What should I eat.. no variety

[DST_DIVA33]

I am really having a hard time with variety. I have been trying to pursue this lifestyle. I just really do not know what to buy at the grocery store. I buy spinach, apples, oranges, carrots, bannanas (maybe grapes). I guess I don't know what to eat and be satisfied. I am on a budget (college student). What did you guys buy when first starting off raw. I don't have any tools but a blender to really do recipes so I guess I need help/suggestions. Thanks for the help. :o

[Raspberry4]

I started off with alot of smoothies, fruit salads, and green/vegetable salads and desserts with nuts and dried fruit. Go to your library (or call) and see if you can find any recipe books for raw food. I really could not have made it through without a recipe book, but that's just me. I needed creative ideas to eat this way. Good luck to you.

[avanderland]

It will probably be overwhelming and hard to change everything you eat really fast. I second the idea about looking for recipes, because it's really helpful just to get an idea. My library actually had 3-4 recipe books, so even if you cannot buy the books, they are there. There are also LOTS online.

Also, a trick you could try --- try one new fruit or vegetable each day? So each time you go to the grocery store, buy at least 1-2 things that you never tried before. This way you slowly but surely are incorporating more than just the standard. It was hard for me at first, especially with greens, but smoothies have made me try A LOT of fruits and vegetables that I NEVER would have eaten before.

[Revvell]

There's a HUGE variety of simple recipes people have asked for on this site alone.

There's also a HUGE variety of simple recipes throughout the internet. Try googling "Raw Food Recipes" and you'll be amazed at what you find.

Combining the same ol' stuff with some of the other same ol' stuff will bring great results.

How about a fruit salad with a a simple dressing?

Revvell

[Bananna]

I am probably recommending this recipe too much, but I love the Tom Waldorf salad on here.

My other suggestion is to play with spices. I can have the exact same salad everyday, and if I change up the spices it is completely different everytime. Like adding curry for example will give it an Indian feel...and so on.

Avocado's are a staple as well. I didn't see that on your list. As are leafy greens....which avos compliment perfectly. Plus they are really neutral tasting, you can make them sweet or spicy or plain, they are an excellent tool, and very satisfying.

[jacsam]

Do you have Alissa's book and DVD? They have menus for a week and the shopping list to go with it. This way you buy everything you need for the whole week and your not buying to much or not enough. (no waste) Her book is worth soooo much more than you pay for it.

[DST_DIVA33]

thanks for everyone's ideas. I like the idea of adding spices, and new recipes. I guess its all in how you prepare food to make it different

[Bananna]

it is that....but I also find that in today's 'modern' world, we expect a lot of variety. Heck it's Italian one night, Chinese the next ya know? It's like we're flying all over the world every day of the week for our meals...

Not saying that variety isn't essential, but thinking of it more of a 'through the seasons' kind of thing, I find very helpful as well.

[Jewels]

If you are on a budget, flax and sunflower seeds are affordable. Grind the flax and add it to your smoothies and make a spread with the sunflower seeds. I like this recipe wrapped in a lettuce leaf or on flax crackers:

Sunflower Garlic Spread

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked overnight
2 garlic cloves
2 tbs lemon juice (or to taste)
Salt, tamari or Nama Shoyu, to taste
Handful dill (optional)

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

I'm trying to buy mostly organic so I keep my eye on sales because I'm on a tight budget too. Shopping according to what's on sale and in season helps to keep variety in my diet as well.

[Riiiya]

oh my Jewels - i was going to recommend the same sunflower recipe! i alko add red pepper though- i love this filling economical dish!!!:D

[Jewels]

That's funny Riiiya! I found this recipe over on Raw Freedom Community recenty and have been making it a lot.

DST DIVA you can make spreads with your blender--just add water to thin them out. That works for me. Also, you can coarse grind flax seeds in your blender too....in rereading your original post, I see you mentioned having just a blender.

[rawstrength]

Have you considered purchasing a farm share? Every week, you pick up ten pounds of locally grown veggies from an organic farm. It is economical and good for the environment. You get what is in season, so you can try all kinds of fruits and veggies that you have never had before, and you never know what you will get! If you get some food that you don't know what to do with, just do a search on this board. There are recipes for everything here!

Here is a link to more info about farm shares.
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

[diali36]

try not to get overwhelmed by it all. eat simple eat what is on sale eat what you like. try to learn one new recipe a week. the 1st time you try anything new make only enough for a taste to see if you like it before you make a larger portion and waste food if it turns out to be not what you like. be adventurous, have fun, take it all in stride. you don't have to be a professional chef, what's wrong with simple, have an apple with almond butter,yum, stuff dates with almond butter and eat like that or get fancy and roll them in coconut. Have FUN!

[Raspberry4]

rawstrength - thanks for the link. I found some farmers markets closer by. Did not know they were here. :)