Throwing Away Alot of Food

[commoncents]

I'm only a week and 1/2 raw and I've found that many of the recipes that I've tried from Allisa's book are EXTREMELY distasteful to me.

I did not care for the Pad Thai, Stuffed Portabellas (but I think I can learn to like those) and today the Pasta Primera called for too much garlic. I will attempt that again, but this batch is going straight for the trash. The sad thing is that I'd rather eat nothing than eat some of the recipes that i've created. (Will lose alot of weight that way (tee, hee).)

I plan on making the pizza this weekend and will continue trying new receipes, but feeling a bit disillusioned today about being RAW.

HELP!!!!! At this rate, I'm going to return to my prior habits and I do not want to do that.

[commoncents]

While driving to work today, I looked through my rear view mirror and saw a woman in the car behind me eating fries while we were stopped at a light. I thought of the many times I downed some fries or other food while on the run and how miserable I would always feel afterwards. I NEVER want to get back to that place again.

Also, today was a good day because the Receptionist at my job let me know that there were sandwiches in the break room and usually I make a run for any food laying around the office before anyone else can get to it. I calmly sat there and ate my collard green wrap (one of the foods I really enjoy)!!!!

Yay me!!!!

[beckx]

i'm lucky in that i'll eat just about anything and have few dislikes as far as food goes... but maybe instead of following recipes exactly, it might be helpful for you to add spices and strong flavors slowly and taste it as you go. once you experiment a bit you'll know what flavors you like together and if a recipe goes south it will be easier to turn it around before its too late.

its frustrating when recipes turn out badly but don't give up yet! good luck!

[Rawkinlocs]

Always make half of a new recipe that you're first trying out.

Also, look for signals in your recipes that you may not like something. For example, if you know that you do not like a lot of garlic or the amount "seems" like a lot, add small amounts and taste to see if it's enough...if not, add a little bit more until it's suited to your tastes.

Always keep in mind that recipes are guides and just as with cooked food, there will be some raw ones that you love and some you loathe....that's not to say that it will be the case with everything. Also remember that sometimes when we first start raw, our tastebuds are "tainted" with the flavors of cooked foods and so you may not like a lot of recipes at first but as you remain raw longer (eating a lot of FRESH foods in addition to any recipes you may consume) that you may find that if you revisit a dish you didn't care for before, you actually like or even love it now! This has happened to me with a few dishes.

So yeah, with seasonings, spices, etc...try to start out with smaller amounts than called for and then gradually increase if need be after you've tasted it with less to make sure it's to your liking.

I happen to love the Pad Thai but I don't like mushrooms, so I don't make the Stuffed Portabellas. I like the marinara sauce, but like you, for me personally it's too heavy on the garlic (and sundried tomatoes)...so, I simply cut back on the amounts of both and now it's perfect...for ME...others like/love it just as it is. You may also wish to

So once more, when trying a recipe for the first time, try to cut it in half if you can so there isn't as much waste if you don't like it.

[commoncents]

Rawkinlocs & beckx: Thank you for your sage advice. I will try to play with the recipes and see what I can come up with. I’m not much of a cook so I follow recipes to the “T”, but I see that I’m going to have to improvise so that my taste buds are satisfied. I do know in time my taste buds will change and that I why I went 100% raw. Going back to cooked foods is not an option for me at this point or hopefully NEVER!

I am African-American and while I have not eaten the traditional soul food, me and my boyfriend were vegans (he still is), and he has experimented with some vegan foods so that many dishes taste so much like the foods we’ve grown up with.

Now that I’m Raw, I don’t have the luxury of his keen insight in the kitchen, so I’ll just have to learn to tweak the recipes to my liking.

Again, thank you for all your words of wisdom. I don’t know what I would do without this board.

[raweater]

Don't give up, I've found so many raw recipes that taste MILES better than anything SAD, and EVERYONE that tries them LOVES them. If you're new to raw than it's normal that it will take a while to find the kind of things you like, but I think I remember liking at least 90% of the raw recipes I tried, and I'm normally very picky.

You can also try dessert recipes, don't forget that raw desserts are healthier than almost any cooked meal so you could have dessert for breakfast and/or lunch.

Anyway don't give up, it's impossible not to find recipes you like. I now have about 10 raw recipe books.

[commoncents]

Thank you Raweater. I have made two deserts thus far--the Date Nut Torte and the Fudge Balls which I love. I will eat the Date Nut Torte this evening, even though it is so rich, I feel like I'll gain weight.

[deberaw]

...also think of things you like to eat....and drink......when I tried 100% I had the same reaction as you did...and unfortunately, threw a lot also.....took me awhile to come around to trying it again, but before I did, I made sure I had plenty of foods that I had tried and liked and worked for me....dehydrated foods; crackers, treats, green smoothies, salads and such...I've learned that savory nut foods and I do not always do too well, so I minimize those....trial and error...keep at it, you'll find what works for you...there are so many options....I find a lot of ideas especially on this recipe board.....best of luck!

[commoncents]

Thank you deberau. I'll keep plugging away. I really like Mexican food and as I live in California there are alot of Mexican restaurants that I used to frequent quite often.

I will be making the Pizza this weekend and also some flax crackers to take on a road trip. I know I will get better one day and LOVE this food, but today is not that day.

[MrGreenJeans]

Hi commoncents, I'm German-Welsh-Irish-American. When I first started making green smoothies, I would gag just smelling the stuff. I would therefore put enough fruit like bananas in the smoothie to make it not smell or taste so bad. I began to decrease the fruit and wouldn't you know it, I actually like green smoothies now without any fruit! My body has adjusted.

I'm into my 5th month now of totally raw. I've done some of the recipes in Alissa's book and to me, they are just dang delicious. But maybe that is due to my taste buds being used to the green smoothies first? After a while your body will tell you what you need and it will adjust so that what is very distasteful to you now will grow into an acquired taste.

you are loved!

MrGreenJeans


Rawkinlocs & beckx: Thank you for your sage advice. I will try to play with the recipes and see what I can come up with. I’m not much of a cook so I follow recipes to the “T”, but I see that I’m going to have to improvise so that my taste buds are satisfied. I do know in time my taste buds will change and that I why I went 100% raw. Going back to cooked foods is not an option for me at this point or hopefully NEVER!

I am African-American and while I have not eaten the traditional soul food, me and my boyfriend were vegans (he still is), and he has experimented with some vegan foods so that many dishes taste so much like the foods we’ve grown up with.

Now that I’m Raw, I don’t have the luxury of his keen insight in the kitchen, so I’ll just have to learn to tweak the recipes to my liking.

Again, thank you for all your words of wisdom. I don’t know what I would do without this board.

[commoncents]

I agree with what you said 100% and I know that in time I will learn to love these recipes!!!! I can't wait for that day to come and will continue to plug away. I feel like I'm doing something so good for my mind, body and spirit and I just have to make this work.

Thank you for your kind reply.

[juliebove]

I know what you mean. Alissa's recipes seem to contain a lot of garlic. At least some of them do. And I really hate garlic. So I either leave it out totally, or just add a tiny bit. I also found that for the most part I do not like raw recipes. I prefer to eat the whole foods. This shouldn't come as a surprise to me though since I have always liked plain raw vegetables.

I just cleaned out my refrigerator and threw out a ton of fruits and vegetables. Daughter and I have been sick since last Fri. and we were unable to eat much of anything. So the food I bought for the week spoiled. Sometimes you just can't help it.

[Doe]

commoncents, if you do not yet have a dehydrator it should be your next equipment purchase. The round ones are very inexepnsive and can be bought locally. We found that any food to highly seasoned could be dehydrated, ground to a powder if needed and used as a seasoning itself. It is also very handy for preserving food in season when it costs less; just slice and dry most any veggie or fruit. Home dried foods are better than bought and give us a sense of accomplishment. Also you know exactly what is in it. ;)

Yea, I well remember the first time I made Alissa's marinara. Wow, garlic. It was good otherwise so I made another batch whthout the garlic and mixed the two. It was still too garlicy for us. That was the first dried seasoning I made and we used it up fairly fast a shake or spoonful at the time. Leftover anything can be dehydrated.

With a dehydrator about the only reason to throw away food is if one of the ingredients was spoiled.

[beppa66]

There is a huge learning curve. I am a really good cook, and it took me a long time to find recipes I could eat. Try making 1/2 to 1/4 and taste all the way through all stages of the recipe. Chances are if it stinks before it goes in the dehydrator...chances are it will stink after too. You'll find that you'll tweak most recipes as you go...at least I do. Try making a few sweets like the lemon cookies, or the cheesecake. Those are pretty good. A basic pesto sauce works well with the zucchini pasta (unless you don't like garlic in general).
Spicy tacos are a good bet, corn chips and homemade guacamole are a good bet. Just keep trying small batches and keep a binder or tab the ones you like. Have you tried clicking on the banana and doing a search?

There are a bunch of raw recipe sites where people rate, give their feedback and have the opportunity to ask questions about the recipes. You may want to check some of those out too.

Good luck to you. Oh, ps...your tastes will change also as you transition away from all the fat, dairy, sugar & salt...and after a while regular SAD food isn't very good.

( :

[crystalmoon]

I also have trouble liking many raw recipes & even the ones I do like my body doesnt! I do tend to find them too rich for my digestion & so I am trying to stick to things that have only a couple of ingredients at a time. Im hoping in time my digestion will get stronger & also my taste buds will adjust.


off topic:
Juliebove
Hi can you dehydrate the veggies you are throwing away? I always dehydrtae mine & then use in soups or powder them to add to recipes for flavouring

[jacsam]

I try not to replace my favorite SAD foods but find new dishes that I love, because raw pizza REALLY doesn't tast like pizza and a raw veggie burger REALLY doesn't taste like a burger. I would be disappointed everytime until I just let go of those foods and found dishs that I just really like. Good Luck....Judith:)

[Conscious Midwife]

I ditto jacsam

RAW Gourmet doesn't have to mimic the SAD you are use to

Gotta change the palate

A nut burger with a side of SAD fries is gross but when I'm RAW a week or more nut burgers rolled in nori is awesome, and I don't even eat SAD meat burgers anyway just veggie ones.

jicama is delighful when My mouth is use to cold and room temp raw for 2-3 days but it does nothing for me in a salad with boiled eg, chees and ranch dressing

GOOD LUCK

[KatK]

I haven't met anyone who didn't like these:

RP Brownies
http://rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=32313

It helps to have something decadent to dig into :)

[deberaw]

..ditto on the dehydrator...we have a small Nesco that works just fine....I didn't really like the flax crackers, but my husband and I stumbled upon this:

soak and sprout kamut or spelt, or both {about 1 cup each}

dehydrate spriuted grains

grind: we mostly use a small grinder/ food processor by cuisinart....

mix with a bit of sea salt and enough water to hold together

(we've also added olive oil, but lately I've been doing it w/o)

We use wax paper for flat sheets in the dehydrator...wet hands and make little crackers and dehydrate! These are the closest to real crackers that I've found and when I did, I realized I could do Raw after all! These are real versatile too....I've added honey and cinnamon for a sweeter cracker or topped with seasoned sea salt....best of luck!

[CrazyDelicious]

Also wanted to say that if you like mexican flavours, there are great raw options! Salsa, Mango Salsa, guacamole...I even make corn "chips" and load them up with dehydrated onions, guac, and super-hot salsa. There are some cheese recipes that work well too. And Alissas avocado chutney is also one of my favourites.
It is hard at first to make something called a "pizza" and then taste it, thinking "this is no pizza!!" The SAD names are misleading to the brain! :rolleyes: It was also really annoying at first to spend days prepping something with SUCH high expectations and then it tastes so bad I can't eat it (my first attempt to make loaf-style bread comes to mind). When I make non-raw folk "nachos" or "pizza" , I usually call it something else or it is set up for disaster. After all, "pizza" should taste a certain way. Instead I focus on flavours I like and call it crackers with loads of delicious stuff on top!!! I found when first raw that once I got a few dishes I liked, I could play around with new ideas/spices/combinations. Don't worry, It will get easier and less time consuming (and less expensive!!!)

[tiggerbounce]

I would say to use the flavors you enjoyed cooked to flavor your raw foods. If you liked mexican use the mexican type spices, oriental uses lots of ginger, etc.

I have found with many people around me who try the raw gourmet recipes that they are more likely to enjoy the simple ones. I think that it is easier and quicker and equally satisfying to keep it as simple raw as you can in the beginning. Then add in some treats and as your taste buds readjust you will find that you enjoy more and more things that you thought you would never like. I believe it is suggested to try something like 4 times over the course of a year before determining you really don't like it. Many times after that many times tasting it, the thing becomes a favorite!

Most of all, NEVER GIVE UP!
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w252/rubberduck1956/never.gif

[nmb]

I've had the same problem the last few weeks. Way too much food wasted because of inedible recipes. I've found, the same as you, that many recipes have too strong / too much spices, especially garlic and ginger. Raw spices are way stronger than cooked. Try subbing w/ powdered versions of some of the spices, or just a little bit of the raw. I very often use one clove of garlic, for example, in recipes that call for 4 or 5. (and if it calls for just 1 or 2, I reach for the powder). And we are a family that LOVES garlic, in SAD dishes, but raw it is very overpowering. (and the aftertaste that lasts forever....)

Another tip (looks like you've gotten tons of good advice already) is to use the internet for recipes instead of books, because then you can see other people's reviews. Threads here that get tons of replies are probably good recipes; and goneraw.com has a star rating system; there are so many recipes that so far, I've only done the 5-star recipes. Take those, and like others have said, adapt to your tastes; if you don't like a certain ingredient, try omiting it - or look in the reviews, see if anyone else has substituted something else.
I've had a hard time finding anything decent in books, but using recipes here & from goneraw, have found lots of good meals. (btw, if anyone else knows of any good raw recipe sites, let me know!)

[MrGreenJeans]

Julie, if you don't want to throw away those vegetables search for those green vegetable storage bags they sell like as Whole Foods or on the internet!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000ICRO2M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_olp_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1202558025&sr=8-2

or you can get the Ethylene Gas Gardian here http://www.4theegg.com/index.html to save your vegies.




I know what you mean. Alissa's recipes seem to contain a lot of garlic. At least some of them do. And I really hate garlic. So I either leave it out totally, or just add a tiny bit. I also found that for the most part I do not like raw recipes. I prefer to eat the whole foods. This shouldn't come as a surprise to me though since I have always liked plain raw vegetables.

I just cleaned out my refrigerator and threw out a ton of fruits and vegetables. Daughter and I have been sick since last Fri. and we were unable to eat much of anything. So the food I bought for the week spoiled. Sometimes you just can't help it.

[kristi7mark]

Just a quick hint on the garlic..

I have learned that I can take a bulb of garlic and put it in the dehydrator just until it pulls apart and the skin starts to loosen and I have a sorta "roasted garlic." This makes the garlic more palatable in raw dishes. I like it just plain old fresh now, too. But if I am making a raw dish for guests I do it this way, just to be nice.

[jaurequi]

Interesting, thank you, kristi7mark :)

Also, remember when making a recipe, you cannot go by how it tastes prepared. This is not how it is going to taste when finished. It is going to dehydrate and, in that process, concentrate the flavors. If, say, the garlic tastes "just right," chances are it is going to be even stronger when done.

So keep that in mind :).

Best,