I have been looking at different recipes lately and getting accustomed to what actually goes into a green smoothie.  I always thought the drinks looked pretty, but still didn’t give in to them until very recently.

So, last week, I tried one and it was really good!  Here’s what I put in it:

1 pear

6 strawberries

1 cup spring mix

Almost a cup of water

I have had it three times since then and am still enjoying it.  I just printed off some other recipes to try,  so I think I”ll keep going on this little adventure!

You know, I feel sometimes that traditions are important and this is what we have always had.  We have only been into raw/vegan food for about two years, so we haven’t exactly made a new tradition at this point.  And we will probably be having some guests, so I feel we should serve a typical meal.

What about you?  What’s on your menu this year?  Please post and share with us.

Well, I can agree that happens in some cases, but in mine, it’s actually the opposite.  I grew up eating meat every night (and a lot of red meat at that) .  We also had dessert after supper every night.  A treat was Chef Boy-ar-dee pizza (a box with all the fixings to make a pizza.)

I ate a lot of candy growing up.  We had a store around the block from our house that we kids walked to and bought our “penny candy.”  I loved Mary Janes!   Ok, now I”m dating myself:-)

It was when I moved out of my parent’s house that I started to eat differently.  I began eating more fruit, yogurt and salads.  Now, today, I am eating a high raw diet, juice daily and rarely eat sweets.

So, with me it was kind of a “360″ turn around in eating habits.  What about you?  Are you eating mainly the same or differently than what you grew up on?

Please share your experience!

I’m in New York, and snow is already in the forecast:-)  I notice, that as it turns colder, my desire for a warm meal really increases.  Suddenly thoughts of spaghetti and soup make their way into my mind.  I also know Dr. Furhman says that soups and stews are a good thing, because the nutrients from the vegetables go into the broth, so as long as you eat all the soup (broth and contents) you will be getting a powerhouse of nutrients.

I know this is normal, but I would really like to eat as much raw as I can, even through the winter.

Do you have any tips or wisdom on how to handle this?  Please share.

You can change fruits and veggies according to what’s in season.   Or you can vary what you put in your green salads to include veggies, seeds, nuts, dates, etc.

Just changing things a little or adding something different to your regular routine meals makes you look forward to it more.

Having said that, I eat the same thing for breakfast everyday, but do vary what I have for lunch and dinner.   Snacks are pretty much fruit and seeds and nuts.

What do you do?  Do you eat mainly the same things everyday?  Or do you change it up often?

Find some great tasting raw vegan recipes and use them!

Simple solution!  Clean the screen.  I just take a toothbrush (not one we use in our mouths!) and scrub the screen with it.  When you hold the screen up to the light, you can see if it’s plugged up, and where.   Scrub those areas with the brush until they look clear.

It really makes a difference in the amount of juice you get.  I normally juice about four or five large carrots and a few broccoli florets and get an 8 oz. glass of juice.

The salad is made up of cabbage, cucumber, carrots (which I have also substituted peas for at times), dates, raisins and green onion.  The dressing makes it!  It is absolutely delicious – light and tasty.

It is so colorful that it would be a wonderful dish to serve to company.   You’ll be giving out lots of recipes, no doubt.

Here’s what it looks like, but I forgot to add grape tomatoes, which I normally put in.  So “picture” it with those too!  I got the recipe from Kristen Suzanne’s Salads & Dressings book

Some are vegans, some are vegetarians, some raw foodists, etc.  I think some of the danger in this is that if we are too concerned about labels, it could be somewhat of a fad for us and we may not stick with it.

If you are really convinced one way to eat is better for you, then just go do it.  You don’t have to tell everyone that you are a …..- just eat the way you want and be on your merry way:-)

I eat a lot of raw food.  I also am mainly a vegan.  But I”m not so strict on it that I can’t enjoy a meal of meat when I”m at someone’s house and that’s what they serve.  We also have to be considerate and good guests:-)

I think this comes from years of being too strict with what I ate and letting it make me miserable.  I can tend to go overboard on these things.  So, I agree with what this post says at Food & Spirit.

Eat the way you decide and don’t worry about the label.

Those are my thoughts.  What are yours?

• Nuts and Seeds – almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are all good sources
• Tofu – made from soybeans, which are a good source
• Peas – if you like them raw, another source of protein

There are many other sources if you’re willing to eat some cooked food, such as beans and legumes.   We like to use lentils fairly often to get a good amount of protein.   Also nut butters and vegan cheeses.

A post I read inspired me to write about this.

Anyone want to add any others?

Our journey started when my son listened to some audio tapes by Jay Kordich (formerly known as the “Juiceman.”  He liked what he heard, and decided he wanted to eat more raw foods.  So we started incorporating more raw into our diets.

At first, we tried to have at least part of our meal be raw – mainly by adding a salad or a raw veggie dish to our lunch and dinner.  As time went on, we added more and more raw into our day.

Now we eat between 70-80% raw foods most days, but it has been a gradual transition.  I am comfortable with where we are, and don’t necessarily feel the urge to go to 100% raw foods.

What about you?  Are you attempting this way of eating by yourself or are you joined by your family?  Please feel free to share your experiences as well as struggles or words of encouragement.