I couldn't go because only organic food was allowed. I wanted to make a fruit & nut pie, but couldn't find the ingredients in organic form, just nuts & berries. No pineapple or kiwi. I think the pie would have cost $20-$25 if I could have found organic. More $ than I could spend.

Even if I just brought fruit for 8 people it would have cost me about $20 for 3 pounds (tax included).


The organic fruit is VERY limited here and upwards of $5 a pound. I don't know how people do it. My budget is $150 for 2 weeks for 3 people for food and toiletries. I wish I could buy organic. The local health food store has apples, oranges,pears, and grapfruit and berries. That's it.

Frustrating..I just stayed home.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

Next time bring a salad

bummer .

WOnder if they would be cool with some sort of compromise. Maybe you can help set up or do some admin stuff for them in exchange for you participating. I'm sure they would not want to miss out on getting to know you just because of some rules you were unable to adhere to. I know I wouldn't!!

going along with cocoa nibs:

Talk to the person hosting it
volunteer to do some of the organization or clean up afterwards

Wendy,
For your next pot luck, how about making fruit and nut "truffle balls" with inexpensive organnic seeds and dried fruits with a little spice like cinnamon and vanilla bean (or a little vanilla extract) ..or even with some raw cacao or carob powder..?

When I was strictly limited by budget a while back, I made delish cheap organic fruit and nut ball treats with organic sunflower seeds ( like $2.oo a lb.)organic raisins ( super cheap, also like $ 3 or $4 per lb.) a little ground up organic flax seeds ( mega reasonable at around $2.oo lb) and if I was able to find good prices, I added some organic nuts, like a modest 1/2 lb - whichever was cheapest between the organic pecans, cashews or almonds, and threw that in as well. I would grind it all up in the food procesor with my fresh vanilla bean seeds and cinnamon untill it was nice and smooth. I would taste and adjust spice and sweetness as needed and then form into little balls and chill in the fridge till ready to go.

Dried organic turkish apricots are also super reasonable and very nice to mix in for a low cost sweetner with the raisins, or even instead of using raisins.

Hope this helps..

PEACE
Choco

choco is correct
sunflowers are like the cheapest nuts out there
u can get it in bulk

and raisins are cheap too
just grind sunflowers and put some raisins in it

roll it up

you are done

Thanks Choco! The lady is Chef Mandy of chefmandy.com. She charges $5 to come to the potluck, so I imagine it's a structured thing for her business. It's the only raw thing I've found in this area though, so I thought I might try it. Maybe I'll meet some people.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

Hey Wendy

I looked up Chef Mandy's site. She sounds pricey but knowledgable enough.

I think her $5.00 admission fee to the pot luck could be a suggested donation rather than required. You may want to check to be sure...

PEACE
Choco

I don't mind the $5, although I wish it was going to a cause. I just want to meet other raws. I wonder if I should post a raw gathering at my home on the health food store bulletin board? My hubby isn't cool with strangers, but maybe I could talk him into it.


WendySmiling in Oklahoma
www.16weeks2health.blogspot.com
12/17/10.......240/155/125

Where I live a lot of raw pot lucks happen at yoga centers in their off hours on weekends. Sometimes they happen at martial arts centers too.

Maybe you could connect and enroll your local yoga studio to be on board with the idea. Live vegan food creates prana and life force energy..They just might be interested. Especially if there is the potential for them to create more business through raw food people at the pot luck becoming their yoga students..

You could also charge a nominal entrance fee, like $3.00, lower than Chef Mandy's so it seems more accessable to all, and donate the proceeds to the yoga studio or to the yoga studio's cause (or charity) of their choice.

Over here, pot lucks are usually $3.00 a person if only to help compensate the host for all the purchased disposable utensils, napkins, cups, and clean up.

PEACE
Choco

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