really inadequate in the kitchen!

[T-Bird]

So many lovely things to make - but I rarely have any time or energy for it.

I'm wondering how you all manage it.

I could be doing so much more to tempt my teens with raw treats and entrees.....but sometimes I go to bed hungry because I can't even manage a salad for myself at the end of the day......


Are there any secerts or techniques I'm missing?

Feeling pretty discouraged about this today.....

In October I have 2 weekend business trips, and won't be able to take any compensating days off either - not till mid-late November - if even then. And I can't even manage to pull it off now, before the busy season hits.

I can live off salad/smoothies/fruit with an occational handful of nuts to keep me going, But I really really really want to try stuff and find things my teens will like and particularly anything they'll "accept" as a meal. I don't see that happening as I can scarcely keep myself going, feeling kind of low about it.

I'm 8.5 months at 100% - still no energy boost, still sleeping 9 hours and very unwilling to quit the bed!

How do you all manage to whip up so much yumminess while still working/cleaning/shopping/carting kids about/etc.

[katchmoleen]

{{{{{{{{T-Bird}}}}}}}}} I am really sorry you are feeling this way. To be honest, I feel this way a lot. But I am really lucky. My two teenaged daughters are raw, and they have lots of energy. They have learned that if they want much in the way of prepared stuff, they have to do a lot of it themselves. They understand that I am tapped out. I do have a day or two a week when I get a lot done in the kitchen. Other than that it is minimal.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i have a hubby who is eager to join me in the kitchen and prepare with me, side-by-side.

otherwise, try to prepare things (with them) one evening a week and they can eat during the week. cause honestly, it sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now and they will surivive without something complicated/yummy for now. be kind to yourself...

[snoops]

I am feeling discouraged about the prepared raw meals too, but for me it is not a time issue. I loved cooking SAD food and loved the taste of the results so it made all the time and effort worthwhile. So far other than the peanut butter chocolate tart (raw Reese's) there is really nothing I have made that has been worth the time and effort, which is greater with raw food because of all the sprouting soaking etc. I'm doing mostly juicing and smoothies these days cause I can't be bothered to spend three days whipping up something that frankly tastes OK at best. Maybe my taste buds just haven't come over to raw yet. I hope it changes because I need to prepare nice tasty meals. Its what I do. And I'd like to be doing it raw.

[T-Bird]

Thanks for adding some company to my misery! I feel better not being the only one.

Katch - so great about your daughters! Can you explain how the changes was accomplished? Did they or you get into it first?

Aleesha - I will try to do that.

Snoops - I know what you're saying. It takes time to adjust, and sometimes I philsophize on how far away from wanting our old favs can we get after eating them for so long?

I really think the number of years spent in, affect how quickly you can get "out" and be 100% in love with the new thing.

Which is why I want to get it on the kids radar sooner. I feel mother-guilt for getting them into it in the first place! LOL!

Really glad and thankful for the support and understaning! I just need to live through October, and hopefully I can come up with a few recipes that they like for the holidays......along with the tofurky.....and my famous mushroom gravy......:o:o

[RawKnitster]

You have a lot going on and your daughters depend on your well-being. Don't worry about it. Just keep taking good care of yourself.

I have time to play in the kitchen because I don't work a regular job, I don't give a hoot if my house is clean, and I only sleep 5 hours a night.

I used to think everything had to be freshly prepared but I found that many recipes, smoothies and salads keep well. Making a lot and storing (or freezing) leftovers for another day is a big time saver.

I'm sure if you had a little more time to experiment you would find lovely does not have to be complicated. Maybe you and your girls could have a raw day once or twice a week and experiment together. My daughter is much more agreeable to eating vegetables if I let her come up with the recipe idea. :)

As for increasing energy, I must have a healthy dose of green food powders in my smoothies. I swear it makes a difference for me.

[katchmoleen]

I went raw first, on June 12th. My older daughter decided to go raw on July 4th. She could see it was helping me a lot and she hoped it would help her acne so she went with it. Second daughter, who is a lot like me with health challenges, though not so far down the road, decided to go raw to see if it would help with pain management and energy. She has been raw since middle of August. So I would say they both just saw me doing it and liking the food I was eating.

[laura-jane]

Take care of yourself... Sounds like you do have a lot on your plate perhaps that is above and beyond food and health. Are there any changes to your overall lifestyle that might help? Can you scale back at work? Change your commute in any way that will add more "you" time? I went through a huge epiphany about my life a few years ago. My quality of life was total crap; I was working so hard--too hard.

I find making lists really helpful for me. Like, the top ten things that were important to me.

For example:

1. nutrition
2. family
3. me time
4. work
5. cleaning
etc.

I juggled this list around and prioritized it, and you know what I did? I totally moved cleaning down to the BOTTOM of the list. I chose health and exercise over cleaning. Because my spare time was so little at that time, I chose to spend my free time on ME rather than on chores. My house was a mess, but I didn't care. I wrote a blog post about this whole "making a list" (http://whimfield.com/2008/12/how-to-maximize-your-free-time-making-a-list-can-change-your-life/) idea on my personal (non-food) blog.

Note: I don't have children, so take my ideas with a grain of salt. :)

[WendyLouWho]

I went raw first, on June 12th. My older daughter decided to go raw on July 4th. She could see it was helping me a lot and she hoped it would help her acne so she went with it. Second daughter, who is a lot like me with health challenges, though not so far down the road, decided to go raw to see if it would help with pain management and energy. She has been raw since middle of August. So I would say they both just saw me doing it and liking the food I was eating.

Can you share with me if it has helped her or not? I have a teen son who wants to try raw, but isn't quite on board...mainly because of long school hours with band. I would love to pass on to him some teen testimonies.

[T-Bird]

and I only sleep 5 hours a night.

If I could do that, I could work everything out!!!

Tell me how it all happened! Where you like that naturally, or did long-time raw help cut down on needed sleep?

I am also a total winter hybernator. As a teen I'd sleep 12 or more hours a night in late fall winter. Then life became hectic, don't know if I would have kept it up or not in my 20's-30's - there was no time and I was a total coffee addict. I used to joke about hooking up an IV to the pot because I didn't have the time to drink it.

After about 2-3 months of raw, I went from 9 or so hours a night to 7 and I was very productive and things were humming along. Then it just effervested away....and I've been back to 9 hours for about 3-4 months now. Cooler weather blew in, and I'm aching for 10, with a lounging in bed hour afterwards!

[T-Bird]

I went through a huge epiphany about my life a few years ago. My quality of life was total crap; I was working so hard--too hard.

I've been at this point for about a year. The only way I could scale back would be to sell my house with the big yard that I am using to grow my fresh food.:)

In terms of cash flow - I am trapped into maintaining a career/professional job for years into the future. DD (13) is in 8th grade and picking out a HS. She has a wide circle of friends, is involved in many activities, and I don't want to disrupt her. So 5 more years, she'll be off to college, and then I can make decisions basaed on what's best for me...

In terms of selling and getting something cheaper in the same neighborhood, I don't see it really making a difference due to the costs involved in buying and selling. Save 40K in terms of purchase prices, spend 40 K in commissions, fees, taxes, moving, etc.

[katchmoleen]

Can you share with me if it has helped her or not? I have a teen son who wants to try raw, but isn't quite on board...mainly because of long school hours with band. I would love to pass on to him some teen testimonies.


Both my daughters say it has helped. It has not cleared it up totally but it's better.