There are so many raw food recipe books and web sites around these days, there’s certainly no shortage of inspiration for those relatively new to raw foods. This is exciting and inspiring of course, but it can also be daunting to say the least. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be.
Here are some guidelines that will help you get creative in the kitchen and get the most out of your foods as you become more confident and explorative with your new eating habits.
Add to your to-do list the exploration of and experimentation with marinating and fermenting too. The benefits of fermenting are far too wide and varied to go into here, and it’s surprisingly easy and fun to produce delicious sauerkraut, kimchee, kefir, kombucha and other fermented foods that could become staples in your diet in the future. Spend some time looking into what’s possible in this area.
Beg, borrow or buy a dehydrator and learn how to make delicious foods such as crackers, breads, pizzas, burgers, crisps and more – these foods will satisfy your inevitable cravings for crispy, crunchy or dry snacks and foods, and help you transition from the more conventional cooked versions. These are especially useful in the colder months.
Watch some DVDs and online videos of raw educators and chefs. There are many of these available now, so spend some time browsing and find the ones that are the best fit for you. They vary in quality, but watching one is better than none at all, especially if you have difficulty getting away from home to...
Attend a raw food prep class, weekend course or retreat. These will really fast-track your learning. Reading from a recipe book is one thing, but seeing food made live in front of you is something else altogether.
Choose variety. If there’s a particular food you don’t like, the good news is that you’re in charge and you don’t have to eat it! Find something similar to it in the same food group and use that instead (for instance, if you don’t like almonds but love walnuts – just eat the walnuts!) If you have an allergy issue and a whole food group (such as nuts) is out of the question for you, then choose anything similar that appeals to you. In the case of nuts you would eat something else that is fatty like avocado, seeds or olives.
Travel light. Being on the road needn’t be a problem. I have often travelled with a hand blender. They’re very small and light and you can even get one that’s battery-powered so you don’t even need to find a plug socket. They’re very handy for all sorts of recipes and they’re really easy to clean. You can also prepare foods in advance – crackers and cookies, for example, travel well, and stock up well on fruits, nuts and anything else that has a shelf life.
It’s important that you take your time and learn at your own pace. What matters most – at all times – is that YOU feel happy with where you’re at, that you feel that you’re moving forwards in your health journey and that you’re enjoying the ride!
© 2012 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.
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