Having a Hard time with raw

[beckyh]

Hello! I want to be honest here, and see if I can get any help. I am having a REAL hard time with eating raw, meaning I am not liking all of the recipes that I try.:thud: I am not sure why. I follow the recipes EXACTLY and they don't turn out, or I just don't like the taste of them. I enjoy smoothies and salads, I also like the "burger" recipe that I found on the Thrive Diet, but other than that nothing!! I am so sad about this, because I want to like the stuff. My husband said and so did Renee that I just have to keep "uncooking" the same recipes until I get it right. My husband reminded me of when we first got married and I couldn't boil spaghetti right, and then over the years I was able to make anything. It is just frustrating because I want to like everything that I make, because things are so expensive!! I am going to keep on keeping on, but I was just wondering if anyone else has expereince this? I have only been raw since November. Thanks I know that I can count on you all for some advice or something!:encore:

[sport]

I rarely liked a recipe. Nowadays I do not bother with any of them. I just eat food as it comes.
No other creature mixes things up or feel that they need to so why should we be different. Just eat what you enjoy.

[beckyh]

thanks sport!:heart! That makes me feel better! Maybe then my grocery bill won't be so expensive!!

[Eva]

I'm with sport, I do make some recipes for myself, but mostly "mono" eating works for me. I save the fancy recipes for showing newbies how to make yummy foods that don't feel at all like deprivation.

You know what might help? Individually, as you don't like a recipe, why not share info about it here and see what you might do differently? Or try to figure out what it is you don't like, in particular? Sometimes (MANY times) the recipes out there ARE too complicated, or the flavors don't meld in the way they could to really "pop" with excitement...

[beckyh]

I'm with sport, I do make some recipes for myself, but mostly "mono" eating works for me. I save the fancy recipes for showing newbies how to make yummy foods that don't feel at all like deprivation.

You know what might help? Individually, as you don't like a recipe, why not share info about it here and see what you might do differently? Or try to figure out what it is you don't like, in particular? Sometimes (MANY times) the recipes out there ARE too complicated, or the flavors don't meld in the way they could to really "pop" with excitement...

Thanks Eva:heart! That makes sense. I think I will give it a try. I have to remember that there are no rules when eating raw, not like being on SAD when there are always rules!!

[Eva]

Your body will write the rules for you as you go... but for me at least, there are no written rules that I can't bend or that I must listen to.

It's like cheating to be fitting into clothes so small without counting calories. hehe:excited:

[Revvell]

You don't even like the desserts? If you've not made them, eat simply ~ lots of different dressings until you find the one(s) you like; then lots of salads. Use your creativity in making desserts.

I've been to so many raw restaurants and usually disliked the entrees and LOVED the desserts. Same with many of the things I've made myself via recipes ~ although there are a few chefs whose recipes I've found REALLY good. I've rarely disliked a dessert. :woohoo:

[ReneeH]

I rarely liked a recipe. Nowadays I do not bother with any of them. I just eat food as it comes.
No other creature mixes things up or feel that they need to so why should we be different. Just eat what you enjoy.

I agree with that...especially when you've been Raw for a while and that works for you. As most of you know, I happen to enjoy making new creations. I :heart Alissa's recipes and I find that I like them more and more as time goes on. Yea, sometimes I get sick of nuts, but I'm the one who decided what recipes I make, so when I'm sick of nuts I lay off of them for a while and choose recipes that have none or do a fast.

I have a good friend who is 86 and has been 100% Raw for 3 years. I introduced her to recipes and she does one about every other week....that's about it. She eats like Sport does for the most part, and I respect them both for that. I'm glad that works for them...I really am. But for me, that doesn't work all of the time. When my family eats Raw with me, they want something more than that, so recipes work for me and my lifestyle and I'm so glad I have that alternative. And, as you all know, un-cooking is my life!!! :woot:


Your body will write the rules for you as you go... but for me at least, there are no written rules that I can't bend or that I must listen to.

This is SO true for me! It's so important to listen to your body. Alissa even says that in LOLF... Making recipes is fine in the beginning for some people, but eventually you may want to eat more simply. Or, you may find (like me) that you WANT to recipes, once you find ways to make them that are palatable for "YOU"... That's why taking Level 1 would be so great for you! :dance:

[klomasius]

Definitely try eating simply as others have said, what's wrong with soups, salads and fruits?

I eat pretty simply nowadays, but still do make raw gourmet stuff on special occasions. We all find where we want to be and what our balance is. Try not to spend too much time and money on raw gourmet creations you are likely to end up not liking, it aint worth it!

[modernmonkey]

Yup, I'll say it too, if you don't like it, don't eat it. My worst period since becoming raw is when I tried to live off raw food recipes. Didn't taste right, didn't make me feel right. Returning to smoothies, salads and mono-meals is best for me. Cheaper, easier and I feel so much better.

[Shels]

I'm going to join the "simple eating" chorus. There are a lot of recipes that I think are strange or unnecessary, I'm often happiest just chopping up one or two things and chowing down.
Don't feel pressured to keep making things you don't like, just grab what looks good! Eventually you will learn your favorite combinations, and which ones disagree with you, and your tastebuds will change as well.

And bravo for going raw in November! I don't know if I could have gone 100% if I started in the cold months. Hang in there for a little while longer and the summer will bombard you with unbelievable amounts of fresh, delicious appealing things.

[rena]

beckyh: I have to agree with most of the others here. I asked my husband for a dehydrator for Christmas and he bought me the best, Excalibur and I didn't like anything I made in it. I prefer smoothies and salads with avacados, love avos.

Feel really bad about the dehydrator though!!

[beckyh]

beckyh: I have to agree with most of the others here. I asked my husband for a dehydrator for Christmas and he bought me the best, Excalibur and I didn't like anything I made in it. I prefer smoothies and salads with avacados, love avos.

Feel really bad about the dehydrator though!!

that is so funny that you said that because my husband did the same thing!!

I do love all the desserts! I could live on just desserts alone!! I appreciate everything that you all said, it has made me feel so much better. I kept trying to fit into this box of what I should eat instead of just eating!

My chiropractor said the same thing when I told her that I was going raw, she said can't you wait until summer? I said:no: I had to do it now!

I have already been in touch with a local farm to get my produce from! So I am very excited about that:woot:

I do have a question about what most of you said, how do you know what your body wants? I feel like all my body wants is sweets (raw of course). I love the granola, that is my favorite! I do like smoothies, and salads. I was wondering if any of you ate fruit at night?

Thank you all so much for your advice and making me feel so much better:hug that is for all of you!! I :heart this place!

[blizzardfrisbee]

When I went raw in August I started out with recipe after recipe. Now I'm more simple. I love my green smoothies and salads. I'll make a recipe once in a while and once in a while dehydrate things. I just made some sweet potato chips and apple cobbler. Basically I love the simple though!!!!

[cara4art]

You might be one of these people who really are able to go simple early! Everybody's different with their various health situations, taste preferences, enjoyment of food prep, etc. Many people make more recipes in the beginning and they're useful for transition because there's some element of familiarity. But after awhile, one tends to gravitate to more simple meals, saving the recipes for once a week or for occasions. Or doing a few staple recipes that compliment simpler meals. At least I've found this to be true. I'm loving that a banana, an orange, with a few cashews and date pieces tastes like the most divine thing ever for a meal! Smoothies, salads, collard wraps, pieces of fruit, etc. are so easy and if one goes with seasonal stuff a lot less expensive too. I enjoy nuts, but I tend to stay away from nut-heavy recipes and just add some raw nuts to some fruit, or a salad instead. However, I do use my dehydrator to make a few varieties of crackers, cookies and granola to go with other stuff. I do make a few dressings and dips too. A number of longer-term raw foodists tend to eat very simply, but for most of them I'll bet anything it didn't happen overnight unless they were one of the rare birds who was able to do this and never look back or crave heavier, more complex things.

[changeisgood]

I'll chime in with everyone - I love my smoothie creations - you'll see - it will just come to you what you want. It just happens. So, after quart of water in AM, super GS or juicing. My lunches are very simple, fruit and a slice of sprout bread. fruit in between, and dinner is salads, or lately I've been making the soups - butternut squash soup - simple and I add what my body is in the mood for. Or just another smoothie. I feel like a kid in a candy store - I can have whatever I want at anytime! And it's so easy and simple.

I do want a dehydrator only because I seem to lose weight with exercising and eating so little even though it feels like alot, so I'd like to make some creations to get some calories into me that I can chew every once in a while. And although I'm in the desert, it's been freezing, so I wouldn't mind warming my soups (I could use a double boiler).

Don't be so hard on yourself. Whenever anybody learns something new, there are always mistakes. I'm sure even those who have written these uncook books with all their gorgeous pictures have made tons of mistakes.

[ReneeH]

I do have a question about what most of you said, how do you know what your body wants? I feel like all my body wants is sweets (raw of course). I love the granola, that is my favorite! I do like smoothies, and salads. I was wondering if any of you ate fruit at night?


What do you crave?

Are you reaching for chocolate? Try Chocolate Almond milk...or a chocolate dessert, or just eat a date!

Something crunchy & sweet? Try.....making Alissa's Raspberry sauce from her Angel Food Cake spread it on a Flax Cracker with Almond Butter for PB&J effect.

Want something filling? Try a Green Smoothie?

Board with making the same Smoothie all the time? Try the 70 Smoothie list!

Want something warm? Make Alissa's Corn Chowder & warm the bowl or make Alissa's Chili from LOLF.

Craving something simple yet quick? Make Zucchini Pasta w/Maranara Sauce, grab a piece of fruit...

I always make a salad in a bowl for a quick nibble! Try different Salad combinations! RFFE has some great suggestions by 3's!!!

This is what listening to my body means for me... :dance:

Oh, my Banana leather is ready and I just had some, so to answer your question....yep, I do eat fruit at night... (LOL, I just looked at the time Becky!!!! ...inside joke!!!! ;))

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/1000000680.jpg

[beckyh]

Renee, you crack me up!!:hug!!! I tried to make those leathers and they came out nasty!! I am not sure what I did wrong, but I will try it again with fruit in it this time, it did look yummy!

I made a delicious smoothie this morning!:drool: It was 2cups of water, 1/2 cup of hemp seeds mix these two first in a blender until smooth, then add 3 tbsp of agave nectar, 1 frozen banana a bunch of frozen blueberries, a pinch of salt. Blend it all together until creamy, it was soo good! I had it at 7:45 am and it is almost 9:30 here and I am so full! My kids and I are going to be out for the day so I had to make lunches for everyone and when I was making my lunch I didn't want anything, but I wanted to make sure I had some food with me. So I am trying the simple route. I am going to start listening to my body to see what it wants. I do love chocolate, and I am going to make some of the chocolate that Aleesha posted about.

Renee I am not a huge fan of the soups, can't get into them. So instead of wasting I just don't make them. In the summertime there are a couple of fruit soups that I want to try. So we will see.

[Stella Green]

I don't like soups either! To me, they are just a waste of avocado. I DO however love raw pudding! All flavors, but especially chocolate and lemon.

Renee: you rock :heart

That smoothie sounds yummy. I've been looking for ways to get more omegas (good for my skin) so hemp is a great idea. Thanks, Becky :encore:

[beckyh]

I don't like soups either! To me, they are just a waste of avocado. I DO however love raw pudding! All flavors, but especially chocolate and lemon.

Renee: you rock :heart

That smoothie sounds yummy. I've been looking for ways to get more omegas (good for my skin) so hemp is a great idea. Thanks, Becky :encore:

I just got a new book called the The Raw Cleanse by Penni Shelton, she also has a raw forum that I attend sometimes, and she has some really good smoothies and juices. I haven't tried them all because I just got the book yesterday. But some of them look yummy and delicious:drool: I can't wait to try them!

[Revvell]

To me, soups = smoothies. I don't tend to see a difference. They're just veggie smoothies.

[lovenlife]

Sounds like you are listening to your body perfectly. After a while, you will walk into a store and know exactly what you want to buy in accord with what your body needs!

Food shopping is so easy for me and has been for quite a while. I love it.

Also simple is awesome! If you are already to the simple, go for it. In my opinion, you are not missing out on a thing. These other foods are heavy and hard on the body. Nuts and all the heavy stuff is a burden and the body has more work to do to process and less healing and weight loss.

Light and airy food, fresh and LIVE will expediate your raw results!

I never wanted all that heavy food. I made food videos and although it was delicious food, I always ended up throwing it away because it was just too much!

Some may need to eat that to transition or stay raw but if you are on light stuff and loving it, you are blessed and will see awesome benefits quickly!

[afterthefact]

All of the recipes are what intimidated me for so long, and why I kept putting off going the route of raw. I would look for books for making raw dishes, and they would have like 50 ingredients per dish! I'm not saying I'll never make any of them, but for now, especially being brand new at the game, I'm just doing it the simple way. Walk into the produce section, look around, and that will be my menu :)

[sport]

I'll never make any of them, but for now, especially being brand new at the game, I'm just doing it the simple way. Walk into the produce section, look around, and that will be my menu :)
If that is the way you started then that is probably the way that you will stay as to go from simple to gourmet is a retrograde step.

[beckyh]

I have been eating simple and it has been nice. Now since I have had a little bit of time on my hands thins morning...I did decide to make something that only took 10 minutes (probably less) and made a chocolate cake. I saw the video on youtube and just had to try it. It was walnuts, cacoa powder, vanilla, salt, and dates. Mix all together and your done. I did make some of Alissa's strawberry sauce and put that on top with some shredded coconut..so I am going to have some later. I also ran to trader joe's and I am going to have a PB&J sandwich! I found raw almond butter for $4.00, made my own jelly and I still eat ezekial bread, and then I wil have my cake for lunch! I also made some hummus. So I am very happy with myself today! thanks for all the support and info everyone!!:hug

[ReneeH]

Hey! Glad you're having a better day Becky!!!

Since I posted the above photo on this thread, I thought I'd post what they look like all dehydrated! Here are the Banana Leather Chips and some Apple Chips I made for my Raw Granola:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2380.jpg

They came out really GREAT!!! Very crunchy and sweet!!!! My least favorite is the Blueberry ones...they didn't harden as well as the other berries. Give it a try!!! :)

[rawlight]

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2380.jpg

Aw, those banana leathers with the strawberries look like hearts! Perfect for VDay!!

[beckyh]

Hey! Glad you're having a better day Becky!!!

Since I posted the above photo on this thread, I thought I'd post what they look like all dehydrated! Here are the Banana Leather Chips and some Apple Chips I made for my Raw Granola:

http://i517.photobucket.com/albums/u336/Pioneerspiritnee/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2380.jpg

They came out really GREAT!!! Very crunchy and sweet!!!! My least favorite is the Blueberry ones...they didn't harden as well as the other berries. Give it a try!!! :)

They look wonderful! How long did you dehydrate both for? also how did you cut your apples in circles? They look great! Then you just chop them up small and add them to your granola? I ment to ask you when you sent me some how you did the apples in there.

BTW my chocolate cake was wonderful. I also made banana ice cream, with Alissa's chocolate sauce! OMG it was so good!:drool: I thought I was cheating it was that good! LOVED it!!

[ReneeH]

My kids ate um up so fast, I have to make another batch!!!!!

I dehydrated them both overnight plus a few hours...probably 10 hours total. I sliced the apples with my Mandoline (they are Organic, so I don't peel them). To get the whole in the middle, just core an Apple before you slice it!!!!! Easy breezy!!!!! :excited:

For the Banana Chips, just liquify a Banana in the Food Processor, pour on dehydrator sheet and dehydrate. Add the fruit is optional, but I let my kids put it on and they loved making the rolls of fruit!!!!

Hey, pop over to my Alissa RFFE thread and see my dinner tonight!!!!! Don't go there hungry, though!!!!!:drool:

http://rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=62303&page=22

[ShelShel]

Yes, I completely agree. Your taste buds know what they find yummy. Just because others think something tastes good, it might not to you. And that's ok. I think that was really hard for me when I started out. I might find one recipe in four that tasted good to me. The others were a lost cause. It got frustrating. But after sticking with it, I learned what items tasted good to me and others that I should stick to simple raw. The longer you eat this way, the more you understand your cravings. You are doing great! You are trying new things and reaching out for help when You are frustrated. Keep up the good work. Raw rawks. :cheer: