Beginning a raw food lifestyle...?

I'm really interested in becoming a raw foodist. I can't afford a spirilizer or a dehydrator, but I do have a blender. Does anyone have any tips or advice to help me on this journey? Though I would like to lose somewhere around 20 lbs., it's not all about weight loss...I want to feel better as a whole. So, any tips, tricks, advice, recipes, grocery lists, etc, would be very helpfulBeginning a raw food lifestyle...?
Hi!!



I lost 30 pounds in two months eating raw foods. I am going after the next 30. Subscribe to my blog and learn more:

http://www.bjaysblog.blogspot.com



I started with just a blender. It's still the main item I use. I don't have a spirulizer....if I want to cut veggies into thin strips - like turn squash into "noodles" I use a potato peeler.



I just recently started to experiment with dehydrating. While it's nice to make the crackers and stuff, it isn't necessary. The dehydrator I use right now is a $25 Ronco dehydrator I got from Target. I got the version without a fan, hoping it was gentler on the food. It doesn't have a temperature gauge, so it likely could be over the ideal temperature...but many don't consider dehydrated food "true" raw food anyway. So I'm not stressing over the temp - I'm "mostly raw" myself and happy with that for now.



I would suggest starting out using your blender to juice. I'm going to upload a juicing video for beginners using a blender and paint strainer or nut milk bag soon. I talk about it on my blog though. Many people have committed to just drinking juice daily and then naturally have gone from there.



I like the book "The Idiot's Guide to Raw Food." I also like "Raw Food Made Simple." The latter one is wonderful with tips, lists, etc. Maybe you can peruse both of them at your local bookstore just to get ideas.



I buy groceries for 3-4 days. The basic foods I buy are juice veggies (1 cucumber, 1 head celery, 1/4-1/2 pounds dark leafy greens per quart - like spinach, collard, kale), salad veggies (head lettuce per day or two, a couple tomatoes, onion as needed, 3-4 avocados, 1 box sprouts), other veggies (squash as needed, 3-4apples, small bunch bananas, an orange, 4 lemons, 4 limes, green onions as needed, cilantro as needed, bell pepper as needed, garlic as needed, raisins/cranberries as needed, ginger as needed, chili peppers as needed, carrots as needed, beets as needed).



I look for sales and buy seasonal stuff on sale - so I might buy fresh corn on the cob, bell peppers, broccoli, okra, etc., if it's on sale.



I also often buy bags of pre-shredded cabbage. That stuff is usually super cheap, filling, and good for you. I mix it into salads. Some stores carry bags of spinach cheap too.



The staples I have are salt, pepper, chili powder, raw apple cider vinegar, braggs liquid aminos (not sure if totally raw), different nuts (mostly sunflower and almonds), sesame seeds, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, olive oil, flax oil, hemp oil. A variety of spices too.



I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff but that's off the top of my head. I also sprout stuff on my own, pretty cheap and easy. And I have herbs growing in pots outside.Beginning a raw food lifestyle...?
Well, first of all, this isnt smart. Your body isn't used to all of the salmonella in the raw meat, and it probably won't be able to take it.



My advice: Get into it slowly by cooking food less and less, like eating steak tartar (you grill each side for two seconds)

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