Eating raw is not hard. Let's face it; a large portion of the foods we already eat regularly are raw:
Salsa
Apples, Oranges, Bananas
Lettuce, Tomatoes, Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers
Cherries, Avocadoes, Plums, Peaches, Strawberries, Blueberries, Pineapple, etc.
The list goes on and on (don't even get me started on vegan staples, like corn chips, popcorn, and pretzels!)
And the list doesn't end with salad! There are dried fruits, dehydrated goodies, smoothies, juices, cheesecakes, chocolate truffles, pastas, condiments...I had pizza for lunch today...and falafel.
The difficult part of maintaining any semblance of a raw diet (50%, 85%, 100%), is not lack of options; it's making the decision to do it. Plain and simple. Simple?
This is where I fumble, every time. Why can't I make that decision more often? When faced with a deli case full of options that run the gamut from local, organic carrot and raisin salad, to line-caught, wild Alaskan Salmon, why can't I choose raw every time?
Because it all tastes the same; that's why.
Every "gourmet" rawcipe I've tasted and created has called for zucchini, cashews, sundried tomatoes, tahini, and one or more of the standard green herbs (cilantro, basil, mint, and/or parsley).
I began a haphazard raw cleanse on the 25th, with the intention of dragging it out until July 14th - this is when I depart for a week-long trip to Upstate NY to visit my remarkably non-vegan, well-done family. The first five days were flawlessly raw and notably effortless. Then my efforts waned a bit, as I found myself working multiple shifts, back-to-back, without having prepared any foods of substance to bring with me - instead, munching on cherries, grapes, and salads. I felt great, though. Light, clear, focused, energized, happy...clean. As expected. As usual. I decided that moderate amounts of cooked (unprocessed, gluten-free, vegan) foods would be acceptable, once a day (as needed). It's just easier with a schedule as demanding as mine.
Easier than unprepared, uncooked, unadulterated, local, organic, grab-n-go food?
Yes.
Crap is convenient. And cheap. And tasty. That's why we're all fat, sick, and nearly dead in this country. Whatever.
So, I dropped 3 lbs. last week, and promptly picked them up again, on Saturday. That's fine - I'm far from overweight. What I lost was water weight from the astronomical amounts of salt that are found in my nearly nightly indulgence of Indian food. Of course, this came back to bite me, when my body vehemently rejected my dinner last night, after 10 days salt-free.
Anyway...which direction was I going with this post?
Oh yes, my new direction.
I'm changing the name of my blog (and the URL) to reflect my mission, my efforts, and my business, rather than my unrealistic hopes for a palate that craves monotony or taste buds that despise warm comfort food. I'm no hero. I'm a high-raw, gluten-free, vegan mama, with a lot of experience, knowledge, passion, and recipes to share. And to that end, I'm on a mission to create some delectable raw recipes that stray from the norm. When I get to it.
I'm getting back to my roots. Living Roots. And this blog is about that.
