Thanksgiving went great.  I ended up cooking the green beans, but did make the other raw dishes that I mentioned in my last post.  They were yummy.  I have to admit that the cranberry pineapple relish was hardly touched by anyone until I added some sugar, though.  I decided that the sugar would be worth it to get them to eat the relish and get the wonderful health benefits of the raw fruit in there.  Tomorrow we're going to pick up some Romaine lettuce on the way home from church and then for lunch we'll all have  leftover raw stuffing with that cranberry sauce inside the Romaine leaves.  We did that before with the Mexican veggie nut stuffer and salsa and it was a huge hit.  The children thought it was SO fun to use lettuce leaves like little sandwiches.  :-)  I have found that eating 2 meals totally raw and then having the other meal plus snacks cooked seems to be an easy way to get in at least 50% of my food raw.  I'm excited that Aaron wants all of us at least 50% raw through December and THEN in January, we're going to try to have the whole family 100% raw the entire month.  I've read and heard so many awesome stories of the healing raw foods can do.  We want to see what it can do for our family in that time.  Wouldn't it be just awesome, for example, if it could shrink one of Susanna's tumors?  Or alleviate some of Thomas's Aspergers or Miriam's Autism?  Or subdue Miriam's ADHD or Rebekah's ADD?  Or improve Samuel's cognitive functioning?  Oh any of those things would be a blessing beyond words!  Certainly worth the try!

Love, Dawn

I am trying to go for 50% raw and that seems to be working much better for me.  :-)  I've been thinking how I can do a yummy Thanksgiving meal that's a mix of raw and cooked.  What I think I'm going to do is make the following cooked food: turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.  I'll also make the following raw foods: salad, cranberry/pineapple relish, stuffing, green beans dish, and apple pie.  Sound good to you?  :-D

Love, Dawn

Starting again

Sadly, I have really fallen away from my goal of high raw.  I've allowed busyness to be an excuse to not eat as well as I know I should.  Yet, I know that my energy level is higher when I do eat raw and I can therefore accomplish more.  I'm starting yet again.  Here is to sticking with it this time!!!  I've got a big colander full of sprouted buckwheat on my counter that I'm going to make into raw granola and I'm coming up with a meal plan for myself for the next week.

Love, Dawn

Loving those green smoothies!

We're in November now, but it sure doesn't feel like it outside.  We've got gorgeous weather in the 70's for a bit.  I think that's great because we get to spend more time outside, which is so good for us - fresh air and sunshine!  :-)  

Lynn, you asked how I stayed with the raw while in Cincinnati.  First, I brought a gallon of green smoothie with us.  Naomi Ruth, Susanna, and I all enjoyed that.  I made sure I got my usual quart per day.  Then, at the cafeteria, on the first day I was able to eat a huge salad for lunch during her MRI.  The second day, we definitely didn't have time for that so I had to settle for a quick cheeseburger.  Oh well.  Still, I think between the green smoothies and the salad, I did well!

The green smoothies continue to be a staple here.  I love them because:

1) They're fantastic for me

2) I'd never get that many greens in otherwise

3) They help curb bad cravings

4) They cause me to crave good healthy foods

This morning I had some cooked muffins with raw milk for breakfast.  I'm planning to have a big salad for lunch and a green smoothie for dinner.  My salad will be a mix of greens with some other veggies, but will have some cooked toppings such as bacon bits, shredded cheese, and Ranch.

My weight has stayed the same the last couple of weeks.  I'm glad I have not gained back any that I lost, but I would like to lose more.  I think that once I am able to do so, as in when I've recovered enough from the c-section, I would like to add in some exercise, too.  I'll have to figure out how to fit it into my very full schedule, though!

Love, Dawn