Raw Breakfasts to Fill Till Lunch

[Joyeuse]

Hi. I originally decided to go 80% raw and now have been fully raw. My only issue is with breakfasts. I'll have a green smoothie and usually 2 fruits, and then get hungry again halfway before lunch, and the children are saying their starving. When I add a slice of sprouted bread, sprouted grains, raw nuts/seeds or raw nutmilk I'm good to go until breakfast, however I've noticed that these foods aren't so great for me. I'll feel all good, and then even wait 20-30 minutes after the fruit and then have one of these things and then get tired and a sick feeling in my stomach with a headache. I'll even feel bloated and that's probably why it "fills" me until lunch. I also get a stuffy nose soon after. The terrible thing about this is that I enjoy those things, especially the nutmilks, and I just bought $200 worth of truly raw, organic almonds. I hadn't noticed that it was the nuts and grains doing it to me, I just thought I didn't feel so great after breakfasts for no reason, until I didn't have time to prepare nutmilk or anything and just had the fresh fruit and felt out of this world, except got hungry within a couple of hours, the kids were also great until they started begging for more food and it seemed like nothing would fill them until lunch time. I tried chewing my nutmilk and I already let it soak overnight and rinse it well before using it. So, I really think the issue is with the nuts and seeds.

What do you all have for breakfasts that fill you till lunchtime? Is it possible to be filled till lunch, or should I simply accept that we'll have to have another breakfast in between, since we can't have the nuts and grains?

I do however find my lunches and dinners filling and invigorating. Those tend to be large salads, raw gingerale and at dinner some fermented foods, like sauerkraut or marianted mushrooms, etc.

Anyway, sorry for the long winded post. I do hope I'll get some ideas from here.

[MiahTay]

I find that if I have my breakfast a bit later, like 9:00ish it holds me over until noon. Also, maybe try Green Smoothies (I think there is something to do with the greens that makes it last longer). Or just have your regular breakfast (whatever you're doing now) then mid morning have a piece of fruit to tide you over. These are just my thoughts.

Heather

[MiahTay]

Side note - when my children and I have green smoothies for breakfast we drink about 16 oz. each and are satisfied until lunch, sometimes we eat lunch a little early like 11:30, but it works. My children are 8 and 10.

Heather

[Marin Mom]

I enjoy sprouted buckwheat, which I used to dehydrate but find just as good and easier to digest fresh. I add dried fruit that I have on hand such as raisens, chopped figs, goji berries,etc. which I also soak first for about an hour or so.

I found that food dehydrated first especially crackers and fruit gave me terrible bloating. I have read it actually robs you of needed fluids in your body.

Anyone else have problems with dehydrated foods that are not rehydrated before eating?

[Joyeuse]

Thank you Heather! I was going to say that I do have raw smoothies for breakfast, but then saw your side note. We already have lunch at 11:30 since we have dinner at 5 pm. But, my green smoothies are only about 8-10 oz. (it depends on how much I end up putting in and the size), but still that's about half what you are having. I'll try doubling the green smoothies and see how that goes. Is it possible to have too many greens? I also have very large salads filled with mostly greens and other veggies, but atleast half is various greens, and I'll have 2 a day (I have somehow come to really LOVE salads) and if I double my green smoothies for breakfast, that's alot of greens, that's most of what I eat each day. May sound like a dumb concern, but could so many greens cause an imbalance somehow or is it not the same with raw foods? The thought just came about how pasture-fed (aka green grass fed) cows are healthier, happier and live longer than grain or straw fed cows, hmm, so maybe that answers my concern.

Thank you for your thoughts, it does help!

[Joyeuse]

Thatnks MarinMom, that oes make sense. I've been stearing away dried foods right now, as it tends to make me feel extra thirtsy and dehydrated, while fresh makes me feel great. I'm not saying dehydrated foods are bad, but yes, like you, for me, I'd have to rehydrate anything I have that's dehydrated.

[Yeshia]

Since going Raw we eat every 2 hours or so. Supposed to be better for you digestive system and weight loss.

So we eat 5 or 6 times a day as a rule.

On my sad diet we eat 3 meals and 2 snacks ( especially the children and so it works out the same.

Only healthier
Yeshia

[MiahTay]

Joyeuse - Too much greens?!?! I haven't heard of such a thing, but ??? I typically try to include greens in every meal and am successful a lot of the time. Breakfast and someday's lunch too - Green smoothie usually with spinach or collards or baby greens. Lunch, my favorite lunch right now is marinated collards with cut up veggies and usually an avocado. I did try a raw soup today (the jury's still out). Then for dinner we have huge salads usually Romain or green leaf with spring greens. I'm sure I don't get as much variety in my greens as I maybe could but it's what I can do for now. My children are not 100% raw but we all do smoothie for breakfast, they have vegan cooked for lunch, then we all have a large salad for dinner usually with something small cooked for those who want it.

Heather

[deberaw]

...I've been adding ground flax seed {about 3 tablespoon =/- } to my green smoothies in the morning...this helps for me.............Deb

[MiahTay]

...I've been adding ground flax seed {about 3 tablespoon =/- } to my green smoothies in the morning...this helps for me.............Deb

Ohhhhh, this is a GREAT suggestion! I think I will try it too!

Heather

[JennaBoBenna]

coconut oil helps with appetite control as well

[Yana]

No such thing as too many greens, nope nope nope :D

Revvell will be here any minute ;)

[gettingskinny]

coconut oil helps with appetite control as well
YUM!

I have to eat every few hours. I have a green smoothie for breakfast (around 7 am) and am hungry by 10:30 or so. I snack on nuts, fruits and sprouts.

[MiahTay]

coconut oil helps with appetite control as well

I'm such a cheapskate I :eek: at the thought of putting coconut oil in my smoothies! I save the good stuff for making desserts etc. I love the idea of ground flax. But I suppose it would have a similar effect.

Heather

[Free Energy]

There is not one perfect way for one person to eat. If you are hungry and you are just starting on raw, the body has to adjust and fine tune itself because these foods are all new to the system. It's normal for the body to "react" in different ways and not everyone experiences the same things. If the organs are stressed, raw food will be difficult to digest since it needs to be broken down, which is what cooking does. We are training our system when we eat more raw and there are consequences. People need to be aware of this.

The way the digestive system works is just that, it's a system. Eating 5-6 times a day is VERY stressful and makes it work overtime. Every time we eat, the digestive system has to prime itself, getting ready to digest a meal. If we eat another meal too soon, the digestive system has to stop digesting the first meal, then prime itself again to digest the second meal while the first meal ferments in the system and makes us feel ill, have gas or whatever. Each meal we add to the system just backs it up if we don't give it a few hours to digest. I used to eat that many meals a day and it put a lot of stress on my other organ systems too. If one of our five major organ systems is stressed, the others suffer.

Listen to your body and be gentle.

Smoothies: Add 2T chia seeds (soaked or unsoaked). It will thicken the smoothie. Whether it satisfies or not, everyone is different. Keep trying 'till you find what works. I know people who drink about 4 quarts of a green smoothie and it lasts them all morning until lunchtime.

I love the support we all give each other. It helps me understand that we are all different and can offer each other so many great ideas.

[Joyeuse]

Wow, thank you all for your replies and support!!! I knew I'd get some awesome ideas from you all.

All of your ideas are great. I love coconut oil, so I think I'm going to eat a tablespoon of that with my breakfasts and have a larger green smoothie. I don't think I could stomach ENORMOUS amounts but I can certainly have more than what I'm having.

Makes sense about the digestive system. I do feel better with more space between the meals as long as I'm not getting hungry ofcourse, which I will hopefully be able to resolve soon. Before raw I was eating a very "healthy" cooked diet with alot of raw and all organic, but I would say half or more of the meals were cooked and I was always hungry and tired all the time, I was always eating, it was stressful because of the amount of time involved in preparing so much food, and cleanup and I was always tired. I was worried I'd be even hungrier on raw since it digests more quickly. But it has been the opposite, I guess because I'm being more nourished. I also UNDERweight, but I've been gaining since raw, even with being hungry a few hours after breakfast. But it's more than just the weight, the energy, sleeping less, spending way less time in the kitchen and more with my family and doing things I want to do. Anyway, got off topic a bit. I think the coconut oil and more green smoothie should do it for me, thanks a bunch, I wouldn't have thought of it without you!

[goodbeets]

I often, especially in winter, soak raw oats (groats) overnight and mix them in the vitamix in the morning with a little agave or maple syrup for oatmeal.

[ShelShel]

I think adding flax to your smoothy would do it. I personally love my raw flax pancakes...there is nothing that I eat that is so filling. ;)

[angelulu]

I think adding flax to your smoothy would do it. I personally love my raw flax pancakes...there is nothing that I eat that is so filling. ;)

Raw flax pancakes???:eek: Do tell!

Is it in Alissa's book?

[Joyeuse]

Flax pancakes, sounds yummy! But too bad for me, I have issues with seeds and grains, even raw and sprouted ones.

So, I followed some of your suggestions and it worked! I increased my green smoothie yesterday and ate a tbsp coconut oil and didn't even have any extra fruit and I was not hungry at all until noon. We normally have lunch at 11:30 but I hadn't realised the time because I felt great and the kids weren't hungry and begging for more food either. YAY! Thank you all!

[amyambro1]

Joy, I have a green smoothie every morning and when I leave, I bring a bag of fruit to take with me wherever I go in case I get the growlies. Water with lemon juice in it also helps to keep hunger away (sometimes)..

[PATH301]

Green smoothies for breakfast is sweet:D
I even went over board and made it for dinner as well for a couple of days - :eek: this ended up being a bad thing,( good in the sense of loosing weight:rolleyes: ), but bad, coz you spend way to much time running to the bathroom...LOL

[emarti03]

Its turned cold up in NE where I am. No more of bowls of fresh fruit in the summer. I've recently turned to homemade raw oatmeal. You can get "raw" unsteamed rolled oats or use oat groats (i don't think they're exactly raw). The night before, I combine the following in a bowl: 1/4-1/2 cup of oats (sproated buckwheat will also work), sunflower seeds, pepitas, dried raisins or cherries, chopped apple, pear, or banana, cinnaman, nutmeg (just a dash), vanilla, even a bit of cayenne for warmth, and banana milk (1 banana blended with 1/2-1 cup of water). I let this soak overnight. When I wake up in the morning, its all set and ready to go. Its great to have a raw comfort food. This and a green smoothie hold me over past lunch time. Hope you like it.

[emarti03]

Its turned cold up in NE where I am. No more bowls of fresh fruit in the summer. I've recently turned to homemade raw oatmeal. You can get "raw" unsteamed rolled oats or use oat groats (i don't think they're exactly raw). The night before, I combine the following in a bowl: 1/4-1/2 cup of oats (sproated buckwheat will also work), sunflower seeds, pepitas, dried raisins or cherries, chopped apple, pear, or banana, cinnaman, nutmeg (just a dash), vanilla, even a bit of cayenne for warmth, and banana milk (1 banana blended with 1/2-1 cup of water). I let this soak overnight. When I wake up in the morning, its all set and ready to go. Its great to have a raw comfort food. This and a green smoothie hold me over past lunch time. Hope you like it.

[Riiiya]

sometimes i have puddings (like banana+avocado+carob/cocoa powder)

most of the time- fruit. if i know i'll have to last till later lunch i'll eat some fat (nuts?) hmmm lately i've been having problems figuring out what to eat to feel FULL i'm always half-hungry! too much running around :[

sometimes i have smth like a larabar in the morning too