably been blanched and no, not raw imo.

Revvell