Raw Food Forums

****sigh****
every time i eat something cooked now i feel low, physically and emotionally...
when i first started my journey, hubby said he'd support me 100%, just as long as i didn't try to convert the fam. however, lately he has been all complaints that he wants me to eat with him and our boys (meaning the same food, as i DO eat with them just not the same stuff) the worst is that he knows how difficult it is for me to get to the store to do the shopping myself (that would be me and our 4 boys- 5, 4, 2 and 2mo) so he goes and gets conventional produce from the local safeway the other night. thankfully, he noticed how off it tasted and so did the boys. how ironic that he constantly harangues me about the cost of our organic grocery bill but wastes $$ on stuff no one wants to eat.
i've eaten crap today... cooked crap. chop suey & rice and pasta/sauce... i feel ill.
right now i'm having my 16oz of carrot juice. i'm starting over. i will bite the proverbial bullet and cart the boys to the nat foods store. we will get REAL food. i can taste the caramel apples now!!! (yes, that would be raw caramel apples  -_-)
he doesn't want me buying my cashew butter and tahini from my usual place either... my b-day's next week & i've actually asked for gc's for the store so i don't have to use "his" $$ to get it!
i get stressed and i eat whatever i can find (usually not too bad- vegan at the very least!) and lately that's included cheeses and stuff made w/animal products (no meat/grease... they'd prob kill me dead in seconds...) part of the problem is that i've broken my blender (again). i must get a new one... i must! i miss my daily smoothies! ooooo- i am so cranky w/o my smoothies :angry:
i have to see how much he got paid (i'm sahm), get dressed, get the boys dressed, get everyone in the car, drive for 30-45 min. get everybody out of the car and into the store, keep everyone corralled, get the shopping done and get everyone back in the car and home. + there'll be pee breaks and nursing breaks in there somewhere... that's just a trip to the grocer's!!!
it will be so worth it to have real food in the house again. i know if we do this and he gets home he'll be happy that we got the shopping done and not want to do anything else but sleep wherever he sits. i know he's tired and stressed and depressed. i just wish he knew he wasn't the only one.
i hope they have carrot juice in the freezer! i'm out... i'll call first...
i'm rambling now :rolleyes:

Hi motherwytch,

Welcome! 

Right off the bat I will say that I suspect I am not going to be able to offer any assistance in a practical sense.  I have only myself to worry about, and so can be as kooky, impractical and diverse as I desire in my dietary choices.

Nonetheless, I offer you total support in your transitioning phase, whilst carrying out one of (in my humble opinion) THE most important jobs on the planet - that of a parent.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to wish to eat raw, and at the same time put cooked food on the table for a family.

You say you have 'eaten cooked crap today'.  Doesn't matter.  It's gone now, in a puff of smoke.  Phew.  Do not stress yourself unnecessarily, and beat yourself up.  I know it's hard, especially when you have physical symptoms (lethargy, emotional turmoil).  How beautiful it is, that in the next moment we can all start anew, and choose raw, choose vigour and vitality.

You say that for your up and coming birthday you have asked for gc's from your store (I assume these are credits - there could be a cultural divide here, or I'm thick  ^_^) for your nut butter etc.

It's just a thought - but would asking for a blender instead be of use?  You seem to miss your blender so much, and your smoothies.  If you had smoothies back in your life, you could whizz up some wonderfully filling drinks that would satisfy you and your boys too.  Have you tried green smoothies?  These have the most unbelievable grounding and calming effect.  This might be just the thing to soothe you as you corral those kiddies!  ^_^

Perhaps the oldest two boys could help with the fruit and veg selection at the store?  Each could be set a task to select x no. of carrots/apples etc.  You could explain what qualities they need to look for etc.  I have seen children in my local fruit & veg shop that seem to relish helping select things - makes them feel that they are helping, and a bit 'grown up'.  Off they trot to get 'four big carrots' for mum....

In amongst grocery shopping (with 4 kids in tow), cleaning, mothering, being a wife etc. etc. do you ever have any 'me' time?  I suspect very little, if at all. 

Do you have a friend/neighbour/relative that might be able to look after some of the children at any time?  Then, perhaps when the baby is napping you could just sit and breathe, or read a trashy magazine, or run your toes through some grass, or sit in the sun.  That, of itself, would be amazing in retoring energy and buoying your spirits.

I know how hard it is to maintain a path that is not mainstream when there is little support near.  Thankfully, due to the magic of the web, we can at least gain 'virtual' support when needed.

There are many generous, learned people on this forum who will be able to provide you with more practical suggestions than I can.  Some perhaps have had similar experiences.  I am in awe of parents, but do not have the necessary experience to be able to give any useful tips on how to manage all that you must on a daily basis.

But I can give you a virtual hug.... here it comes.... (((((((motherwytch)))))), and send lots of love and support.

Remember to be gentle on yourself.  Oh, and be sure to keep posting, and let us know how you are going.

miss g

welcome motherwytch...what a woman!! i feel for you,be strong,do what is right and resonates within you...how amazing you are,your strength,your convictions,i admire you very much-it obviously isn't easy for you,with your little ones and hubby testing you..he may just  feel you are growing and moving in another direction(a little)-and he isn't keeping pace,and if you eat the cooked food with him...it will be okay-for him...(no disrespect to him whatsoever :wub:)if you are mindful of that,you may understand better his motivation,for wanting to keep you where he is at,with your eating,does this make sense?doesn't mean that you have to eat the cooked food,because ironically,he says not to convert the family,but what is he doing to you,making you feel as though you must eat cooked food with him?just a thought...

hope you found your carrot juice..mmm

oh, thank you both! absolutely lovely to get such support so quickly :wub: thank you thank you!!
since i haven't figured out how to add to this journal, i will update in this reply...
hubby got home yesterday just as i was turning off the computer. we all went to the store. i went in alone as the boys were all sleeping and headed straight for produce (aka- REAL FOOD!!!) the avocados were gorgeous (got 4 -_-), the tomatoes were huge (got 6), got 4 onions (red/yellow), a bulb of garlic, got a big ol' bag of carrots, 2 heads of cauliflower, 2 bunches of broccoli (should have gotten more... one of hubby's faves), 6 cucumbers (aw, yes! chips and dip!!!), 2 zucchini, 2 yellow squash, a head of cabbage, bunch of kale, 2 heads of lettuce (red/green leaf), (forgot mushrooms :huh:), 6 pears, 6 apples, 1lb dates (there it is girls! caramel apples!!!), 6 oranges, 3 bunches bananas, 6 plums, and (drumroll, please...) 2 young coconuts!!! i almost cried when i saw the coconuts. instead i walked up to the produce girl (friend of mine so it wasn't incredibly awkward ^_^) and gave her a hug. she hugged me back and said, "what's wrong?" and i said, "nothing- you got more coconuts, thank you!" then i asked if there was any carrot juice in the freezer (not optimal, i know. best i can do as i have no juicer!) and she said yes! i got 5 quarts LOL... 10 days of pure, brilliant, lovely carrot juice! the oj was fresh squeezed that day  ^_^ so i got 5 quarts of that as well (1 of which was completely gobbled up last night at supper between the 6 of us- well, the 5 of us as the baby is only on my milk for the time being...) again, not optimal but incredible as it is not pasturized in any way- juiced in a cold room, bottled in a cold room then placed in the refrigerator. i also got myself a couple loaves of manna to wean off the nonsense. i also got the fam their eggs (they each had 2 with shredded cheese for breakfast this morning- blech! hubby probably had 3 or more...), cheese, yogurt, and bread. oh, 2 bags of raw org. almonds, 1 bag raw org walnuts, 2 bags raisins, 2 bags dried cranberries...
our supper last night was "kid-friendly tabouli" (basically cous cous, cucumber and tomato with a wee bit of olive oil and lemon juice) a light end to my cooked eats -_-
my breakfast this morning was 16oz oj, the water of one coconut, and a lovely fresh and dried fruit salad with sunflower seeds... everyone had oj and some of the salad that HUBBY made. i told him last night on the ride home from the store that i really want to go raw and that doesn't mean i cannot eat with them. i just won't be eating the same thing but would try to make a recipe that "resembles" what they're eating... we also talked about how the boys attitudes have been lately and the sicknesses they keep having and have both admitted that we've all been eating crappy lately. so, we will be putting a lot of effort into making different grains (other than rice and pasta!) and beans (other than soy products- tofu, tempeh...) before Will was born i was able to do this successfully and quinoa was one of their faves now they don't have the taste for it anymore :huh:
so... oh, my dessert last night was a bowl full of chopped apple, dates, & walnuts sprinkled with flax oil, nutmeg, cinnamon and a dash of salt...
i am already beginning to get the tingly feeling throughout my body (the last time i was able to be raw for any days lasted 3 and i got the tingle on the 3rd day plus my sinuses were clear! i am so looking forward to that :mellow: alright, friends. i'm off to check out the other boards.
i really do appreciate the warm welcomes and well wishes (and hugs! virtual or no!) perhaps one day i will make my way to the land down under and enjoy one of the parties i've read about... i've heard it's lovely (Aus/NZ and the parties)
blessings
ps~ the blender... it is cheaper for me to buy a blender than my butters as i buy them bulk and the least expensive is around US$40. i can get a 1/2way decent blender for around the same amount + hubby will use the blender for various things but refuses to use nut butter that cost over $7/jar... honestly, who refuses raw cashew butter? who!? lol... mmm... yes, i need a blender! and the boys do help with the produce- counting, colors, shapes, etc (home/unschoolers) when they're not busy helping our friends who work there -_-
yikes- sorry this is so long!

meal #2 of the day is raw! diced tomato, diced avocado, clover sprouts, olive oil and cs salt.
i had a small handful of almonds a bit ago for a snack...
why is avocado so GOOD??? ugh... so freakin' good...
i've noticed something rather sad regarding my emotional state when i eat certain foods... not just emotional but psychological as well... when i eat something cooked i feel weighed down and foggy. and cranky (mainly because i'm mad at myself for not having "will power"). when i catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror i see everything that is wrong with me (in my pov) then i start on this self-loathing kick then blaming and on and on... but when i'm eating living foods i am more alive. i can feel my cells doing their jobs- pushing out and devouring all the yuck. i look in the mirror and can find things i like in myself. i'm more patient with my family.
so if eating live makes me feel so good why do i have such a struggle with it? i can definitely trace part of my food and self-worth psychology back to my younger days. i'm sure overcoming the past would help intensely in many ways- not just my raw journey.
my friend said something interesting yesterday (my friend w/the coconuts -_-). she said she was questioning "this whole vegan thing" (she was vegan for years but recently started eating an omnivorous diet). my reply was "i thought you weren't anymore... so what are you questioning- why people are vegan at all?"
"no, why i'm not!"
me: "what do you mean?" (knowing full well)
"i've been eating this way for a few months and i feel like crap! everyday i say to myself, 'i'll get used to it'... but why would i want to get used to feeling like crap?"
we both laughed at her epiphany.
me: "well, what are you going to do?"
"i don't know. i don't know!"
it's the same thing that i go through with raw -_-
now, what am i going to have as a snack while i watch the rest of the awful truth? i wonder if my carrot juice is thawed yet....

Welcome Motherwytch :)

MW-you are awesome,love love love your sparkling prose and personality,loved your shopping list and your open honesty,you are going to be so successful with your raw living,i can feel it resonating through your words written on my screen...

you go woman,i'm in awe!!

thanks for the welcome Carrotgurrl -_-
thanks for the inspiry R'g'N -_-
i would appreciate you not reading the black- not because i don't want you to know what it says but because it is so negative!
i am being tested today...
hubby has no idea how much he spends on any given day and so i try to order my lovely raw cashew butter and tahini and my order is declined! i check our account and it's over $200 in the red!!!! that means, instead of buying my nut butters and a food processor with my b-day $$, i get to pay off the debt in our account... i feel ill, i'm so *ed off! :angry: :angry: :angry: it is simply unfair. this is my b-day money that i should be able to spend on silly things, not food for myself and i can't even spend it on that! we're supposed to be trying to buy a house... yet it is completely and totally my fault that we cannot afford something in a nice area that will fit our family. i am totally ranting and i'd appreciate it if no one would read this venom as i don't want you all affected by it... my life has been ridiculous from the start! all i ask of the fates is some sort of fairness... i've paid my freaking dues. i wake up every day and love the newness of it. inevitably, something or someone attacks my optimism and i start praying for an escape.  
all right. enough of this angst/complaining/bs/unhappiness/negativity/loathing. back to the topic that concerns my LIV/FE...
yesterday, that afternoon snack consisted of 16oz of carrot juice (it had thawed just enough and tasted like liquidy orangey honey and was simply decadent!) and a chunk of manna. supper consisted of 4 kale leaves (lacinato) stuffed with a mixture of diced yellow squash, sliced kalamatas, tahini and onion/pepper relish (more than likely not "raw" unfortunately...) very good -_- kale is superior as a raw green! much better than cooked... last night was my 1st time having raw kale. it has always tended to go bad in the fridge because i always either forgot it was in there or never got around to boiling it (my boys eat it boiled with potatoes...) dessert was my fave caramel apples. fam had some kid-friendly split-pea soup w/carrots and potatoes mixed in w/vegan apple pie for dessert after their post-supper fruit (we always have a piece of fruit after supper- law in our home!)
on to today- breakfast was 16oz oj and a banana (they weren't ripe when we got them so i bagged them and they are *perfect* now) the snack i just had (remembering that it came after my anger and possibly because of it as well!) consisted of the heel of cinnamon date manna and a slice of the same manna topped w/raw almond butter, raisins, & cacao nibs. and that was an "angry" snack -_- usually i'm gorging and hating myself after an angry session... i am very content with what i ate. i just realized that... a slight epiphany for me. now there are tears in my eyes... i feel almost as if my anger and all that goes with it is a sickness- a complete mental disease- and that, instead of welcoming it and feeding it with cooked and who-knows-what-else foods and letting it grow, i have told it, "there's no room for you here, right now" and have, instead, planted seeds for a healthier mentality. simply by eating a snack! okay, this calm is a bit eerie for me. i am uncomfortable without my clouds... guess i'll have to get used to feeling GOOD ^_^
shall i have italian (zucchini/yellow squash noodles with a chunky, herb-laden tomato & onion sauce) or asian (same noodles with broccoli and a spicy almond butter sauce) for lunch?this is 1 of my fave parts about my being me- creativity... it is just as delicious to put things together to make a healthy, aesthetically pleasing dish as it is to eat it! i'll have to wait until this wee one is done with his meal... hopefully, i'll be able to put him down for a bit and get some things done before i need to pee & feed him again (((((cross fingers)))))
thank you for letting me rant and come out of it in 1 peace
i love you all my dear new friends!!! :wub:

 so, asian won out! here's the recipe ^_^

broccoli soba in spicy almond sauce
1 zucchini, peeled
1 yellow squash (summer variety), peeled
1 carrot, peeled
1c (or more -_-) broccoli florets
2 heaping Tbsp almond butter
2tsp agave nectar
curry paste (prob not raw! so use whatever spicy things you prefer instead) to taste
2-4Tbsp water (depending on desired consistency)
salt to taste

slice veggies (except broccoli, of course) lengthwise using a mandolin w/a julienne blade (stopping at seeds). put all in a bowl and toss slightly.top noodles with broccoli florets. set bowl aside and keep yourself from eating contents until sauce is made!
in a small bowl or cup, mix together butter, agave, paste, water and salt until creamy. pour sauce over broccoli and noodles and devour!
this makes more than enough for one person- probably enough for 2 as a side dish. top with sliced almonds for a fancier looking dish (though it is a beauty w/o also!)
*i used 4Tbsp of water and found that the sauce came out a bit thinner than i would have liked. i also did not use any salt- i've been salting enough lately! you could decrease water and use shoyu/tamari/braggs in place of salt easily*

i'll go ahead and post this in the recipes section, too.

Hi Motherwytch,

I'm sending you the very best and happiest birthday wishes to you right this very minute.  A sad birthday will just not do, you deserve better than this!  You sound like you need a good/positive break in life, it'll come when you least expect it.

Now make sure you at least are good to you on your special day, is there something special that you can do for yourself, maybe a little bit of self pampering tonight with a candle lit bubble bath while hubby takes care of the kids.

Wishing you a Happy Birthday,
Blue Nelly

brilliant, Blue! thanks so much for the b-day message :wub: it means more than you know!
hopefully, my husband remembers that b-day and we can go letterboxing wednesday (since that's his first day off for the week...) we have boxes to place (finally again!) and i'm in the mood for a good long nature hike ^_^
throw the wee'est in the sling and do my thing- lol!

Happy Birthday Motherwytch! We are all thinking of you!

And what a beautiful dinner you made yourself - YUMMY!

Sometimes when we change it can feel a little uncomfortable or scary to leave behind old patterns. They can become like our comfort blankets that children have, to be pulled out when we are stressed (I know this well). In choosing healthier options though you are stepping into a brighter future full of marvelous moments, and I'm sure your dream house too. Keep up the great efforts and please post regularly. We'd love to support you!

Cheers,
Sheryl

Sheryl, thanks! i am loving up this support and refer to it constantly during the day -_- how amazing that i am getting such love from oceans away!

(i just realized i forgot to take the carrot juice out of the freezer!!! :huh:)
i ate a lot of manna yesterday. the funny thing is this: when i first started this journey (and wandered) i thought i was being "good" eating my manna sandwiches and such. now, i feel like i'm cheating when i eat it! because of the grains involved? possibly... the boys had french toast for supper last night with their father (we weren't really talking... when you don't have $$ there's really no point in talking about it, as far as he's concerned...) and i had tomato and relish (same relish i used in my wraps) manna sandwiches... Will was fussy because of his cold so i'm lucky to have been able to cut up the tomato -_- i wish i hadn't been in such a yucky mood while i was making my supper... i would have put sliced avocado on it and clover sprouts as well. well, (LOL) look! i think i just figured out what i'm going to have for lunch today ^_^ i'll make some extra for my 2 yo- he doesn't care much for breads and the older 2 will probably request some sort of sandwich for their lunch. i'll slice up some cucumbers into chips and let everyone dig in. anyway, the manna sandwiches were supper. i had my carrot juice afterwards. odd, i don't remember having my fruit... around 10:30pm or so, i had a think!organic bar (which i think of as "raw junkfood") while i was trying to get some laundry done (found a silverfish in the laundry while i was sorting it... sigh... great :angry: but i only found one...) oh, my afternoon snack was "jamaican me crazy" almonds... yummm....
today's breakfast: that good ol' oj and banana... lunch will be (drumroll, please...) diced avo/tomato/cucumber and sprout salad w/olive oil and cs salt. i'll go make our lunch and finish cleaning up the kitchen after i'm done on the comp- then we get to go deposit my b-day $$ so we don't go in the red again. the boys will probably want to go to the park- i'll pack snackies and water, just in case. i need to take a picture of myself as a before and post it so i can spot changes along the way. i saw Sheryl's before and present pictures... how cute is she??? honestly...

hubby is going to make me one of his gorgeous salads for my b-day supper. they are amazing! lettuces, spinach, cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, orange sections, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds- yummm... excited -_-
i just had some raw jordan almonds with Ry- he loves them. if any of my boys would go raw it would probably be him...
yet another epiphany- i am 28 years old today (US time) and embarking on one of the most important journeys i'll ever experience. (thanks to those of you who've helped me see the *light* :wub:)
i'm experiencing some rather yucky symptoms- incredible itchiness! my feet, leg, hands and back are all wicked itchy! has anyone else experienced this? the only other time i've had similar symptoms was when i was detoxing from drug use and when i had epidurals with my 1st 2 pregs....
small price to pay -_-

Happy Birthday Motherwytch!

How lucky for you to have such a delicious salad made for you. The addition of orange segments and dried cranberries sounds absolutely divine! Mmmmm! I wish I was there too to share it with you!

Itchy skin has been my most common side effect when making large changes to diet. Skin seems to be a key elinimation organ, and as well the pH can change during detox. You might want to try putting on a light coating of coconut oil after your next shower to help moisturize. Dry skin brushing before showers would also be a great addition to help nourish your skin.

Congratulations again - know that we're all here to support you!!

Cheers,
Sheryl

thanks, Sheryl -_- you know, i would try my best to share with everyone if it were possible... it is very filling and addictive... and yummy... lol
hubby eats the rest after i've had my fill and i get cranky w/him because i could've had leftovers! then again, i can grab a fruit or carrot or celery or... just as easily -_-
i thought the itchies might be from the raw gently detoxing me but wasn't certain. thankfully, it doesn't last all day long but in relatively short bursts that make me want to dip myself in calamine lotion or an oatmeal bath.
mmm... coconut covered motherwytch... bet my hubby would be more than interested :wacko: LOL too bad i'm not too interested in him yet...
i've also heard wonderful things about dry brushing. i need to look into it some more as i have rather dry skin currently (the kind that bleeds if you're not careful how you scratch...) i do have a body scrubber somewhere. well, assuming the little lovelies didn't get a hold of it...
thanks for all the bright b-day wishes!
day 2 is coming to a close :mellow:

happy happy birthday MW..

dry skin brushing is amazing,but go gently,cos if you brush too hard you can actually damage the skin,and increase cellulite! so just use a natural hair body brush..and start at the soles of feet and gently work towards the hard in circular movements..

i had chronically itchy skin for years on cooked,if i accidently ingest salt or anything that isn't as close to nature as poss-ie dehydrated foods orraw olives or even overeat wayyyy too much,i ITCH...so hence i am super super particular with what i eat,all raw always,high fruit,gs and vege salads at night or raw soups ah la natural..

thanks for the b-day wish, R'g'N -_-  the itch has subsided slightly- mostly just my back now (sort of a crawly feeling... yuck...)
so, last night we had my b-day supper. the boys had spaghetti. Sam had a plum and Ian had an orange for their fruit. hubby and i enjoyed a variation on his awesome salad. i was a bit surprised because he did not have pasta along with the boys... the kicker is that he claimed to be full on the salad alone! Sam made me a beautiful *cake* out of legos ^_^ Papa (hubby) put a plate of sliced banana on top of it and put b-day candles in the slices for me to blow out (got them all in 1 breath- the boys were duly impressed lol) everyone enjoyed my b-day banana slices. my dessert was a chocolate-banana pudding made with almond butter, cocoa, vanilla extract, a mashed banana, a dash of salt and some agave. a bit lumpy but perfectly delicious! the boys each brought me a present (one of their toys wrapped in a play cloth -_-) then Papa brought me my card and present. and my present??? wanna know????
a blender with food processor attachment!!!   part of the reason we went in the red (not all, just part...) it isn't commercial or anything but the blender has a glass jar and the processor is a thick plastic w/s-blade so i will be able to make pates and such as long as i am careful... i was able to have an oj/banana/flax smoothie for breakfast today that was simply delicious/filling/invigorating! i'm a bit ashamed that i didn't share with the boys- who were looking forward to it almost as much as i. i'll be adding blueberries to our shopping list this week :mellow:
my carrot juice hadn't thawed by the time i got in bed early this morning but i'll be able to enjoy it today! i told hubby i wasn't able to have any so he said how crappy it was that i was addicted to carrot juice now because of the price (we do not have a juicer so we get the juice from our natural foods store @ $5.50/quart.) he did the math and says, "oh, that's not bad- you drink $2.25-worth every day?" me- "yeah. it would be a lot cheaper if we had a juicer. then i could just juice it myself" him- "how would that be cheaper? we'd have to pay a lot for a good juicer + carrots..." i just sighed. he really doesn't understand how much we'd save! ugh, he's such a doof. whatever, i have a blender/food processor. i am going to have a blast!  and no more raw fudge!!! i've learned my lesson :rolleyes:

let's see... i cannot remember what my lunch was yesterday.... :huh: oh, zucchini & carrot noodles with a parsley/sd tomato sauce. delish! my afternoon snack was a think!organic bar. supper was boutenko's garden burger wrapped in cabbage leaves. i added spinach to the garden burger because it turned out very sweet. i had cinnamon-date manna w/almond butter on it for my dessert. a bit later i had my carrot juice.
today's breakfast was a water/mango/fr banana/sesame meal smoothie. the sesame gave it a nice nuttiness but i wish the banana had been more ripe. it was the last of the 3 bunches i bought last week! thankfully, grocery day is just around the corner... snack was manna and relish. lunch was a peeled, small cucumber dipped in leftover garden burger. the boys and i are talking about hitting another park today so i'll take a think! bar for my snack. maybe a baggie of almonds and raisins also to share with the boys.

i'm pretty tired today. also irritable. eldest has been driving me bonkers!!! he started the day with a pear and immediately afterward started in on one of his brothers.

ooo... park's out. well, looking forward to the end of today :angry:

i am having trouble remembering things lately...
snack last evening was my carrot juice, supper was a soup that i could not finish (or make myself finish either...) very tasteless... probably because i was really wanting a cucumber or tomato soup and neither was in the one i made!
breakfast today was the water from a coconut- i love that stuff!!! it's waiting in the fridge for hubby to get the meat out. i just had "mashed potatoes" & broccoli for lunch. really good ^_^ it's grocery day!!!! yayayayayay!!!!

hey Mawhytchy..raw will help you with mental clarity and memory...as long as you aren't eating too much heavy foods too often(raw) ie-excess nuts,oils avocados,as they personally made my thinking 'foggy' as well as cranky..but that was me...........

hope you're not feeling too bonkers still-heh heh...?

'Neet~ makes sense about the heavy foods muddying the mind. i'll see if i can cut down- i know i can't cut them out altogether (at least not right now...) but cutting down shouldn't be a prob! really can't picture you cranky...


journal update....
i had some cinnamon jordan almonds for a snack yesterday along with the rest of my manna (i'm thinking about leaving it off the list for this week... concentrate on wraps and veg noodles and soups) my supper consisted of lemonade (AWESOME- making more today....) and carrot juice. i followed it with some chocolate pudding (almond butter, agave, cocoa, salt... out of cocoa so i can start grinding the cacao nibs i have and use that in its stead) today i've only had a few sips of water as i've been a bit busy (eldsest has been throwing up so i've been cleaning the floor a lot. he just asked me to slice up a mango for him so i hope he's feeling better.) planning a slaw for lunch today. hope to get the opportunity to make it shortly as i'm a bit hungry!

went shopping saturday and spent waaaaay more than i should have! but stocked up on my juices (oj and carrot), got loads of fruit (including cherimoya- which we've never had! papaya, strawberries-gone-, and cantaloupe... which i despise- or do i?- i'll explain more in a bit... -_-) also got some spinach which 'Neet suggested in her gs writings (thx muchly, 'Neet -_-) they were out of baby so i had to get regular bunched which i hope will work out!(?)
hubby really enjoyed the slaw (made for lunch sunday). there were leftovers he was going to take to work with him but he left LATE late late!!! so he'll probably have it when he gets home.
the boys and i have been enjoying GOBS of smoothies! i had blueberry/banana/oj and chia yesterday for breakfast. today was a combo of everyone's (mango/blue/oj, blue/oj/nana...) i keep forgetting about the spinach! i'll make a gs tomorrow. my supper last night was devoured in large part by hubby :rolleyes: he loved it! carrot chip nachos with "refried" almonds and guacamole! leftover almonds and guac, so i'll have lettuce leaf burritos for supper. my sunflower pate has lasted 3 days (the recipe made a lot more than i anticipated!) so i'll try to finish that off for my lunch today... maybe in between a couple of tomato slices with some sprouts and spinach...
the sunflower pate is absolutely delicious as a stuffing for baby bellas! i had 6 on my plate for lunch sunday and 3 made it to the table (hubby enjoys them also ;o)
hubby made himself and the boys supper yesterday but ate more than half of mine (there was more than plenty to share!) "to get the taste out of my mouth" he said- LOL. he called it a taco salad as some of the chips were too small to load any toppings on.

instead of thinking "i would really like a sandwich or pasta today" i have been thinking "mmm, a tomato/pate sandwich would taste so good!" or "what kind of sauce am i going to make for my squash noodles?" automatically! i love that! in less than a week i have gone from "tg there's manna!" to not even thinking of breads at all. there was a commercial on the tv last night for one of the national restaraunt chains- the plate of food they showed consisited of chicken breast covered with cheese and other things i couldn't even recognize. i felt ill! the commercial tried to make the food seem almost sexually appealing which made it all the more disgusting to me.

so, the cantaloupe... the Taliferos mention cantaloupe milk in their Garden Diet e-book. i'm not a fan of any melon but watermelon but was immediately intrigued when i read about the milk. the hfs had 1 cantaloupe left and i brought it home and blended half of it (seeded and peeled) with a half cup of water. it was delicious! just awesome. i had been craving sweets and it ended my craving as quickly as i drank it! i seeded and peeled the other half (carefully peeled so as to leave the green on the slices but not the rough rind-- i'm thinking chlorophyll ^_^ even better!) then cubed it and put it in the freezer. i don't think it should be mixed with oj but i do think it will go well with some fresh coconut water! i'll post my results...
now, what to do with that cherimoya...

had 2 of those tomato sandwiches- UNBELIEVABLE! i really enjoy the feeling i get when i eat this way... for once, it seems, i can feel my body absorbing it's nutrients, even water... i've never understood physiology/biology on a cellular level. it is much easier to comprehend when you can feel the way the cells work! alrighty, i'm off to at least get the laundry (that's washed) folded and get out in this light!

Welcome & I hope your birthday rocked  ^_^ ^_^

I endorse the posts here, change is difficult, also with a family to cater for, you sound a lovely convinced person, I know you will make the right changes for yourself...

ah my friend MW,sounds like you are resonating with raw-at a cellular level..awesome!!

re;gs-the reg spinach is a little stronger tasting,not quite as smooth as baby spinach,but still good...when i used sorrel and dark green lettuce in mine this am,it came out a vibrant green,awesome color therapy....green inside is clean inside,plus much much more...

Cee~ thanks! my 1st raw b-day was lovely in the end -_-  ((((((((goooodhealingvibessss)))))) you're awesome, Cee    -_-

Neet~ i (finally) remembered to do the gs this morning! used the reg spinach, about 1/4 blender-full, water, 2 bananas and a cup frozen blueberries (hubby and i finished the mangoes last night. made him a smoothie w/oj, mango, & banana... very sunny and smoothe!) wound up with just about 1 liter and downed it all for my breakfast. felt it immediately!!!  ^_^ so, i hope you're proud of yourself, womon... i'm converted!!! LOL
seriously, i thought it was going to be slightly odd but it was delicious... thanks again for the help -_-

journal update...
i still have an itchy back that makes me feel like a bear without a tree! wall corners do not help and i am trying to leave my nails alone but... talk about a bad habit! i've been biting my nails for over 2 decades now. i am trying to stop because i've noticed that my thumbnails (the only ones i currently have at any length) are very strong and the one, which used to have a noticeable dent in it, has barely any dent at all! i have developed a rather unhappy looking rash on my face, basically all over it... little soft bumps that remind me a bit of roseacea. the glands on my neck are a little tender. the itchies, rash and tenderness i attribute to the detox process. Will has been peeing a little more than usual also...
i already wrote about my AWESOME lunch yesterday, that was so good! and the smoothie i had with hubby... supper was leftover nacho ingredients wrapped in a lettuce leaf
I JUST REALIZED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE RASH... i ate some of the relish (see earlier posts) on my wraps. i bet the rash is a reaction to that! welllllll... we won't be doing anymore of that... :angry: stupid relish... i will just have to make a raw version. should be very simple with my trusty fp!
anyway- i had 4 (hubby ate one- "do you want to try some?" "oh, i'll just have a bite"- his "bite" was the entire thing! honestly... you'd think i'd learn...lol) afterwards, i had my daily carrot juice.
today, gs (spinach, water, bananas, blueberries- delish! envigorating! saves my oj! lol), more slaw (had the worst craving!), dates stuffed with cacao nibs (thanks to the choc thread...) i'm seriously thinking of something very simple for supper- maybe a celery stick with some almond butter or tahini, lemon juice and cayenne. and i'm craving a pear... maybe i'll have that for my pm snack... maybe i'll make a simple soup. we'll see! although, i'm starting to crave another gs! great, Neet's got me hooked on raw crack... thanks, Neet! lol
i'm thinking about upping my daily allotment of carrot juice to a quart. currently, i am drinking 16oz daily. i could always continue my 16oz regimen and add another 16oz of green juice mixed with carrot (like spin/parsley/celery/carrot...) i have a little manual juicer that is great on parsley but only so-so on spinach. i've never tried it on celery... i could have the girls juice me up a few qts of spin/celery and just add my own parsley & carrot. ugh! i could really use a juicer... maybe hubby will let me set aside a few bucks each week... i'll talk with him about it.
i have laundry to tend to so we can get outside again today :wub:

*chuckle* "raw crack" baby -it's the only way to go...proud of you girl!!mwah  :wub:

thanky, 'Neet

weighed myself yesterday- on purpose which came out to be 153lbs... which was how much i weighed when hubby and i started our thing 6 or so yrs ago.
my rash is beginning to get a bit itchy and it feels like it may also be on my shoulders/neck. i have pimples on my arms, too. don't i sound fabulous? lol... this too shall pass...
had a "caesar" salad for supper last night and drank a bit more carrot juice than usual... had a gs this morning (no banana :angry: so, water, spinach- a bit much-, a papaya, blueberries and a pear...) that was rather earthy as i put in a bit more spinach than yesterday's. had avo/tomato/sprouts salad w/salt and olive oil for lunch. followed that by cacao stuffed dates then had almond/cacao pudding (finally shook that sweet pang!) haven't had enough water today... i should go fill up!
we're supposed to go letterboxing today but doubt if we'll not just go play outside as it's getting late.
i should start some sort of simple exercise regimen. would love to get back into yoga. the boys enjoy it, also. chores burn energy but they're chores, you know...

hmm thats fantastic,comes out at around 69kgs our weighing system,you must be so pleased,good for you?

do you feel more clarity of mind,not eating so many heavy raw foods?interested to know,how was the gs today?
mine was very simple today,bananas some water with loads of baby spinach and red lettuce,just drank a litre..mmmm..

how's the itchy rash? have you tried elimating salt? that may help the itch?just a thought..

never thought about the salt being the issue... the rash is clearing up- seems to be taking the same amount of time as it took to form. 69kgs sounds way better than 153lbs!!! i must learn the world's system...
clarity of mind... lol. i had to chuckle as just this morning i rinsed the baby's pot then left the br with the water still running! LOL
i think i got too much sleep :rolleyes: i'm not used to getting any!
my gs was awesome this morning! my hfs had the baby spin so i bought a big bag and cleaned out their supply of atualfo mangoes... you should see the fridge! oh, i love grocery day...

had tomato soup for supper last night- perfect. just what i wanted with leftovers (so, guess what lunch is today -_-) had a bunch of grapes for my fruit and my carrot juice. got some veggie spring rolls for my lunch yesterday... removed the rice paper and didn't use the sauce. rather expensive raw lunch ($5.99/4 or 5 rolls) but they are too good to pass up.
i'm really timing it right on for the oj! again, i have gotten it the day of juicing! fantastic!
breakdast this morning was a bb/nana/oj and flax smoothie that i shared w/the oldest and a spin/nana/mango gs (that i shared with no one! :wacko: okay, i let my parents have a small glass to share...) what an awesome green! my fave shade... i'm off to see what the boys are raiding from the fridge and to make their lunch, eat mine and dye easter eggs (ah, yes- the real thing!) happy easter/ostara!!!

i have made it through a food/sweets-laden holiday!!! ^_^ my lunch consisted of a pear, an apple and a nana. my supper was veggie burger boats (raw veg "burger" stuffed into a peeled/seeded and halved (lengthwise) cuke. of course i finished off the mango in my gs yesterday morn'. my Ry loves gs! this morning i made my gs with oj, baby spin, nanas and frozen blueberries. all 3 of the elders had a cup or 2 and have no idea there was spin in it -_- usually, i am all for divulging ingredients... Ry refuses all greens (except for the crunchy romaine hearts and leaf centers) and Sam and Ian both fluctuate in their tastes regarding greens... so, this time i find myself keeping it under wraps. alas, we are almost out of nanas- 4 bunches in almost 3 days!!! yikes... my lunch today is gb "subs"- gb and tomato slices wrapped between 2 romaine leaves. i'm definitely going to have another in a few minutes...
i have ordered baby greens and boutenkyo's green for life as well as some raw carob pdr, cashew butter and a qt of agave! mmm... pretty decent uses for my b-day $$... there is a mail order place right here in maryland! i had no idea... i found out when i was looking through Rhio's website.
saturday i made some raw choc truffles that the fam really enjoyed. i'd like to make some more but i don't think i have enough dates... i think dates are fantastic! what wonderfully sweet little things -_- anyway, able-baker Sam wanted to help me roll them and dip them and was disappointed when i told him no. his disappointment was replaced by elation rather quickly when i let him have the bowl all to himself... very rare in our fam, to get the leftovers in the mixing bowl to yourself! i weighed myself the same day= 151lbs. i have tried to lose weight (that i really didn't have in the first place) unsuccessfully in the past and here i am, eating incredibly, exercising through housework and childrearing and shedding an average of 2lbs/week. if the world only knew. or could know.
it is a chilly, drizzly day outside. the vibrance i feel and see in my food makes it much easier to deal with. color, aura, life... gorgeous.

What a beautiful birthday bounty YAHHHH!!! Did you have fun with it all?

Here's an idea for you.. a little chocolate cup I made yesterday.

1 spoon nut butter
1 spoon agave
1 spoon carob/cacao
1-2 spoons finely chopped nuts
1 spoon cacao nibs (optional)

Stir together and form into little cookies - eat!!

They were really yummy! I love making little dessert for 2 recipes!

Cheers,
Sheryl

whooo hooo..68.6kgs gal!! rock on raw baby.... :wub:

i feel incredibly gross right now. i ate some cooked food. my stomach hurts... :angry:
the most ridiculous thing about it is the fact that i weighed myself yesterday and was 147.5lbs! now my nose is stuffy and i feel like i'm going to be sick (which would definitely be a good thing since i'm sure i haven't digested any of it yet...) well... that was pure stupidity. i'm ashamed. :angry:
hubby's not going to know about this as he won't let me forget it.
okay. one mistake is nothing to worry about. you pick up and move on... and that's what i shall do.
i do feel like it would be so much easier to have a support "goup" in the area! there appears to be a raw potluck going on somewhere in baltimore soon. maybe i'll sign up for that.
i haven't wanted anything elaborate or heavy lately- i don't know what came over me... honestly, i feel like such a jerk.
didn't i say i was going to move on? lol... alright! enough of the self-deprecation!
ahem ((((((bloominganew))))))
received my order the day after i placed it and finished Boutenko's green for life yesterday. i've been having gs every day of either water/spin/mango/nana or oj/spin/bb/nana. last night i tried one of the g4l recipes which was water/celery/bb/nana. i found that i need to double or even triple the nanas in her recipes presently. this morning's gs consisted of water/romaine/red grapes/orange/nanas. i'm definitely going to miss having a working vitamix for these!
this morning i also made a recipe from the baby greens book- sunflower seed cereal. Ian and Sam enjoyed it but Ry wouldn't even try it. i thought it was good and was happy that i soaked a cup of seed instead of the 1/4 it called for. there's some leftovers- i'll have that for my snack. well... that or another gs...
i didn't have my carrot juice yesterday! i have one qt left in the fridge. i need to call the hfs and place an order.
i'm off to nose around that webstore (in md! can you believe it?)
i still can't believe i did something so dumb... :rolleyes:

Oh Motherwytch! Don't beat yourself up, hon! It's over now. And because it was an unpleasant experience you probably won't do it again in a hurry (I know when I ate some cooked food 2 weeks ago I was in enough agony to not contemplate it again...). And if you do, so what? You're doing great! 147.5LBs (where's Neet with her trusty converter?) is amazing! Well done!

Yep, I'm with Missy M on this one.

Motherwytch - I'll take your hand and sit in the 'why did I eat that' corner.  I did the same thing today.

The beautiful boys that do the catering for work know I'm vegan, and they're so sweet - they made little veg things for me, bypassed all the greedy little 'give me give me' hands, made a bee-line for me and gave me a little risotto cake.  Next thing, I'm eating my body weight in vegetarian spring rolls.   :rolleyes:

I honestly thought I was going to be sick on the way home in the bus.  Nausea.  Blah.  And now I am just so darned tired, I can't even make chocolate with my freshly melted cacao.  Now THAT'S tired!

But, that's ok - a new dawn cometh.  I love new days.  You get to start over.  Let's bloom anew together tomorrow!

miss g

darling motherwytch...never fear dear friend...it will pass,it is past,it's history,you pick up you move on..hey hey! you are now 67.04kgs,awesome well done to you :wub:

just think how much better raw is going to taste now,after all your tummy pains,it's all good ,another learning experience...all is well,don't be hard on yourself...

the gs will make you feel so much better,so much quicker,be sure to alternate your greens each day,very important,as you can get a build up of oxalic(sp?) acid ,and it's just much healthier to alternate them anyway...

keep us posted,hope you're feeling better miss giggles after your spring rolls debarcle,poor love...tomorrows fresh food shopping will have you rockin again love....

Motherwytch, its so annoying when u eat the cooked and feel so crap. Our inner wisdom knows better, but we do it anyway! I know, ive done it the last couple of days, and i get pain! What an idiot am i! :P So big hugs cos i know the feeling...

oh, how wonderful... ^_^ support even on my darkest hour! lol
thanky all! (and good, tho sad, to know i wasn't the only tempted this past week!)
well, i have been good since then- just the one dish on the one day (and miss g- oh, can i ever understand the spring rolls!!!!)
aaannnd have been giving hubby a qt of gs daily- going to try to do so for 30 days straight (like boutenko's study) and see if there's any difference in how he feels... it seems, tho, that the better i try to eat and feed the boys, the worse he eats and feeds the boys. i just wish we had the same desire to better ourselves. i fear i would have left by now if it were possible. sadly, he'd never understand- or try to- why...
anyhoooo....
feel like weighing myself today... i'll do so later.
the boys & i were supposed to go to the farmer's market today but hub left w/my van :huh: Ian was so looking forward to it... the only thing worse than letting down one of the kiddos is when someone else makes you do so. hopefully, we can make it next weekend.
i made some "save the tuna" salad yesterday and had it in nori & romaine leaves (from baby greens). served it to the boys on burger buns w/lettuce/tomato. Sam really liked it but Ian and Ry wouldn't bother. they had leftover tabouli...
i am out of carrot juice but remembered that my uncle gave me his juicer after his partner passed away and it's been in the van this whole time (!!!!!!) so i'm going to try to juice my own from now on -_-
Will is super fussy today... haven't had a gs yet. maybe that will calm him....

hang in there MW,try not to feel overwhelmed by situations,one little step at a time...

you are doing an awesome job,of eating raw and feeding your children such wonderful food....perhaps just try to go with the flow a little more,and not see your hubby as trying to sabotage your raw food eating,it is alot for most people to get there head around,and he may be making the food and not even thinking about it too much?? perhaps...just playing devils advocate...

so, i weighed in at 150.5lbs... funny thing is, i immediately felt heavy after eating the cooked. i'm feeling lighter now -_- been craving gs! so been consuming like crazy... hubby is enjoying his daily smoothies. he requested one with kiwis last night so i made another from Green for Life. i had a half glass... been w/o carrot juice forever! okee, not "forever" but miss it badly... i really need to clean the juicer and get on with it! of course, 1st, i need to clean the kitchen... ah, always something! went to the hfs yesterday and came home with a bounty! plus FREE STUFF! ooooo... my favorite! so nice to have friends in the hfs ^_^ got 2 coconuts for free (& there's still 1 in the fridge from last time!) all my nanas for less (super ripe, smoothie/pudding nanas... mmmmmm....) a mess of other stuff plus a new green for gs... meche, with an accent over the first e. a bit like baby spinach only smaller. if anyone's had this before let me know! need to get on with the laundry ((((sigh)))) that hasn't been done yet. and the kitchen- carrot juice today come H-E-L-L or high water!!!

well, a few days ago, hubby and i got into it (spawned again by $$ issues, of course) and after he passed out on the couch i gorged and gorged on whatever i could get my hands on and none of it was raw. this lasted 24 hours. he doesn't know anything about it and "hiding" it from him makes me feel a bit like an addict or something... the good thing is, i fogave myself the following day and remembered every bite from beginning to end and how i felt with each one and simply don't want to feel that way anymore. carrotgurl, i believe, said that we keep doing it despite how crappy it makes us feel and that we know better- true! even if we don't consciously know that it's wrong, our bodies do and they respond.
so, since i hadn't done a ritual in who-knows-how-many-moons, i "ritualized" my self-forgivness. i took the boys outside and we planted wheatberries in organic potting soil in foam mushroom trays (except Iba- he planted grape seeds in a small terra cotta pot... we had to finish off the grapes we had in the fridge so he could have "enough" lol) then, yesterday we weeded, tilled and planted our garden (our "big garden" as the boys call it) with carrots, parsley, cucumbers, and romaine. i am saving the sugarbaby seeds for warmer weather and can't decide whether to add oregano to the big garden or pot it and gift it to someone since we already have a wonderfully healthy oregano in the herb garden (along with lemon balm, catnip, sage and peppermint--- mmm, peppermint-lemonade! i wonder if that could count as a gs? lol!)
how beautiful that i should find comfort in the earth as i always have and even better that i am enjoying her with the boys.
i have been making cashew cream almost daily... usually i can wait to slice strawberries to top with it but since it is getting more and more difficult for me to wait (aka- keep myself from devouring all 2c...) i've started washing the blender in stages (LOL) so it is less likely to be in one piece when the urge hits. isn't that slightly ridiculous? heee... i think it's funny.
so, i finally decided to plant the garden because we are staying here indefinately. my parents, however, are not. come september, we will be renting this property from them for the cost of the monthly mortgage payment (+utilities). i have already started moving furniture (lol) in more liveable ways and packing away things that don't have purpose in the house and unpacking things that do. for example, i have been using my juicer daily so i'm looking for ways to empty cabinet space so the thing has a home and isn't at the immediate mercy of the kiddos and kitties. i'm thinking of asking my parents if we can get rid of their (really scary) microwave to open up more counter space... the thing is around 15+ years old. i don't even want to think about what could be leaking from it! i'm also going to pack up my mother's cookbooks (which hubby uses more than she!) to open up space in the pantry. we have already come to the agreement that any changes we make (paint, etc.) are to come from our pockets and that major changes (ie: wood floors, additions, etc) will come from our pocket and will need to be ok'd by mis padres (well, duh... it is their home and all). our pockets because we do owe them for this-that-and-t'other and we'd be more than even if we paid for improvements ourselves. my father said he would like pictures of any work we do which makes me think that they will never be back in md once they leave. as such, the yard is, in essence, our yard and we can do as we please with it (per hoa rules, 'course... which i loathe but whatcha gonna do?) i'm looking forward to putting in a sitting area in the front patch of woods (something my father and i have been pining over since we moved here!). i also want to plant indigenous species along with some blueberry bushes and such. maybe the next owners will be able to see the magic in it that i always saw waiting to be encouraged. oh, boy... if we plant bb bushes i wonder how long it would take for the boys to eat themselves silly? lol! every outdoor adventure would become a night of baths and laundry pre-spotting... lol
my best friend hasn't taken my going raw very well... she sent me a link to articles (that, thankfully, didn't work) about raw foods from her yoga mag and told me on the phone the other day how strange it was... i reminded her that i didn't just jump in and stop eating cooked but that i did my research just like i do whenever anything interests me and that i am doing very well on a raw diet, thankyouverymuch. it is difficult to know someone for a quarter of a century and argue over things- especially when you'd think they'd understand (or at least be more willing to) more than anyone. oh, well.
there is a citrus juicer in the pantry that is still in it's box (that probably has never been used- oh, and it says it juices grapes, too... oranges, lemons, limes and grapes :huh: i dunno...) that i would like to start using. things at the hfs that i shop at are getting sketchy and pricier (thanks to the gas prices) so i would like for us to be as self-reliant food-wise as possible. hubby actually got upset with me for even thinking of asking them for a 25lb bag of carrots and a case of oranges. he wants to ask one of the distributors near his work what they'd be willing to price us. i told him he may as well ask about nanas as we go through them like crazy (especially in the warmer months). he's going to go by next time he gets off at a decent hour... i'm also trying to get him to try out a csa for the summer but he's hesitant. i should call around and see if we can get a sample case. granted, it may mean we'd be up to our ears in greens occasionally but think of all the lower cost gs! lol...
we have yet to hit the fm. i'm hoping we can make it saturday. i need to remember to have hubby switch out carseats.
had delicious raw sunny burgers for supper last night with a big ol' slice of tomato between a couple green leaf lettuce leaves. i think i'm going to make a full batch tonight and bake some for the fam. my father tried it, then told me to make more next time so he could have a proper sample!
i've been allowing myself nutrional yeast and homemade cashew yogurt. any thoughts on these would be appreciated if anyone has any -_-
i'm off to buy a book... against my better judgement
 :wub:

oh, and my lil' used juicer has all it's paperwork and i was looking at it the other day while i was enjoying my homespun cj when i noticed the date on the receipt... 1969! and it works better than the juicer i had 10yrs ago!

Heeeelllo,dearest MW....

so glad that you forgave yourself...once it's passed it's history...well done on not being hard on yourself..
sounds like you're making some awesome raw foods..
and your garden planting is wonderful,all those fresh organic foods you will be able to eat,fabulous!

the peppermint lemonade sounds interesting,you could toss them into the blender and make a gs ....lol..

how's the antique citrus juicer going....oh dear *funny 'old' voice* they don't make em like they use to dear....heh heh...

 ^_^ Neet! i'm expecting to find Norman Walker's seal of approval on one of my "dawn of health" appliances LOL
i need to find batteries for the cj (ah, batteries... so it can't be that ancient, eh?) i'll keep you posted on it's resurrection from the pantry -_-

the fam dined on sunny burgers last night for supper- hubby and boys had grilled. Ry wound up eating mostly tomato slices and didn't eat his roll at all. Ian and Sam loved the burgers. hubby said they weren't bad but couldn't stop eating them. i have one left that i'll have for my lunch today (if the baby let's me! i think he's teething...)
tried to order my book(s) but something's goofy on the natural zing site so it wouldn't go through...
i'm getting back into my raw groove (tho, completely smoothie-less *sob*) trying to consume more water.
i've come to the conclusion that i simply do too much laundry... i think we should spend at least part of our time at a nudist colony... lol

gs gs gs! gs gs gs! (((((((dancing and singing)))))))) love them lovely gs!
okee dokee- today i ordered a spiralizer, patenaude's newest and the boutenko kid's eating w/o heating... and some crackers...
i am so excited!!!! i have finally found a contact for the rest of hygeia halfmoon's books! i loved primal mothering... but had a *ens of a time finding any of the others. her sister got back to me and is willing to have me on a payment plan (you, know, so the hub doesn't freak out... :rolleyes:)
also....! there is a pick-yr-own strawberry patch right up the road that will be opening in a couple weeks!!! the boys are going to love it...
aaaaannnd- the wheat grass is juiceable now- grasshopper smoothies! a whole new dimension of gs  ^_^ lol
sigh... today is good so far. now, how'd that happen? lol
okee, off to make sunflower seed pate for my lunch...
you know, it is okay to smile, once in awhile... -_-

MW,

I shall join you in your gs dance and song!  I could sing and dance about them all day (as you know)....

I'm still enjoying my flirtation with dill, and am LOVING it in the green smoothies.  Today I "splurged" and used 2 of my frozen bananas.  Things are a little grim here, but no matter, we shall get through it.  I must say it was scrumptious to return to the creamy lusciousness of frozen bananas in the gs.  Soon though, it will be heavy with pears I think.  I'm loving Bosch pears at the moment.  And custard apples (cherimoya) in the gs are just great!

I know it will be a little while, but I would really love to hear your feedback on the Boutenko book.  I really love their books - I adored 12 Steps to Raw a lot.  I'm thinking of getting them all at some stage.  Let me know what you think of it.

I'm so glad you've tracked down some books that you were after - there is NOTHING like books, and especially nothing like tracking down 'hard to get' ones.  Enjoy!

I am green with envy on the 'pick your own' strawberry patch.  I remember these from my childhood and filling up buckets (and tummies).  Pick a bucket for me - I just love ripe luscious strawbs.

Hope you're still smiling!

miss g

oh my wordy yes...gs is the bomb....i'm smiling i'm smiling....singin in the rain right now...stuffed full from my delicous dinner...ohhhhh.... ^_^

Miss G~ AHA! cherimoya=custard apple!!! thanky for that- i've had, & enjoyed, cherimoyas. kept hearing about these delish custard apples and wanted to try 1...lol. hfs has had AWESOME pears lately- just ridiculous! sweet but not mushy... pears are so autumnal to me. i can just picture the leaves changing and pumpkins being carved... aaaannnd i just realized these things probably don't happen in australia as they do in the states and feel a bit crispy now. as usual, more info about australia is welcomed!!! i am enjoying eating w/o heating (unlike my normal routine i am making recipes from this one before i finish reading the actual book part...). i have enjoyed the (now) 3 boutenko books i've read. green 4 life is my fave so far... usually, any books i am reading go into the library (aka- bathroom) but i can't take kitchen books in the br... i also can't stand it when people use the br then wash their hands in the kitchen sink!!!! but that's a whole other issue :rolleyes: lol. i'm planning on buying them all, also- they are simply too interesting as people- not just raw fooders. i am so stoked about the halfmoon books!!!! she has a way in her writing that really helps to keep me dreaming.  and jealous. hella-crazy jealous. she went to hawaii to birth her children... i cannot even imagine being near actual pineapple plants while preggers... i would simply decimate the islands! LOL the pineapple would become an endangered species if i were preg in hawaii. i wonder if the air smells of pineapple... i should ask her. when the sb patch opens i will pick many baskets for you!!! at least in your honor -_- now i picture you as strawberry shortcake (original- not the new one! she isn't the same w/o her gingham dress, smock and green tights! i bet the new one doesn't even smell the same :angry:) oh, and, yes! rainbow chard is gorgeous! the smile has been fleeting lately but it always returns (just wait 'til the fridge is full of produce! ^_^)
Neet~ gs for supper... awesome. i read that and went and made my second blenderful of the day -_- 1st was banango w/spin, 2nd was blueberry pie... just too good. too damn good. curses, Neet! now i want another...

ugh... too much stress lately. been eating a lot. feel heavy. don't dare to go near the scale. mother asked if i was preg again the other day. the joy... well, i'd be thrilled but hubby would prob be suicidal... it would be nice to be wealthy and not have to worry about certain things. i suppose our stresses would be different then but just as numerous. *****sigh*****
got to the farmer's market late so that was bust. went to another and was VERY disappointed. hardly any produce and the produce they had was not local. did get some corn (ate 3 ears!) and shucked it for the fam's supper. i had leftover cauliflower hummus (very good) in cabbage leaves and strawberry soup (that turned into a pudding after i chilled it in the fridge... so i guess it was my dessert).
i've gotten my date cravings under control. i have one each time the bag is opened (this morning for example- i made the boys and i apples and custard and needed the dates for the custard so i had 1 while i cut up the others for it) and 1 whenever i need something ridiculously sweet. my cashew cream addiction is petering out, THANKFULLY. man, that was getting to be as expensive as my old addictions. lol.
i may have soup for supper... hubby says raw soups are just smoothies we eat w/a spoon. sigh
i am trying to keep the boys raw until noon. trying to see any noticeable change in their attitudes/demeanor.
planted tomato plants yesterday. hope they do well. trying to be more diligent in watering the garden nightly. it is supposed to rain tomorrow (which i understand, is where msm comes from... rainwater)
oh, crud- i need to get going to the hfs! i'll write more next time.....

MW,i always love reading your posts...feel like i'm sitting down with you having a chat...

sounds like life is going well in the raw for you...oh and the gs,too awesome eh...i must go foraging for bananas today,fingers crossed...my gs this morning had one tiny banana in it,about 7 less than normal...damn damn!!was still good though...

this am,i finely chopped up broccoli,mushrooms,garlic,red onion,spirilized zuchinni,squeezed lime and mandarin juice,mixed all together and added coconut oil...this will marinate all day...yesterday i found the most lush tomatos at the organic market,so they are sitting out getting room temp,and i have 2 fresh dates soaking with around 10 sundried toms...later i will blend up the toms,with some more red onion and dates and sundried toms,and mix through the broccoli mix...ohhhh it's going to be so devine,i'm excited!..and i will chop up some avo last minute and stir through....

i am longing for some custard apples and ripe persimmons today,mmmm good!
and i'm going to search for the alice spring dates today also....oh i love produce shopping....

that was my second attempt at gs this morn,the first had a lady finger ban in it,it was nasty! so got the flick....have asked brett for suggestions re'LF bananas.... :rolleyes:

hang in there girl!!!!!!!!

your bell peppers are the same as our capsicums....lol...
sounds like you had an awesome day shopping....mmmm lots of goodies in your fridge..

i use the truly sundried tomatos,(buy them loose and dry),then i soak them to rehydrate...the pasta dish was crazy good i tell you,ate soooo much it made me laugh....today i'm fasting,so it was kinda like my last supper,heh heh.... :rolleyes:you will love your spirilizer,makes everything look so purty!!

oh thank you for the virtual bananas....((((((((((((hugs))))))))))) to you....it would be awesome to meet you one day,hey! you never know we might be over your way first...i am very interested in Alissa Cohen's teaching certified classes....

oh how good are those custard apples,try eating with bananas and dates,whoo hoo,what an awesome blend...mmmmm

hey glad you're feeling better MW...

the sundried toms,are just that a la naturel,,,just toms dried in the sun,no salt no nothing,then i just soak them to plump them up,and they add a lovely texture to salads and blends...

don't know why they're called capsicums....

ahh you had a battle with the choc chip cookie and came out the victor,yay for you...

oh yes guac is very appealing...am fading off the avo again now,i eat it when i crave it,then once i stop craving it,i put it aside for awhile,and go very non fat-cos this is how i decipher my bodys messages,it works for me....am feeling the need for cabbage and red onion,and some chilli and maybe some garlic too....really craving this...look forward to my dinner tonight...mmmmm..perhaps jen would know,why i would be craving these food items...i feel as though i need to cleanse out my body,in a manner of speaking...even though i fasted yesterday...it's a different kind of feeling i'm getting...

The chilli, onion and garlic will all help to cleanse in terms of being antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic... They are all warming foods too.  Is it getting colder in SA?

The cabbage craving could be for 1) something crunchy (instead of soft gs!),  2) because its a goitrogenic food from the brassica family of vegetables that helps to regulate your thyroid gland,  3) because its high in Vitamin U to help heal and soothe an inflamed stomach,   4) because when eating a lot of fruit, your bowel motions become softer, and cabbage is one of the best natural foods to add bulk to stool (along with carrot),  5) cabbage is high in sulfur/sulphur, which helps in the phases of liver detoxification.

jen thank you...yes it is getting alot colder over here in SA *grin*.....i always listen to my body when it says yes,i want this raw food,or no,i don't want that_ie avos_ at the moment....it's funny ,one would think that i would be looking for more avos(fats) in the cold,but the opposite is true for the moment....and i do have some "pressure" in my tummy at the moment... :wub:thank you againX

jen,also forgot to mention,it makes perfect sense re-the liver detoxing,because my tummy pressure and my liver feeling slightly seedy,goes hand in hand for me...ohhh roll on the cabbage....

Hey Motherwytch, that's excellent that you overcame the cookie temptation! And I get those grapes were a lot nicer, too. It must be difficult with a household that isn't eating raw, with all those temptations. I live alone so it's pretty easy, I'd be challenged if the house was full of easy-access vegan treats.

mmm strawberry soup...what do you put in that one MW?I love watermelon soup...really it's just blended watermelon and limejuice,with a dash of fresh mint...mmmm tis gooood....reminds me i'm out of watermelon,off to the shops again tomorrow...gosh we are so spoiled for choice,its wonderful..

Well done motherwytch. Fasts are so difficult and you have done soooo well. It makes me smile to read your positive and loving attitude toward yourself. I think I have been a bit hard on myself lately and you have inspired me to follow your lead.

I also love the name Lakshmi. I made a beauitful friend while in India and her name was Lakshmiyamma (Lakshmi for short), so I have loved that name ever since.

many smiles,
Perilla.

you are doing awesome MW,well done to you.. :wub:
bought a gorgeous canteloupe yesterday...people still look oddly when i stand there in the shop,sniffing them all,looking for the ripest fruit..*grin*..

will enjoy that tonight,when i break my fast..

for me i became a rawfooder when i emotionally and physically detached from cooked food. i associated massive pain to it. more pain than pleasure.

then it was game over ,cooked rover.

now im liv'n more, smash'n da raw!

your in the states? if so , go along to a raw potluck by one of the stars in the states.

eating food put on at a david wolfe talk smashed my mind apart on what is possible!

i aint much of a foody person but do appreciate gourmet cuisine. and i can say thanks to wolfe, sheryl and piers and miriam, the BEST prepared food i have ever had has been raw.

and for simple , real deal , flavour, intensity etc , a big ass mono meal of local , ripe, quality fruit is where its at for me.

no one has to eat raw food, but i just came to the conclusion that i want the best for me , so i can give the best to those i care for.

its a personal choice that i formed from my own conclusions.

Hi MW

I read a post today by Fred Patenaude that said lack of ability to concentrate can be caused by too much fat in the diet - maybe the cause 4 U was too many avos?

Rabbit

i find i desire a lot of exercise the day after lots of nuts or avo. to help circulate the fat around the body. excess fat in the bloodstream can inhibit oxygen absorption , making us feel a little slower. but after a good workout im back to normal.

if someone told me to eat a 'real meal'. i would peel a banana and give them half. when they asked "why are you giving me some food?"

i would reply"cos its time for you to hit the road and youll need some blood sugar to continue your journey"

be who you truly are. if someone cant accept that, its a sure sign its not meant to be.

smash submission, ascend to assertion.

hee hee,too funny H....if i want to eat comfortably,i have to work out hard every morning,otherwise i feel like a stuffed sausage the whole entire day,and rather cranky...

lifes not about wandering 'what if...'.

its about 'what is'.

and doing the best we can to make the most of every moment.

because all we have is now. this moment.  our moment to moment experiences.

yesterday is history
tommorrow is a mystery
right here , right now is a gift
thats why they call it the present.

the future is not a place we go, its a place we create with our daily actions.

inspiring words as always harley! ....  x 

thanks.

long rides listening to my life tapes....

Sounds like you had a great weekend motherwytch!

Hope your pinky knuckle has mended  -_-

Perilla.

Hey mw, why do u have to stop yourself eating more than a couple oranges...  Eat as many as your body feels like !!   x