DAY 15... What I've learnt part 2

I've just finished hugging my blender, so I have a little free time before it becomes needy again.

I have learnt so much since becoming raw that this could probably be a 10 part series, but for now I'll leave it at 2. One thing I do know, is that the more I learn about raw, the more I realise just how little I know.

There is a whole world out there of incredible food and unbelievable recipes that you can't imagine even exist. Seriously, raw pizza, raw quiche, raw cookies, raw, raw, raw... it's amazing. Add to that, small communities of people talking to each other and teaching each other and helping each other on this journey. It's wonderful.

I've also learnt that it's hard being raw. Not because eating the food is tough, but because society as it is right now just doesn't support it. While there is more awareness of healthier food, and healthier living, raw food is still a bridge too far.

Not only do people think you are crazy, but we are surrounded by bad food, ads of bad food, people eating bad food, pictures of bad food. You know what I mean. Every time you turn your head you see something boiled, dipped, dunked or fried in fat or covered in sugar. I know there are some good alternatives available, but I'm realising that unless you are preparing it at home (cooked or uncooked), most of the food out there is just unhealthy.

Another thing I've learnt is that raw can be expensive. I have found that because I am following a plan and have a very varied diet, it's hard to save money. I know this will change when I break out on my own and decide my own menu each day.

I'm also taking a ton of additional foods/supplements to regular fruit and veggies. I don't mean supplements of the capsule kind, I mean Maca and Lucuma powder - I know the Inca's did not provide cheap super foods.

And bee pollen - I'm thinking of starting my own hive.

And hulled hemp seeds - I'd grow my own, but would likely be arrested. All those extras and additions that start to add up.

However, when you balance that out against what you normally spend eating out every month, or what you spend on takeaways (yes, including those coffees you sneak in before work "because they're only a couple of dollars"), or how much you spend going to the doctor for heart burn or diabetes, or high blood pressure, or all those aches and pains you feel, I'm not sure it really is that much more expensive.

What I'm really saying, is you have to be clever with your shopping when you are raw. Look around, do some research, see what you can buy in bulk, see what you can order on the Internet. There are ways to save, but it's unlikely they will come in the form of your weekly grocery coupons.

And then, there are the gadgets. In the first part of 'What I've learnt' I told you about my blender and FP and the dehydrator I dream of owning. You can get by initially with just the basics, and you can get by with your regular blender from Walmart or wherever you got it from. However, the longer you stay raw, and the more varied you decided to make your meals, you will need to start improving the quality of your appliances.

My cheap 10 year old blender right now is like the Little Blender that Could. It just goes and goes. However, I know it doesn't give me the same results a Vitamix/Blendtec would. I also know I have to be gentle with it, and talk to it nicely and give it regular hugs so it doesn't mind working it's fifth shift of the day.

The dehydrator is the biggie. So far I have managed just fine without one. But I know that if I am to continue this journey and want to be able to either eat warm food that is still raw (quite a pleasant thought during the winter sub zero temperatures). Or, if I want to make raw wraps and breads and quiches I will need (read: desperately want) a dehydrator.

I also don't have a spiralizer and I'm doing just fine. Again, if you do this long term and want to have raw pastas, this is a useful (and not very expensive tool).

What I'm saying is that starting a raw journey can be daunting anyway. You don't need to worry about running out and buying a whole new kitchen full of appliances to do it. Depending on whether you stick with it or not, you can slowly buy the things you deem necessary as you come to realise what your needs are.

Just like the food you are transitioning to, remember to take things one step at a time.

DAY 17... What I've learnt

About being raw. These are things I did not know before I embarked on this journey. So, in the interest of full disclosure and in case you are considering following this path, here are a few things I have learnt.

When I started, I thought I was married to my husband. Now, my husband just lives with us, but actually I am married to my blender and my food processor. I spend more hours lovingly scraping soups, sauces, dressings and toppings out my blender, then I do talking to hubby.

I spend more time washing, rinsing and drying my food processor, so I can use it 100 times a day, then I do deciding what to wear. Okay, so 100 times is a bit much, but let's just say multiple times and yes, I'm indecisive about clothing.

Oh, and if I said I use my food processor 100 times a day, I use my scale and measuring cups 1,000 times a day. They are my new best friends.

I used to empty my green bin into the garden compost heap once a week. I now empty it once a day - if it can make it through a whole day. My garden loves me.

I used to floss twice a day (okay, sometimes I only did it once, but don't tell my dentist), now I floss every time I eat. Does 'spinach between the teeth mean anything to you'? (You can substitute kale, parsley, arugula and dill!)

Before I started, I didn't know what a dehydrator was. Now I wake up in the middle of the night dreaming of finding one in my kitchen in the morning.

I used to put old toothbrushes to work cleaning bottles, or awkward areas in the house. Now I have a whole collection to use on the poor carrots trapped in the sieve of my juicer. I say 'poor' because they don't make it into the compost heap with their friends.

When I was hungry, I used to just open the fridge and see what was available. When you are raw, you have to plan, plan, plan and oh, did I mention plan.

Things need to soak and sprout and set and freeze. The oat groats for breakfast soak overnight. The buckwheat for my pizza crust soaks for 30 hours. Cheeze topping needs to 'settle' for 2 hours. Cheesecake is best if frozen overnight. You get my drift.

Of course you don't have to do all this soaking and freezing and settling, if you are happy to enjoy a long life filled with iceberg and spinach salad. But, if you want variety in your life, if you want to make your raw food more like 'regular' food, trust me, you'll be doing all these things. Also, the variety encourages you to get a balanced diet, which means you get the full range of nutrients, minerals and vitamins we all need.

Your pantry and your fridge also need to be well stocked. Again, this is for variety. If you've been raw for years, this might not be the case, however if you are just learning, when you get that craving for dessert, or need a snack, you better have some ingredients on hand to whip up a treat. It's not like you can walk down to the local store and find some raw chocolate.

If this is sounding like a pain, it really isn't. It's just that you can't go on with your old ways. When you change to raw, you have to change how you view food and your approach to making it. Considering you don't use your oven, stove or microwave, using the other appliances daily isn't a big deal. It's pretty easy really, I'm just letting you know so you know what to expect. You know how I feel - knowledge is power.

Of course I'd love to tell you more, but my blender hasn't had a hug for at least an hour, so I better run!