RAW MENU ONE

I wish I'd taken some extra pictures over the past ten days to show you what I just went through. Pictures of the process, I mean, not just the outcome, because the process was far more than I'd anticipated.

I'm referring to the two week test I just ran for a READY GO RAW meal preparation project for some women friends. As I mentioned - they wanted support to maintain a mostly raw diet and I was looking for some part time work. Maybe we had a match. Maybe not.

When I began this project, my husband slowly shook his head, calling it my latest "folly" - in a long line of follies I'd pursued lately. I didn't see it that way. I mean, life is about trying things and experimenting - so long as you do no harm - and I like being my own boss better than working for anyone - and I love to cook - so why not give it a go? Plus - and this is the most important - its better to try and DO something rather than just try it out in your head. Reality is action, not just discussion. So, after circling around the RAW information for nearly two months, I fired off an email to my "clients" suggesting a two week test.

A test to determine what would it take to create and deliver a weekly RAW menu - in time, money, resources, planning, preparation, attention, packaging and delivery. I suggested they each contribute 100 dollars (50 per week) and I would contribute my time (and electricity, dishwasher, water, equipment, etc). My plan was to buy what I needed for each menu - not to invest in great quantities of supplies for bulk cost savings - and see what the real costs were for each item on the menu.

With the ladies agreement, Mair and I selected a menu on Friday - which I then translated into an itemized recipe and a shopping list. This took about 5 1/2 hours over two days. Each selection was broken down into it's components - amounts and actions - so I would have the necessary prepared items when ready to assemble. For Example: Wheat Berry Salad:

I had to purchase a cup and a half of Wheat berries, soak them for a day and then rinse them 2-3 times a day to have them sprouted before I could make the salad. The recipe also called for 1/2 C walnuts, 1/2C Raisins (soaked 2 hours), 1/2C dates, diced cucumbers, scallions, parsley,dill, lemon juice (fresh squeezed), olive oil and honey. That's one recipe. I had 8 items on the menu - so to make the shopping list, I culled the recipe planner for amounts of each item needed before I set off shopping.

Because I was trying to get this project off the ground, I decided to shop and begin on Saturday with the hope for a Wednesday delivery. I'm happy to report I pulled it off - but not without an exhausting run to the finish line. For RAW Food, the amount of detail required is astonishing - but it was also my first time. Albeit all the hurdles, I do have to say some amazing food came from the first trial - which I'll show and tell next time.