Raw Winter

[TheAvocadess]

Hi!

I was just saying in another post that it's 56F here this morning. I love being raw and this will be my first winter here in New England raw. How do you old timers cope? Salads & watery raw in winter will be tough for me. Any thoughts?

Raw Living Love to all!
The Avocadess

[bananas]

i have been thinking a lot about that over the last couple of days as well. i'm not looking forward to the crappy produce that we get here in new england during the winter. i've been doing a bit of research on what fruits/veggies are in season during the winter months, and the two that i am most excited about so far are pomegranates and clementines!!! if i come up with anything else i will let ya know.

[Lilly the Naiad]

Meals that are savoury and go in the dehydrator me thinks? Then drink up more water than usual to make up for the lack of water in them.

If you make a soup it's fine to warm it up a little on the stove just before eating. Also, adding chillies and/or cayenne to your food will create a heat sensation. Ginger is another 'warming' spice.

There are so many awesome recipe books out there, go on a winter recipe expedition! :)

[Raw Mom]

I live in Vermont and last winter had no problem drinking green smoothies every day. I always commented on the fact that I used to have hot tea every day, but not since finding raw food. My 16 yr old had no problem either. Very rare that a day goes by without one. I still find greens at the local HFS and at Costco during the winter. And enough bananas and other fruit to make it through. I buy as much as I can now and freeze for the long winter months.

[Raw Mom]

Don't forget sprouts! They grow all year round right in your kitchen! Need any seed, contact me.

[rawsurfer]

yes. i second the sprouts. also try eating everything at room temperature, or above room temp, but not below. also, if you are heating on the stove use a double boiler if you can so you dont break down as much of the nutrients (or just use a dehydrator). you can also use fresh herbal teas. and lastly, up the fats. lots of avocados and sprouted nuts (yuo can make nut cookies:eek: ) .... good luck

[samariah]

yeah up the fats, drink warm herbal tea, warm up your soups, etc.

[TheAvocadess]

:) These are wonderful ideas! I'm also grateful to hear from a few who made it through. These tips are extremely helpful. Just warming up things in the dehydrator the last few days has helped a bunch. The sprouts are an excellent idea and I will keep up the green smooties. Thanks so much!

Love,
The Avocadess

[rawnhealthy]

I've just been reading through the Raw Transformation recipe book and a couple things caught my eye that might work for you.

Pumpkin pie- you can make it sweet or more like a dinner pie
Another is Indian Curry Vegetables- you can use whatever is in season(or whatever they carry at your store)

Another option is to order organic produce on-line for local delivery, if you have trouble finding the fruits and veggies you need locally.:)

[tanawana]

Don't forget to keep telling yourself the first winter is the hardest also, they get easier :D

[NYbutterfly]

Ugh. Well, when I lived in NY in the winters I got so depressed that I LOST weight, so that's always okay with me. But I just moved to NH after living in south florida! How to survive without piping hot foods? New to New England AND new to raw. At least I'll have support here :)

[Green Life]

I eat alot of warm raw soups. tomato is a favorite one of mine. I like to add sliced avacoados to my soups, and maybe some raw crackers on the side.

[ferg]

Actually I found staying raw in the summer harder than the winter I don't know why that is... I agree with the other posters and would say eat lots of slighly warm soup ... green smoothies also help me with cravings. I drink lots of them... sometimes that is all I will have for the day.

I treat myself to 2 cooked veggie meals a week... this weekend I had some homemade soup for one meal and a baked potato for the other meal. It really helps me stay totally raw for the rest of the week to treat myself a bit on the weekends.

[TheAvocadess]

You all are full of good ideas. I started warming things in the dehydrator and this REALLY helps. Just 10-20 min. before eating makes a huge difference from eating it cold out of the fridge or at room temp, which can still be too cool in the winter.

I love the idea about the Indian dishes. Also patés can be stuffed in pepper halves (pablano mmm!!!) and dehydrated until the peppers are spicy - about 6 or more hours @115 F. Anyway, my dehydrator will save me this winter. I'm too lazy to put anything on a double boiler.

I'll have to try that pumpkin pie! Mmm! :p

[youraw]

Good luck to all of you in wintry weather! I hadn't thought about that added challenge.....as a new raw person I am glad I live in SWFlorida.....(she said sitting on the beach all through the winter:D )

[Lady Green Jeans]

Good thread and lots of great feedback. As others have already stated, warming spices like cayenne, cinnamon, ginger and cumin are nice additions that seem to add warmth to both soups and entrees. Leaving my soup in the vitamix longer to a attain a warmer temp. or putting it in a shallow bowl in the dehydrator to warm are both good ideas--108 degrees (or whatever your magic number is) is quite warm when it comes to soup. Usually also like to put any of my pasta-type dishes in the dehydrator after I sauce them to warm through. I do still drink smoothie drinks in the winter although it gets pretty cold here. I bundle up more when it's cold outdoors, too.

[EZ rider]

I wonder if raw soups could be made in a crockpot by cutting up the ingredients and putting them into the crockpot along with the blended base. Then set the temp setting to low and put a temp gage into the soup. Stirring and watching the soup to get to 105 degrees and then eating. Has anyone done anything like this before and do you think it would work for a fresh made and warmed RAW soup ?