One of the questions after today’s class was about the equipment I use to prepare raw food. To get started in raw food, the first kitchen appliance I bought was a high speed blender. I’ve had a vitamix for almost 20 years and recently bought a Blendtec Designer model. It’s the fastest way to add more greens to your diet. Throw some kale or chard (or just about anything green) in with some fruit, hemp milk and frozen bananas and you’ve got a tasty, healthy breakfast. The reason I love the Blendtec is because of it’s sleek design and digital panel. It turns off automatically too. A food processor will help you make pates for wraps and tasty desserts. A couple of my favorites are cashew ginger pate for nori rolls and flourless, dairy-free raw chocolate cake that takes less than 10 minutes to make with a food processor. Since I’m a minimalist I put off buying a dehydrator as long as possible. Once I went to culinary school at Living Light Culinary Arts Institute I learned the many savory chips, pizza crusts and wraps I could make, keeping the produce with as many nutrients and enzymes in tack as possible. If you keep the temperature to 118 or below you have an appliance that efficiently does what your oven can’t do. If you’ve heard people talking about the raw zucchini noodles they make, they’re talking about a spiralizer. The model I have is the Benriner Cook’s Helper. I like it because it sits right on top of the plate and isn’t as large as the horizontal models. It’s good quality and quickly makes noodles out of just about any root vegetable. You might want to think about buying a mandolin to make thin strips of vegetables for living lasagna and dehydrating vegetable chips. As far as knives, you really only need 2. A good chef’s knife and a paring knife. Go to a kitchen store where you can test them out. Try enough of them until you find one that feels good in your hand. A serrated knife is handy to have too, but not essential. To make nut milks, I have the Soyabella machine which eliminates all the boxes and keeps the milk fresh without any preservatives. It also serves as a grinder when I grind up flax seed into powder. It only takes a minute and I feel better knowing it’s completely fresh. Better than buying it as a powder that may go rancid before you use it or perhaps even before you bring it home from the store. Who knows how long it’s been in powder form before you purchase it. Getting the right kind of equipment will speed up your prep time and make raw food a pleasure instead of a pain. To see photos of the equipment go to www.PamelaZiemann.com under the store link.
Tag Archives: raw
Lean Into It!
Some people dive right into a raw, vegan lifestyle and others like a more gradual process. For the ones who want to let go of one animal product at a time I suggest Kathy Freston’s books. Another option is my 5 week online support group. Each week we look at one topic like dairy, protein, … Continue reading Lean Into It!
Obstacles to Eating Raw
Healthy Eating Class – Obstacles to Eating Raw
The first step to getting past obstacles is knowing what they are.
Rather than just handing out a lot of new, healthy recipes, I encourage the participants to do a stream of consciousness writing exercise. They let their minds flow and open up to all the obstacles that get in their way of eating the way they want to. Name it, and you can tame it. Awareness is the first step.
The obstacles were:
1) Not enough time
2) Feeling awkward in social settings
3) Family members not on the same path
4) Knowing where to shop, getting organized
5) Finding a balance between structure and spontaneity
Sometimes, it isn’t actually about the food. One woman is working 2 jobs, leaving her home at 7 am and getting home at 9 pm. We’ve all heard the adage, “Work smarter, rather than harder” We spent some time after class looking for a way she could quit one of her jobs and make more at her main job.
Feeling awkward in social settings can be handled by calling the restaurant ahead of time and knowing what you feel comfortable ordering from their menu before you get there. If you’re going to a friend’s house, simply bring one of your favorite dishes. Make sure there’s enough for everyone.
Don’t try to change family members. Just be a glowing example. Be true to yourself and they’ll see the change in you. You can’t talk people into this stuff. They have to want to change. If you’re living a happy, healthy life, they’ll see it and start asking you for ideas they can use.
I recommend PCC and Whole Foods Market in the Seattle area. Most small towns have a natural health food store or a coop. It’s amazing what you can buy online these days.
Finding a balance between structure and spontaneity is important. Most people don’t want to be on such a rigid path. One example is to combine structure (like going to the supermarket Sundays and Wednesday) with buying what intuitively feels right when you get there. If you stay on the outside perimeters of the store, you’ll be ok. Just ask yourself what color produce you haven’t had in a while. Last week I was at Whole Foods and cauliflower just kept coming to my thoughts. Even though it wasn’t what I went into the store for, I paid attention and brought one home with me. It keeps my meals interesting. VegWeb.com is a great site with over 13,000 recipes. If you get an intuitive hit for cauliflower, just type it in the search on their site and it will give you loads of idea on how to cook it.
Anything worth doing will bring up obstacles. Pinpoint what the obstacle is for you and then you’ll be able to move past it.
Please post the obstacles you’re facing.
Why do You Eat Raw?
Why do You Eat Raw?
One of my participants stayed after class today and talked about why her and her husband are incorporating more raw food in their diet. They want to have a baby.
They are intentional.
It got me thinking of all the babies in the world created in the back seat of a car or in a less than intentional way. Have you ever wondered why so many people in the world are asking themselves, “Why am I here?” Did their parents know why they were bringing new life into the world? And does this lack of intention go into the subconsciousness of their baby?
Who knows…
What I know for sure is that it’s fun to hang out with proactive people. People who know what they want and go for it. Reactive people are the ones who go to the nearest supermarket and buy whatever’s on the shelf. Proactive people are the ones who go the extra distant for fresh, organic, local produce. They take the time to research where their food comes from and to learn the nutritional content. They pay extra for organic because they want to live in a cleaner world.
People who eat more raw foods care about their health, the environment and other sentient beings. When I went to culinary school, I wanted to learn how to make tasty, vegan food so people wouldn’t have to kill animals. There have been many times that I’ve been reactive in my life. It’s more fun to be intentional, know what you want and go about creating it. Everybody wins.
Flavor in Raw Foods with Fresh Herbs
The theme of this group was wanting to get more flavor with raw food. Not only is it possible to get more flavor by adding fresh herbs, you’ll gain medicinal benefits as well. The handout of my favorite raw food recipes includes a simple, but delightful pea soup with fresh mint. It’s a snap to … Continue reading Flavor in Raw Foods with Fresh Herbs
Groundhog’s Day Healthy Eating Class – Livestock’s Long Shadow
I meet the most interesting people in these classes. Some are totally raw vegan and others raise animals for food. Everyone is doing what they think is right. My friend Caroline Casey interviews a lot of interesting people on her show at Coyote Network News. She says that talking with people on political issues raises … Continue reading Groundhog’s Day Healthy Eating Class – Livestock’s Long Shadow
Bellevue College ‘You Are What You Eat’ Class
Bellevue College ‘You Are What You Eat’ Class
Once a quarter, I have the honor of teaching ‘You Are What You Eat’ at Bellevue College. This isn’t something I could have predicted a decade ago. I was like most Americans, shopping from the middle aisles of the grocery store, looking for what products might stay on my shelf so I didn’t have to go back to the store that often.
After learning the power of raw foods and a plant-based diet, the natural next step is to share it with others. For the past three generations, we’ve been consuming packaged ‘food’ that’s taken a toll on our health and our looks. My triglycerides were so high my doctor wanted to put me on medication. Within 2 1/2 months of eating a plant-based, whole foods diet, the numbers returned to normal (without medication!). An experience like this is incredibly empowering… knowing that you can improve your health by the choices you make every time you eat.
Food habits start early and I’m especially happy when young people come to my class wanting to learn how to properly feed their bodies. I remember my nephew watching me eat veggie burgers 30 years ago. He said, “I’ll eat that way when I’m your age but not now!” Well, he’s over 30 years old now and his diet hasn’t changed. Unfortunately, it takes illness for a lot of people to change their diet.
Bravo to all the young people who do what it takes to eat healthier food than the Standard American Diet (SAD). And bravo to the parents who instill healthy foods from the start.
Next class begins April 25, 2013
Making Food a Priority – Loving Yourself
Check out this group… beautiful people coming to learn about our food systems and how to incorporate more raw food in their diets. I’m inspired by how many people are taking matters into their own hands to learn about healthy food choices. This is the kind of information that comes from self-education, research and mixing … Continue reading Making Food a Priority – Loving Yourself
Mindful Eating at the Healthy Eating Class
Mindful Eating at the Healthy Eating Class
After reading Denise & Meadow Linn’s new book The Mystic Chef, I tried something new at the Elemental Cuisine Healthy Eating Class today. What do you more of in your life? With the four elements of Earth, Air, Water and Fire, I asked the participants what they’d like more of in their lives. More sense of grounding and security, more creative flair, more love and kindness or more passion? Once they had their area pinpointed, I asked them to make their wrap infusing it with more of this energy and then to eat it with the same quality. The majority of people wanted more love and kindness in their lives and it was fun to watch them stir and eat with this energy in mind.
What about you? Do you want more passion? Then, try it yourself. As you stir, add some passion. Eat with passion! If you’re looking for more creativity in your life, how can you cook your next meal being just a tad more creative? If you’re looking to be more grounded, why not sit on the floor next time you eat?
Most of us eat three times a day. We can be mindful as we consider the qualities we’re looking to add to our lives and intentionally mix it in while preparing our food. Eat it with the same energy and watch what happens in your life.
Ditch the worn out phrase of ‘Don’t play with your food’ and replace it with a renewed sense of personal power.
The Meaning of Food
The PBS special ‘The Meaning of Food’ shows various segments on wedding food, funeral food, cultural food and even a segment on prison food. Specifically, the last meal for inmates on death row. One of the inmates was assigned to prepare these requests. At first he resisted. He had no chef experience and the … Continue reading The Meaning of Food