Amazing raw meals out

[rayofsunshine]

Hey there,

I am new to this site, but have been experimenting with raw food for a while. What always sucks me back into cooked food is eating out. With a hectic family schedule, we seem to arrive at a restaurant regularly. Has anyone put together a raw food meal (using the menu items) at a chain restaurant that turned out great? I would love to hear about them to add to my arsenal of weapons to stay raw!!

[Raine]

I carry a few Larabars and raw almonds with me in different flavors. I'll slowly eat something while others eat whatever they've ordered.

[roseyonnex]

I think this is a great topic to have a post on! Thanks!

I avoid restaurants now, really, where in my former life I went out all the time. And I do miss it.

My thought was to take a zip-lock baggie full of a salad topping, like Alissa's Mock Tuna Salad, and then just order a big plate full of salad, all the raw veggies the restaurant can muster, and then top it with the zip-lock contents. This probably is kind of "not cool" at most restaurants, I bet, so I don't know how well it would work.

I would be curious to see what other people do to have a "real" meal.

[Green_Woman]

With a hectic family schedule, we seem to arrive at a restaurant regularly.

I have the opposite "problem"... I simply am too busy to eat out! *laughs*

I find that preparing things like Alyssa's dried nut cheeses and cracker recipes and letting them dehydrate overnight (it literally takes 10 min. MAX to whip up a batch of cheese and crackers, put them on the trays, and PRESTO! You have tomorrow's lunch!) keeps me happy the next day.

Plus, when you calculate the time it takes to order, wait for your meal, eat, then wait for the check, it's usually NOT really faster to eat out! And it's way more expensive. ;)

But then, I'm a 'starving artist' and don't have the patience to wait for my food (unless it's drying while I'm sleeping!!! :D )


Get Alyssa's book and you'll find an endless stream of fabulous and FAST recipes, I promise!!!

[Green_Woman]

P.S. When I am forced to eat out, usually because my man wants a night out of the house, I bring my own tomato/avocado and just order a salad with raw toppings (and sometimes, with artichoke hearts, olives or hearts of palm... though those aren't raw!) and then use oil & vinegar dressing.

SOMETIMES, you can actually find a real live raw restaurant, too!!!

[ViolinCyndee]

I have to admit too: this is a major problem for me! I have no trouble eating raw at home, but since my husband and I are veg, we like to eat out at ethnic restaurants when we go out. I really have a hard time resisting Thai, Indian and Chinese food--esp. tofu!! Grrrrrrr!!!

We also (VERY occasionally--about 3 times/year) go to a gourmet vegan restaurant in Philly that has incredible (cooked) food! I know that I'd have a hard time just having a salad when all this amazing gourmet food is served there..

So.. since I didn't officially say that I would be 100% raw at this very minute, I am focusing on doing my best and staying raw between 80-90% of the time. It is still WAY better than how most people eat, and I do know I still need to improve. (btw I haven't had any meat at all in about 20 years). I think that for me, I am definitely doing what I am 'ready' to do right now, and that I am on the right track..

[Riiiya]

i wonder how far you are from Chicago there, but they have such wonderful raw restaurants! Karyn's and Cousin's! mmm

anwering your question though... i practically don't eat out any more. if i do, i get a salad and feel compltely ripped off :mad: (i usually try to have like pine nuts and sea salt with me at lesat to top the salad)

[Dimond]

I purposely go to places that have a lot of raw veggies. If the server understands what raw is, they'll put together a nice and flavorful veggie plate that I don't even eat at home. Otherwise I usually will create a salad off the menu. I purposely choose places that make real salads and large portions. I will only eat out if I can get a raw equivalent to a SAD meal that will satisfy me. It works out well because these are places everyone can enjoy regardless of their diet.

Ideas:
Order raw veggies and use onions, cilantro, etc. to add flavor or bring your own condiments.
Fresh guacamole wrapped in lettuce or create some other type of wrap with ingredients available.
Fruit bowl

Make a list or save links of restaurants in your area and what raw ingredients they have. ie: Ruby Tuesdays: Guacamole, Pico de gallo, Salad, Berries

[bsqmurphy]

Alyssa talks about this in her book. She suggests reading the entire menu with an eye toward the ingredients on hand and then making a special request plate indicating the ingredients you want assembled raw.

I find that most places have fruit (either a fruit platter or a variety as ingredients) and salads. So I request a fruit plate and/or a salad with specific instructions of what does and does not go in the salad. This ordering usually starts with my questioning about every ingredient in the salad and then specifying what stays & what I would like added (ingredients I see mentioned in other dishes). I often will have some nuts/seeds in my purse to add on top.

Bri.

[rayofsunshine]

Thanks for your advice. I admire the strength some of you have to watch others eat favorite cooked food and eat a simple salad or raw food you have brought from home. Like one of you, I feel very deprived not enjoying the cooked foods out. Eating out is something my husband really enjoys as a way to relax, and I want him to still be able to enjoy this without worrying about me feeling deprived.

I am brand spanking new at going 100% raw. I have digestive problems and in Alissa's book she says there is a big difference between being 100% and high raw. Because I am so ready to heal, I really want to stick with 100% raw. In the past I can stay raw until dinner, then my will power really drops.

I am avoiding eating out for a few weeks, and hopefully I will be stronger and can bring items with me to enhance salad out.

I'm about 45 minutes north of Chicago, but I do want to visit one of the raw restaurants downtown soon.

[shashibala]

I'll put in my little plug for Ruby Tuesday's. They make fresh guacamole. I order the guac appetizer without the chips. It is served with large lettuce leaves. I ask that the salsa be made with only fresh vegies. I've had very good luck with this. I roll the guac and salsa up in the big lettuce leaves and it it as wraps. Once I got canned tomatoes in the salsa, so now I specify that i'd like only fresh vegies. They also have a big salad bar, but the guac usually fills me up!

[RawHeaven]

I believe the longer you're raw, the easier it becomes to not be concerned about it or be impacted by what loved ones are eating around you. I feel this way anyhow, I can go out with friends and simply enjoy their company. I usually eat beforehand or bring an avocado to add to a simple salad, etc. I don't know when this transition happens, but it just does. I used to frequent restaurants at least 3-4x a week in San Francisco. SF is known for it's great restaurants and believe me they're there. I no longer need to go as I don't eat cooked food anymore. But again, we have a few Raw restaurants in the Bay Area and I can take my family/friends there - so maybe that's not fair. :p But guess what? I can't even handle the richer offerings anymore and usually just order a smoothie or simple salad anyway. I can make that at home without paying for gas and parking. lol.

Seriously though, I think you just reach a point where you're just "there" and it becomes really easy to be around other types of food without it affecting you. When you focus on eating something that is giving you a higher vibration (raw foods) and makes you feel great, experiencing sustained energy during the day, it's easy to stay on track when you think of it like that. Ask yourself how is this going to make me feel if I eat it? Is it going to ruin my mojo? LOL.

[Raene]

Not a chain restaurant, but went to a pretty upscale restaurant on vacation last week and they didn't have any vegetarian salads!!! So I asked if they'd do raw spinach with portabella mushroom and avocado on top. They thought I was a nut...especially b/c I turned down any dressing options...but it was gorgeous! HUGE salad and it was $10, which is expensive, yes, but worth it.

[Emma-Liza]

I do my best with what they will make and then I remind myself that it's not about the food, it's about the people I'm with.

Occasionally, I've taken food to a very casual restaurant, and if I travel, I'll darn well do it where ever I am!

But, as a daily thing, I'd rather practice de-emphasizing food in my life, so I try to view it as an opportunity for that.