HOW I GOT HERE:

I am 40, a 24-year vegetarian (10 of those vegan; only a year ago went back to lacto/ovo), a recovering alcoholic, and battling candidiasis (yeast infection of the intestines) which is crucial to my recovery.

I should also mention I am a generally good cook, go from "scratch" when I can (I like to: if I can cut it from the yard, I'm happiest), and interested in all "cooking". So while I only subscribe, currently, to vegetarian (I will my whole life), I'm naturally interested in things like macrobotics, ketosis and raw.

I've been on a candida diet for almost two months; barely better, and I've been beating my head off a wall trying to make food for me and my husband. Like vegetarian is sometimes hard enough: no grains?!... when everything starts bread, taco shell, over rice, like what's for dinner?! And that diet has no real vegetarian suggestions for dinner. Salad? I know how to make a salad: tell me how to satisfy my husband with a MEAL! He's open to trying anything with me, but if it doesn't feed him, he'll get cranky.

And I was raised in a Sicilian family; I crave that food. I've already invented a vegan version of everything. I'm an artist: I swear artists are often naturally creative cooks as well.

I was craving lasagna SO BAD but knew even the rice noodle version I do "no boil" to reduce gluten is a "no" to current healing, I thought about the awesome raw one I had at a restaurant here on my birthday a couple of years ago, knew it wouldn't be anti-candida-cleanse with some adjustments (no mushrooms, for instance), and looked for a recipe for basic concept.

That and I knew I wasn't going to wind up trying to figure out substitutes for meat and dairy like mad looking up a raw recipe...

I wound up here. I made the mock tuna salad instead, with sides of some of my usuals (technically raw, but never thought about it like that, and currently off fermented so no vinegar it's lemon) tomato/cucumber and three-bean salads. Joe (sexy hubby) loved it, and I notably felt better. I normally include at least 1/3 course raw every dinner, but never thought about it like that.

Three days later, we're both eating nothing but raw. The candidiasis is completely under control, when by their diet, not in over six weeks! OMG, I LOVE YOU!!! I kept calling it a "battle for my intestines"; after reading several articles here, I've no idea why raw's not suggested. They said it could take up to three months: I was crying thinking I'd suffer that long. It's also KILLED my craving for alcohol... feels so good, I'm "addicted to healthy"! I THANK YOU!

And Joe loves it... not tired after eating, and (thank you again) isn't eating the house! I've never, ever, seen him eat so little, and filled.

SO, THE QUESTIONS:

Okay, I'm fairly convinced; we've agreed to a month trial. And we're both moving towards growing our own food/preserving it for winter anyway, so this is fitting.

1. Point me to what a raw person keeps as a "pantry"? Like, what does my grocery list look like, what is essential to always have on hand?

2. I have an awesome food processor and blender. what other kitchen items are essential? I keep reading dehydrator and juicer: what else might I not own I probably need?

3. Most recipes (I understand why, from reading) say to soak or sprout or stuff... how does one plan like this?

I am normally completely spontaneous about cooking, er sorry, making a meal. I normally open the fridge, ask Joe "What three things call to you?", balance that against my thoughts, and make it up on the fly. Is this still possible? I HATE planning things.

Thank you all for being such a wonderful help to our healths!

Hey there. I will answer your questions to the best of my ability within my own perspective.

*1. Point me to what a raw person keeps as a "pantry"? Like, what does my grocery list look like, what is essential to always have on hand?

----Let's see... things I have on hand... sea salt..apple cider vinegar..extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil...dulse... those are some random things I can think of that aren't fresh foods. Things I keep in the pantry so to speak... but of course most of what I eat is fresh foods, and that depends on what you want to eat. Mainly, tons of greens, tons of fruit, tons of vegetables. Avocados are a huge staple for me.

*2. I have an awesome food processor and blender. what other kitchen items are essential? I keep reading dehydrator and juicer: what else might I not own I probably need?

---- I have a blender and a juicer. That's it. In my opinion food processing is just luxury. Nothing that can't be done with a knife and cutting board. I'm sure it's a nice thing to have, don't get me wrong, but you don't technically "need" any certain appliance to eat raw food.

*3. Most recipes (I understand why, from reading) say to soak or sprout or stuff... how does one plan like this?

---- Not sure I understand this question. You do it like you would do anything else you'd need for cooking something... you just do it, lol. Like for example, I'm having a dinner party tonight... and I'm making a raw vegan lasagna... this requires seed ricotta cheese that needs to ferment overnight. So yesterday I soaked and ground my sunflower seeds, let them ferment last night, then today I have them hardening in the fridge and I'll make my lasagna in about an hour, let it sit in the warm sun and "soften" for a few hours til my guests get here at 6... so yeah, it takes a little thought/planning, but nothing too hard.

As far as sprouts, I ALWAYS have sprouts growing in a constant rotation so they never run out.


I'm like you. I'm also an artist/writer/creative and preparing food from scratch came very naturally to me. I learned to cook from scratch when I went gluten free a few years ago. It's been so fun taking all that I learned over the years and expanding upon it by learning to make raw foods! The raw lasagna I mentioned, as well as raw chocolate mousse and (an amazing) raw vegan ranch dressing, have been my most successful "experiments" so far, but I've also had so much fun making about a million different salads too!

So from a fellow "natural chef" to another, I am so excited for you and the journey ahead of you!

Hopefully some other posters will have more advice for you, good luck!

I used to be a cook that used recipes (and have a ridiculous number of cookbooks), but then changed to a raw food diet.

At first I used raw recipes a lot. I even compiled them into files (see the Wraps Galore thread in the recipes forum). I also spent a lot of time initially entering what I ate on fitday.com to see how I was doing nutritionally. All of that was good for a while, though, because I got a lot of ideas and gained confidence in what I was doing.

Now I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal and am mostly spontaneous about what I make to eat. I go for variety and whatever food combo or monomeal strikes my fancy. It is liberating to be so flexible.

It is only challenging because it's new to you. Once you get the hang of it, I'll bet you'll think it's easier than ever.

Best wishes for real "happy meals"!


My favorite raw vegan

Wow this is great! So inspiring, thank you.

when you're ready read this book. "Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine" by Dr. Gabriel Cousens. He speaks specifically about candida. I have been on this for six weeks now and I see huge improvements but it is a raw vegan approach without the fruit though.

Good luck

Sandra