What to talk about today? I guess I'll continue on the subject of raw food because we are 'back on the wagon' and enjoying fresh food again.

I am not one to give you amazing claims regarding raw food. I've read books and stories about people who have cured disease and never take conventional medicines anymore, but I love science and Tylenol was created for a reason. All DH and I know for sure is we feel better when we eat raw food.

Eating raw is a commitment - you save the time of cooking your food, but the food prep is time consuming. It's easier to grab a burger or slap a sandwich together, I used a lot of prepared foods when I cooked. I've found that organization is key. Fresh foods go bad sooner so I shop every week now instead of 2x a month. I work full time and have a few after work commitments so to keep myself and the kitchen organized here's my routine.

1. Create a menu - 5 dishes will last us 7 days and give us lunches to take to work. (there are two of us in the house). This menu takes into account days I won't be at home for dinner or days I know I'll be home late. DH is great in the kitchen but I leave the easier meals for him to prepare - he hates reading recipes.
2. Make a grocery list.
3. Schedule food prep. If a dish requires several hours of dehydration, or soaking or sprouting, I look at when I've scheduled that meal to be prepared, then work the timeline backwards and do as much prep as I can in advance. I'll do a lot of dehydrating and food processor work on Sunday then it's ready and in the fridge when I need it on the day I have to fix that dish. That being said, you have to remember that some foods need to be handled just before eating. Some veggies, like tomatoes and zucchini, loose water and texture after they are chopped up.
4. Shop - In warm weather, I hit farmers markets first, then the grocery store to pick up what I couldn't find. In the winter, I am stuck with the grocery store - I plan on becoming a member of the Willy Street Co-Op very soon. The organics and produce there look fabulous.

Then I let the week play out - schedules change, some dishes don't get made, we see how it goes. We are still perfecting our shopping/eating habits. Sometimes we eat everything in the fridge and I'm desperate for food on Friday, sometimes we have to toss veggies that have gone bad.

I'm probably making this sound horribly complicated, but the level of work is up to you. When we started I bought a couple of meals, nothing that required dehydrating, and lots of salad stuff. We got bored pretty quickly. It became clear to me that I would have to make the time to do this and ask for help when I needed it. I'm very lucky, DH is willing to help whenever I ask. I also have to schedule my exercise time, DH and I take turns in our small exercise room. I'll start food prep while he works out, then I'll head down and when I come back up we'll finish prep together.

Green smoothies are another topic. I'll hit on that one soon. We have at least one a day, that prep is done the night before so I can grab it and go to work.