Kombucha, that magical mysterious elixir, is actually quite easy to produce with a bit of kitchen chemistry. I wrote about Kombucha a few weeks back, after I’d finished my first batch. And as promised in that article, here’s your step-by-step guide to home brewing.

What You’ll Need:

• A living SCOBY + some starter tea
• A large *glass* jar (no metal, no ceramic, no plastic, etc) with a wide opening (a standard 1-gallon jar, as shown at right, is best)
• Sugar
• Caffeinated tea
• A very clean cloth + a rubber band
• A steel pot and a big metal stir spoon

Prep Work

• Most likely, the hardest part will be getting your hands on a SCOBY. You’ll just have to be creative and snoop around your city for a source. I suggest starting with Craigslist or googling ‘[your city] kombucha’. You can also try poking around your local co-op or health food store – and check the bulletin board.
• Once you’ve secured a SCOBY (and it’s alive, floating in some starter tea), you’re on your way. Make sure your workspace is clean and at least semi-sterile. Gather and clean your tools (see above).
• This is a long process, so set your schedule accordingly. Brewing is a good Sunday project; you can have it going while you’re gardening or cleaning or laying around naked with your sweetheart.

How To Brew

1)  In a large, stainless steel (non-teflon or other weird material) stock pot, boil 1 gallon of water. Keep it at a full boil for at least 10 minutes.

2)  Remove the pot from heat and add 1 1/4 cups sugar, stirring with a metal (non-plastic, non-wood) spoon. I use organic evaporated cane juice instead of white sugar. DO NOT substitute agave, honey, Splenda™, or any other sweetener. 

3)  Add the tea. Any kind, as long as it’s caffeinated. This will determine the final flavor, so if you use a cranberry green tea, you’ll get a cranberry-ish flavored kombucha. I usually use organic plain green or black tea bags. You can use bagged or loose tea, but if you use looseleaf make sure it’s in a fine-meshed infuser. You don’t want any tea leaves floating about! 

4)  Steep the tea for about 4 hours, allowing the water to cool and the tea to get nice and strong. Go ahead and garden or clean or or lay around naked. When the tea is good and strong (many hours later), take out the tea bags/infuser.  

5)  Double check that your widemouth glass jar is very clean, and then pour in the gallon of sweetened tea. A funnel can really help with this.

DON’T USE ANY METAL BEYOND THIS POINT

Metal reacts poorly with the kombucha culture. It’s not a good thing.

6)  Wash your hands thoroughly before handling the SCOBY.

7)  Open your SCOBY + starter  container, and pour the starter into the widemouth jar. There may be gooey strings or giblets – that’s just SCOBY stuff, and it’s fine.

 Fish out your SCOBY. Admire it’s alien oddity. Blow it a kiss. Give it a name (mine is Scoby-Doo). Notice that there’s a ‘smooth side’ that is lighter, and the other side is darker. The slimy dark stuff is yeast. You’ll also notice that familiar, uniquely komucha-esque odor!

9)  Now carefully slide your SCOBY into the widemouth jar, smooth-side up.  It may sink, which is okay, but it will probably float.  

10)  Place the clean cloth over the top of the jar, pulling it taught and securing with a rubber band. Now you just need to tuck that sucker away for 2-3 weeks. It prefers a warm dark spot, like in a cupboard or closet. It does not like drafts or sunlight, so don’t brew your kombucha on a window sill!

11)  Adjust the brew time for your taste preference. The warmer it is, the faster it will brew. The more caffeinated it is, the faster it will brew. The longer you let it brew, the stronger and less sweet it will be. I like less sugar, so I ferment for at least 3 weeks. It’s not recommended that you brew a batch longer than a month.

— weeks later —

12)  First, you’ll need to remove the SCOBY. Every time you brew, the ‘mother’ (the original SCOBY)  grows a ‘baby’ (a new SCOBY). These names are misleading because the two are identical in every way, indistinguishable from one another. They’ll be stacked together, like two pancakes. You can either leave them be and keep on going with a double-thick SCOBY, or you can carefully separate them. If you do take them apart, each one can brew its own batch. Then you can stagger your batches for constant kombucha flow! Remember: each time you brew, the mother makes a baby.

13)  You’ll need a jar to hold your SCOBY while you’re not brewing.  Make sure the jar has a plastic (non-metal) lid.  With very clean hands, fish your SCOBY out of the widemouth jar and fold it into the storage jar. Then add enough of the new brew to completely cover it.  This is your starter tea for next time.  Store the SCOBY + starter tea in the refrigerator, indefinitely.

14)  Portion out your brewed kombucha into smaller storage containers.  I save glass bottles with plastic lids just for this purpose.  Store the tea in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

15)  Drink!  Experiment!  Enjoy!

Notes on Safety

• Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.
• Sometimes a culture will become contaminated.  It happens!  If your SCOBY shows anything resembling mold, TOSS IT!  If your brewed kombucha comes out smelling funny, TOSS IT!  If your kombucha ends up tasting funny, TOSS IT!  Remember, there’s only a porous rag separating your fermenting sugar water from any and all airborne bugs.  Contamination can happen, so be wise and play it ‘better safe than sorry’, okay?
• If you want to add fruit juice to your kombucha, do it after you’ve brewed.  DO NOT add fruit juice before fermentation.
• Don’t use bleach on any of your kombucha-making equipment. Vinegar is a great cleanser. The dishwasher (with a mild detergent) is also okay.
• Listen to your body!  Start by drinking a little at a time.  Home brew is A LOT stronger than the store bought stuff, and the B-vitamins can get you quite heady. So take it slow and listen to your body!

Close-up during the brewing process - you can see it bubbling away!

***DISCLAIMER – My dears, I cannot be held responsible for what you do with this information.  So please, use your big beautiful brains, and be thoughtful and be careful.***

I know there’s been a ton of interest out there, so I can’t wait to hear how this works for you guys. Make sure to report back! And LUCK!

I remained RAW going into April, and even considered pushing through for a full 45 days.  Unfortunately, around April 3rd I developed a flu that laid me out flat: fevered and nauseated and totally pathetic.  I hadn’t been so sick in years, and for the first 24 hours all I could stomach was a single orange.  By the second day my tummy had settled a bit and I was able to think about eating again . . . but all I found appetizing was warm, hearty fare.  Following my body’s cues, I made a mild Thai curry, and man, that tofu rocked my world! 

These days I’m averaging about 75-85% RAW.  Some travel days I’ve been as low as 40%, while others I just shoot back up to 99%. But typically, I’ll eat whole raw fruits and vegetables throughout the day, and add a wee bit of cooked food in at dinnertime.  I still spend most days caffeine-free, although I’ve had some incredibly pleasurable weekend cups of coffee. The same holds true for alcohol, which has been equally as easy to abstain from and equally as delightful to indulge in.  Each day, I still start off with a big green smoothie, and I can’t imagine that changing any time soon. Overall, my body seems to know what it wants and has finally figured out how to tell me so. 

I feel so good, eating this way.  I feel energized, centered, and very healthy in every sense of the word.  Most importantly, it feels sustainable. This is a very balanced place I’ve found, and quite honestly, I’m reveling in it.

Food Journal

By way of comparison, I’ve done a rundown of a typical daily menu the way I’m eating right now. The numbers really aren’t much different than when I was RAW. Ideally, my day goes something like this: 

Averageday, xX Month 2009

• Green Smoothie -  1 medium banana, 1 medium apple, 1 lemon, 1 orange, 2 kale leafs, 1 tsp Spirulina powder
• herbal tea with agave
• 1 apple + 1 pear
• carrot sticks
• kombucha
• Giant Salad w/ red leaf lettuce, purple cabbage, grated zucchini, red bell pepper, a jalapeno, half an avocado, and slivered red onion tossed in lemon juice, red salsa, olive oil, and nutritional yeast and topped with brown rice and black beans 
• big pile of raisins
• herbal tea with agave

Total Calories: 1918

76% from carbohydrates (1462 calories)

14% from fat (273 calories)

10% from protein (182 calories)

Total Carbohydrates: 401 g

• Fiber: 65 g
• Sugar: 225 g

Total Fats: 32 g

• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Omega-3: 686 mg
• Omega-6: 3733 mg

Total Protein: 53 g

Vitamins – I was well over my vitamin requirements *except* for these:

• Vitamin E: 38% DV

Minerals:

• Calcium: 47% DV
• Iron: 82% DV
• Magnesium: 98% DV
• Phosphorous: 80% DV
• Potassium: 144% DV
• Zinc: 77% DV
• Copper: 100% DV
• Manganese: 221% DV
• Selenium: 76% DV

Also, daily BM’s, w00t!

Yesterday was March 31^st, the official end of my month-long RAWxtravaganza.  I can’t believe it’s over already!  And I can’t quite fathom that it’s been 31 days since I’ve consumed heat.  Perhaps even more amazing is that just by proxy, it’s been 31 days without any significant quantity of caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, wheat/gluten, or unfermented soy!  Each of these components carries their own assortment of associated health warnings.  With this in mind, I can’t help but wonder: could it be that some of the incredible benefits touted by the RAW community, are really just the result of removing all these detrimental options? 

My intuition says no, but I don’t deny the possibility.  Regardless of reasoning, here are my thoughts at the end of this RAW trial.

Mixing Up A Big Batch Of Kale Chips For The Dehydrator

My Raw Experience:

Throughout this endeavor I’ve had my ups and downs, but not necessarily more (or less) than other months.  With good days and bad days, it’s difficult to discern the root of a problem, especially dealing with variables as random as PMS, the common cold, and the end-of-winter doldrums.  I’m certainly not willing to attribute everything to my diet! 

Still, taking the entire month as an average and comparing it to non-RAW months, some general trends emerge.  For instance, I’d say that overall this month I’ve been more balanced.  My emotions have been more steady, my hunger/blood sugar has been more stable, my eliminations (*wink *wink) have been much more regular, and I have not experienced any of the usual crazy cravings for non-nutritious foods.

I have definitely experienced that delightful feeling of ‘lightness’ that Raw Foodists describe.  It’s pretty incredible to lay into a giant plate of food, demolish it, and then skip away not feeling belly-ache stuffed, but energized and awakened instead.  It’s difficult to imagine, in this culture that has coined the phrase ‘food-coma’ to describe what we so often do to ourselves at mealtime.  What a change, to leave a totally massive, totally satisfying meal with MORE energy than you came with! 

Personally, I feel like my emotional state is much more affected by RAW foods than my mind or body.  This month, I felt pointlessly optimistic, randomly serene, and generally giddy for no particular reason.  My skin is glowing, but other than that my body has not noticeably improved.  At times I’ve been achy, sore, or lethargic.  My mind hasn’t ‘sharpened’ the way I hoped it would, and at times I’ve been tired, foggy, groggy, or unmotivated.  These things happen normally as well, but the point is that they’ve been just as frequent (or more?) while RAW.  On the other hand, my heart has been open wide and I love that loving feeling! Sound hippy-dippy?  Yeah, I think so too . . . but it’s true! 

Hand Rolling Tropical Fruit Sushi

What I Learned:

I’ve definitely learned a few things about myself during this adventure, about my body, about my needs, and about expectation.  The first surprise was how quickly my taste buds acclimated to natural sweetness.  I can’t even imagine what frosting will taste like the next time I try it, but I expect it will be sickly sweet – I almost imagine it burning my tongue.  Yesterday I was snacking on dates, just marveling at the absolutely candied quality of them.  They were so saccharine! I suspect that once I return to refined sugar, it will quickly re-de-sensitize my palate.  So for now I’m savoring these natural sweet treats, so perfectly toothsome just as they are.  Fresh berries, plain sun dried raisins, juicy melons and tropicals, and of course my liquid love (that’s raw agave, folks).

Second lesson: Caffeine is so unnecessary!  Not that I’m knocking it and far be it from me to disparage something so dear, but it’s kind of liberating to break the addiction and take a step back.  This is the longest I’ve gone without caffeine in my entire adult life, and it’s nice to know that it is possible to operate sans stimulants.  Now, I start my day bright-eyed with a nice big glass of water.  Later, I sip a green smoothie, my new habitual beverage.  But there’s no external energizer, because believe it or not, none is needed.  And the best blessed part: there’s no afternoon crash!  I know that I’ll end up going back to tea and coffee, and I’m totally okay with that (excited, in fact, because I truly love them so).  But for now, knowing I don’t need them is pretty awesome.

Thirdly, I love my newfound ‘laboratory’ – my body – and look forward to planning my next round of experiments.  Any ideas?

Attack Of The Colossal Carrots!

Where I’ll Go From Here:

So I’ll bet you’re wondering, ‘now what’?

Well, I don’t know.  I’ve continued to eat RAW throughout today because that is what has felt right to me.  I must admit, I keep thinking, “you should have oatmeal for breakfast!” or “you should get Ethiopian tonight!”  These lighting quick ‘cravings’ come from my tongue, not from my body.  When I check in with my body, I confirm that I have no real desire to eat cooked food. 

Like, none.  

But I don’t want to remain all RAW forever.  So the next step – how to break the ‘fast’ and when – eludes me. 

Honestly, I was kind of hoping that I would figure out some sort of plan just by writing this article.  But alas, that hasn’t happened.  And I can’t tell you what I’m going to do tomorrow, or the next day, except that I’m going to continue listening to my body and giving it what it wants. 

I’ll let you know how it goes. 

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.  I hope it’s been fun for you to witness; it’s certainly been fun for me to share.  ¡Viva la RAW!

Who said RAW had to be boring?!  Nu-uh, no way!  This decadent dessert – rich, silken chocolate inside its delicate shell - is downright delicious.  Divine Creation I say, not just because it tastes so good, but because it’s so good for you, too!  

Raw cacao powder is teeming with antioxidants – over 5 times as many as blueberries!  Cacao is also the best natural source of magnesium, which is the primary mineral deficiency in SAD eaters (Standard American Diet).  Cacao is believed to reduce cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, and inflammation.  

Coconut oil is pure fat, just like any oil.  But as we all know, ‘not all fats are created equal’.  Coconut oil contains about 50% lauric acid, a rare, healthier medium-chain lipid that’s also found in breast milk.  This oil is also an incredible antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi, viruses) and aides in combatting everything from candida to HIV.

Raw agave and dates are both low-glycemic sweeteners, so they won’t rock your system with a blood sugar spike-and-crash cycle.  Additionally, dates are rich in calcium, iron, potassium, and phosphorous, and are a great *ahem* digestive aid.

Do I even need to review the infinite health benefits associated with nuts?  A quick favorite for each: Pecans boast the ideal oleic (‘good’)/linoleic (‘bad’) fatty acid ratio, which contributes to lower weight and cholesterol.  A handful of cashews is essentially the biochemical equivalent of a prescription prozac.  No joke!

Still not convinced that RAW =/= boring?  Just make this.  Taste it.  I dare you!

Raw Pecan Torte with Chocolate Ganache

Originally by Chef Sprout, embellished by Laurie Lane, re-embellished by Me!

Ingredients for Crust:

2 cups pecans

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup cacao nibs

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for Filling:

2 cups pre-soaked cashews

1 cup cacao powder

1 cup water

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor and blend until evenly moist. Grease a torte or pie pan with coconut oil and spread the crust with your fingers.

Combine all filling ingredients in the [cleaned] food processor, blending until very smooth. Pour filling into the crust and freeze or refrigerate until firm (1-3 hours). Garnish with fresh mint or berries.

^^And those?^^  I had quite a bit of excess ganache, so I poured it into two teacups, whipped up a quick ‘frosting’ of almond butter, coconut oil, and agave syrup, topped off the teacups, and threw them in the fridge to chill out.

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

Well, not really refried beans – soaked sunflower seeds actually –  but they sure do taste refried bean-y!  This is a great RAW recipe that’s heartier and sticks to the ribs a bit, which is an important division of living foods.  Not so heavy it won’t refresh, I think this would make a delightful summer supper after a long day of play.  Serve it up right with homemade Pico de Gallo salsa and fresh guacamole, and you’ll never know you’re mowing on minced sunflower seeds instead of traditional pintos.  It’s sort of perfection: miniature, healthy burritos!  Olé!

I wish I could take credit for this creation, but I’m still new to this RAW game and only just learning the infinite tastes and textures associated with the cuisine.  So this is not one of my own concoctions.  The original recipe is by Terces Engelhart, but comes to me by way of my uncooking teacher, Laurie.  Like many RAW recipes, it does require some foresight.  But thats okay, right?  We all like thinking and planning for delicious food!  And really, the ‘decision deadline’ is only 5 hours out.

Ingredients

8 sun dried tomato halves (dried, not ‘in oil’)

2 cups raw sunflower seeds

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 green onion, chopped

1/4 cup packed cilantro with stems, chopped

1/4 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

Instructions

In separate bowls, cover the sun dried tomatoes and sunflower seeds with water and let soak for at least 4 hours.  When finished, save the tomato water.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the drained sunflower seeds and sun dried tomatoes and purée to a smooth paste, using the reserved tomato water to thin as needed.  You may want to save a few tablespoons of the seeds to mix in at the end for a chunkier texture.  Now, place all the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor or blender, and continue to purée until well mixed.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

You can either serve this pâté as a dip, or in a collard greens wrap like I did.  For a wrap, choose a nice large leaf and trim the stem (and only the stem) a good portion of the way up.  Spoon the pâté onto the leaf and top with your favorite veggies – I tried various combinations of cilantro, onions, red peppers, green beans, and avocado.  Then, just roll it up tight-like, and enjoy!

Sunday (day 1) through Tuesday, I had a constant dull ache inside my forehead, the delightful affects of caffeine withdrawal.  This was gone by Wednesday, and was the only acute detox I experienced.  On Monday I began getting incredibly tired after eating.  This exhaustion would last around an hour and would be nearly-debilitating in its severity.  By the weekend it had abated, but was replaced by another strange symptom: a post-meal headache. I have been getting these pretty frequently following lunch or dinner, and I cannot guess as to the cause. Wednesday night I had a very strong craving for gin, which I found quite odd. Beginning Thursday morning and continuing all the way through this morning, I have been feeling sore and easily fatigued during my workouts.  Friday I was craving hot food all day, and had a bad headache to boot, with accompanying body aches.  Boo.  Saturday and Sunday were much better, and I seem to be on an upswing since then.  I definitely had trouble re-learning how to regulate my blood sugar, and I had to deal with a few accidental crashes this week, which are decidedly not fun.  So, a bit of a learning curve for this RAW life, but I think I’m getting the hang of it now!

Of course I recorded what I consider to be the true measure of my health, my movements: 

S- yes, M- yes, T- no, W- yes, R- no, F- yes, Sat- yes, S- no, M- yes

Food Journals

I did not make a complete accounting of everything I consumed each day, but I did keep meticulous lists on two random days: Wednesday and Friday.  I ate very differently on these two days, which presents an interesting contrast.  I analyzed my meals with this awesome and highly recommended website.  Keep in mind that during this trial I am really trying to listen to my body.  I let myself eat whatever sounds good, I eat whenever I’m hungry, and I stop when I get full.  I was surprised by both the low calorie count on Wednesday and the high fat ratio on Friday, because these two days did not feel that different to me.

Wednesday, 4 March 2009 

• Green Smoothie – 1 banana, 1.5 oranges, 1 small tomato, pineapple chunks, squeeze of lemon, 2 big collard greens leaves
• 1 big carrot
• 2 collard greens ‘wraps’ stuffed w/ tomato, diced onion, sunflower seeds, Tamari
• 1/2 bottle Kombucha
• Green Plate – arugula, 1/2 red bell pepper, small tomato,  1/2 avocado, diced onion, 1 tsp flax seeds 
• Homemade Dressing – 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp white balsamic 

Total Calories: 759  

55% from carbohydrates (423 calories)

36% from fat (271 calories)

9% from protein (65 calories)

Total Carbohydrates: 116 g

• Fiber: 31 g
• Sugar: 57 g

Total Fats: 32 g

• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Omega-3: 412 mg
• Omega-6: 5756 mg

Total Protein: 21 g 
 

Vitamins – I was well over my vitamin requirements *except* for these:

• Vitamin E: 69% DV 
• Thiamin: 68% DV 
• Riboflavin: 44% DV 
• Niacin: 50% DV 
• Vitamin B12: 10% DV 

Minerals:

• Calcium: 43% DV 
• Iron: 31% DV 
• Magnesium: 67% DV 
• Phosphorous: 50% DV 
• Potassium: 88% DV 
• Zinc: 21% DV 
• Copper: 59% DV 
• Manganese: 126% DV 
• Selenium: 16% DV 

Friday 6 March 2009

• Green Smoothie – 1 banana, 1 brown pear, 2 tbsp almond butter, 1 tbsp agave, 2 collard greens leaves  
• 1 medium carrot, 1 head of broccoli, and 1 handful green beans w/ 1 tbsp of Tamari + 1 tsp white vinegar with 1/2 clove garlic
• 4 collard greens ‘wraps’ stuffed w/ RAW ‘refried beans’, tons of guacamole, tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, diced onion, green pepper, lemon juice, cumin and chili powder

Total Calories: 1897  

35% from carbohydrates (652 calories)

55% from fat (1067 calories)

9% from protein (177 calories)

Total Carbohydrates: 177 g

• Fiber: 63 g 
• Sugar: 58.5 g 

Total Fats: 126 g

• Saturated Fat: 14 g 
• Omega-3: 954 mg 
• Omega-6: 31857 mg 

Total Protein: 59 g
 

Vitamins – I was well over my vitamin requirements *except* for these:

• Vitamin B12: 0% DV 
• Pantothenic Acid: 93% DV 

Minerals:

• Calcium: 81% DV 
• Iron: 102% DV 
• Magnesium: 185% DV 
• Phosphorous: 155% DV 
• Potassium: 171% DV  
• Zinc: 76% DV 
• Copper: 167% DV 
• Manganese: 300% DV 
• Selenium: 101% DV 

Analyzing these two days, the caloric and macromolecule disparity is amazing. The calories more than doubled, while the carbohydrate : lipid ratio virtually flipped! Here are the things I found most interesting:

Although the overall calories were very different, the protein % was the same for both days.  This represents differing protein intake (21g vs 59g), but either way I’d prefer my protein to contribute a slightly higher percentage of total caloric load.  I am a firm believer in a low(er) protein diet, and am hesitant to even broach the subject given the general hysteria it so often incites.  Suffice it to say, I’d like to see my protein  ratio higher – closer to 15-20% – via foods that won’t add as much oils as nuts, seeds, and avocados do.  I’m investigating options.

So, on Friday I got 55% of my calories from fat.  HA!  I should point out that this was atypical, because at the last minute I added a great gob of guacamole to my dinner – an entire 1.5 avocado’s worth for ~350 calories and ~31 grams of fat. These are all ‘good fats’ (and fiber as well!) and I’m not worried about it at all, but I thought I should explain the cause of such inflation.  Don’t worry – if statistical analysis were run across the entire week, Friday would definitely be an outlier.

In general, I am much less concerned with macro-nutrients (protein, fats, and carbs) than I am with micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).  Considering the components that interest me most, I am very pleased with these results.  It just remains to be seen how pleased I’ll be with the overall lifestyle.

I’ll continue to tweak my habits in order to produce a more balanced, optimal range of nourishment.  I’ll be tabulating two more days in the coming week and reporting them at the 2-Week Check-In.  Anything else you’d like me to track before then?

Raw Pizza at Blossoming Lotus restaurant, deeeeelicious!

Each person approaches RAW a little differently, which can be confusing to those trying to understand the framework and limitations of the lifestyle.  There are no hard-and-fast ‘RAW Rules’ to govern the allowance or omission of certain ambiguous edibles, so I thought I’d better make clear my own parameters, as I have set them for this experiment.  Please keep in mind that these choices are all personal ones, and there is no great authority on RAW matters.  To paraphrase my uncooking teacher, “This isn’t about purity.  It’s not about elitism or ‘rawer-than-thou’.  This is about being healthy, and what works for your body.”  She is a wise woman.

How Raw?  Most people consider a 75-80% raw foods diet to be RAW.  Since this is a controlled experiment with a discreet timeframe, I’m attempting 97-99% RAW. The details of this designation are outlined below.

Spices.  Many spices are naturally dried and milled.  But many others, especially big-brand commercial spices, are heat treated as they are refined and processed.  I am choosing not to worry too much about my spices.  I avoid obvious grey-area candidates like Spike and other name brand seasonings, but I’m not concerning myself over the state of my Co-Op’s bulk-bought chili, oregano, cumin, etc.

Vitamins.  Most vitamins are not RAW.  I’m pretty sure you can buy RAW vitamins, but they are expensive and illusive.  I supplement with B12 and D, and I take a vegan multivitamin.  I am continuing to do this through my RAW month.

Hot Tea.  Hot tea is good for you!  Who could argue with that?  Many Rawists do drink hot tea, and my uncooking teacher happily admitted to near-daily teatime. But for me, I’d prefer to keep heat out of my system for this whole month.  I’m open to the possibility that tea may happen once or twice, because a nice hot cup of tea would be a great way to stave off cooked-food cravings.  But thus far I’ve had no desire for it, and I’m hoping to hold out the whole 30 days.

Alcohol.  Beer and liquor are not considered RAW, but organic, sulfite-free wines are imbibed by many Raw Foodists.  Many others Rawists, including my uncooking teacher, find it somewhat contradictory to the RAW ethos of ultimate health consciousness.  I adore wine, but am trying to avoid it for this period.  Like tea, I am not going to make it totally off-limits. But ideally, I’m hoping to abstain for the entire trial.

I hope that offers a little more clarity about my approach.  I’ll be checking in soon with body updates, food diaries, and nutrition data.  In the meantime,  I’ll leave you with some Raw Food porn:

Raw Sampler at Blossoming Lotus: Zucchini Pasta w/ Pesto, Cashew Hummus and Flax Crackers, Beet Topped Salad, and Pizza with Pesto and Sun Dried Tomatoes.

Whether you’re working on going all RAW or simply trying to incorporate more raw foods into your diet, one thing is certain: you are going to be plowing through a massive quantity of fresh cut vegetables.  Therefore, in order to do RAW right, you’ll need to get a good raw veggie dip recipe under your belt, pronto.  There are infinite ways to make a no-bean hummus, so I encourage you to stray as far from my version as you wish.  Just try to stick to the basics (tahini-lemon-garlic) and the general proportions.  Other than that, just whip out that food processor* and start playing!  In my recipe, the zucchinis add bulk with relatively neutral flavor, and the pine nuts add both thickness and creaminess.  Don’t go too heavy on the tahini, or it will get bitter.

*If you do not have a food processor you can use a standard blender or a handheld blender, or even a potato masher if you’re determined 

Ingredients

2 medium zucchinis (about 3 cups chopped)  I leave the skin on for the nutrients and the fun green color, but you can peel them if you prefer.

1/3 cup raw pine nuts

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup raw tahini

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp fresh lemon juice plus zest

1/2 tsp dill

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients and mix until creamy.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Garnish with pine nuts, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of paprika or dill. 

Serve chilled with an assortment of your favorite fresh-cut vegetables.

This Sunday, March 1, was a double whammie of awesome.  Not only was it the 1-month birthday of this little baby blog (aw!), but more importantly, it was the kickoff of my marvelous 30-day RAWxtravaganza.  Yay!

Saturday was all about preparation and, I must admit, nervous anticipation.  I consider myself exceptionally healthful, but I’m still a devoted foodie, a shameless sweet-tooth, a hot sauce-aholic, a bit of a boozer, and a connoisseur of caffeine.  So suffice to say, this is going to be a big change for me.  And, it’s important to me to do it right.

Saturday morning I set off with a friend to attend an ‘Uncooking’ Class hosted by Laurie from the Healthy Kitchen.  What an amazing experience!  We learned how to make the most delicious creations, from ‘refried beans’ to a chocolate ganache torte, many of which I’ll be posting here over the next month.  It was very inspiring and certainly informative, and I left the class excited to get this experiment underway.  

Buuuuut, not before my last cooked meal!

After an evening of shopping for fun and fancy raw delicacies (to be reviewed), it was time to enjoy my final hot meal.  I chose a Thai feast from our favorite vegan Thai joint.  We got an appetizer plate, pineapple curry, and spicy yakisoba noodles. It was divine, mmmmm oh yes, simply divine.

And then, suddenly, it was Sunday morning, and time to commit.  I skipped my usual delicious Earl Grey and agave, and instead set about fixing my first ‘Green Smoothie’.  A Green Smoothie is simply a blend of fresh fruits or vegetables + some dark leafy greens, like spinach, kale, or chard.  People add all manner of extras, from soy/nut milks to sweeteners to nut butters to supplements, but all you really need are greens and fruit (for flavor).   And yes!, I had never made a Green Smoothie before, which is sort of unbelievable.    It was pretty fun to prepare, and definitely fun to drink.  My husband grimaced at the sight of my concoction, but was kind enough to take pictures.

My First Green Smoothie:

• 1 banana
• 1 orange
• 2 giant collard green leaves, de-ribbed
• a few ice cubes

Okay, it wasn’t the most exciting tasting beverage on the planet, but it was my first attempt!  I’m easing in to the process, and I want to be able to correctly taste my alterations as I make them.  This recipe isn’t stellar on it’s own, but I think it’s an ideal base.  Today I added a tomato and some lemon juice, which was also okay, but still not great.  It’s okay – I’m willing to work on it, and willing to drink my ‘mistakes’ in the process.  I’ll give up the good recipes once I uncover them!

This is what I ate on my first day RAW:

• Green Smoothie
• a banana
• 2 large carrots
• a date
• 1/2 a bottle of Kombucha
• a cacao truffle
• a handful of walnuts
• bean-free hummus (made w/ zucchini).  I made little ‘hummus tacos’ with romaine leaves and sprinkled vinegar, salt, and pepper over them.  I also just scooped the stuff up with carrots and celery. 

I wish I could say that I felt great and light and fresh and clean and all that happy jazz, but it just isn’t so.  No caffeine means a hardcore headache, and I am in full-on detox now.  It’s not fun, but it is important.  Before I did my Master Cleanse I was drinking a lot of coffee, so I wasn’t surprised by the painful detox I experienced.  But these days, I have almost entirely omitted coffee from my diet, and rely on tea instead.  Color me naive, but I did not expect this kind of a caffeine headache coming off of tea.  It’s surprising to know my body is so reliant on it.

And now?  I have a crisper packed to the brim with fresh fruits and veggies, plus a plethora of strange and exciting raw products to sample during this journey.  I’m looking forward to posting plenty of recipes and product reviews along the way! Here’s an idea of what I’m working with:

From Left: Kombucha, vinegar, romaine, sun dried raisins, jalepeño, flax seeds (whole), bananas, sunflower seeds, coconut oil, sea vegetable salad, fresh-crushed almond butter (ooh fancy!), tomato, 2 Larabars, seaweed noodles, miso, raw agave, pineapple, raw tahini, extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, orange, zucchini, lemon, garlic, sauerkraut, collard greens, carrots, kimchi, and walnuts.  Whew!