Seasonal Raw...

[Rachiel]

Hey guys. Here in New Zealand spring has just sprung and thus there are lots of veggies and fruits becoming available :D. I wish I had have thought to ask you guys what you do over the seasons where the available things become more scarce. I try to eat local/semi-local as here in little ol' NZ I think it important to be aware of food miles. I know that you can get raw over winter etc... but onions, cabbage and carrots gets a bit dull sometmes (although I love them!!!)

:confused: So here we go, what are your fave dishes over the seasons? and maybe why? :confused:

I will say that I love chilli and ginger over winter cause they are amazing for the immune system and circulation so was making a lot of "curry"ish things...on shredded cabbage!
Summer, has to be fresh fruit. Grapes, watermelon and the smell of sunscreen! As well as the fact that salads become a lot easier in summer.

[Veganforlife]

Hi! Oh I hear you! I try to eat seasonally as well. Although sometimes I do buy those "mileage" produce. I freeze a good bit to have at least juice or some prepared dishes to hold me over. Berries (strawberries/blueberries, etc) are wonderful to free and have ready for those cold winter days.

[Seedy]

In the winter I'm crazy for apples, oranges, cabbage, sweet potatoes (really good raw if you've never tried them), carrots, kale, butternut squash soup, jicama, sunchokes (when I can find them), and nice warm raw oatmeal (available in Alissa's store). Can't wait for the honeycrisp apples to come into season...
Seedy

[keke]

Seedy - how do you prepare sweet potatoes raw? Do you soak them? I've heard that they were toxic unless cooked...

[Seedy]

Seedy - how do you prepare sweet potatoes raw? Do you soak them? I've heard that they were toxic unless cooked...

White potatoes are toxic if uncooked. Sweet potatoes are YUMMY. My favorite way to eat them is to grate half a sweet potato, an apple, and a large carrot together. Add some raisins, cinnamon and walnuts. This is my all time favorite breakfast in the winter months. Another way too use raw sweet potatoes is to thinly slice them with a mandolin, let them soak in water for a bit (to remove excess starch) and then pat them dry, sprinkle with some cinnamon, and dehydrate them until crispy. So irresistible. Get the red garnets if you find them, they have a higher antioxidant level. Trust me, if you like baby carrots, you'll love raw sweet potatoes.
Seedy

[klomasius]

Hey there Rachiel, welcome from Australia!

Of course we are also newly springing into spring, and I'm really looking forward to all the beautiful warmer weather fruits.

I try to eat as seasonal as I can, but I do buy many bananas, regardless of season, and other foods that are staples like tomatoes, avocados etc.

While in the winter I'm not basing my eating on seasonal foods, I am delighting in the seasonal foods that are around. I adore citrus fruits, so the colder weather does have the advantage of bringing in all the beautiful mandarins, oranges, tangelos (I'm absolutely going crazy on these at the moment, they are my favourite citrus fruit) and things like pears along with other cooler season foods.

Eating so low in the food chain, and eating largely unprocessed foods, I figure my environmental impact is so far below that of a SAD eater that I wont worry too much about food miles or things like that (though I do primarily shop at an organic market that tries to limit the food miles and grows much of the produce within sight of the market!).

Isn't the promise of warmer weather wonderful? :D

[Tsurugi_Oni]

Sweet potatoes have protein inhibitors raw. Won't give you indigestion like a white potato though. They're absolutely delicious raw, tastes like 75% carrot 25% sweet corn to me.

The main concern with going raw during the winter is calories. Unfortunately unless you're nomadic or willing to go long-distance you might have to not be 100% raw during the winter. I can't think of any winter crops that you can eat raw AND get enough calories.

Summer has an abundance of sugary fruits. Dormatory cultures result to carbs (wheat, potatoes, rice) or fats during the winter. It's a toughy.

[Patch]

Hi Rachiel, I'm in New Zealand too I was beginning to think I was on my own here. How exciting are you North island or South? I have found it quite hard finding food that taste good over the winter and there really isn't a huge variety here. I'm guessing the sweet potato is what we call Kumara, I've made kumara chips soaked in apple cider vinegar they are yummy. Broccoli is my fav at the moment with cashew nut mayo. OH YUM!
Anyway awesome to know I'm not alone eating raw in New Zealand.

[Rachiel]

I'm not alone eating raw in New Zealand.
Me neither now!!!! I am in Welly... Good to see a bit of southern hemisphere representation with an Aussie too!!!!

I wish I could have tomatoes and Avo's as a staple but at $7.49 a kg in winter and anywhere up to $5 a piece for a non organic avo I was trying to make do without.

I have been thinking about having a wee venture into raw Kumara (sweet potato) although I don't have a dehydrator so it would be soaked I guess.

I have been thinking about sweet potato having potential as a "milk" as well so might have a try juicing some. I am sure it wont kill me even if it isn't yummy.

Anyways, I hope the equinox time is treating everyone well.
:)