Is 'raw' more complicated?

This is the first thing most of my friends want to know.  It may be a comment like: "My husband would never go for that-or isn't it expensive?-or how do you find the time?- and my own query, don't you need hot food in winter?"  All potential life-complicators, for sure.

Raw food prep is really easier than cooking.  Axiomatic as that seems, it is not the way we have trained ourselves to view food.  A relatively small amount of planning and prep time can yield huge rewards.  I am a caregiver to my aging mom, whose dietary requirements are different than mine.  Typically, I prepare her food (cooked) as healthfully as possible and then prepare my own.  I find soups and mono or very simple salads to be the mainstays of my diet. On weekends, I prepare dishes that will help me through the busy workweek.  A chard or kale salad, marinated veggies, a salad dressing, some nut cheese, maybe a batch of crackers, bread or pizza crust, a few dehydrated sweets.  None of these takes more than a very few minutes of prep time, most will keep 3-4 days in the fridge.

Is it expensive?  I find I need, and in fact desire, smaller servings and less food overall.  I can only conclude that this is because what I eat nourishes me, and is more readily available for my body's needs because it comes in an enzyme rich 'complete package'.  The price of organic high quality produce is a bit higher than some other foods.  My food expenditure has not substantially changed, though what I buy has, for sure.

And the 'hubby', (or housemate, or children) who "would not eat this"-there are a couple possibilities that come to mind.  Most people are interested in trying food that 'looks delicious'.  So not only for your own enjoyment, but as a 'lure' so to speak, present your raw food as beautifully as possible.  My grandson ate two small servings of the white chocolate strawberry cheesecake at lunch on Sunday.  His skeptical dad who is a regular at Sunday 'brunch', confessed I am slowly winning him over.  He now wants to taste everything I offer.  He took left overs for lunch at work today!

Any increase in the quantity of raw in our diet is beneficial, raising our living vibrational energy and surprisingly, the more we eat raw, the more that is what we hunger for.  Such a good thing!  Simply offering something attractively presented can help open minds, and tummies.  O, and my mom, who cannot have most grains or any traditional sweets, thinks my raw desserts are gifts from the gods!  I believe she lives for the weekend knowing there is a beautiful dessert coming!

Winter, winter is cold.  So it seems hot food must be the antidote, right? I was among the most skeptical on this subject.  Now, I find that spicy foods that include warming ginger, cayenne, coriander,and other seasonings, soups made warm and sometimes spiced, and hot ginger lemonade are the cravings of winter.  Presently, I am drinking hot lemonade several times a day. If you are more into sweet beverages, there is almond milk cacao or cinnamon and ginger spiced apple juice, made warm.

Breakfast today was a superbly sweet and delicious pink grapefruit and avocado salad, consumed while sipping my hot ginger lemonade.  Having said far more than I thought to write, I will now get ready for work.