August 2012 30 Day Raw Challenge

[LexieW]

That is just the craziest thing isn't it? The cooked is never as good as the raw or even if it is almost as good it doesn't fill the what-ever-it-is that you were trying to fill and often times even if you stick with raw it still doesn't fill that emotional gap and then we can blame the raw food even though we know in our heart of hearts that cooked food couldn't fill it either.

Does that make sense? Hope so!

That absolutely makes sense. It's the cycle I go through every time I cheat. And oooooh man, am I fighting cravings today, guys! But I'm winning. And I gave blood today too, which makes my brain think "it's okay, you can a little treat."

NO, bad habits. I will not. I will be strong and keep up my fantastic progress - my mind is sharper than it's been in recent memory, my body is tight and my eyes are bright. We're keeping this up.

[GreenT]

GreenT, I LOVE that Cheese Sauce! Try it on Alissa's Pizza Crust from RFFE...you'll FLIP!!! It's also good with Rawritos Chips!!!!

That sounds good, i will definitely have to try that!! Did you try the mushroom recipe? If so, how was it?

Today went pretty good. I had some watermelon for breakfast, a few bananas later in the day, some chia pudding and tried a new recipe for dinner....Cabbage cilantro apple salad, and had a couple of coconut balls.

Cooked food can never match up to how raw food makes you look and feel. When i fall off the wagon, i literally feel like i fell off of a wagon!!

I have some mung beans in the process of sprouting, can't wait for those! I'm also excited for this weekend, i want to make some new recipes and dehydrate a few snack foods

[PansyLo]

Oh man I want to come live with you guys and eat all your food! I wish I had a raw friend who knew what they were doing.

I'm still just getting back to vegan/GF myself after an enormous lapse in my diet. I'm trying to eat as much raw as I can but don't have any money and would feel selfish expecting my mum to pay for a raw diet. Once I have money I will buy anything that needs sourced from health stores or online and will have an easier time.

I keep switching between wanting to be hardcore raw and being really strict about it to totally giving it all up and eating rubbish to compromising by easing into it. I think it depends on my moods which are still totally erratic still until my meds kick in.

@MysticTree/LexieW: I know exactly what you mean! I stopped being 100% raw because I was interning and didn't want to seem awkward and rude to the girl I was working for. When I started eating cooked food at hers it tasted wrong and a little tasteless. Everything I ate at first seemed a bit gross and unsatisfying. I wish I'd never quite but I was way too anxious about the whole thing!

[robh]

GreenT, the other day I came into the room. I immediately asked if one of the kids was sick a threw up somewhere. I smelled what I thought was vomit (sorry for being gross). It turns out my wife heated a bowl of spaghetti and that's what I was smelling. Most of the time, cooked food tempts me but not that day! Also, thanks for the recipes. I made a cheese very similar to that one.

Pansy, social anxiety sucks. I notice being raw has improved it, but only slightly. My wife is very bold and becomes a general pain in the butt until she gets what she wants. We were are out, I won't let her talk to me because it makes me feel weak. (I am a man, what can I say.) So, I speak up and ask for what I want, but hate inconveniencing people. Sometimes, my wife knows what I want and, despite my efforts, gets it for me - makes me want to crawl under a rock. Anyway, best of luck with the issue. I'm still working on it too.

MysticTree, my brother has psoriasis. I'll have to mention that benefit to me. Alphalfa avocado sandwich - that sound great! I'm gonna try that. Also, good luck with restructuring what you eat and when. For me, getting full and staying satisfied is such an important part of staying raw.

RenneH, so glad that you are feeling better. Great job on avoiding your old favorite restaurant. Also, do both books have pizza crusts? I made the one in Living on Live Food. Is there another?

PintSize, I am interested in the raw taco salad. Do you have link or is it in a book? Also, I hope you enjoyed the concert.

LexieW, you rock - giving blood and staying strong. :)


It's been another 100% raw day for me. Not temptations today (which is nice). I had three nectarines, about a pound of cherries, a bunch of nuts, some dried figs and a couple of dates.

I have been feeling what I assume are detox symptoms for the past couple of days. (I don't think I have a cold, but it sure seems similar.) I played tennis tonight and the feelings got worse. I decided to skip dinner to let the detox do it's thing so it's done faster. I think all my little cheating bits here and there since mid-July have caught up to me. It's pretty bad right now. I'm very weak and feeling crappy all over. The whole thing makes me want to stay 100% raw and not look back so I don't have to do this again for the umpteenth time.

Stay strong everyone, we can do it!

[PansyLo]

MysticTree, my brother has psoriasis. I'll have to mention that benefit to me.

My boyfriend has scalp psoriasis. It drives him mental... sorta drives me mental too, I'm constantly brushing skin off him and me and pillows. Actually everything is medically wrong with my boyfriend... he's pretty much a walking malady.
Maybe one day if we date for a lot longer I'll talk him into trying a different diet.
...Who am I kidding? Nobody will put up with me for that long! :P

Glad that you're doing well robh, detox symptoms are lousy but at least you know that you're getting rid of all the bad!

I totally missed the comment with the suggestion of alfalfa and avocado! That sounds delicious! Alfalfa is definitely my favourite sprout.
Trying to think what to have it with since I don't have a dehydrator to make bread... I'm not high raw at the moment so maybe just some corn cakes or something.
If it's nice I'll source raw crackers when I do get back up to 100% raw.

I have a craving for something with "cheese" sauce!! What could I have... maybe tomorrows meal.
I've almost totally lost my appetite, it's probably this flu big I have. All I ate today was a salad. I've drank a lot of water but really not felt hungry and food hasn't seemed appealing.

[MysticTree]

I totally missed the comment with the suggestion of alfalfa and avocado! That sounds delicious! Alfalfa is definitely my favourite sprout.
Trying to think what to have it with since I don't have a dehydrator to make bread... I'm not high raw at the moment so maybe just some corn cakes or something.
If it's nice I'll source raw crackers when I do get back up to 100% raw.

romaine lettuce leaf wraps are good and you can use alfalfa in raw sushi (california roll type sushi)

[PansyLo]

^ I've been desperate to make raw sushi but for some reason the supermarket has stopped stocking nori.

I haven't seen it anywhere recently.

[MysticTree]

^ I've been desperate to make raw sushi but for some reason the supermarket has stopped stocking nori.

I haven't seen it anywhere recently.

Where's your nearest healthfood shop? You can get it online too but I only ever get it from shops so I don't know who stocks it online. Kate Magic might be worth a look ... I think she does mail order.

[PansyLo]

^ There's two in town but I've not spotted it in either.

I'll have a better look, sadly I have about 15p to my name right now! My mum is okay with things from the super market as long as I'm not getting expensive ingredients too often. But health food store is a luxury. I applied for a job doing PR work today, hope to hell I get it. I'll get my student fund in September so will be able to buy more unusual food.

[ReneeH]

Hey yau'll!!!!

ROB: yes, there are different recipes in both of Alissa's books. The one in RFFE is the best IMO!!!! They all are great, though! The one that uses Buckwheat is REALLY great too. I've made all of them. Definitely worth getting the book!!!

Breakfast today was Green Juice: Romaine, Celery, Apples, Gibger, and Lemon. I shared it with 2 friends today and they loved it!!! It's one of my favorite combinations now!

Here's Lunch:



Ok...I made the Marinade I posted on page 13 of this thread...it's good. Not as good as the one that uses Herbamare or the one that uses Ginger in LOLF, but descent. I did a raw version (obviously), so it might taste different cooked. I'd make it again...only if I had no Herbamare or Ginger. I did dehydrate the marinated Mushroom to soften it, but not for very long cuz Mama is hungry!!! So, I put 1/2 back in to see if I like it even better later.

I'm feeling back to myself today! Boy, it was a rough couple of days for me! Not with eating raw, just dealing with PMS.

[LexieW]

I think I'm detoxing today, too. Woke up very tired, and my throat is a little sore. Coping with lots of hot water, banana, dates, and other non-throat irritating foods. Just a few more hours and weekend, which will mean a lot of running around, but maybe a little rest, too.

Nevertheless, I wake up excited every day to see my body getting more taut - my belly fat shrinks a sizeable amount daily, and I'm noticing the cellulite on my thighs slowly going, too. YAY!

Lastly, you guys are all so inspiring. Not feeling alone in the process is really important.

Ooh, and sprouting continues to be a breeze! I'm eating my pea spouts for lunch today, and i have grains spouting at home, as well as some alfalfa and fenugreek. I'm officially addicted to the process.

[ReneeH]

Been SOOOOOOO thirsty today!!! Sucking down bottled H2O like its FREE!!!!! LOL!!!!!

Go LEXIE!!!!

[robh]

Pasy, thanks. Are you sure it's the flu? That's what it feels like I have, but I don't.

ReneeH, pizza is my kryptonite. I need raw pizza. I have been meaning to get RFFE, but maybe I will put a little more priority on it. Also, lunch is lookin' good!

LexieW, how do you like the pea sprouts? I hear they are tasty. Sorry to hear you too are not feeling well. On the bright side, like Pansy said, it means we are doing something right!


I am still feeling crappy today. I don't know what's up. Usually, it lasts for an afternoon and then I'm fine. Anyway, no need to dwell on it. I know I'll feel great soon.

Anyway, I am doing good again today. This is my day off from work. I actually had a previous employer call me up and ask me to come in and work a few hours (I am an independant contractor). Anyway, we went out for lunch, but I came prepared. I took the bag I packed right into the restaurant. I ordered a salad and then grabbed an avocado from my bag. No one care or noticed maybe - I was grateful. It worked out well. They all had their cooked crappy food. It didn't tempt me today.

So far today, I had like 5 banana, 2 oranges, several cherries, the salad for lunch with the avocado and then later when I got home, I was still hungry so I made guacamole and I dipped bell pepper slices and or veggies in it. I also had a bunch of pecans. To be honest, I'm still kind of hungry, I suppose it is dinner time.

Staying raw is getting easier every day.

Let's keep it going everyone. We are rockin'!

[ReneeH]

Go Rob!!! You're doing great...but I wonder if you're getting bored with what you're eating? I dunno... Sometimes, I tend to keep things simple (like today)... But honestly for the most part I need the gourmet to fill me up and make me feel satisfied. Is that how you feel? If so...RFFE is for YOU!!!

Eventually I'm gonna have another go at the Land and Sea (Alissa's version of surf -n- turf). At least I know now why it fell apart... Note to self: don't try new recipes while PMSing!!!!! :-D

Today went very well. Snacked on a lot of Candied Nuts, though! Not sure what to do about Dinner. I look in my very stocked frig and nothing is jumping out at me and screaming "EAT MEEEEE!!!!!!". Hubby is having god-AWEFUL SAD Pizza...YUK!!! Well, at least I don't have to cook for him!!! :-D.

Oh, BTW... The Marinade ain't working for me. I let the Mushrooms stay in the Dehydrator for a while and I'm not really "feelin'" it.

Need something simple, yet delicious for dinner! Leaning towards juicy. Come on guys!!!! Help me out!!!! I need an idea!!! What are you all having tonight????

[happylife]

Renne,
Yesterday I was with a few friends and they were talking about a dip that people are going wild about. It is 2 cups each, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.(1) Granny Smith, (1) Gala and (1) Honey Crisp blend all until it is smooth..Use any raw cracker to dip in it. Just made up a batch, had to add some raw honey for my taste. I put it in four freezer containers and kept one out so I can eat it tomorrow.