Journey to Raw

Sourdough bread and dark chocolate

2005-07-21T10:12:00.000-04:00

So yesterday was the first day that I ate cooked food after about 32 or 33 days of 100% raw. Matt has been accepted into a graduate program at CUNY, so he decided that he wanted sourdough bread to celebrate. I bought some sourdough bread the day before at Whole Foods, as well as Dagoba dark chocolate with raspberries and rose hips, which is organic and contains only trace amounts of dairy and soy. It was the only chocolate at Whole Foods that had the least amount of ingredients, and of course it was organic which I think is better.

When Matt got off work we ate several slices each of the sourdough bread, and I did enjoy it. We both ate about half of the chocolate bar, which I also enjoyed. I kept waiting for the infamous upset stomach, because so many people who eat cooked after so many days raw say that their stomach hurt badly or they were sick. Neither happened.

I did notice that my bowel movements were different this morning. With 100% raw you're pretty much guaranteed a good bowel movement in the morning. With cooked it isn't so guaranteed. Without trying to sound gross, I pretty much had to sit there and try and force myself to have a bowel movement.

Because of not being able to get rid of all the food in my body, I did weigh exactly one pound heavier than I weighed yesterday.

Part of the problem, I think, is the fact that we were eating after 8pm last night. As a general rule we plan on only eating cooked foods for lunch, but not dinner or breakfast. I think that that will make a difference in our weight and even our bowel movements. Last night was an exception because we wanted to celebrate Matt's success in getting into CUNY. I'd like to celebrate my new job by going out to eat somewhere - but I hope to do it on a weekend when we can go for lunch.

Anyway, I am in favor of a mostly raw diet, and I think we can accomplish that. I just thought I'd post my "findings" and thoughts on last night's little splurge.

Before and After

2005-07-18T22:47:00.000-04:00

Here the befores and afters with Day 1 on the left and Day 29 on the right:

Matt

Samantha

Matt - Day 31

2005-07-18T17:09:00.000-04:00

I too have finished my 30 days raw. Unlike Samantha I can indeed say that I have clearer skin, and generally I feel healthy. The biggest improvement is weight loss - and no negative side effects like extra hunger, increased tiredness or anything like that normally associated with other diets I've done. This diet works for me.

I'm still going to add a few cooked things back into my diet only for lunches. But not yet. It's so easy for me to stay raw that I'm in no hurry to get back to cooked food. I also tend to eat quite a bit more than Samantha so that could be why I don't feel tired like she does.

We both have pictures, maybe she will post mine up there tonight too. I weighed and I was still 211.5 today.

The morning after...

2005-07-18T10:58:00.000-04:00

Well, I have completed 30 days of nearly 100% raw (with the exception of Bragg's, 1 toasted nori sheet, sundried tomatoes that have chemical preservatives added, and probably a couple of miniscule things here and there). It is somewhat relieving to have the 30 days done, although I imagine that I will continue on for a few more days as long as Candice is staying with us as she is in the early days of raw.

I am amazingly hungry today, although I felt like I stuffed myself last night. Maybe this whole idea of being able to eat cooked foods today is making me more hungry. I was looking at our vegan cookbook, The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, last night for ideas of what we can make for our lunches. It was interesting because some of these recipes didn't seem so daunting as they have in the past. A couple of recipes say that the dough has to sit for a few hours before use - after having to let things sit for hours at a time during raw, I think I can wait a measly four hours for dough to do its thing.

Anyway, I don't know if I will eat cooked today. So far my day has been raw. I just finished a mango a few minutes ago. I also am feeling a little under the weather still, so I may not want to eat any cooked foods today.

This morning I woke up and weighed myself and I was at 115.8 lbs. which is the lowest I have been yet. I was actually surprised that I was under 116 lbs., because I did eat a lot of food last night.

As far as health issues go I know that I said that I wanted to have more energy, end my breast pain, improve my breathing issues (sometimes my breathing is a little weird - it's like there's stuff in my lungs or something - maybe I have mild asthma or something?), and have clearer skin. I honestly can't say if I have improved any of these things. If anything I seem to be more tired sometimes, I still had breast pain this month, my breathing is still weird sometimes, and I am still getting acne. Obviously 30 days isn't enough to improve everything or even one or two things, but I guess the main thing is that internally I don't feel bogged down by cooked food. Cooked food usually sits in my stomach for long periods of time, whereas raw food passed through my system nearly every day. For me eating a 100% raw diet hasn't been the miracle cure-all, although I suspect that it has the potential to be that if committed to long-term. Which - I am not exactly ready to do that long-term. I am, after all, eager to try out a few recipes from the vegan cookbook that I haven't tried yet. I'll continue to keep you posted on how that goes.

I am interested to know the difference in how I look from day 1 to day 30 (actually day 29). When I get home I'll try to post some pictures.

Day 30 - Samantha

2005-07-17T22:37:00.000-04:00

Weight: 116.4 lbs.
30-day weightloss: 6.6 lbs. (started at 123 lbs.)

Today I have felt kind of sick. I think I may have caught something on the train or the subway. I have been feeling almost flu-like. I don't believe that it is detox. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.

I have eaten a few things off and on today. I had some leftover pesto stuffed mushrooms and meatloaf. I ate half a mango, some celery, a peach, and some other things I can't remember. I also made Apple Cobbler:

Apple Cobbler from Vital Creations by Chad Sarno
4 apples, 3 sliced thin, 1 chopped
1/2 c raisins* soaked 2-4 hours
T cinnamon (I used 1/2 tsp. instead)
1/2 T lemon juice
t nutmeg (I used 1/2 tsp. instead)
1/2 t Celtic sea salt*
2c pecans*
1c pitted dates* (I also soaked these)
In a high speed blender, blend 1chopped apple, soaked raisins, cinnamon, lemon juice, nutmeg and Celtic salt until smooth. Pour sauce over thinly slices apples and toss well. Continue by spreading an even layer of apple mixture in a medium sized lasagna pan, set aside. Next, in a food processor pulse the pecans until finely ground then add the dates and continue to grind until evenly mixed. Crumble an even layer of pecan mixture over apples. Dehydrate the whole pan at 110 degrees for 2-4 hours. Delicious served warm with Coconut Cream. Also try other variations with peaches or pears, omitting the apples. [Note: We've found that this recipe is also delicious without dehydrating. You can eat it right away, or let it sit and marinate for a few hours so the apples really absorb the flavors. Also, we like to add a few handfuls of whole raisins to the apple mixture before tossing.]

I have made this several times and today was the first time that I had put it into the dehydrator. It turned out pretty well that way. The flavors seem to mix better when warmed up like that for a few hours. They also mix together quite well after sitting in the fridge overnight.

Day 29 - Samantha

2005-07-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

Weight: 116.8 lbs.

Today we had the raw food potluck. I made Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms, Meatloaf, and banana ice cream (frozen bananas homogenized with the blank plate in the Champion Juicer).

The potluck went pretty well. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it. I enjoyed most of the food there, although I have to admit that there were a couple of things that I didn't like that much. I also filled up pretty fast. I guess my stomach is shrinking!

We went to Connecticut for a few hours after the raw food potluck, and by the time we got back I was hungry again. I ate two or three sheets of raw nori with Braggs sprayed on it. If we had had some avocados on hand I would have had that wrapped in nori. Oh well... They are also very expensive right now. Everywhere I go to shop they are about $2/avocado.

Matt - Day 29

2005-07-16T20:00:00.000-04:00

Almost done with my 30 day challenge!

Weight: 211.5
Gain/Loss: -16 lbs

Today we took some pictures. Hopefully I can get them posted soon. I'm actually anxious to see how much of a difference there is.

We had a RAW food potluck today in our apartment. I should post the pictures from that as well. There were 7 of us altogether that came. The dishes that we had were as follows:

Ranch Dip with Veggies
Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms
Gazpacho
Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Nut Loaf (Meatloaf)
Banana Ice Cream

Everyone really enjoyed everything and I even took some down for Meesh to try. He really liked everything as well - I was suprised. I'm amazed at how people really like the ranch dressing too. It's good to know that I'm not the only one that thinks it's insanely good.

We're going to stay 100% raw for a few extra days since our houseguest Candice is just starting RAW and we want to be sure that she has support her first week. After that we are going to incorporate some whole grain bread (homemade only), rice, and beans into our diet. We will only eat these for our lunch meal. We're going to continue being mostly raw, and remain vegan. We'll see how that goes.

I'm glad to see that I've lost quite a bit of weight. I do weigh myself every day, but I've noticed that I lose a couple pounds, then I gain back a pound or two and stay there for a few days before losing again. This week I was hanging around 213 for like 5 days before I finally broke through that level. On Sunday I'll probably be back to 212 for a day or two. I can't wait until I break the 208 level. That was how much I weighed my senior year in college in 2001. Then the next target is to break 200. Then the next major one will be 185 which is the lowest I ever weighed in college.

I had a community member in the cafe ask me if I was losing weight and tell me that I looked good! I was really happy about that because it's hard for me to tell sometimes that I'm losing weight. I do feel a little lighter, but it's hard to notice sometimes. Anyway - that made me feel good.

That's all for now. More later (and hopefully some pictures too!)

Day 28 - Samantha

2005-07-15T21:33:00.000-04:00

Weight: 116.6 lbs.

Today I ate a banana, peach, a bunch of dates, a salad with arugula, tomato, onion, and some dressing that Matt had made. I also ate some carrots with the dressing.

I am considering staying 100% raw for a few more days for our guest's sake (the one who is trying to do the 30-day challenge). The reason is because I don't want to be making bread or tortillas and making her want to fall off the wagon, so to speak. They are going to probably leave sometime this next week, however I am not entirely sure. I think it would be best to support her, so we might just do it a few more days. I haven't told Matt this idea, but I am sure I will shortly.

Tomorrow we are having a raw food potluck at our apartment. One of our friends suggested it. We are going to provide meatloaf, pesto stuffed mushrooms, banana ice cream, dip and veggies, and I am thinking that if I feel like it I may make Alissa's Date Nut Torte. (Found on her site under recipes) I'll be interested to see what others bring to the potluck.

Day 27 - Samantha

2005-07-14T10:50:00.000-04:00

Weight: 117.4 lbs.

This morning I got up and made fruit salad with mango, apples, grapes, blueberries, peaches, and bananas. That's it so far.

One of my coworkers brought in some dark chocolate to share with everyone. I LOVE dark chocolate, so that is the one thing that I am having some temptation over here at work. It is a good quality chocolate, too. I won't have any, but it is tempting. Oh well.

Day 26 - Samantha

2005-07-13T10:44:00.000-04:00

Weight: 116.6 lbs.

Ate a bunch of fruit, some raisins and dates, and meatloaf.

Matt was meeting a friend for lunch up close to where I work, so I went and had lunch with them. We ate at a nice italian restaurant, and I probably would have cheated and gotten some pasta if Matt hadn't volunteered to the waiter that we were rawfoodists. We both had very large salads. Mine was arugula based with pear, hearts of palm (which may not have been raw), and tomatoes. Matt brought along a raw vinegrette-type dressing which was good.

One of our guests staying with us right now has decided to try and be raw, but she doesn't know where to start, so she's asked us to make food for us while she's at our place. So when I got home I made Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms (also stuffed 3 small tomatoes with the remainder of the pesto).

Matt also made his creamy dip and I had some of that with baby carrots.

Day 25 - Samantha

2005-07-12T10:43:00.000-04:00

Weight: 116.8 lbs.

Ate the usual. Am posting this late, so I don't remember what all I ate. I am glad to stay under 117 lbs., though.

Day 24 - Samantha

2005-07-11T13:25:00.000-04:00

Weight: 116.8 lbs.

Today I have eaten some raw oatmeal with walnuts, apple, banana, raisins, and agave nectar to sweeten. I have also eaten some of the apple leather I made and it turned out really well. I think I am going to make more tonight if I have the time, energy, willpower, etc.

I am feeling okay today, just a little tired. Of course, I always feel more tired on a Monday. I did lose a little extra weight, so that's good. I think I am back to losing again after that plateau.

Day 23 - Samantha

2005-07-10T20:20:00.000-04:00

Weight: 117.4 lbs.

Today I have a little bit of a sore throat. I ate some dates late in the evening, and I think that the sugars might have gotten me. I don't know, though. Maybe it is something else...

I have eaten some fruit today, and I made the UnMeatloaf again, and I also did some stuffed mushrooms with some of the meatloaf mix. The mushrooms dried out a little bit, though, so I think that it would be better to do them at a lower temperature and dehydrate for longer.

I have also had some cherries, dates, and raisins.

I also made some apple leather which will not be ready until tomorrow morning. I blended up a few apples in the VitaMix (peeled and cored) with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice (sorry - used concentrated, I was lazy). I also used three different kinds of apples - 1 granny smith, a couple of red delicious, and 1 gala apple (if I remember correctly).

Day 22 - Samantha

2005-07-09T15:46:00.000-04:00

Weight: 117 lbs.!!

I finally have lost another pound! I haven't been this low in years! This is truly an accomplishment for me.

Today so far I have eaten half a pineapple and a banana. I have also made some "burger" mix which I just tasted from the "12 Steps to Raw" book by Victoria Boutenko. We'll probably some later.

I am still missing cooked foods, but I am making it through okay. We have some people coming to stay with us for a couple of weeks and I feel kind of bad because we won't be able to eat much more than salads with them. They love to cook, just like us, and I am sure that they'll be wanting to make a bunch of food when they get here...or at least order some good chinese takeout or something. Oh well...

On another note - we have a "Vegestorians" group that has met periodically here at the cafe. We are planning a raw potluck for next Saturday or Sunday. Should be interesting!

Matt - Day 22

2005-07-09T12:23:00.000-04:00

Here it is:

Weight: 213 lbs
Gain/Loss: -14.5 lbs

Still feeling great. I do miss bread though. Samantha are thinking that after the 30 days we might start making our own bread and add that to our diet for lunch only. We'll eat raw for breakfast and our evening meal.

That's all for now.

Day 21 - Samantha

2005-07-08T20:43:00.001-04:00

Weight: 118.4 lbs.

Today I ate a lot of fruit, and when I got home I ate some celery. I honestly didn't eat that much because we had to do a lot of cleaning of our apartment. We have guests coming tomorrow, and we needed to do a thorough cleaning anyway. Our apartment is finally back to normal after the chaos of the wedding!!

Matt - Day 21

2005-07-08T17:30:00.000-04:00

Hello again,

I'm just one day away from my third week raw so I think I'm going to hold off on giving my stats until tomorrow.

I've been continuing to stay raw during this whole time. The only things I've eaten that are not raw has been a little hot sauce on some mexican style raw food.

I've noticed that as I do this diet longer that I'm less and less "addicted to food". I mean, I find that I'm eating a lot less lately, and I'm not really feeling hungry all the time. I also don't seem to feel tired for whatever reason more than normal.

About a year ago I went to the doctor and was told that I have high blood pressure. Although I don't know what the numbers were exactly, but I took it the other night and my blood pressure is totally within normal ranges again.

Other than this, and the fact that I've lost weight, I can't say that I've noticed any other improvements health wise. I'm sure that my cells are much happier, and that I'm healthier over all (besides losing the weight,) but other than that I can't say that I've had any miracle cures or anything. Of course I'm still fairly young, and I think other than being obese when I started, and having high blood pressure, I think I started out in relatively good health.

Tomorrow I'll weigh in and see where I'm at. I think I've lost a few pounds since the last time I weighed in for sure.

Day 20 - Samantha

2005-07-07T23:03:00.000-04:00

Weight: 118.8 lbs.

Today I ate assorted fruits for breakfast, some raisins and dates throughout the day, and avocado wrapped in nori with Braggs. Matt also made banana ice cream and made the proclamation that he could easily give up real ice cream for this.

A side note from raw - I just got hired to work at the American Lung Association! I start in two weeks! :)

Day 19 - Samantha

2005-07-06T11:18:00.000-04:00

Weight: 119.4 lbs.

So far today I have eaten raw oatmeal with bananas, walnuts, raisins, and agave nectar to sweeten.

My weight seems to be stuck in the same place. Matt is trying to tell me that I should exercise more, and we do have the treadmill for that. My only gripe(s) about that is that I work full time so I either don't want to get up early or when I get home I am too tired to do anything other than just veg. AND exercising is boring. So we might put a TV in there. We'll see...

I remember jogging at PUC and enjoying it. It's a lot easier for me to enjoy jogging and exercise when I am in nature. I know that I am making excuses, but it's true - I have tried exercising here a little bit and it just isn't the same. When we first got our treadmill it wasn't too bad because it was set up in the living room where our TV was. It was easy to keep at it, but then we moved and now it's stuck in our tiny office facing an ugly blue wall. Oh well...maybe we should get a TV in there after all.

Day 18 - Samantha

2005-07-05T16:50:00.000-04:00

Weight: 118.6 lbs.

Today I have eaten a couple of bananas, some raisins, an apple, a peach, and some meatloaf. One of my coworkers smelled my meatloaf today and said it smelled good, and was surprised that it was raw, even though they all know that I am doing raw for 30 days. It doesn't really taste raw, and it does look like meatloaf. I think that this will be a good thing to have once every couple of weeks or so.

Well, we're not sure if we're going to be 100% raw after the 30 days is up or not. It is really tough on us because we miss things like bread and pasta so much. We are toying with the idea of maybe doing something like 75% raw with breakfast and supper being raw and lunch cooked. We think that we will try to stay away from processed foods and make everything ourselves - homemade bread, pasta, tortillas, cookies, cakes, etc., and try to stay vegan. We're not promising anything at this point, but we both love cooked food a lot, and we think we can stick to a 1 cooked meal a day plan. If we can do 100% raw for 30 days, then I think we can handle eating raw twice a day!

This evening I ate some more meatloaf, and I ate some sliced avocado in wrapped up nori with Braggs sprayed on the avocado. That is one thing for sure that I can eat almost every day. It tastes a lot like sushi - just without rice and without wasabi (but I think that I could probably incorporate that as well in the raw food diet, though). I LOVE sushi, so this is a great thing for me to eat.

Day 17 - Samantha

2005-07-04T22:53:00.000-04:00

Weight: 119.4 lbs.

Just grazed throughout the day. Ate about 1/4 of a honeydew melon, some tomatoes, some meatloaf, raw ice cream (made in our new Champion Juicer), and dates.

All the ice cream was was frozen bananas. The juicer homogenizes whatever you put into it if you have the blank plate installed, and it is amazing - it is so creamy and has the texture of soft serve ice cream. I'm very impressed with it.

Have been experiencing swollen lymph nodes (or breast tissue - not sure which) under my right armpit for the last few days. This is normal for me anyway, but I had assumed that it would be less since going raw. I guess it isn't too bad - I don't feel a need to take any medication for it, but it definitely is annoying.

Day 16 - Samantha

2005-07-04T12:57:00.000-04:00

Late again...

Weight: 119.8 lbs. (I think)

I ate fruit, some gazpacho that Matt had made (although it wasn't like the gazpacho that he usually makes - this was more of a scrounging-around-for-whatever-we-have gazpacho), and not too much else that I can think of. I was also really thirsty, so I drank a lot of water.

I made some more meatloaf, and we'll eat that on Monday probably with a little mushroom gravy.

We also went to Top Tomato and stocked up on fruits and veggies. Hopefully they'll last us for a few days.

Matt - Day 15

2005-07-02T13:54:00.000-04:00

Greetings again everyone. Today is my 15th day raw.

I'm going to post some pictures a little later but wanted to give you an update as to my progress.

Weight: 218.0 lbs
Gain/Loss: -9.5 lbs

I am feeling pretty good. Last night we made a raw crab recipe and both Samantha and I ate a LOT of it. Afterwards I felt really sick to my stomach. I thinkt it's because we didn't soak the almonds and so we were eating a lot of raw nuts - which are harder to digest. I woke up this morning feeling normal.

I can't say I've noticed many other benefits of being raw. I am sure that my blood pressure and cholesterol are much lower since going raw, but I haven't had either of those checked since I started. Other than that the main benefit for me seems to be the weight loss. I hope this continues into the next few weeks.

Samantha and I have been talking about how or if we will continue this kind of diet for the rest of our lives. Both of us are convinced that it's a very healthy way to eat, but it is more difficult than going to the grocery store and buying pre-prepared and processed foods.

We've decided that we are not going to modify our diet at all until at the earliest 30 days of being raw. At that point we're going to reevaluate and see if we want to add any cooked foods back into our diet. One thing that we miss currently is having bread - we haven't yet found any replacements that we like. No matter what we do we are going to remain Vegans, and keep the majority of our diet raw. As a matter of fact, it's easier and faster to eat raw - just grab something and go. Even easier than going to the grocery store because you don't have to even microwave anything. However, there are times that we miss having a warm soup, or veggies on a slice of bread. I think the key (if we were to not remain 100%) would be to integrate small ammounts of these things into our diet again, but remain over 90% raw. We'll see what happens after the 30 days. I might continue doing 100% raw until I get to a more healthy weight.

We just got our juicer today so we'll be trying out juices, nut butters, and things like that in the upcoming week. I am looking forward to trying some things out.

Day 15 - Samantha

2005-07-02T10:43:00.000-04:00

Weight: 119.6 lbs.

Breakfast: Fruit salad containing bananas, pear, apple, peach, nectarine, grapes, and blueberries.

I am still a little hungry, but I'll figure something out I am sure.

So we're two weeks into being 100% raw give or take small little non-raw things like vanilla extract and packaged lemon juice. I am really having a hard time mentally right now. Before I started this thing I thought that this would be it for me and that I would do 100% for the rest of my life with hardly any looking back, but I am finding that it is tough to get past all the enjoyable cooked meals I have had. I was thinking yesterday how it is so nice to be able to go to a nice italian restaurant and get beautiful and delicious foods. I remember one evening a few months ago when Matt met me in Manhattan and we went to a great italian place on the Upper East Side. I just feel like there is something to be said about being able to go to a good restaurant with friends, family, and/or husband and having a nice dinner.

Granted, there are several raw food restaurants in NYC. But they are so expensive. Once you have splurged and gotten appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts, and drinks you've spent up to $40 (or more) for each person...not including tip.

I guess I am starting to be that person that I always talked about - the person who is trying to do the raw food lifestyle but is always coming up with excuses to not do it. That person doesn't really want to do it. What is weird is that before I did this I WANTED to do it, and I was really looking forward to all the benefits of raw, but now that I am two weeks into it and craving things like garlic bread and simple italian pasta, I am wondering if I really do want to do it.

Anyway, I am going to complete the 30-day challenge no matter what. If I have made it this far, I can certainly make it to the end. And I think that there is no doubt about it - even if I don't continue 100% raw, I will definitely make an effort to be more healthy. There is something to be said about not eating processed foods, and making sure that you eat your fruits and veggies.

Day 14 - Samantha

2005-07-02T10:38:00.000-04:00

Again - a day late.

Weight: 120 lbs.

Since I got off work early today I didn't take in as much food. I had the usual fruit - a couple of bananas and a mango, and some raisins which I actually didn't eat until I got home.

When I got home I was pretty hungry so I ate a couple of tomatoes, and I made the Crab Delight again, but it made both Matt and I feel sick to our stomachs, but Matt even more so. I think it might be the amount of nuts or maybe it is wrong food combining. It does taste pretty good, though. Oh well...

I also tried making potato chips in the dehydrator but I didn't like how they turned out. I think I may grind them up and save them as filler for soups to make them thicker and more substantial. Otherwise I don't think that I'll be doing raw or dehydrated potatoes very often.

Day 13 - Samantha

2005-06-30T16:31:00.000-04:00

Weight: I can't remember exactly but it was more than 120 lbs. - Maybe 121 lbs.

Today I have eaten raw oatmeal with sliced banana, walnuts, raisins, and agave nectar to sweeten. I have also eaten another banana by itself.

Okay - I am going to be honest on this blog about my diet because I think it will help to show what changes I am experiencing, and perhaps help anyone who is reading this.

On occasion I drink alcohol, and mainly it is at work when we have office parties. I have enjoyed the occasional glass of wine, champagne, or beer. But, I don't drink it that often. Usually I drink socially, and I rarely make the effort to order or buy alcohol for myself.

So anyway, I had kept the knowledge of my birthday from my coworkers (my birthday is in April) and they just found out that my birthday came and went without a party. So today they had a party for me where there was blueberry tart (I told them all I wouldn't eat it because I am doing the raw food diet), and champagne. I figured the champagne would be okay to drink as it is fermented and not cooked (as far as I know). As I drank it, though, I discovered that it tasted very different than the times I have had it in the past. It had a weird metallic taste to it, and the more I drank it the less I liked it. But I kept drinking it to be gracious to my coworkers for getting it. It is just so strange, because it has never tasted "metallic" to me before. My tastebuds must really be changing. I figured that my alcohol consumption would probably be less after going raw because a lot of people on the Raw Food Talk forum have said that they have had to cut back - even stop altogether, even though there are a lot of good wines available. The reason for many is because it has a far greater effect on them than before. For some hard-core drinkers, half a glass of wine will do them in. I guess I just didn't expect the taste change.

So this is truly the first noticeable thing that I have experienced on this diet. People ask me all the time if anything seems different, but honestly nothing has except for the small weight loss (and lately the weight gain). But now this - the change of tastebuds. Amazing!

Day 12 - Samantha

2005-06-29T23:36:00.000-04:00

Weight: 120 lbs.

At work I ate a couple of bananas, an apple, and a handful of raisins.

We finally got our Excalibur Dehydrator and so when I got home I made patties out of the UnMeatloaf mix from yesterday and dehydrated them for a few hours. They are pretty good like this and would probably do well with some gravy of some sort - perhaps mushroom, or a tomato sauce. I also dehydrated some mushrooms that had been chopped up (not all were chopped) and mixed with a little olive oil and some crushed garlic. They tasted pretty good.

I am also dehydrating some Carob Turtles, but it is now one massive carob turtle. I hope that it dehydrates okay... It tastes pretty good right now as is, but I think that it will hold together better after being dehydrated for a day. All it is is carob, honey, vanilla extract (not technically raw - at least not what we have), and some walnuts. I used to hate carob but amazingly I really am enjoying this stuff. Maybe it will be a good chocolate substitute for me after all.

We also ate some raw veggies with the dip that Matt keeps making (he posted the recipe for it earlier today).

I am feeling better mentally today. I think it helps that we keep experimenting with different recipes. When we find something that we like it is pretty encouraging.

Raw Ranch Dressing

2005-06-29T19:34:00.000-04:00

We've been eating a lot of this lately. It's REALLY good with veggies. You can make all kinds of variations of it, for example you don't have to use cashews every time, we've tried sprouted lentils, walnuts, pine nuts, and other stuff. Experiment - it's very versatile.

Raw Ranch Dressing

1.5 Cups Raw Cashews
4 teaspoons lemon juice or 2.5 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 basil leaf

Blend it up. Can store up to 2 weeks in fridge. Feel free to vary any of the ingredients - I like mine a little stronger than this so I add more garlic and onion.

From: The Complete Book of Raw Food

Day 11 - Samantha

2005-06-29T10:36:00.000-04:00

Posting this a day late again... Sorry.

Weight: 120.6

Ate only fruit at work - I think I had a couple of bananas and a couple of apples. I took some prunes that looked like they would be okay to eat, but before I ate them I checked the company's website and they said that they dehydrate them at 185 degrees, which is way over the limit for it to still be considered raw or living. So I was pretty hungry by the time I got home.

When I got home I made pickles, which I haven't tried yet. I also made UnMeatloaf from a list of ingredients I saw somewhere on the internet. Here is the list as I remember it:

Sprouted sunflower seeds (I just soaked some for a few hours and used them immediately without sprouting)
Almonds
Walnuts
Celery
Onion
Garlic
Dates (I soaked these first)
Sundried tomatoes (I soaked these first)
Chili powder
Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Rosemary (I used dried)
Olive oil

I think that is it but if I think of anything else I'll add them. I did basically 1 cup each of the nuts, half an onion, 2 - 3 stalks of celery, and basically everything else to taste. It was a good chance for me to experiment.

It tasted pretty good, but I think when I get home tonight I will make patties out of this batch and dehydrate. I think that they will be good that way.

I also tried making raw babaganoush from a recipe I found on the internet, but let me just say that raw eggplant is a little bit awful. I threw out the whole batch after one taste. Thankfully it didn't cost me very much to buy the ingredients.

Day 10 - Samantha

2005-06-28T11:10:00.000-04:00

Sorry - didn't post this yesterday. I remember most of what I ate, etc., though.

Weight: 119.8

Breakfast: Raw oatmeal with sliced apple, banana, walnuts and agave nectar to sweeten

I didn't eat anything else at work that day. I honestly wasn't that hungry until I got home, and when I got home I kind of grazed on various things. I ate a mango, a couple of tomatoes, a couple of cinnamon rolls, and some of Matt's "mexican" food.

I had a tough time mentally yesterday. While I am not going to cheat, I have been having a hard time thinking about how I am going to get through with being raw for the rest of my life. I love foods that are unhealthy for me, and it is going to be hard to give up my addiction to them. I hope that once I hit 30 days I will have more willpower to continue on. I can't be too hard on myself for feeling this way, though, because I am only 10 days into it. It would be unnatural for me to not have cravings for macaroni and cheese, chips, and bread. So I just have to do my best and keep at it.

Day 10 - Matt

2005-06-27T10:25:00.000-04:00

As of today I've completed one full week of eating raw food, and am into my second week.

These are my stats currently:

Weight: 220.5 lbs
Gain/Loss: -7 lbs

The last week started out with the diet being fairly hard for me. I was really craving cooked food (pizza, pasta, chips). However, after about 36-48 hours of being raw the cravings got to a totally managable level and for the rest of the time it's been easy to stay raw.

We've experimented with a lot of different foods this week. We found a GREAT recipe for "ranch dip" in one of our raw books ("The Complete Book of Raw Food"). We've made several variations on the recipe and all of them are really good. I can eat an entire Cauliflower or bag of carrots with this dip it's so good.

I also finally was able to make some mexican style food. I made a refried bean paste from sprouted chick peas, a cheddar style spread from red pepper and nuts, and added avocados, onions, tomatoes and hot sauce (my only non raw food for the week) on to a big lettuce leaf. It was good. Not quite as good as I remember it being on a tortilla, but it sure tasted good, and was a lot more healthy.

I also went out to eat this week. I met a friend for lunch and just ordered a big salad. It went fine. I stayed raw without any trouble.

The first few days I seemed to lose weight really fast. I think the first few pounds were the easiest because those were the ones that were put on most recently. It seems that my average weight over the last coulpe years has hovered around 220, so it makes sense that I'll hang out here for a few days. Sure enough, when I hit 220 I've stayed there for the last 3 days. I'm sure more weight will come off in in time - but it feels great to have lost 7 lbs already, in 9 days. At one point I had hit 219.5, but went back up to 220.5.

I plan to stay raw this entire week, it should be easy now that I have a few "favorite" things to eat that happen to be raw. It makes it a LOT easier once you get the feel of raw cooking and find a few things that you really enjoy eating.

Day 9 - Samantha

2005-06-26T22:40:00.000-04:00

Weight - 119.8 lbs.

Today I made Spanish "Rice" (the rice was sprouted barley), and Cinnamon Rolls. They both turned out pretty good. I also tried making almond butter in the VitaMix but it didn't turn out that great.

I have felt a little sick to my stomach today, so I took it easy this afternoon and ate pretty much just tomatoes and a cucumber. I have been pretty hungry but I don't want to overdo it. Hopefully I'll be back to normal tomorrow.

Day 8 - Samantha

2005-06-25T23:16:00.000-04:00

Weight: 119.6 lbs.
Total weight loss since Day 1: 3.4 lbs.

So we have survived a week of raw. It has been fairly easy as the days have worn on, although we are both wanting a little more variety and more dishes to choose from. I also have been craving cooked foods, but I haven't once given in to the temptation, which is quite encouraging. There are a couple of things that I am planning on trying to make this weekend which I think will help me, and hopefully Matt as well.

For breakfast I had raw oatmeal with a raw thick cream on top (which I don't like a whole lot, but that's why we're trying different recipes - to see what we do and don't like), and of course the usual fruits, nuts, and raisins.

For lunch I had 1 corn on the cob with olive oil, garlic powder, and celtic sea salt. Matt made a ranch-type dip and I also had some of that using raw broccoli and carrot sticks. I was still kind of full from breakfast, so this is all I ate.

For supper Matt made a really great smoothie - actually more like a milkshake. It was VERY thick and creamy, and it tasted fantastic. I think he made it with various frozen fruits, different types of nuts, and fresh almond milk that I had made this morning. It was quite good and filling.

Tomorrow I hope to make Spanish "Rice" with sprouted barley acting as the rice, and hopefully Cinnamon Rolls. The recipe for rolls calls for flax seed, but I am going to experiment and substitute ground up oat groats. Since oatmeal is normally pretty good at binding things, I think that this will possibly do the trick, because I just can't stand the taste of flax. I'll post my results tomorrow!

Anyway, I haven't noticed much of a difference over the last week. I do feel skinnier, but I don't know if I necessarily look skinnier. Maybe a little, but I don't know. As far as energy goes, I would say it is about the same. Since we got back from our cruise I have had trouble sleeping, but we just bought shades for our bedroom windows, and that has helped tremendously the last couple of nights. Since eating mostly raw, and now 100% my breasts are noticeably better. It makes me wonder what triggered the intense pain - was it dairy? Was it soy? Was it the fact that my food was cooked? Maybe I'll never know, and I am not sure I am willing to experiment to find out.

We didn't take pictures today, but we hopefully will tomorrow. I am not sure when I'll be able to post those because right now we're both without laptops (waiting on our new iBooks to arrive!), so I don't have my web design programs loaded at the moment.

Day 7 - Samantha

2005-06-24T16:09:00.000-04:00

Weight: 119.8 lbs.

So far today I've had a couple of bananas, a nectarine, an apple, some pineapple, some raisins, and part of an onion ring that I made in the dehydrator last night.

The onion rings are so disgusting to me. I followed a recipe that I had found on the Raw Food Talk forum, and most of the breading is made out of golden flax seeds. I have tried to figure out a way to enjoy flax seeds, but no matter what I do, and no matter what I use them for they always taste too strong and pretty much awful to me. I suspect that if I try making onion rings again I'll have to figure out some other breading that could work just as well.

Anyway, when I get home I plan to experiment a little bit more with stuffed mushrooms. I am thinking of trying to stuff them with sundried tomatoes and garlic and olive oil. That should be good. I did dry some tomatoes in the dehydrator last night, so I'll use some of those (at least something was successful from the dehydrator last night).

I have been pretty hungry the last couple of days, but that is pretty much my fault. Yesterday I had a job interview and I didn't want to carry dirty containers there, so I just brought things that I could eat without the need of carrying them in plastic containers. Last night I didn't even think to start soaking oat groats, so I didn't make oatmeal this morning. I'll soak some tonight so I can eat that tomorrow. That is usually a pretty substantial and good meal for me, so I should try to do that more often.

I'll probably also try to make a few more things over the weekend. Hopefully I'll make something good!

Day 6 - Samantha

2005-06-23T10:37:00.000-04:00

Weight: 120 lbs.
Body Fat: 26.2%

This morning I woke up and had to run to the bathroom. I think that the Crab Delight was a little too much for me after eating fruit all day. It was still good, but I think that it might have thrown my body off just a little bit with the amount of nuts. Nuts in this diet can sometimes be a little overwhelming...

So far today I have just had one banana, but I brought several other things with me to eat throughout the day, so I will be fine.

***

I wound up eating a couple of bananas, an apple, some raisins, and I think one other thing while I was at work. We got our new VitaMix today, so Matt made some homemade gazpacho and we drank it out of wine glasses (to make fun of the VitaMix video where they drink a few things out of wine glasses, and act like that NPR skit from SNL). Pretty good! I don't think I had anything else after that.

Day 5 - Samantha

2005-06-22T17:04:00.000-04:00

Weight: 121.4 lbs.
Body Fat: 26.2%

So far I have eaten:

2 bananas
1 pear
1 apple

Today has been very busy at work, so I haven't eaten as much as I should have. Oh well. I'll make up for it when I get home.

It has been a little challenging, although not enough for me to cheat, to deal with the crazy amounts of "treats" at work this week. So far this week we have had my boss bring some carrot cake muffins to work (she made them so her son would be sure to eat his carrots!), a client gave chocolates to me and my coworker (so 2 boxes - and very nice, expensive chocolates), and another coworker brought in a box of fresh Krispy Kreme glazed donuts (plain glazed are my favorite). Anyway, despite all this I have not given into the temptation. It does tend to be more difficult when I am hungry and haven't eaten enough.

Also another coworker makes baked potatoes at work every day, and they smelled really good to me today. Oh well...

This whole raw food lifestyle is important to me so I am sticking to it. I just wanted to let you all know that even I crave crap (donuts, $0.33 box of macaroni and cheese, and potato chips, along with a myriad of other processed items that probably don't even technically qualify as food any longer). :)

***

Tonight I made Crab Delight, but I had to vary it slightly because we don't have a Champion Juicer yet (but I think Matt ordered one, so we should have it soon), so I used our food processor instead, and I didn't have exactly two cups of almonds (also didn't blanch them as the recipe asked) so I made up the difference with unsoaked pecans, and the recipe also called for kelp powder but I just had dulse flakes on hand, so I used that instead. It was a good dish, but I think it might have been almost too heavy for me.

I also made some mustard which is extremely strong, so I need to find a milder recipe for that. It definitely gives a kick and then some.

I also ate a bowl of fresh pineapple, and I think that's it mainly.

Matt - Day 5

2005-06-22T14:44:00.000-04:00

For any fans out there I should tell you that I've been doing well and haven't fallen off the band wagon (not even once.) I've been eating a lot of Samantha's onion flat bread, pesto stuffed mushrooms (and tomatoes,) grapes, apples, a pear, bananas. I ate the corn chowder last night (which was good,) and of course a couple salads.

I really think the hardest thing doing this is the first 24-48 hours. After that it's really managable and not too hard at all. I'm not saying I couldn't eat a piece of pizza, but it's not a "craving" really. It's totally doable. As of this morning I've lost 4.5 lbs, but I'm going to wait until next Saturday to do an official weigh-in and pictures to see if there's been any visual progress.

I most certianly feel a little better. I seem to be starting to sleep a little better as well.

Sorry I haven't updated this very often.

Day 4 - Samantha

2005-06-21T16:54:00.000-04:00

Weight: 121.4 lbs.
Body Fat: 27%

Today I feel much better than I did yesterday, but I have been running around today so I haven't eaten very much - so far I've only had a banana, pear, apple, and a handful of soaked, raw almonds.

Maybe Matt will have a raw pie waiting for me when I get home? ;)

***

Came home and made some Corn Chowder which consisted of almond milk, 1 avocado, 3 ears-worth of raw corn, and celtic sea salt. I added more spices to my bowl of raw soup such as garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, more salt, and other things that I can't remember at the moment.

I also ate a couple of raw tomatoes - I love eating them straight. They're perfect that way!

In regards to the body fat fluctuation - I really don't even know if my body fat reading is accurate or not. We have a digital scale that measures weight (obviously), body fat, and gives the amount of calories that should be eaten a day to maintain that weight (it, of course, knows what sex, age, and height you are to determine this as well). Who knows how accurate it is, so I wouldn't even know if I really am that high or fluctuating that much. Maybe I should stop including my boy fat because I really don't know the scale's accuracy when it comes to body fat... It does seem to be pretty accurate as far as weight is concerned, though, because I weigh roughly the same amount when I weigh on other scales.

Day 3 - Samantha

2005-06-20T11:03:00.000-04:00

Weight - 123 lbs.
Body Fat - 25% or so?

This morning I woke up feeling fine, but then I went to the bathroom and it was all downhill from there. I felt awful, and still feel sick to my stomach. I gave in and took a little Pepto, but I think that I should probably make sure that we have charcoal on hand so I can make sure that whatever I put into my body is natural. I came into work today because it isn't bad enough for me to take the day off, but I don't know if I'll eat that much today. So far I have just eaten a banana, but I did bring in the oatmeal with fruit, raisins, and walnuts, so maybe I'll feel good enough to eat that for lunch. We'll see. Right now I am drinking sparkling water, which may or may not be natural. It is one of those generic brands, so it probably isn't natural...

I could be going through detox, which is something to be expected when going 100% raw. A lot of people feel sick the first few days or weeks in some form or fashion. Some people have minimal reaction to going raw, while others get colds or have flu-like symptoms. Some people's skin breaks out more than usual and then clears up. There's no telling what each person goes through. A lot of raw foodists believe that this is a process to embrace and be happy that you're going through because you're getting rid of toxins and moving forward to a more healthy you.

As for me, it is uncomfortable to be experiencing these things esp. when I am a receptionist and have to be the happy face of the company. But I also realize that this isn't a surprise - I have read so many detox stories on the Raw Food Forum that I have been prepared for this. I only hope that I am one of the ones that has mild detoxification.

***

Well, I finally had my "breakfast" at about 4:30pm today. My stomach was really sensitive all day. I also had an apple early in the afternoon.

I got home and still didn't feel well, though. I did eat a couple of tomatoes and Matt has been getting me to try his version of Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms. They're good, but I think I'd like to try something other than pesto next time. I also tried eating an avocado and it tasted almost rotten, so I just threw most of it away. I have also been eating a few raisins. I am hungry, but my stomach is just not in the mood for too much food.

Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow! Esp. since I have a job interview!

Day 2 - Samantha

2005-06-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

Forgot what my weight and body fat were for Day 2. I think it was something around 123 lbs. and 25% body fat, although don't hold me to it.

I kind of just snacked and grazed throughout the day. I had 1/4 of a honeydew melon, a handful of almonds, a bowlful of bananas, raisins, and walnuts covered with almond milk, another banana later on, and a few of the pesto stuffed mushrooms. I felt a little off in the evening, so I didn't eat a whole lot.

Will post a picture of the pesto stuffed mushrooms later. They did taste great, although I am not a big pesto fan (but I am a basil fan, so go figure). The mushrooms really have a good flavor to them. Wish I had felt better because I might have been able to eat more.

Matt - Day 2

2005-06-19T12:25:00.000-04:00

Breakfast:

1/4 Honeydew
Snacked on some of Samantha's Onion "bread"

We are sprouting some Chick Peas in the hope I can make some bean paste and have some "burritos."

For lunch I had: 1 banana, grapes, 1 apple.

Iced tea for snack in the afternoon.

For dinner I had:
Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms

1 Cup Walnuts
1/2 Cup Pine Nuts
2 Cups Basil
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Place mushroom caps top side down on a plate. Blend all stuffing in a food processor until smooth. Scoop a small amount of stuffing into each mushroom cap. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 5-6 hours (we only did it for 2 hours and it was GREAT.)

Also. Here is the recipe for the Onion Bread that Samantha made:
Onion Bread

2 1/2 lbs sweet onions, peeled
1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1 cup ground golden flax seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
3 oz. Nama Shoyu

Put onions in food processor with 's' blade and process until small pieces, (but not mush). Put in mixing bowl with the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. The flax will absorb liquid. Smooth onto teflex sheets* about 1/4" thick and place in dehydrator for 5 hours, turning over for another 3-4 hours or until dry and crispy. Either break into pieces or cut with a pizza cutter, and store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
*If you don't have an Excalibur dehydrator, any type will do - just use natural unbleached parchment paper instead of the teflex sheets.

Soaking nuts/legumes/sprouts

2005-06-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

Currently I am sprouting alfalfa seeds and chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I also have almonds sitting in water in the fridge after they soaked for a day.

Here's some guidelines to soaking some various things:

Almonds (will not sprout, will just swell with water)
3 cups dry, raw almonds*

Soak for 24 - 48 hours, changing water daily
Store in the refrigerator in fresh water after they have been soaked
Change the water daily
Can be kept up to 5 or 6 days

*3 cups dry yields 4 cups

Lentils (will sprout)
3/4 cup dry lentils*

Soak for 8 hours
Sprouting time is 3 days
Rinse 2 - 3 times a day
It is a good idea to sprout these in a strainer because they need to dry out between rinses and not sit in water while they are sprouting
Once sprouted, keep in a dry container in the refrigerator. Make sure they are dry when stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for longer if dry.

*3/4 cup dry yields 4 cups sprouted

Alfalfa Seeds (will sprout)
3 tablespoons dry alfalfa seeds*

Soak for five hours
Rinse once a day (my chart doesn't say to do that, but I am doing that anyway)
Sprout for 4 - 5 days
On the last day you can place in direct sunlight for increased chlorophyll content
It is a good idea to sprout these in a jar with cheese cloth (attached with rubber band, for example) because they need to dry out between rinses and not sit in water while they are sprouting
Once sprouted, keep in a dry container in the refrigerator. Make sure they are dry when stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for longer if dry.

*3 tablespoons dry will yield 4 cups sprouted

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
1 cup dry chickpeas*

Soak for 12 hours
Rinse 3 - 4 times a day
Will take about 3 days to sprout
It is a good idea to sprout these in a strainer because they need to dry out between rinses and not sit in water while they are sprouting
Once sprouted, keep in a dry container in the refrigerator. Make sure they are dry when stored in the refrigerator. They will keep for longer if dry.

*1 cup dry yields 4 cups sprouted

There are many other things that you can sprout, but these are some common ones.

Day 1 - Matt

2005-06-18T19:17:00.000-04:00

This morning I got up and was excited to start eating raw 100%. I weighed myself and we ate some breakfast together. As you can see my primary reason for wanting to do this is to get to a more reasonable weight. But there are many other health benefits I've heard others speak of that makes me want to do it too.

For Breakfast I had:

In a bowl:
Two Bananas Cut into small pieces
A handful of walnuts
A handful of rasins
Almond Milk
Agage Necter

Plain:
1/2 a Peach

For lunch I had:

Arugula Salad:
Arugula
Tomatoes
Avocado
Onion
Walnuts
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Lime Juice
Sea Salt

Here are my pictures from day 1:

Age: 28
Weight: 227.5 lbs

At about 6pm tonight I started feeling a little ill. I want to eat some junky carbs so bad - just like some chips or something. I have a headache that seems to get getting worse, and I'm craving some junk food. I think this is because I have a habit of eating a large meal in the evening.

I ate a banana and then we went to the local fruit & vegetable stand. We bought about $50 worth of raw food and brought it home. I'm still feeling tired, grumpy, and have a headache, but just ate some avacado salsa, then a banana and am feeling a little better. Here is what I ate:

Avocado Salsa on Endive:

1 Avocado
2 Tomatoes
1/4T Cumin
1/4T Mexican Seasoning
Pinch Sea Salt
1/4T Apple Cider Vinegar

Put in food processor and chopped up a little.
Put this on Endive.

It was pretty good. About a 6 out of 10

Went to bed feeling a little better. Hopefully will be feeling well tomorrow.

Day 1 - Samantha

2005-06-18T17:33:00.000-04:00

There are several reasons for me to do this. Obviously I am not really overweight, but I would like to lose a few pounds. BUT - that is not the main reason for me to do this.

The main reason for me to take this challenge, and hopefully continue this after the 30 days are up, is for the health benefits that it provides. People who are doing this say that they have more energy, many (sometimes all) of their health problems dissipate, they are happier, and their minds are clearer.

Right now I'd like to do the following:

1. Get rid of my extreme breast pain.
2. Have more energy.
3. Sleep better.
4. Be more alert, and less ADD-ish.
5. Have clearer skin.
6. Get rid of my allergies.
7. Lower my body fat.
8. Lose those extra few pounds.
9. Lose my addiction to cooked and unhealthy foods.

Age - 27
Height - 5'3"
Weight - about 123 lbs.
Body Fat - 27% +/-

PLEASE NOTE - these pictures are taken without me wearing makeup or fixing myself up at all! I want to get an accurate view of what is happening to my body over the course of these 30 days without the mask of makeup. Although I must say my wedding pictures sure look a million times better than this. Oh well... :)

Breakfast: Oatmeal with 1 banana, handful of walnuts, handful of raisins, 1/2 white peach, agave nectar to sweeten and fresh almond milk blended with the oatmeal (organic oat groats soaked overnight)
Lunch: Salad made with organic arugula, walnuts, avocado, red onion, with a squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkling of raw sea salt.
Snacks: A few pieces of chocolate covered cherries (blended up soaked almonds, raw carob, raw honey, and fresh cherries)

How to make raw oatmeal:

Soak about a cup (or however much you want or think you will eat) of rinsed organic oat groats overnight in a container covered with a towel. You do not have to refrigerate this. In the morning the oat groats should be almost doubled. You can either eat them like this or blend them up, however this is up to you. Oat groats left in their original form are very chewy and do not have the consistency of oatmeal. However, after about 20 seconds in a food processor most of it will be blended up and be more like oatmeal. It is nice to blend it up with a small amount of almond milk to give it a creamier flavor. Add whatever fruits, nuts, or berries to it as you wish, as well as any raw sweetners.

Fresh Almond Milk

Fresh Almond Milk

Leftover Almond Pulp - Can be used for a variety of things including recipes such as cookies, pies, or crackers, and beauty treatments.

Organic Oat Groats - This is the brand that I have been using. I haven't really found any other brand. Maybe after I have been doing this for longer I will run across more.

Oat groats soaked overnight in water

Organic oat groats blended up in the food processor with the S-blade. I added a little fresh almond milk to this to give it a creamier flavor and texture.

My oatmeal breakfast

What I find interesting about the last supper

2005-06-18T08:46:00.000-04:00

Matt has basically two favorite foods - pizza and mexican. So on Thursday Matt asked me if we could have mexican for the last meal before doing the 30-day challenge of 100%.

We did have mexican and for dessert I opted for Ben & Jerry's.

What I find interesting is that Matt asked for a meal that is halfway raw already. He loves mexican which has a lot of dairy and carbs - cottage cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pinto beans, and tortillas or tortilla chips. But we always put a lot of raw veggies on our burritos as well - onions, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and sometimes avocado (not last night, though - I was in too much of a hurry to get it made).

I think that we ("we" in the general "you" and "I" and "everybody" sense) already incorporate raw into our daily lifestyles quite a bit. Yet when we hear about the raw food lifestyle we're ready to say that it is too extreme, hard, or weird. I suggest that the distance between raw and cooked isn't very far at all, and for 30 days it should be well worth it to try out the raw food lifestyle.

As for me, I have already been incorporating raw into my diet more and more over the last few weeks. This is with exception to the time around our wedding and honeymoon. Aside from that, I have been eating raw breakfasts and lunches at work, and then coming home and eating a cooked meal with Matt. I think it will be fairly easy for me to accomplish the next 30 days (and hopefully beyond) because of this. Sure there will be challenges - I crave the $0.33 box of macaroni and cheese every now and then, but I will also know that I could probably come up with something raw that would be just as satisfying.

And we're off!

The Last Supper

2005-06-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

Tonight was the last night we ate cooked food (for at least 30 days, maybe more). Samantha went out and bought some things for Quesadias & Burritos. It tasted really good because we had some good tomatoes, and a very fresh onion.

Tomorrow we're going 100% raw. For those that don't know - that means we're not going to eat any foods that have been heated about 118 degrees F. Also, we're going to be raw vegans, that means no dairy or meat products either. Pretty much just fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, legumes.

Tonight Samantha put some oatmeal (Oat Groats) out to soak so that she could have some in the morning.

Tomorrow we'll be taking pictures of ourselves and beginning a raw journey. Samantha already has decided to do it for the long term, I've promised I'd give it 30 days.