Curious about Cooking Experience

[Hannah]

I am wondering how many of the gourmet - prepared raw peeps - cooked when they were eating cooked foods ...

Has raw inspired you to prepare more foods, or was that always your way. Do you find yourself spending more, less or the same amount of time preparing food?

I was never much for food preparation - kept it simple, and now find myself journeying much more into the realms of experimentation and recipes - not a whole lot yet (I still have yet to get a dehydrator) but little by little I am doing more and more ... I am definitely spending more time than I used to on food, and I am really enjoying it!

[Lilly the Naiad]

I've always been a fan of making food, it's edible alchemy! The main reason I never got into it professionally was because I figured if I was gonna make food for a living I'd end up fat :p

Well, if I could have gotten a student loan to become a super duper raw food chef in California I would have gone in that direction. I'm pretty much in love with the art of food preparation and love the gourmet aspect of raw food very much.

[ladypeace82]

I've always tried to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. I hate cooking and I hate kitchens. I never found the fun in it. My brother did. Mom spent equal amount of time with both of us in the kitchen but for me, it just didn't appeal.

I've been playing around with raw since the end of August. Most days I enjoy trying to uncook. Which is weird for me. In fact, I get mad b/c I don't have enough time to experiment with the uncooking. I've spent countless hours trying to prepare things. So for me, I'm spending oodles of time in the kitchen. Some times I like it sometimes I don't. This morning I liked it. This evening I didn't. So I stayed out of the kitchen. Good thing I don't have work tomorrow. :D

[solarliving]

I wasn't much of a cook prior to raw, but now once I start making something, I get on a roll and I want to prepare all kinds of stuff. Yesterday I made flax crackers, parsley salad, hummus, date nut torte, sesame milk and I have some lentils soaking to sprout. It's a good feeling knowing exactly what's in my food.

[Hannah]

Very cool ... it sounds like from all three of your experiences that you are finding equal or greater interest in preparing foods ...

and Lilly, if you want to be a super duper raw chef, then you should definitely just go for it ... there are many self-taught gourmets who write their own ticket, as a personal chef or in their own restaurant - who knows, you might even find that you meet with a level of success that will allow you to go back and get trained should you choose to do so!

[tanishamarshall]

I was cooking before Raw and I loved it, I love making good food. I have to say that I do spend a lot more time un-cooking then I did when I was cooking SAD Foods, actually I baked most of my foods I never really fried anything at home ever, but even baked didn't take as long as un-cooking.

This weekend I made lasagna, stuffed mushrooms, tacos, corn tortillas, pizza bread and sushi.

[Lilly the Naiad]

and Lilly, if you want to be a super duper raw chef, then you should definitely just go for it ... there are many self-taught gourmets who write their own ticket, as a personal chef or in their own restaurant - who knows, you might even find that you meet with a level of success that will allow you to go back and get trained should you choose to do so!

I'm going to school for interior design (hopefully in SF) but have been thinking about learning raw food stuffs on the side. I'm 27 so I got plenty of time to become an interior designer, raw food chef and earthship (http://www.earthship.net/) builder! Oh, I forgot mum, grandmum and great grandmum :p

My first project in design will be the awesomest raw kitchen :)

Hehe..

[faith4u]

I have always spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Raw has made me way more creative though.

When I cooked food I always followed a recipe. Now,though, I can create raw foods very easily. I love it!!

[River Mom]

MOOOORE!!

My sweet husband and kids could share the cooking, now it's moi! And I'm really trying to win them over with something wonderful all the time. I can not keep up this pace, but will keep going while the fall veggies are in season and raw breads are still KNEW to us!

[juliebove]

I cooked a lot prior to raw. Sometimes I'd stay up all night cooking. Now I'm in the kitchen less.

[beppa66]

There was a sharp learning curve with raw. I was a terrific SAD cook, but didn't like many of the raw recipes I tried because they simply lacked the complex flavors I was used to. But now, I'm enjoying preparing the raw dishes and finally have been able to replicate flavors. Once you get a few tried and true recipes together it makes a big difference! My hubby flipped over the tacos I fixed last night...he was like "you nailed it!". WOOT!

[justinesmith]

I'm with ladypeace82. My dh wouldn't let me near the kitchen when we were SAD (and I didn't mind, believe me) but now that I am raw (or at least struggling raw) I really like preparing food and get a bit frustrated when I feel like I don't have time. Now that I am becoming more comfortable my recipies are turning out better and better and everyone is happier. :D

[beppa66]

Don't let Justine kid you. She has a mean cinnamon rasin bread recipe! ( :

[dalimeindacoconut]

Not a cook. All my boyfriends have cooked, mom and brother cooked...when I did make something it was quite delicious. With raw my friends are referring to me as a gourmet cook. Of course they mean uncooked. I'm just thrilled they like my food. More importantly, I love what I am making (most of the time and it's awful when it doesn't work, but it's a journey). Here is what I like about raw the most: it's so easy...I like to just chop n' chew, blend, drizzle, wash off. It's just so quick.

[Hannah]

Wow, its so wonderful to hear everyone's experience. Beppa I appreciate your sharing that the learning curve is sharp ... it gives me hope that it will come around. And Lilly I love your dreams - thanks for the earthship link - that is awesome!

I find myself hesitant to prepare the gourmet items because in my second round of raw I attempted to follow Alissa's Living on Live Food Plan & the meals that I enjoyed most left me feeling queasy - YIKES! So this is my third (and successful ;)) round of raw I am picking it up the prep a bit more slowly ... easing into it bit by bit - I think I have a bit of fear around the kitchen and not having the meals turn out - I'm not sure what I'm afraid of it's not as if I am going to burn down the house trying! :rolleyes:

[aililiu]

hahaha
i was always a HORRIBLE cook. i had NO natural sense to it.......
now, suddenly im inventing recipes and i LOVE it.
&i always hated cooking.
what a turnaround.
i guess instinctively i knew the kind of lifestyle i wanted/needed.

:)

[Judy]

I'm going to school for interior design (hopefully in SF) but have been thinking about learning raw food stuffs on the side. I'm 27 so I got plenty of time to become an interior designer, raw food chef and earthship (http://www.earthship.net/) builder! Oh, I forgot mum, grandmum and great grandmum :p

My first project in design will be the awesomest raw kitchen :)

Hehe..

Lilly, that earthship site is so cool! Thanks for posting that link.

[Lilly the Naiad]

Lilly, that earthship site is so cool! Thanks for posting that link.

I envisioned this for years but never thought someone had already figured it out, it's like a miracle to me and I'm more than eager to spread the word :)

[trinity082482]

I was a really good cook before.. I can make gravy from meat fat! :eek: GROSS ME OUT.... what was I thinking :D
Now when I cook, I don't feel bad licking all of my fingers.. or the spoon when I am finished for that matter. I know it's good for me. Being raw inspires me to get into the kitchen and try something new because its exciting and its fun! :)