What are....?

[Beautiful Belgian Babe]

I just found this site today. I am just starting the process of moving my family and me towards the raw foods diet. I'm following reccomendations from the book "Rawsome" by Brigitte Mars and started ordering some of the equipment (dehydrator, food processor, etc.). I just went through the recipes and made a list of the different ingredients I would need. I came across a few that I do not know what they are, and I'm wondering if some of you can help me out.

Nama Shoyu
Tahini
miso
agar flakes

I was wondering what those are, where you can buy them, what they are made of, and how I might make them from scratch.

FYI, I'm going to move towards raw because it's healthy and also because it seems like it fits in better with my lifestyle--plan ahead, mix up some ingredients, throw into the dehydrator, take it out hours later. At the moment, I eat very conventionally, meat and everything. We eat fairly healthy, but conventional. I'm not a vegan or even any kind of vegetarian, so I'm not familiar with a lot of the vocabulary and ingredients of vegans. Please keep this in mind in replying.

Thank you all in advance for your help with the new vocab. I'm looking forward to getting started.

[VeganVixen]

hey welcome to the site!

nama shoyu is basically raw soy sauce ,you can get it at some healthfood stores or online

agar flakes are clear flakes (or strands) of tasteless sea weed ,used AS A THICKENER ,you can usually find it in large healthfood stores or asian food sections

MISO is fermented soybean paste -its cooked but is cultured (like yogurt ) and is living
its used as a soup base or flavor adder most healthfood stores have it or asian food sections (sometimes)

tahini is a sesame seed "nut butter" ,basically ground and buttery sesame seeds ,should be found at most stores ,but you can ake it by grinding the seeds up finely in a coffee grinder ,and add some olive oil for smoothness


good luck ,hope this helps you!

[Beautiful Belgian Babe]

Thanks for the info, Vegan Vixen. It looks like I'll be able to buy all of these things at my food coop, and they'll know what they are. I just started a journal here and made my first entry. I think I'll enjoy this website very much. Thanks again for your help.

[misslinda]

Bonjour Beautiful Belgian Babe!

First warmest welcome and best wishes.

I wanted to extend the info on miso. Be careful about buying miso--a good high percentage of asian foods are loaded with MSG. Being born in a mostly asian culture and my mother's friends that own 2 of the most popular asian markets here.........I can say, there is MSG more than not.

"sorry mother."

[VeganVixen]

yes she is right!

the best organic kinds are

http://www.southrivermiso.com/ yummm

and http://www.great-eastern-sun.com/misomaster.html ,mmmmmm!

[misslinda]

Veganvixen!!!!

I NEVER thought about doind a online research for MSG free miso and such.......INGENIOUS woman---I mean FAIRY! :p

[vegangelist]

regarding miso:

you don't want any miso that is sold on the shelf, only refrigerated.

if it is on the shelf it is not going to be living!

kristi

[VeganVixen]

veganevangelist is right !I dont know why anyone would ruin the BEST quality of miso by cooking it,btw both of those are unpasturized and stored in the fridge