Hello all, I am new and would love some help transitioning my vegan diet to raw.
=)
The most concern I have is for beans and breads.
My biggest question is HOW do you eat raw beans? (I had thought that they needed cooking in order to be edible?)
and How do you eat raw grains? or "make" them into a bread-type substitute?

As far as eating fruits and veges that works fine for me! But the other part of my diet (beans and grains) is still a blank slate in the raw department.

Does anyone have suggestions for eating grains or legumes without cooking? Or any tips for getting bread and legumes out of the picture (if that be necessary)??

Obviously I still have a lot to learn but these first two steps will help A LOT!
I appreciate your support =) !!!!

Hello
Only got a few minutes spare so won't go into too much detail.....
grains and beans can be eaten raw if they are sprouted (soaked, rinsed, drained and allowed to begin germinating/sprouting). I personally don't like to eat sprouted beans or pulses, they give me indigestion! But as a transition food they are ok. I personally sprout a lot of seeds, like alfalfa, sunflower, pumpkin and hemp. I make milks, pates and dressings with them.
Sprouted grains are great for transitioning away from bread. Most commercial sprouted grain breads are actually cooked at low temps, but are still much more healthy than conventional breads. Especially at the beginning of any raw transition, you might feel the need to include foods that really 'fill you up.'
I've even seen recipes for raw sprouted grain milks, although i haven't tried this myself.
Hope that's useful
shell x

*************************************
www.therawkitchen.blogspot.com ~ My Raw Blog

Thanks for your reply!!

I have bought the sprouted bread before, but I didn't think that it was considered raw, so I was interested in seeing if there was another option... can I buy grains at the store and "make" a bread substitute myself?

Also with legumes, how long should they soak? I tried soaking black eyed peas the past couple days but they take so long to soften that I didn't think it was possible to eat without cooking a little. Does sprouting soften them?
Thanks again,
Case

Hello Vegcase,

Try sprouted mug beans, lentils & sugar peas.

Food for Life has sprouted bread & corn tortillias. They're baked at low temps., 250 degrees for a longer time. Not raw, but a much better choice for cooked food.

Rawsome makes raw corn chips, and many raw food restaurants make corn tostada & corn toco shells. These are lower in fat, because the corn is the base ingrediant.

Some health food stores carry raw sprouted grain breads. I haven't tryed them, but I hear people really like them.

You can also try making your own.

Hi Case,
when sprouting legumes (such as mung, lentil, aduki, chickpea) you probably want to soak overnight at least, and then let them grow a tail for a few days, They are edible raw, but i know some people who can only digest them when they have been cooked a little. There is some lovely information about sprouts at this site: [www.herbsarespecial.com.au]
Buying sprouted breads is ok as a transitionary element in your diet. They really helped me to transition towards a lighter diet. You can make raw bread, most recipes require a dehydrator, or perhaps you could experiment using your oven on low with the door open if you don't own one...
xox

~~~~~~~~~
my blog @ [www.therawkitchen.blogspot.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2007 05:26PM by tamu.

You can probably eat very modest quantities of sugar snap peas or snow peas raw.

Or sprouted mungs when they are very long, things like that.

If you want grains, I assume you like them crispy, you can either sprout them and then dehydrate, or put some raw corn in the blender and dehydrate.

I sometimes put raw corn in my salads.

are those frozen breads at krogers that are Sprouted raw? they talk on their package about their "patented special baking process" but i didn't buy any cause i felt heavy thinking nad looking at the loaf....

ne one know?

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