Raw Liberty

Mum, What can I have to eat?

'Mum, what can I have to eat?' is possibly the first thing my kids say as they walk through the door after school, very often followed by '...and don't say fruit!!!!'

Don't get me wrong, my kids love fruit (we have 3 fruit bowls!) and will often snack on fruit, but sometimes it just doesn't hit the spot, and they want something that little bit different. So I thought it high time I got creative and made some kid friendly snacks (not just for kids, suitable for us big kids too, don't you know!!!)

Remember fruit winders? Do they still exist? Rolls of sugary sticky yukkiness... Well that's what gave the inspiration for this snack. In fact I just suggested the idea to the kids and let them loose in the kitchen. This really is such a quick and easy recipe, it's child's play!!!

We made three flavours, but the possibilities are endless.

 

Strawberry Winders:

Blend 4 bananas, 10 strawberries and a date. Pour onto a paraflex sheet and dehydrate for 8 hours. Cut into strips and roll!

Blueberry Winders:

4 bananas, 1 punnet of blueberries, 1 date. Make as above.

Chocolate-Orange Winders:

4 bananas, 1 date, 1T cacao/carob powder, few drops of organic orange oil. Make as above.

Pinapple-Coconut Winders:

4 bananas, 1/4 pineapple, 2T coconut chips, 1 date. Make as above.

Get the idea? Simples!

 
 

Oh My Ooosha!!!

When people find out that I'm raw vegan (they tend to find out rather than me broadcasting it!) one of the things they say is that I must be so disciplined, depriving myself of 'naughties', and often follow it up by saying "I couldn't do that, I couldn't go without chocolate!"....What!!!!

Ok perhaps I need to put the record straight... Firstly, I'm not disciplined, I eat the food I love and the food that loves me (win win) and what's more, I most certainly do not deprive myself! I think it would be incredibly difficult to follow a lifestyle if you constantly feel that you are missing out on something and living in a deprived state! Although I don't have a particularly sweet tooth, I do lurve chocolate. I make my own raw chocolate orange (soon available from my website by the way ;) and have tried many comercially available raw chocolates over the years, which are all totally delicious...but then I came across Ooosha! created by the most talented raw chocolatier Amy Levin.

Amy is a genuine culinary genious who takes raw chocolate to a totally new and sublime level! Oh My Ooosha!!!! I have never come across such amazing raw chocolates, so decadent and deliciously tantalising to the taste buds, I'd defy anyone not to be impressed! In fact, I'd challenge anyone who turns their nose up at 'raw chocolate' as being 'second rate', to not fall in love with Ooosha chocolate and be left wanting more!

Amy creates a range of truly delicious chocolate delights, the perfect selection box for anyone who wants to treat themselves to nothing but the best, yet doesn't want to compromise their health. Certainly the best of both worlds!!!!

Check these out!!!

Almond Joy - a take on Bounty chocolate. Bounty was one of my favourite pre-raw treats, and I never thought I'd taste anything so heavenly!!!

Peppermint Paddy's - a take on Bendicts Mints. Wafer thin and deliciously minty, what could be a better way to end your raw evening meal?

Hazelnut Pralines - dreamily creamy centre, surrounded with a thin layer of chocolate and topped with with orange sugar. 

 

Violet Creams - OMGoddess amazingly delicate centre, surrounded with crisp chocolate and toped with a violet decoration.

 

Amazing eh?

Well what's more, Amy doesn't keep her talents to herself, she also shares her incredible creativity with others through her classes. The next class is in East Sussex on 26th February.  Although I can't make that one...:( attending one of Amy's classes is high on my 2011 to do list!!!

Sign up for "Advanced Raw Chocolate" with Ooosha and receive 20% off the normal price until February 17th.
Quote: RawLiberty

You can find out more about Amy, sample her recipes and check out details of her raw chocolate classes here: http://www.ooosha.co.uk/

 

Get Your Tonic Attack... Mine's Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass: can't get enough of this amazing natural health boost!

Wheatgrass has numerous health benefits, including being known as an alternative cancer therapy! Drinking wheatgrass juice helps your body to build red blood cells which carry oxygen to every cell. It purifies the blood and organs and counteracts acids and toxins in the body. It also helps to increase the enzyme level in our cells, which aids the rejuvenation of the body and the metabolism of nutrients.

Wheatgrass is nutrient-rich, containing 17 amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins. The body makes use of these amino acids in many ways including building muscle tissue, repairing cells and clotting the blood.  Wheatgrass is a rich natural source of vitamins A and C. In fact apparantly wheatgrass has more vitamin C than oranges and twice the vitamin A of carrots. It is also exceptionally rich in vitamins E, K, and B-complex and is a natural source of laetrile (B-17).

When wheat grows in the wild,apparantly it retains 92 of the 102 minerals found in the soil. These minerals include calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and potassium. It then converts the nutrients from the soil into many things, including chlorophyll, which forms the green juice in the plant. At a molecular level, Chlorophyll is almost identical to our blood. The main difference being that iron is the central element in haemoglobin, whereas for chlorophyll it is magnesium.

Ann Wigmore is responsible for the popularity of wheatgrass juice. In The Wheatgrass Book she provides the reader with a detailed description of wheatgrass, its properties, uses and its remarkable regenerative and anti-aging abilities - and she also includes the method of growing and juicing it. Well worth a read if you're interested in learning more about this wonder food.

Over the years I've tried various ways of including wheatgrass in my diet, as I believe totally in it's health benefits even tho I'm not mega keen on the taste! I've tried wheatgrass powder...not a success, I even found the pot lurking at the back of the cupboard way out of date! I've tried juicing my own...although probably the best, it took one child to hold the manual juicer to the side, another to wind the handle whils I fed the wheatgrass through the top! Way too much hassle first thing in the morning before the school run. I've tried frozen wheatgrass cubes... Lovely, but I always forgot to get them out of the freezer in time to defrost before leaving for work!

...and now I've found the solution! Tonic Attack!

Tonic Attack have taken all the hassle out of wheatgrass, no excuses, just open the tube and drink!!!

Tonic Attack's wheatgrass juice (they also sell Broccoli Sprout Juice) is supplied in handy packs of 7 x 33ml recyclable tubes, which provide a week’s supply at the recommended daily intake. The wheatgrass is packed at high pressure, which means it can be mailed without needing to be chilled, and yet there is no deterioration. It apparantly has a shelf life of two months, tho I've never kept it that long. It's even designed to fit through the letterbox, so you don't have to wait in for delivery, or get the frustration of having to collect it from the sorting office.The pack costs just £13 which includes postage. I've set up a repeat order, so each week a fresh supply just pops through my letterbox! What could be easier or more perfect?

http://www.tonicattack.com/content/home

Spicy Red Pepper Soup

I treated myself to a day in the kitchen today, preparing lots of delicious raw delights including pesto kale chips, parsnip rice, unroasted veg, carrot and onion bread...then alerted by a grumbling from the depths of my stomach at around 3 pm, I realised I hadn't eaten since my wheatgrass shot this morning! Time for raw fast food! A throw everything in the blender and whizz type of recipe!

...and here it is, Spicy Red Pepper Soup!

 


Handful of cherry tomatoes
2 red bell peppers
1/4 t pink himalayan salt
1/4 cup pre-soaked Almonds*, or 2-3T almond butter
Dash of Olive Oil
Handful of Basil Leaves
1/2T paprika and 1/2T cayenne, adjust according to taste
1 medjool date

Blend until smooth and creamy and serve. Voila! Lunch in less than 5 minutes. Raw is definitely the ultimate fast food!

The addition of almonds gives this soup a creamy consistency, but also add to the nutritional benefits. They provide a good source of protein and also have essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, zinc, magnesium and calcium.

*I always soak nuts and seeds before use as it releases the enzyme inhibitors, and also makes them much easier to digest. Soak the almonds for around 8 hrs (I usually do this overnight) and rinse well. 

Get REAL!

Get REAL!        

I’ve been feeling a little low recently, emotionally and physically, for reasons I won’t go into here...

...so what do us girls reach for at times like these?

 Chocolate!

 What else? Nothing else hits the spot in quite the same way does it?

But not Cadbury’s for me? Nooooooooooo! I’m working really hard on self love, looking after my body and spirit, and tucking into sugar and dairy loaded refined **** doesn’t exactly fit the bill! I've always believed that you eat **** you feel **** so then you eat more ****! It's a vicious circle, that I definitely intend not to get caught up in. What I needed is something to treat myself to that was not only totally, indulgently delicious but also something that would be good for me and love me back.

This is where I get REAL...REAL Raw Energy And Living Food! 

I got wind of the fact that my lovely friend Francine, the beautiful, talented lady behind REAL, makes the most amazing raw chocolates! She kept that secret talent well hidden!!!  Francine is without a shadow of a doubt, a raw goddess, and puts her love and passion for healthy, yummy raw food into the amazing chocolates she makes.

Yesterday morning a delicious array of Francine’s REAL raw chocolates arrived courtesy of my lovely postman:

Orange Segments

Chocolate Praline Truffles

Peppermint Pieces

Mango Delights

 

OOOOOOOOOOooooooh I’m in chocolate Heaven! Healthy indulgence! Where do I start!!! Thank you Francine xxx

 

Just a side note to those who think it takes strong will power to stay raw, and that we are depriving ourselves of indulgent treats….NO WAY! With such amazing chocolates as these, raw living is amazing!

 

What's in the Box?

What’s In The Box?

Over the last couple of months, I’ve finally got round to doing something that’s been on my mind for simply ages...ordering an organic fruit and vegetable delivery! Now I’m wondering why it took me soooo long...Slow or what?

The company I order from is Riverford Organic, www.riverford.co.uk  The Riverford box scheme began when Guy Watson started delivering vegetables locally to 30 friends in Devon. They now deliver around 47,000 boxes a week to homes around the UK from their regional sister farms, one of which is just 20 minutes from me! Although not all the produce is locally grown, it all comes from organic farms, and is always beautifully fresh and bursting with flavour!

Each fortnight, I’ve been excited to discover what’s in my box, and what tantalising tastetastic recipes I can create from the contents...it’s a bit like’ Ready Steady Cook’, only without the ‘cook’ bit of course ;) This week’s box contained the beautiful and yet unusual looking Romanesco Cauliflower, which has inspired this series of blogs: ‘What’s in the Box?’ -  a fortnightly look at my organic box, and what delectable recipes I create from its seasonal contents. This kinda challenge is fun for me, being a throw-it-together-and-see chef when preparing food for myself ( I’m sadly still the only one eating raw in my home; I do go to greater lengths with my recipes when preparing raw recipes for other people, I hasten to add!  ;) ); but I hope my ideas will also serve to inspire you to be creative with your seasonal fruit and vegetables.

So...What’s in the Box this week?

 

Romanesco Cauliflower

Broccoli

Spinach

Tomatoes

Oranges

Bananas

 

This week’s recipes are already exciting me!

 

Orange and Bee Pollen

 
 

This was my choice of breakfast from the incredibly extensive buffet at the hotel my family stayed at in Lanzerote this summer. Yes...I was amazed to find bee pollen there – located right next to the peanut butter and nutella of all places!!!

 

Peel and thickly slice the oranges.

Sprinkle with lots of bee pollen.

 

And that’s it! Doesn’t come any more simple than that! If you can resist the temptation to eat it straight away, leave for half an hour, the juice from the oranges combines with the bee pollen to produce a delicious sauce, mmmmmmm!

 

Sunshine Smoothie

 
 

Blend: 1 banana, 2 oranges, 2 handfuls of spinach – or more if you’re a green queen like me ;) and a handful of soaked goji berries....and Volia! Simple, delicious and super nutritious breakfast, or whenever!

 

Broccoli Bonkers

 
 

This recipe is taken from Kate Magic’s ‘Raw Magic’ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raw-Magic-Revolution-Kate-Wood/dp/095439772X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287841788&sr=8-1

Basically it's broccoli, tahini and lemon, with some other 'magical' ingredients...I  topped mine with a sprinkle of Crystal Manna, just ‘cos I  love to sparkle!, and served it with cucumber and yellow pepper! Amazingly tastastically bonkers!!! And seriously filling! I may well use the leftovers in nori rolls for lunch tomorrow!

 

Romanesco Salad

The Romanesco is a relative of the common cauliflower, and is so strikingly beautiful; a brilliant light green colour, displaying a perfectly natural pattern of spiraling points. The beauty and  geometry of this plant is reason enough to display it as part of a centrepiece.  It’s flavour is slightly milder than that of traditional cauliflower and it is totally delicious raw.

 

For the Salad:
1 Romanesco cauliflower chopped into small florets
1 cup green beans, sliced
1 cup tomatoes, deseeded and chopped into wedges
½ cup spring onions, chopped

For the Pesto Dressing:
3 cloves of garlic
zest and juice of one lemon
1 large bunch of basil
cold-pressed olive oil
1 cup raw walnuts/ pinenuts
½ t Himalayan salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper

Prepare all of your salad vegetables as above and toss in a large bowl.

For the pesto, place the garlic cloves in a food processor and chop finely. Add the lemon zest and juice, basil and nuts and process again until all of the nuts have been finely chopped and the ingredients are well combined. Pour the pesto over the veggies and toss well to coat.

 

Loving Raw Cabbage? Surely Not?

Sadly, in many households, the mere mention of cabbage leads to upturned noses and excuses to leave the table! In some countries, the cabbage is a delicious and nutritious staple, yet to many in the western world cabbage is only recognised as an ingredient of coleslaw...and then by the addition of mayonnaise, hydrogenated fats and many other unpronounceable ingredients, the health benefits of cabbage are completely written off!

So why am I blogging about cabbage you may ask? Well, I'm on a mission to promote this nutritious vegetable, which is sturdy, strong and abundant at this time of year. It's hardy and easy to grow, which means that many green fingered folk out there have rows of them in their vegetable patch, yet have no idea what to do with it! A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine, who knows I eat raw food, tentatively asked, 'Do you eat cabbage?' and ever since, has been supplying me with the most wonderful cabbages freshly gathered from her garden. I've also been asked by a couple of friends for suggestions as to what to do with their cabbages aside from blending and juicing, one friend even tucked into a plate of raw cabbage - nothing else, said he felt like a rabbit!!! So I've come up with a few delicious recipe ideas for you, just to prove that cabbage isn't just rabbit food...

...but first, let me tell you some of the reasons you should include cabbage in your diet. Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, something to do with the cross shaped pattern of their leaves. Cabbages are rich in fibre and provide a phenomenal source of vitamin C. Cabbages also contain the naturally occurring, nitrogenous compound: indoles, which have been found to reduce the risk of various forms of cancer. Not bad eh?

Cabbages are relatively cheap, (and low in calories - not that I ever count calories) making them a welcome addition to the raw diet, and yet they are amazingly rich in terms of protective vitamins:

Vitamin A: which is responsible for the protection of skin and eyes.

Vitamin C: an all important anti-oxident and helps mitochondria (the part of the cell responsible for energy production) to burn fat.

Vitamin E: a fat soluble anti-oxident which helps the skin

Vitamin B: which helps maintain the function of nerve endings and boost metabolic energy.

Modern scientific research has proved the many health benefits of cabbage. Extracts of cabbage have been found to kill certain viruses and bacteria, it can boost the immune system's ability to produce more antibodies, and it can also help to cleanse the digestive system due to its iron and sulphur content.

There are many different varieties of cabbage, the most popular being the green cabbage (aka spring greens/collards) which I'm using in the recipes below. There's also the Savoy cabbage which has green/yellow crinkled leaves, (you can use this variety of cabbage as an alternative in my recipes). Then theres Bok Choy, which is a welcome addition to stir un-fries and has a sweet, light, celery type of taste. Then there's the beautiful Red Cabbage - tho why it's called 'red', when it's a delicious purple colour escapes me? It goes without saying that the red cabbage simply has to be good for you since all that beautiful plant pigment is where the majority of its nutrition is stored. Red cabbage is beautiful in salads. Then there's, Napa cabbage, cavolo nero.... fabulous variety and taste!

Ok, now you have an idea why you shoud be eating cabbage, here's some cabtastic recipes to tantalise your tastebuds.

Cab-Berry Smoothie

Blend: 1/4 red cabbage, 1 apple, 1 banana, 1 cup frozen mixed berries and water to the desired consistency. I like to eat my smoothies like a pudding, out of a wine glass with a spoon..how decadent!

Summer Rolls

Finely slice: 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 courgette, 1 avocado, and any other veg that take your fancy, such as mushrooms, spring onions, aspagagus etc.

Blend: 1 red pepper, 1 clove garlic, 3T tahini, juice of 1/2 lemon, pinch of salt.

Take the outside leaf of your cabbage (I used spring greens), de-vein if the vein is too thick. Lay this on a plate and top with the sliced veg at one end. Add a drizzle of the red pepper dressing and roll up like a wrap.

These are lovely eaten with your hands using the rest of the dressing as a dip!

Curly Cabbage Salad

Slice your cabbage and put into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, a pinch of salt and 2T nutritional yeast.

Massage these into the cabbage, squeezing quite firmly. This breaks down the cell walls and allows the cabbage to soften, making it more palatable.

This can form the base of your salad, feel free to add whatever takes your fancy: chopped tomatoes, avocado, spring onions, red pepper, pine nuts etc.

 

 

 

Crispy Crunchy Greens

Prepare the curly cabbage salad as above, then transfer to the Dehydrator and dehydrate for a few hours til crispy. (That's if you can wait, I love the warm wilted cabbage straight from the D!) This makes a lovely snack, or crispy topping for any salad/soup.

Curried Cabbage Slaw

Thinly slice your cabbage and place in a bowl.

Add a drizzle of olive oil and tamari,juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2t ground cumin, 1/2t ground coriander, 1/2t turmeric.

Massage into the cabbage as before.

Add 2T sesame seeds, 2T shredded coconut and toss.

This can be dehydrated for a couple of hours to soften and allow the flavours to develop.

These are just a few of my favourite recipes. The possibilities are endless. Have fun, experiment, and no longer neglect the humble cabbage!

Powerful Protein

One of the most common questions I get asked when people discover I eat raw food (note: this is something they discover as opposed to me walking around advertising the fact and imposing my choices on everyone I meet!) is "Where do you get your protein?" If I had a pound for everytime I was asked that....well who know's where I'd be!

 

The arguments for and against vegetable vs animal protein are way too complex to go into here, and there has been so much written about this topic; but I wanted to share with you, one of my favourite protein boosts (apart from dark leafy greens, of which I eat large amounts on a daily basis)...sometimes the simple things are the best, and nutritionally the humble hemp seed offers a whole host of benefits, and plays a part in my diet most days.

 

Aside from the fact that hemp can be used as a material for clothes, as a construction material for eco homes, it is also one of the most nutritious, complete foods, and is one of the most environmentally kind crops! Not bad for a little eco seed!

 

Out of over three million edible plants on our planet, no other single plant source can compare nutritionally with the hemp seed. The complete protein and the essential oils that are contained in hemp seeds are in ideal ratios for humans. Unlike soya beans, which have to be sprouted or cooked, 65% of the protein content is in the form of globulin edestin, so that it can actually be used by the body in it's raw state, making it perfect for those following a raw food diet.

 

One of the most exciting things about hemp is it's protein content. The amino acid content of hemp (that's the building blocks of protein) is almost complete, rivalling the protein in meat, eggs and soy. Protein is invaluable for growth, repair and maintenance of the body, as well as being necessary for beautiful skin, glossy hair and strong nails, something we all aspire to having!

 

I don't profess to know or even fully understand the science behind the protein content of hemp; I'm no scientist by any stretch of the imagination, but I read that hemp contains arginine and histidine which are important for immunity and healing wounds, cell growth, and methionine and cysteine which are detoxifying.  Hemp oil has the perfect balance of the easily absorbable fatty acids, omega 3, 6 and 9, which help to increase the metabolic rate, which helps maintain a healthy weight, and are vital for maintaining a strong and healthy body and mind. Sounds good to me!

 

So, we know that hemp is good for us...but how to include it in our diet?

 

Hemp seeds have a lovely nutty flavour and are extremely versatile. Whole hemp seeds need to be soaked and sprouted or ground before they can be eaten, unless you don't mind the crunch that is! Ready shelled hemp seeds are an easier option and are delicious sprinkled on salads, or soups. I've even been known to eat them with a spoon straight from the packet as a snack!

 

Hemp seeds can be blended with water to make hemp milk (adding date for sweetness if you have a sweet tooth).This is a wonderful alternative to soy or cow's milk. Hemp alergies are virtually unknown, and this nutritious milk is quick and easy to make, is easily digestable and rivals most shop-bought milks.

 

Hemp oil is excellent in salad dressings,  and in fact should not be cooked as the omega 3 and 6 oils become rancid! I love a green salad, with avocado and spring asparagus tossed in hemp oil and lime juice.

 

Hemp seeds can be added to smoothies, one of my favourites is my protein berry smoothie, see below...

 

This recipe is quick and easy and packs a prefect protein punch! 

 

Blend: 1 banana, 1 cup raspberries (you can use frozen ones on a hot day!), 1 date, 2T hemp seeds, 2 large handfuls spinach, 1T maca, 1t vanilla powder, coconut water - vary amount depending on how thick you like your smoothies.

Top with hemp seeds, goji berries and cacao nibs.

 

Mmmmmmmm!

Raw in Suffolk: Part 2

I enjoyed my weekend in Suffolk so much in April, that I had no option to go back again last weekend. In spite of major car troubles the previous week, but that's another story...

Over the past few months, I have been really working on self love, and one area I have determined to bring into my life is the all important me time! As a busy working mum, I often feel like I'm constantly spinning plates: work, home, kids, football, gym, cleaning, more work, ironing... you get the picture, it's so easy to get caught up in everything and lose your sense of self. I'm sure many, many people can relate to this. This year, I decided that each month, I would try to take time out of this chaos just for me. Sounds selfish? Yes that's what I thought too, but now I realise that this is actually necessary for me to cope with everything that life throws at me, and will benefit my family and work life in the long run.

To that end, I headed down to Suffolk to stay with Jenny at the UKs first Raw Vegan B&B (hopefully this will be the first of many!) in my 'only just fixed, soon to break down again' car!

Jenny and I took Ralph-her most adorable dog (and believe me, from a non-doglover, that is some compliment!) for a walk in her magical wood, which is now carpeted with the most beautiful bluebells I have ever seen.

Last month I sat in the 'manifestation tree' and gave gratitude for what I have in my life and opened myself to receiving new opportunities both in my personal and working life.

Since that day, the magic has truly been happening, with opportunities literally knocking at my door, well in my inbox to be precise! More about this to come another time, when these opportunities become more concrete.

Last weekend I went back to the same tree, reflecting on all the opportunities that had presented themselves to me, and asked for a sign that this was the right path. Shortly afterwards I found a white feather, and have been finding them ever since. To me the white feather represents a sign from the angels, that they're watching and that I'm making the right decisions.

There is so much synchronicity happening at the moment, it's not coincicence, it's co-incidence!!! I can really feel the magic happening! Watch this space!

I really value the opportunity to reconnect with who I truly am, time to meditate, connect with my spirituality and just be. This is the perfect place for me to do all of this, and I really feel rejuvenated; ready to face the world again, knowing that I can do so, staying true to myself whatever life may throw at me.

Another major factor in enabling me to stay true to myself is the opportunity to connect with like minded people and share a meal with people who aren't going to question my every mouthful or think I'm a freak!!! Jenny's monthly potlucks provide the perfect opportunity to do this. I'd recommend everyone who's feeling raw isolation to check out local potluck groups, and if you can't find one...start one!

A couple of days ago, my Mum told me she was telling someone who's into yoga and health, about me following a raw food lifestyle, only to find herself defending me to the comment "that doesn't sound much fun"... if only this person had seen our feast, the food was heavenly...

This was my first attempt at chocolate fudge cake,

layers of chocolate, chocolate cream and raspberry, mmmmmmmm! I'll definitely make this one again!

Jenny's Chocolate dipped strawberries...I can't believe she made them without licking her fingers!

These were by far my favourite treat!

I love greens salad!

Kelly's burgers, perfect with her tomato sauce and crispy onions!

Jenny's lasagne...I still find it hard to think that people actually make my recipes lol!!!

 

 

Sarah's Essene Bread

Lemon Cream Pie. Yes, even though I'm a savoury girl at heart, I made two puddings! Feeling very pleased with myself lol!

  

 

 

My lunch...now who says eating raw is no fun?!!!  

Raw Food House Party

We all know the importance of support when we take that step away from the 'norm' that society imposes on us, and choosing the raw path, is certainly one hellova step away from the norm! Particularly for me, being the only person choosing this way of living and eating in my family, it would have been hard if not virtually impossible for me to stick to my raw journey without support from other people who share my values.

Over the past few years, I have made some truly amazing people, with whom I have connected on so many levels.  This has really helped me stay true to my self and inspired me to keep going when things get rough. Now my closest friends are spread all round the country!

If you've been following my blog, you'll know how far I'm prepared to travel to maintain this support network...there was the mad trip to the Glasgow Meetup...three hours drive to Glasgow and two more to find the venue!!!, thanks to an inverted Google map and dyslexic receptionist for not helping me in any way whatsoever! Fortunately the lovely Gail had thought to save me some food otherwise I'd have travelled all that way for nothing, and would have just had to munch on 20 raw samosas that were in the back of my car!!! I'm grateful to Emma and Gail and their partners for stopping behind to chat after the meetup otherwise it would have been a bit of a wasted trip!

After this event, I was finally convinced that a sat nav was vital if I'm to stay raw and sane!!!! So, sat nav fully installed and the world is my oyster (not sure what the raw equivalent of this phrase is, but rest assured, no oyster is going to cross my lips!) So my next potluck destination was...Suffolk! Four and a half hours away!!!! This is getting ridiculous! ...Sadly for my poor car, a weekend in Suffolk with Jenny is just not to be missed, beautiful company, location and food, ( check back to my blog on 22/04/10) and since she holds potlucks every month, I guess that's where I'll be headed!

So, three hours north, or four and a half south...there must be something closer to home!!! And there is!!! This is when I discovered the Raw Food House Party!

It's a goup of wonderful people in and around Manchester (yes only 30 mins away!) who meet every month for a potluck and a chat! And that's where I found myself last night! Great company, and fabulous raw food, what more could anyone want in an evening!!!!

Fabulous spread!

My plateful, just had to try everything!

Broccoli and cauliiflower sushi

Curried mixed vegetables

So, my raw diary is getting full, as is my tummy lol!

This week I've been on a course where lunch was provided in the canteen. As we walked to the canteen the smells wafted down the corridor.......'Mmmmmmmm' was the general concensus of opinion around me, and me? ...holding my breath! Does our sense of smell really change that much when we go raw? Guess it does. Those cooked smells did nothing for me, and certainly didn't tempt me into the canteen! So if you're struggling to stay raw, believe me, if you stick with it, it does get easier, your senses will help you out! Luckily I'd brought my own salad and crackers, and braved the comments of...'Ooh you're sooo healthy!'

Oh, and I forgot to mention that we were split into groups according to our favourite Celebrations chocolate!!! Um...where does that leave me!!!

It's amazing how different it feels to be actually sharing a meal, rather than just sitting at the same table as someone whos is eating something totally different! And preparing food that is enjoyed by others is a real bonus! 

So, if you're struggling to stay raw, keep up your support networks, they're invaluable, and you'll be surprised hoew many groups there are springing up around the country, so you don't have to go to quite the lengths that I do!!!