Raw Planning (spinoff from: raw is complicated. . .)

[Tanja_swe]

After reading the thread "raw is complicated. . ." and especially Alissas answer about preparing food twice a week I realized that I have no emergencyplan what so ever. I just dive right in and hope that everything will run smoothly... and I promise you it doesn't. Panic every day about what to eat and what to buy etc.

SO how do you plan your raw food, shopping, menu, preparing etc?

[Revvell]

I think I need to cut/paste this as I've posted it so many time. :)

What I do is ~ find a few entrees and a few deserts and/or appetizers in a book or two. Then I write the names down and the page they are on. I make a shopping list for what I don't already have. Then, I go SHOPPING!!!! When I get home, I organize so that I can get it all done w/in a couple of hours.

Also, I always keep essentials ~ Agave, spices, raw fruit, veggies, etc. in my cupboards, on my counter or in the fridge so that I am never out of food. AND crackers! When one is hungry, one can always put some almond butter on a cracker or a banana, add some agave and/or raisins for a sweet treat. For something more wholesome, mash some avocado on a cracker, add some cuke, tomato and a basil leaf.

Another thing ~ green smoothies. If you don't have OJ, then use water, whatever fruit you have and throw in some greens.

Revvell

[Pailani]

Another thing ~ green smoothies. If you don't have OJ, then use water, whatever fruit you have and throw in some greens.


That's my best plan. I include plenty of apples, pineapple, oranges, bananas and lettuce in my week's shopping so that I always have what I need to make a green smoothie.

Having some dense, satisfying raw chili already made helps, too, but I haven't made any in a couple weeks. I've been doing more blended stuff--green smoothies and blended soups. I'm just too lazy to do anything more right now.

[tracyinfo]

Tanja, the above replies are great.

I keep alot of food in the refrigerator, myself. I also improvise on recipes. If I don't have some kind of green called for in a recipe, I just throw in some other kind of green. You can improvise with nuts, too.

I try to keep collard greens on hand, because I love them, and roll up just about anything in them. I even like sauerkraut rolled up in collard greens with something sweet in there. They are a little juicey, but delicious!

When you make a recipe, make enough for 2 or 3 meals. That way, you will have instant access to some delicious food.

Blessings.

[rawpriestess]

When I make food, I always freeze at least half, if not more of it, whether it be soups, crackers, pate's burgers etc. That way I have lots to choose from.

Some people say that they don't choose to freeze their raw food, because it takes away some fo the nutrients, but for me, I never know what I'll want to eat later, so this way, I always have a bunch of choices, just pop them on the counter, or int he dehydrator and I'm ready for anything.

I learned this from years of cheffing and catering, as I was always called on , at the last minute to come up with wonderful gourmet treats, and I always did.

Now, I do it with raw.

[Sweet lips]

This is the support that I this board is known for. I would like to take it a step further, perhaps this is the first time and maybe the last time -Share with someone your menu for two days - it can be a tad cumbersome for someone to read through journals in the beginning. Make it available here and in your post, your journal is referenced and then they can see it.

I'll start:
I had oranges for breakfast
large green salad for lunch.
I had a raw bowl of my homemade cereal, all my dehydrated sweet stuff crunched up with almond milk.

Breakfast: Was a smoothie made with fresh coconut water, coconut meat, oranges and a frozen banana.
Lunch: Sesame spinach - I'm loving it
Snack: nothing should be this good, and it satisfied my cravings - I made a sandwich with the apple spice bread, almond butter, fresh banana and drizzed honey - talking 'bout something real good - it was real good!
I made the chili from Gabriel Cousen's book - Rainbow Green and it is everything that has been written about it. My hubby loves it. I had no idea when I purchased this book, just what a blessing it would be for me. I made the Imposter Carmel Corn and I ate it all alone - I know, I know, that just sounds so selfish, and it was really good like that too.

The best darn tootin smoothie today - fresh o.j. coconut milk and mango - 2 1/2 of the raw oatmeal cookies I made from Julianno, there was some modifications- they are kinda heavy, veggie salad with seed crackers - they are excellent for the need to crunch, and 2 ears of raw corn with avo butter.

[Cinnamon]

Great idea Sweet lips! Here is my menu for 2 days as an example.

Wednesday
Lemon water
Orange/grapefruit juice
Salad-peas, broccoli, orange, balsamic, nutritional yeast, garlic, raisins, olive oil
Cashew
Marinara-sun dried tomatoes soaked in water, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, 1 date in blender served with shredded zucchini
Banana

Thursday
orange/grapefruit juice
carrot juice-5 carrots, 1 celery stalk, 1 apple, green food supplement
green salad-red leaf lettuce, ½ avocado, nutritional yeast, 1 T. apple cider vinegar, peas, cauliflower, portabello mushrooms, garlic
broccoli with cashew cream sauce (cashews with water, garlic, lemon)
cucumbers and tomatoes in balsamic vinegar
banana ice cream and almond milk for dessert

Food bag-I take a small cooler with me each day where ever I go with a mix of various foods for snacks or to supplement meals in restaurants. Includes bottle of water, container of mixed nuts and raisins, a few dates, Lara Bars, fresh fruit that I change daily, and anything I might want if I know I will end up at restaurant to add to a salad such as a lemon and avocado (and a sharp knife), this really helps me to be prepared and who ever I am with always wants to try the Lara Bars or any other sweet treats I have made!

[tracyinfo]

Sample day for me is:

morning smoothie: orange juice, lemon juice, cilantro and parsley
mid morning: apple
lunch: leftover chili (posted on this board), 2 oranges
mid afternoon: 2 bananas
dinner: cauliflower soup (cauliflower, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, salt/pepper, water), sushi wraps, green salad

Hope this helps.

[AubreyG]

What a fabulous idea to put your "menus" up in the post and share!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

I am a neophyte to this diet and thus far love it! (2 weeks and counting...)
I am always curious about what everyone else eats because I currently live in ahousehold where I am the only organic, vegan, live food eater. Everyone else eats cooked food and meats, so you can imagine the looks I get! And I don't have any friends who eat live and raw, and I don't mind doing this on my own, but I am curious....

For me, the following has been my diet the past 2 days:
Breakfast:
soaked sesame seeds on top of jimica, apple, lemon, and pineapple (put thru a blender and turned into a creamy consistency).
Snack:
Zucchini chips with guacamole (avocado, tomato, garlic, green onion, and some cilantro and a pinch of celtic salt).
Lunch:
Spinach, endive, arrugala, broccoli, yellow squash and basil salad with orange slices and a flax seed oil dressing
Snack:
homemade hummus on apple wedges with grapes
Dinner:
a gazpacho-like raw soup: tomatoes pureed in a blender with chunks of celery, zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, and sprouted garbanzo beans (I like to add lots of cayenne, cilantro, and cumin!)
Snack:
Date cookie

Breakfast:
Orange, pineapple, strawberry, mango and papaya smoothie with almond crackers
Snack:
raw granola with carob chips
Lunch:
blanched almonds atop a tomato salad: tomato, basil, oragano, olive oil, fresh baby greens
Snack:
Hempseeds (soaked) and mixed with zucchini, cucumber, grapes, lime juice, and alfalfa sprouts
Dinner:
mashed caluiflower (food processor with water and a little tomato juice) mixed with a little celtic salt, curry powder, parsley and chives. I like dipping yam chips in this stuff. Yummies!
Snack:
"Fudge" Brownie

Who knew eating like this could be so much fun? I don't have a juicer yet (I know...I am saving up to buy one, believe me!) but I do a lot with the dehydrator and the blender/food processor. I make my own granola, and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, along with my other "chips" and dehydrated creations, which make for quick snacks. I always make sure I have something sprouting, and I always make sure that I have something soaking. Then I just work with what I have. If I make too much, I throw it in the dehydrator...the cauliflower mash can be spread to make chips, etc. and eat on it the next day.

I do go grocery shopping every 2-3 days, and never let fruit or veggies sit for
more than 3 days...Hope this helps!

Aubrey

[Allison]

I love reading everyone's menu, too, and I never have time to go through the journals, so this is great.

Today:
Bfast: strawberries and sliced banana (my current favorite dish)
Lunch: carob smoothie
Snack: a couple of dates and Brazil nuts
Dinner: Romaine, red bell pepper, and a few raw olives

I have loved eating more simply lately, but I noticed today that I was wanting something "more". I glanced through a raw food book, but nothing caught my eye. I think I'll go ahead and make something, though, to have it on hand for tomorrow. Alissa's Carrot Pecan Burgers sound pretty good to me, so I might make that. I like to eat it as a pate instead of as a dehydrated burger. I think having something on hand is a good way to make sure you don't get tempted to eat something cooked.

[rawpriestess]

This is my usual daily menu

Breakfast is tea or orange juice, if I'm hungry a banana

Snack is grapefruit, or more orange juice, maybe some other fruit, pineapple, pear, something like that, usually two kinds

Lunch is often a salad with veggies, or some raw soup, creamy chowders are my favorite.

Snack is greek olives, and more orange juice, maybe sme nuts

Dinner, is usually pesto stuffed mushrooms, and a barley burger pattie, either with bar-b-que sauce, or on a pizza wrap with lettuce and tomato, and hot salsa like a tostada or taco.

Snack is nuts and truffles

All of this is raw.

[Tanja_swe]

Great idea!! :D

My days look like this at the moment.
Breakfast is usually a smoothie made of bananas, OJ, and some other fruit.
Lunch is a salad, lettuce, corn, tomato, spring onion, cucumber, bell pepper... and whatever I have at home at the moment.
Dinner... well... this I'm still working on. Most days it's a small portion of cooked food but I'm slowly weaning myself off that by increasing the ammount of raw stuff I add to the meal.
Snacks are fresh fruit and maybe a cracker or two.

[tracyinfo]

Great idea!! :D

My days look like this at the moment.
Breakfast is usually a smoothie made of bananas, OJ, and some other fruit.
Lunch is a salad, lettuce, corn, tomato, spring onion, cucumber, bell pepper... and whatever I have at home at the moment.
Dinner... well... this I'm still working on. Most days it's a small portion of cooked food but I'm slowly weaning myself off that by increasing the ammount of raw stuff I add to the meal.
Snacks are fresh fruit and maybe a cracker or two.

Tanja_swe, just by weaning yourself off of cooked food, is great. Don't stress too much, after making several recipes of a raw dish, you get the hang of it, and it no longer takes as long to prepare. I do alot of blended things for dinner, such as soups. It takes longer to wash the produce and clean up the food processor, then it does to process the food into soup or whatever it is I am making. It is okay in my book to transition. Your breakfast and lunch sample menus looks RAWsome.

Blessings.