Eating In Non Raw Restaurants

[PansyLo]

My mum is visiting tomorrow and part of our plans are to go out for lunch.

There are no raw restaurants in Glasgow, besides she'd probably prefere not to eat raw.

Does anyone have tips for eating out? I don't want to end up with the worlds most bland meal because all that's vegan and raw is salad without dressing...

I could suggest we go back to mine and I make a raw lunch for her to try but I don't know if she'd really like that or not plus I don't know where abouts we'll be at lunch time, if it'll be close to the flat or not.

I suppose I'm going to have to tell her I'm eating a raw vegan diet too... I haven't mentioned it yet.

[DebB]

When we go out to a restaurant with friends or family (who are non-raw) we pick one that has a nice salad bar. I make and take along my own dressing and I am good to go! No boring salad - I PILE on the salad ingredients and then simply pour on my dressing.

If you don't have a restaurant with a salad bar nearby, you can scan the menu and hopefully by looking at the ingredients to different dishes, you'll be able to see what they have raw on hand. You can ask them to add all that to a big lettuce salad. Or perhaps a big fruit salad. You can also call ahead and speak with the restaurant and see if they can accomodate you.

This is my all time favorite dressing that I take along: (I got the original recipe here, but I tweak it a bit)

Snowdrop's ranch dressing/dip with my tweaks

Ingredients

Soak:
1 1/2 c nuts (cashew or mac or combo) soak them for a creamier dressing (1-2 hr is fine, then drain)
and 10 deglet noor -or- FOUR medjool dates (reserve soak water to thin dressing if needed). Blend these well in blender and then add:

1 1/2 c filtered water for blending (can use date soak water too)
3 T lemon juice (translates into approx 1/2 lemon)
2 T cider vinegar
2 T evoo
3 T agave ( omit agave if using dates to sweeten )
2 cloves garlic
1 t garlic pwd
3 t onion pwd
1 t dill
2 t sea salt
1/2 t basil
and to add after it's done:
1/4 c finely minced parsley (I omit this or add a little dried parsley)
1/3-1/2 bunch of organic fresh chopped dill, can use stems

Directions
makes 3.5 cups (depends how much water you use)

vitamix blend all ingredients till creamy and smooth except the last 2,
then once blended, stir in the last 2 ingredients. Thickens in fridge.
thin to desired consistency if using as a dressing- or toss into wet lettuce leaves as is.

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=36267&highlight=ranch+dressing

[PansyLo]

That's a good plan, I think I'll take dressing. That can be a new use for my pretty patterned hip flask! I don't know where we'll end up going or what area we'll be in so I can't really look anything up.

I guess we can look at a few different places where ever we are though until we find somewhere with lots of salad options. Places with salad bars are not vey common here.

Still going to have to explain it to my mum. She didn't even really like when I was vegan.

[breathless]

Pansy,

Be prepared for her to be very concerned about this way of eating. I get that a lot. You are doing something great for your health. Be strong!

[MysticTree]

That's a good plan, I think I'll take dressing. That can be a new use for my pretty patterned hip flask! I don't know where we'll end up going or what area we'll be in so I can't really look anything up.

I guess we can look at a few different places where ever we are though until we find somewhere with lots of salad options. Places with salad bars are not vey common here.

Still going to have to explain it to my mum. She didn't even really like when I was vegan.

You know, one of the maddest things about eating raw is that a Kebab shop is a good place to go to satisfy everyone. Have your own dressing to take with you and you're rocking! I have trekked all over finding obstinate chefs and ended up at a kebab shop where friends can eat what they want and I can have a salad.

[PansyLo]

^ The only place I've seen a real salad bar actually!

There's a pretty good one I've been to with my friend near by, again though for today I don't think that's my mum's cup of tea.

Meh I'll think of something. Everywhere has some sort of salad. I'm going to have a big smoothy for breakfast.

Plus if we're out and about in different areas I can probably check out different health food stores and find some goodies for home.

[rawconvenience]

Sometimes it is a hassle to bring your secret dressing and have to explain WHY you are bringing the dressing; but at least you don't have to cook the 2nd meal required when you eat at home.

[PansyLo]

It was a bit of a disaster.

We went to a cute little cafe that I knew was cheap and had a salad bar. They do soup, sandwiches, salads and fresh fruit. We sat down and they had started making our order when they then told us they had run out of salad. :( I had fruit. I didn't want much anyway though as I was full and feeling dodgy from earlier.

I had a fruit smoothy for breakfast but I think I must have eaten too late last night because I've just felt rotten and been bloated all day. I should have known better as I was feeling full when I got up, I just wanted to make sure I got a good breakfast incase I didn't get a a good lunch. Need to start paying a bit more attention to when to eat foods. I think my meal last night was probably a bit hard on the digestive system and that's what's started all the trouble with adding fruit on top of it. I just assumed that since I'd slept it had been enough time.

Urrrrh. I still feel rotten. :(

[MysticTree]

It was a bit of a disaster.

We went to a cute little cafe that I knew was cheap and had a salad bar. They do soup, sandwiches, salads and fresh fruit. We sat down and they had started making our order when they then told us they had run out of salad. :( I had fruit. I didn't want much anyway though as I was full and feeling dodgy from earlier.

I had a fruit smoothy for breakfast but I think I must have eaten too late last night because I've just felt rotten and been bloated all day. I should have known better as I was feeling full when I got up, I just wanted to make sure I got a good breakfast incase I didn't get a a good lunch. Need to start paying a bit more attention to when to eat foods. I think my meal last night was probably a bit hard on the digestive system and that's what's started all the trouble with adding fruit on top of it. I just assumed that since I'd slept it had been enough time.

Urrrrh. I still feel rotten. :(

maybe it was last night's meal but disappointment can cause digestive problems too. I hope you feel better soon.

[PansyLo]

^ It started way before lunch. I was actually putting off lunch in hopes that it would settle.

That said I was a little emotionally up and down this morning. Maybe that was a factor. I'm actually starting to feel worse! Slightly feverish and sick.... :|

Maybe it's a detox thing? Just body in total upheaval.

[MysticTree]

^ It started way before lunch. I was actually putting off lunch in hopes that it would settle.

That said I was a little emotionally up and down this morning. Maybe that was a factor. I'm actually starting to feel worse! Slightly feverish and sick.... :|

Maybe it's a detox thing? Just body in total upheaval.

Maybe. I think you have had quite a lot invested emotionally in this day with your mum and maybe that has taken its toll. I love my mother very much but her visits can be enormously stressful and she is very comfortable with my raw food eating.

[PansyLo]

^ I have a good pot of herbal tea brewed. Hopefully it'll help settle my stomach, make sure I'm hydrated if it's detox and get me to sleep.

*is a firm believer that the right tea cures all*

New day tomorrow!

[qwerty988]

Sorry they didn't have salad for you! Did you tell your mom about your new diet? How did she take the news?

I'm a firm believer in the power of tea as well..... especially ginger tea, YUM!

Hope you're feeling better soon..... I like to get under the covers with a heating pad!

[PansyLo]

^ I did! I said I was doing it at least until the end of March, that I was on a good meal plan and making up lots of raw recipes and I told what I'd eaten that week. We had a brief conversation but she didn't say much on the matter.

I'm never sure if that's a good or bad sign but she'd been hearing from her students some of the benefits of high quality raw honey and flax seed so I told her a bit more about that and she bought me the braggs liquid aminos, almond butter and raw chocolate spread.

I don't think she minds as long as she knows I'm doing it properly and not doing something unhealthy. When I squat at hers over the summer/next year if I get into the course I'm thinking of doing she may even be willing to experiment with it herself. Probably not to 100% but I think she'd take advantage of my knowledge on the matter (I'm sure I will be raw savvy by then!).

[qwerty988]

^ I did! I said I was doing it at least until the end of March, that I was on a good meal plan and making up lots of raw recipes and I told what I'd eaten that week. We had a brief conversation but she didn't say much on the matter.

I'm never sure if that's a good or bad sign but she'd been hearing from her students some of the benefits of high quality raw honey and flax seed so I told her a bit more about that and she bought me the braggs liquid aminos, almond butter and raw chocolate spread.

I don't think she minds as long as she knows I'm doing it properly and not doing something unhealthy. When I squat at hers over the summer/next year if I get into the course I'm thinking of doing she may even be willing to experiment with it herself. Probably not to 100% but I think she'd take advantage of my knowledge on the matter (I'm sure I will be raw savvy by then!).


Yayyy -- that sounds really good! And maybe a nice positive change for your mom, too, if she gets into it!

[Raw Angel Mom]

Totally support bringing your own dressing. You can eat before you go also, it will help if you are hungry more then the salad. You can prepare a card for the chef. Indicate that you are raw vegan and make suggestion of vegetables that he/she cans serve to you. Ask the server to give this note to the chef. Don't forget to thank the chef for his/her creativity. You can always bring an avocado or your own bag of veggies also if you are religious about eating organic only.

Sometime, with some restaurant, you can call in advance for a special meal. You need to give them a few days ahead.

Sometime if i find nothing for me or i am fasting. I will simply stick to water and order an entree for others. That way, the restaurant makes money with me, the server get his/her tips and the people that i am with are in heaven for having a free entree. Everyone seem to win.

All the best!