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My First Raw Vegan MeetUp Gathering
I mentioned on my dining page that I would be attending a raw vegan gathering at Arya Bhavan. There were actually 3 vegan/raw vegan groups that were there today – I decided to join all three. Hey, the support & personal information is exactly what I need. Interestingly, the Chef shared how the leaders of our group encouraged her to make raw vegan meals. They even gave her feedback, which she kindly accepted. So, if you are in an area that does not have vegan or raw vegan food restaurants, you should consider speaking up.
As for Arya Bhavan, I must say that I was in raw vegan Heaven because all of the items were so flavorful. I LOVE spicy food and so many things had a nice kick to it! Everyone that I met was friendly and so informative. There were lots of people there too – we literally packed this place from front to back. Arya Bhavan has a raw vegan buffet every Monday and I think I’ll be one of her faithful customers. She also had one cooked vegan dish and it is my new favorite. Gobi Aloo is one of my favorite Indian dishes, but this one was especially made by the Chef here so I will not find it any other place. I snapped just a few pics that I thought I would share. I tried a little bit of everything so may plate is full (and I still missed 1-2 items). The entire menu for this event & a link to Arya Bhavan’s website is listed on my Vegan Dining Page. In fact, I enjoyed this place & the Chef so much that I went back to sign-up for the monthly meal plan – 30 days of vegan meals for $150!!!! That is not a mistake – this price is insane & I love it!
Raw Vegans/Vegans packed this event
Presentation of our Indian Raw Food Buffet
Raw Pizza. I wasn’t too fond of the raw oat crust.
Dinner time! This is a little of every things & I think I had the least amount of food on my plate.
Home Grown Mung Bean Sprouts & Kale Sald with Vegan Potato Salad. Yummo!
Today I am quite excited as I am expanding my vegan meal options. Yesterday I blogged about sprouting at home & today I am eating my own sprouts tossed in a raw kale salad. I also decided to make my first vegan potato salad today. Now, I didn’t follow anyone elses recipes or even a potato salad recipe I tried before – I just went with what appealed to my taste buds today and it was delicious!!! Here is a close up:
CAN’T BELIEVE I’M SPROUTING!
Ok, I mentioned in my last post that I would post a few words about sprouting. Now, this is unbelievable for me because I do not have a green thumb, index finger or pinky! Seriously, I don’t think a chia pet would grow for me. Well, there is hope – a few days ago I decided that I would try sprouting for the first time. I love alfalfa sprouts on my sandwiches and when I have fried rice I’d always ask for extra bean sprouts or keep a bag of them in the fridge to throw in the rice myself. I think I’m a pretty good sprouting candidate so I went to Kramer’s & found these + seeds. yeah :-)
Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten either raw or cooked. Sprouts are very nutritious and rich in enzymes so eating them promotes good health. Studies show that sprouts containing a greater concentration of vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes, phytochemicals, anti-oxidants than when the plant in mature. In addition, tests have shown that the nutrients in seeds and nuts are anywhere from 50% to 400% greater after sprouting or soaking. There are numerous seeds and beans that can be used for sprouting. Ann Wigmore, known for the nutritional benefits of her diet program which included high levels of living enzymes in fresh raw foods like wheat grass juice and fresh sprouts. She was a pioneer in revealing how natural foods helped the body to detox & rejuvenate itself – you like God intended. For my first time, I am sprouting alfalfa seeds and mung beans.
I have read quite a bit about the health benefits of sprouting (there are also some negative stories out there, but I feel much better about seeds and beans I sprout in my home than the various genetically engineered foods offered to us today). Growing sprouts in your home is easy and it takes only a few minutes of care per day. Just soak, rinse 2x/day and drain. It’s also very economical! Try adding sprouts to your favorite sandwich, salad or other meal to super charge the nutritional content. You can use a variety of sprouts to make a sprout salad like I learned during a Raw Food Prep Class at Karyn’s.
Well if you want nutritious, organic, whole foods for pennies on a dollar try sprouting! I am….
