Russell James - Raw Food - Raw Food Diet
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17

Dec

2011

What’s Your Biggest Raw Food Question?

Saved in:-   General,Raw Food Diet & Excercise,Raw Food In The Media


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I need your questions!…

I’m going to be shooting a weekly Q&A video on my blog and on Youtube channel and I need to know your biggest raw food culinary questions.

Is there any ingredient you don’t know how to use? A technique you need to master? Any raw food culinary questions that you’d like and answer to.

Post your questions below and I may do a video response for you. Thanks!

PS. If you’re reading this in your email inbox you’ll need to click on the title to go to the blog post and put your comments in there.




  • Hillary

    I cannot get past the thought of not having hot food in the winter. I love soups and casserole types foods and raw foods seem so cold or room temp.  I can dehydrate warm food but getting everything to the table and warm at the same time is so daunting…………..
    Have any suggestions????

    Hillary

  • http://www.therawchef.com Russell James

    Thanks for your question, Hillary.  Are you saying that you want to get a combination of the soups and casseroles, plus the warm dehydrated foods to the table at the same time?

  • Yvonne

    Its cold in London. Are there any quick raw comfort foods. Even something with a bit of prep the night before. Coming home in the sleet after work I need something to look forward to and keep me from the chip shop.
    Yvonne

  • M Andrade

    Russell, I need simple, delicious entree meals that I can enjoy.  Raw desserts are great, and boy oh boy have I learned a lot from you.  Right now, I eat mostly salads and a piece of wild caught fish of some sort because I cannot find any raw entrees that are simple and absolutely delicious enough to replace the fish :) :)! — smile.  My goal is to transition into a vegan replacement (something warm and hearty (ie. vegan sloppy joes), but I need something to transition from vegan to raw vegan (more than one thing) that I simply enjoy.  You are gifted and creative.  I’m sure that you know something.  Also if you are ever back on the East Coast of USA, please give a shout out! :) Stay blessed!

  • Alchewisteria

    Dear Russell, it has been a challenge time and time to stay warm with raw foods in the winter.  I could be sitting in front of the heater and still be chilled to the bones because the food I’m taking in isn”t warm.  I have read everything I can find about staying raw and warm in winter and adding spices with heating properties to raw meals in the winter just doesn’t keep me warm.  It’s just impossible for me as I am excessively sensitive to the cold.  So, I guess my question is how do you stay warm in winter without over-consuming heavy nutty dishes?  Do you have cooked or heated healthy dishes? 

    Keep warm! 
    Alchewisteria 

  • Stacey D

    To juice or not to juice? Or to blend or do both. This is the most common question I get from folks who are curious about veganism and raw food. And I realize I really don’t know the answer. Why would we want to take out all of the fiber nature put into the vegetables? And then when we dehydrate – we take out all the moisture and leave only the fiber. And with smoothies – we are leaving all the fiber in as well as the liquid content – and smoothies are so much easier to make than juice. Really – what value is there to taking all the fiber out when juicing?

  • Mrs. Robbins

    Any good bread recipes?

  • Guest

    how to make hemp oil

  • Michelle_gatsby

    I need a good recipe for white chocolate, not a fudge just a good chocolate with a snap wheny you break it, my son has challenges and can only eat certain foods, and this might do the trick. Looking forward to your response

  • Msgato

    I just found out about your “Raw food diet” and am extremely interested in how I would start this diet.  I am gluten intolerant also, where do I start?

  • Theequest

    Hi James
    Many of my readers ask me how important water is tom a raw foodist. Can you explain it to them.Many people underestimate the importance of fresh water to their diets.
    Thanks
    Pierre Trudel
    Thee Quest For Perfect Health

  • http://www.carbonaccountancy.co.uk/ London Accountant

    How to keep the variety going in terms of texture (eg ground, sliced, etc) – a few people have already mentioned temperature of food, so I won’t say that again!

  • Gary

    I have heard that low speed masticating juicers are less damaging to food goodness than are high speed centrifugal juicers. With this mind frame I wonder about the damage to food goodness induced by a high speed Vitamix blender.  Though I’m interested in comments and opinion, has anyone researched this?  

  • Barbara Langendoen

    I’m just starting to explore the vegan / raw world. I do have a blender and a magimix ( for mixing, cutting, slicing etc. Now I want to buy my next tool. What do you recommend? I’m thinking either a juicer or a dehydrator.

    Thanks for your answer!

  • Dhigh1

    What other types of sweeteners can be substituted in your desert recipes in place of agave?

  • Eviemos1

    I’d like to know just how long certain prepared raw foods will really remain fresh.  For example, rejuvelac, sprouted wild rice, dehydrated veggies, etc.  I keep finding conflicting information.

  • Brandy

    I realize it’s ideal to be 100% raw, but this isn’t always attainable.  What is the best way to practice a ‘high raw diet?’ Would it be eating full raw for a few days a week and cooked on the rest of the days, doing raw til dinner every day, or something else.  I’m sure the answer is ‘whatever works for you,’ but I’m just wondering what your take is on it.  Thanks!

  • chase

    I am a student, and I like to be as raw as possible. However, I run into issues with the high price of nuts, an ingredient that I run into a lot in various recipes. Any suggestions about eating raw on a (pretty tight) budget?

  • Janmaret

    I have a question about high speed blenders, I have been thinking about getting one since my poor little blender just can’t make smoothies that are completely smooth. I really like the Blendtec from the research I have done over the Vitamix, I have also found one very similar to them both called the Omni Blender and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with it or would be will to try one out, the cost is much more manageable, it is 250.00 versus the 400.00 to over 500.00 dollar price tags of the Blendtec and Vitamix. I have promised myself this year to purchase one of them, but I am trying to A. make it more affordable while B getting the best possible blender for my Raw Food transition. Here is the link for the Omni Blender 
    http://www.3blenders.com/OMNIBLENDERS.html

  • Lacycorlis

    I have been vegan for 15+ years and am currently trying to transition to a mostly raw diet.  I have a couple of questions.  First off, I would love a good guide for substituting and/or the basic creation of things.  I am so good with my vegan diet knowing what I can throw in for other things but some of the spouted grains and nuts are thowing me off.  It would be great to know if you can change flax seed for hempseed in things or wheat berries for oat groats or whatever.

    My other concern is trying to eat sustainably.  I find most of these ingredients, while raw and organic, still come from half-way around the world.  I try to eat as local as possible so it involves a lot of freezing, canning and drying in the summertime to do this.  Since raw foods do not store as long, I find the winter time to be difficult since most foods have to be shipped so far.  Can you suggest a list of ingredients that can be sourced locally or at least within the US?

    Your food looks amazing.  Love your blog so far

  • Kimberly

    Russell, I deliberating between purchasing a stainless steel dehydrator and the Excalibur. Are you concerned at all about the plastic trays used in the Excalibur? Would you recommend replacing the standard plastic grid trays with stainless steel ones? If you could only have one dehydrator, would it be the TSM or the Excalibur?

  • http://www.therawchef.com Russell James

    I do like working with the Excalibur, but I prefer to have the TSM dehydrator in my kitchen.

    I’m not too worried about the plastic trays – you could replace them if you wanted to but it really depends on ‘how far down the rabbit hole’ you want to go with trying to protect yourself against every single thing that might be toxic on life.

  • Susana

    Russell, I am particulary concerned about using nutritional yeast. I’ve seen that you use it in several recipes and it may add a special flavour but I’m not really sure it is 100% safe for me. I can’t eat ANY cereal and I think it is made of barley. Is there any other ingredient that could work as nutritional yeast? Thanks!

  • Rochelle

    I’m straight cooked food and would like to switch over  what would be the easiest to start with?

  • Cnlangr

    I have a daughter who is allergic to nuts and most seeds.  The only seeds that she can eat are pumpkin seeds.  Would I be able to substitute pumpkin seeds for the nuts and other seeds in your recipes?  More specifically your dessert recipes?  Thank you, C.

  • Jcangirl

    I’d like to embrace the raw lifestyle, but it seems like my kitchen would need a complete overhaul to sustain it (dehydrators, etc). This seems quite expensive, so can you give suggestions as to the best way to approach this healthy lifestyle?

  • Dee

    I have 2 questions

    1) What is a good substitute for garlic or garlic powder? I’m allergic to it.

    2) it would be great to have a list of all the fruits and vegetables that are in season at what times to know what recipes I should be looking at during different times of the year.

  • Celina Hoffman

    Do you eat potatoes, beans & legumes etc?

  • Praying2day

    I love most vegies but I do not have teeth, how do you make these dishes for someone like me

  • Larissa Rogers

    What are your favorite, most yummy recipes for using up almond pulp? I haven’t found any recipes that I’m crazy about, and I make almond milk all the time, so I need some great recipes for the pulp with lots of great flavor! Cookies? Crackers? Breads?

  • Larissa Rogers

    Hi Hillary,
    What I like to do is to get some great “warm dish” foods made in the dehydrator whenever they’re ready, then stick them in containers in the frige, and when dinner time rolls around, put portions back in the dehydrator for 15 min or so, to warm them back up, then serve!

  • georaw

    Raw nuts & seeds have enzyme inhibitors.  If you grind them to put in a smoothie (I grind pumpkin & sunflower seeds) do they need to be soaked first?  I have looked all over the internet for this and have found no answer.  Thanks!

  • Anonymous

    I would like to know how to use Irish Moss.  I would like a cheesecake or other desert recipe where the irish moss is able to reduce the calories.  Even though I eat raw, I still have to watch my intake of coconut oil, nuts, avocadoes, etc. in order to maintain the weight I want to be.  Thank you.

  • Anonymous

    I think addressing a basic 5 or 6 things that a person wanting to transition to raw food could make.  I think you would need to include a bread — a really good bread. Next, a good spread to make wraps with . . . you get the idea.  So many people ask me how they can start transitioning to raw but have time and money constraints (where there is a will there is a way, I know . . . :)

  • Rick Highfield

    These recipe are beautiful. Congratulations on your work! My question is this: I realize you are a chef and not a nutritionist, but it would be good for you to give your readers guidance on how best to combine your recipes for nutritionally balanced meal-making. For example, a nuts-based entree and nut-based dessert could make for a very fatty, unhealthy meal. So many newbies to raw food make such a mistake. Some basic meal-planning guidelines would be helpful. 

  • Freeland Penlope

    Yes you want to soak them in order to sprout them. This releases the enzymes and you will get the most nutrient benefits.

  • Mplata

    At one point I saw you returning from a trip, fixing a whole meal and the recipes were wonderful.  I can’t find the video.  can you help?  thank you

    myra

  • Tsmith

    Hi my name is Tracy and I am new to raw food cooking. I have started making the nut cheeses but was wondering how long they will last in the frig. after making them?

    I am a wife and mom of three and my family does not want to eat raw with me. I want to continue to do this for my health but find it very hard to keep up with the planning for myself when I am cooking one, sometimes two other meals for my family at the same time. Feeling overwhelmed but don’t want to give up so I find myself smacking a lot on things like your kale chips, nuts, etc. instead of making meals. Do you have any advice for me on the planning and prep time to keep going.

  • Dina

    What is a good replacement for garlic and garlic powder. I’m allergic.

  • Sara

    Hi I’m Sara and I’ve always been very interested in raw food but never been able to eat to much of the raw since my body seems to have problems dealing with too much raw. I don’t know if it’s to much cold foods on one plate or if it’s all the nuts and seeds that can be in raw dishes, I know I’m a bit sensitive to cashew nuts. Do you have any good tips on how you can digest raw food more easily?

    Thank you!
    Sara

  • Daria

    Hi, I’m Daria. I have just started experimenting with raw food and your recipes. The are many different nutritional yeast available on the internet, and I do not know which ones to pick: powder, flakes, any brands worth recommending or any particular type of yeast? Is it safe to eat yeast supplements everyday?