This time of year tends to be when we find it hardest to eat raw food, because we’re mostly thinking about how cold and lacking in comfort-factor raw fruit and veg can be. This tip is here to help you easily up your raw intake, from today, and love doing it!
On my own raw journey, once I realised there was such a thing as warm raw foods, and gave myself permission to eat ‘high raw’ as opposed to 100% raw in the winter it changed my life and my health.
Winter used to be a time of year that I dreaded, knowing that trying to eat raw food was going to be a loosing battle and I’d end up eating rubbish once again. Most raw foodies, if they fall of the ‘raw food wagon’ will tend to jump onto the refined sugar, flour and dairy train, finding it hard to find a middle ground. And that’s what I did in the winter until I relaxed and stop trying to be 100% raw and discovered how to warm raw foods and which raw foods are considered ‘warming’ on the constitution by ancient Chinese and Ayuverdic medicine. So, are you ready to get eating high raw the simple way? If you are, read on …
My Top 3 Tips for Eating More Raw Food in Winter
1) Boil the kettle! It’s really that simple. Here’s my ABC of the boiled kettle … a) Heat your plates and bowls before putting your food in them by pouring boiling water and letting them sit for 3-5 minutes, b) To warm sauces, soups and smoothies use warm water when blending – combine 2/3 boiling water with 1/3 cold water in jug and add to your blender with your fresh fruit & veg, c) Heat your raw food in a ‘bain-marie’ or ‘waterbath’ by filling a large bowl or saucepan with just-boiled water and standing a smaller bowl with your raw meal in it. Stir until your food is warmed up.
2) Take your food out of the fridge 2-3 hours before eating it. We think that it’s hot food that we crave, but often you’ll find that it’s ‘cold’ food that we DON’T want and bringing your ingredients to room temperature before eating is enough. Salads at room temperature are much more enjoyable than cold salads in winter.
3) Warm your food in the oven, on the lowest heat and with the door slightly ajar, or in a dehydrator. You will want to leave your dish in the dehydrator or oven for 2-3 hours to warm it through.
4) Eat ‘combination’ meals, combining a high proportion of raw with something cooked, e.g. a warm raw soup (using the method described in 1)) with toasted wheat-free toast, using rye or sprouted bread, or a raw curry with a serving of fresh cooked brown rice, or a room temperature salad with a raw pate and baked sweet potato. The possibilities are endless if you’re happy not to be 100% raw.
Eating a high proportion of raw food with some clean cooked foods will keep you healthy and sparkly all winter so give these warming ideas a go and see how much more satisfying raw food can be even when it’s cold.
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