03 May 2012

There's a RAW-volution going on

For anyone that's known me for more than a year, you'll know that last year my mom, Jared and I did a 30 day Raw Food Challenge, which turned into about 6 months of us eating pretty exclusively raw.  It was fantastic.

Then... I got pregnant.  And, for the next 9 months I pretty much ate whatever I felt like, whenever I felt like it.  I'd like to blame my amazing ability to put on pounds in pregnancy on genetics, but I think it has more to do with the late night ice cream runs and the indulgences all along the way.

Seeing as summer (and the cabin!) is just 2 months away, and I'd like to naturally and healthily drop the extra weight I'm carrying, two weeks ago Jared and I started eating raw again.

Now, lest I seem totally vain and only concerned about my appearance, let me tell you another story - the story of baby brother and his terrible skin!  When baby was born his skin was already pretty dry. Even though he was only 39 weeks gestation, he was definitely full term. He had no vernix left on him to protect him.  In the days that followed his already dry skin broke out into a horrible rash, with little sores all over his body.  I couldn't help but notice that the rash was aggravated when I ate certain things.  I'm not entirely certain, but I think MSG, gluten, and refined sugar were the main culprits.

So, with a baby covered in sores, and a lot of weight to be lost, we have embarked on another raw food adventure!  It was hard for the first week or so, but I think that I have fallen back into the good habits I developed last year, and I'm finding it's no trouble at all. It helps that I already know the recipes and the work involved in each.  We've basically just picked a few of our favourites, and will recycle them over and over for two months.  There are a few more involved recipes that I will tackle every once in a while, but basically, we will stick with the simple.

I do love opening my fridge and seeing it full of fresh fruits and veggies (you will notice some non-raw things in there too: they are for the boys, who are not eating only raw.)


And, really, there's nothing to complain about when this is what you get to eat.  That's a cauliflower couscous salad, onion bread with cashew quiche, and some veggies (or are avocados and tomatoes fruit? I never know.)

 

And, what really makes raw food not just bearable, but delightful: raw desserts!


Auntie Phoebe came home from Paris where she's been for the semester, and I made this raw strawberry cheesecake to celebrate. It was, I assure you, absolutely delish. In fact, it's all I ate for lunch the next day.

The boys (excepting Silas, who was in the worst mood in the world) were as excited to see Phoebe as I was to see the strawberry cheesecake. Welcome home, Phoe.  

 


4 comments:

  1. That cheesecake- I can taste it- or atleast I dream that I can- it looks delicious....

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  2. Avocado...definitely a fruit...tomato's...who knows... but I wouldn't put them in a fruit salad so my guess is no.

    Okay a couple of questions...
    My kids are very sensitive to foods...this starts at day one so I try to clean up my diet and figure out what is what early on with them to avoid the horrendous eczema experience we had with Ben. When I tried doing a high raw vegan diet when breastfeeding with Jacob I found that I was detoxng too quickly for him...considering breast milk is the last place the body will filter toxins to I must have been pretty toxic?! But he got really yucky green and runny poop. Probiotics cleaned it up quickly but I backed off a little bit. Have you noticed anything like that with "newbabywithnoname" (he's GOT to have a name now!? a secret name??? a few top choices?!) I am packing it on pretty good and would like to know what your experience has been like since I would like to eat a whole lot better once some self control returns (PC mint cookies and cream ice cream is to blame alone for the last ten pounds!) Anyway...you don't need to post this, I am just curious what your experience with detox symptoms might be.

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  3. To be honest, Jenn, while I've indulged pretty significantly, I still eat very clean. As organic as I can, and limit a lot of stuff. I don't use any plastic in storing my food (excepting the giant plastic lined fridge...) That, plus the fact that I had done raw for the 6 months before I got pregnant, I don't think I have much detoxing going on. I was worried about it before I did raw last year, as I was nursing Silas at that time, but again, I didn't have any significant detox symptoms. That being said, I wouldn't go on the Master Cleanse or jump in an infrared sauna any time soon. I think you have to gauge it with your own symptoms.

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  4. Awesome! If you would like to pass along any no sugar, grain, dairy recipes I woul love them! So fun to follow our journeys.

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