Simplicity in the Raw Life

[Colorawdo girl]

How many of us crave simplicity? We seem to see this new gadget or that new juicer and want them to make our life "easier". Then when we [B]get[B] all the stuff,we look around and see how complicated our life has become.
I posted about the appliances and where people keep them..counter or put away? So I decided to keep them out to use as I use them constantly.
Then I look around and it is chaotic to me eye.Sure they are handy and I love having them right there.
Raw was appealing to me for the simplicity.Then as I "progressed" I found I wanted more.More variety,prep methods,superfoods,harder to find and travel for foods,more complicated recipe prep etc etc.It brought me a bit of anxiety.:eek:
I am in inquiry of finding balance.Having my life not be about food.Rather eating to live and have a life outside of "what I will eat today".
Its okay to eat an apple as God intended,straight with no prep.Or any whole food.
I got into massive prep and loved it,when my son asked me to cater raw foods to his house.Yummy but complicated for me as well as the foods are way too heavy for my body(and I taste all of it!)A blessing for sure to have that work to do!
Humorous we do not buy "prepared" food then we take raw home and prepare it to the max.(way different and way better for sure).
Oh the question? Who craves simplicity and what ways do you find to minimize prep time and such so as to have time for the rest of life,while still loving what fun things you are eating? I am going to look at the "Raw Food Made Easy" recipe book.It requires very little gadgets or prep time.ahhhhh

[MiahTay]

I choose to simplify by only indulging in prepared things a couple time a week, for example I only make dessert once a week, and if it's something that can freeze I will make 2 so I can pull one out of the freezer at a later time and not have to prepare at all. If I were to choose only one gadget other than my knife and cutting board it would be my VitaMix as I can make Smoothies and nut milks and dressings in a snap with it, and clean up is easy. This gadget truly does save me time and energy. However now that my kids are preparing raw foods themselves they LOVE using all the gadgets and it makes quite a mess - ugh. But if that is the price of them learning to love raw, I will pay it gladly! Great post.

Blessings,
Heather

[Colorawdo girl]

Heather,thanks.I love learning from others. Yes,I too have almost a continual mess to clean.Am grateful no scrubbing pots and pans from stuck on grease.yipeeee.Will count my blessings...as in bless this mess for it means I eat well.

[rawintexas]

I keep it simple. The most I've done was my green smoothies and one day I tried to make a salad dressing.

Usually do simple fruit or eat a veggie (carrot sticks anyone), make quick salads or do a handful of nuts with some sundried raisins for a 'dessert'. One other dessert is a sliced banana with some raw cocoa spread to dip the pieces in.

For me, if I had to do all the recipes I'd go mad but I wasn't much of a cook when I ate cooked either!

I am surprised when some people mention eating raw is hard, because it's not hard to eat a banana or take an apple with you. Or to find a garden salad.

[rawchic]

I love simplicity! I rarely make any "recipes." I try to use as few ingredients as possible when I make anything.

[Zanjabil]

I keep it simple too, which is easier for me, since my husband and sons are still eating cooked. Since I have to cook for them, I make it as easy as possible for my meals. Fruit or smoothie for breakfast, an infinite variety of salad combos for lunch, and whatever I feel like (of what I ate for breakfast or lunch) for dinner. I always having a salad made, I just like to have one available at all times, plus my family will eat salad every night. I just started using my dehydrator this week. I've dried tomatoes and made veggies burgers(which my family loved) those 2 things I will be making regularly. I used the tomatoes for raw marinara, which I ate over zucchini and my boys ate on spaghetti. This is getting more and more simple for me, as I learn how to incorporate raw food into my family's diet.

[muddskipper]

Thanks, Zanjabil for the great idea with the marinara. It's one of my personal favorites (going to try it tonight with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top), but I never thought to put it over regular noodles for my bf and his daughter when I make pasta for them! : ) What a great way to work in those healthy foods!

[rain_or_shine]

yeah, i find myself simplifying my life all the time. it gets simplified and then i end up gathering/hording more and more things until i have to simplify again.

i think that's why raw foods attracts me. when i eat raw it's so much more simple. i usually do mono-eating or just make smoothies. i don't even really like making salads all that much - too much prep and work lol. i just like to grab a big bowl of lettuce and eat it like chips. or cut up a pepper and eat until full. i do the same with everything a lot of the time when i'm eating raw. pick one thing that sounds good at the moment, cut it into small pieces and eat it like i'm eating a bag of chips. only it's much healthier lol. smoothies are like my treat. especially if berries are in season or if i have some particularily exotic fruit to put into it. :D mmmmmm durian!!!! i don't really put that in smoothies, but man those are so decidant. mmmm.mmmm.mmmm!

yay for simplification. simplify the food, simplify the relationships, simplify the possessions, simplify the mind. simplify.

[Colorawdo girl]

you inspire me rain or shine....lv

[sarahrjm]

I am experience a NEED for simplicity. I have tried fasting, and did very well, twice. Now that I am eating again, I BARELY want salads (im actually worried that im not getting enough greens! is that stupid? since this is like a , eat what you want kind of lifestyle?) and I Smoothies are like chores for me.....If I cant pick it up and eat it, I dont really want it. I mean, cutting up fruit that needs to be cut is alright by me lately, but chopping 5 diff ingredients for a salad, is not my thing right now, and nor is a salad with only 1 or 2 things in it.

I feel its actually made me stress because I dont feel like im eating all that I should.

help. I need sense knocked into me I think.

[rain_or_shine]

you just made my day artgirly!! thank you!!!!

sarahrjm, i would say don't worry so much. if you're feeling good then relax and enjoy what you're doing. on the other hand, if something's feeling wrong just switch it up. if you don't like prep and just want to eat things that you can pick up and eat - well, pick up a pear, pick up a stick of celery, tear off a lettuce leaf and eat it. have fun, experiment. you're eating much healthier than the most of the population on Earth. so live freely, live lovely, live the way that makes you experience life in the most stunningly beautiful way and that makes you the happiest you could ever be.

experiencing new things can bring great clarity.:)

[sarahrjm]

Thanks Rain Or Shine! That is all that I NEEDED!! I often just need other people to tell me things I already knew! lol

[Colorawdo girl]

Life is so very very good.