Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Kristen Suzanne from Kristen’s Raw! Check out her words of wisdom and her raw food fairytale in this candid interview.
1. What brought you to raw food, what’s the story there?
About 7 years ago, I started eating a vegan diet after reading the books Diet for a New America
Then, while searching for nutritious, high-energy vegan recipes in the cookbook section of Whole Foods Market (4-5 years ago), I stumbled upon a book of raw vegan recipes; I was enraptured by the gorgeous vibrant photos of both the foods and the author(!). They seemed to jump off the page at me.
I bought the book, and went home where I read it cover to cover in one sitting, practically salivating at the pictures. Afterwards, I hopped online to research more about raw – I couldn’t help myself. I had to know more! After reading about the many benefits of eating fresh whole foods, I was hooked on making it a fundamental part of my lifestyle. I had no idea I would take it this far and make a career out of it – haha.
2. You’ve got tons of awesome recipe books, what types of raw foods are your favorites?
Thank you! I’ve had so much fun creating recipes and writing books – it’s a real passion of mine. I think the recipe creation is genetic because my dad is a chef, and when my parents were married, my mom shared in the chef responsibilities (they owned a restaurant) – so, I’m not sure I could’ve helped myself.
Anyway… to answer your question… My favorite raw foods change depending on various things. For example, during the spring months I tend to enjoy cleansing foods like sauerkraut, green juices, green smoothies, salads, etc. During the hot summer months, my diet is heavily raw based with fresh fruits (hello watermelon!!!), salads, zucchini and cucumber pasta dishes, etc.
During the fall and winter months I gravitate toward some cooked foods (always vegan, always organic), but I still keep it pretty high in the raw department. I feel my best and perform optimally, when I have lots of organic raw foods in my day – in spite of the temperature outside. However, during these colder months you’ll catch me eating (cooked) oats, quinoa, lentils, beans, non-gmo tofu, miso soup, steamed veggies, etc.
Then, my diet can also change based on hormones. I dive into raw chocolate usually once a month (sometimes more!).
There are times that I’m more active in the gym so you’ll see me drinking more protein shakes, etc. Or, there are times when I want to lose a few pounds so I have a couple days a week where I juice fast.
And, of course, now that I’m pregnant, I’m finding that I have some days that are all raw and some days that are moderate to high raw (again though, always vegan, and always organic, unless I’m at a restaurant that doesn’t serve organic).
Finally, when I’m traveling and there are delicious raw vegan restaurants to be visited then I’m all about the gourmet raw food – I load up, baby!
I love the flexibility of this lifestyle and the options with how we can have more raw in our lives. All of the above are favorites for me, it just depends on my life at the moment.
3. What has been the most surprising part of eating a high raw diet during pregnancy?
To tell you the truth, there really hasn’t been anything surprising. My family supports it and so does my midwife. I’m fortunate that even though I experienced all day morning sickness from weeks 7-14, I still had intense cravings for juicy fruits, salads, etc. (That being said, there was a 10-14 day period, where I consumed a lot of soups, crackers, grains, and sprouted toast.) I’m also not surprised that my health has been in top shape during this pregnancy because of my healthy diet. I’ve had pristine urine analyses, blood work, and no swelling so far.
4. What has been the most life changing aspect of eating more raw food for you?
Raw vegan food makes me feel alive, light, happy, extraordinarily vibrant – from my head to my toes. It’s like the cells in my body have truly come to life, and I approach each day with immense confidence that my health is extraordinary – that’s priceless. But that’s not all – With fresh, pure, plant-based foods, I’m connected to something that can be hard to describe for people who haven’t shared the same experience. It’s a connection to the earth. To life. To the sun. To animals. They are precious interconnections that are impossible to take for granted. I feel like I’m experiencing — and deeply connected to — a planet that is alive!
5. What one thing would you recommend for women wanting to get pregnant?
Hhmmm…. Only one thing? Gosh, I could write a book (lol – I think I will!). But… one thing -> eat (and behave) really healthy. I can’t stress enough how important I think nutrition is to pregnancy for both the mama and the future baby.
And, in that “healthy” definition I include:
- ORGANIC FOODS! Pesticides can cross the placenta.
- Plenty of alkalizing greens (think: smoothies, juices, salads, etc.)
And, can I give one other piece of advice? I don’t recommend starting a detox diet while: trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding. It’s important to eat healthy, but it’s not the time to suddenly go all-raw if you’re body isn’t used to it.
There is a risk of your body releasing toxins if you do this, and getting pregnant isn’t the best time for that. Therefore, it’s smart to start eating (and behaving) really healthy 6-9 months before trying to conceive so your body adjusts to the changes and cleans out. Furthermore, when I say “behaving” I’m also referring to eschewing chemicals in the home and on the body, as well as reducing stress.
6. How would you approach someone who was resistant to eating raw food?
I’d simply be a glowing example of how great it is – being a walking testimonial is usually enough to at least garner curiosity. I don’t usually approach people because I prefer that they come to me when they’re ready. When people are resistant? I have two easy statements: “You can’t argue that it’s smart to eat more fresh fruits and veggies, can you?” AND “Just try it for yourself and see.”
Here is something fun: When dealing with family and friends who are resistant, I’ve used it as a gift to myself from them. One holiday season, I asked family and friends to not buy me any gifts. Instead, I asked them to go vegan (with lots of fresh raw foods) for 5 days as their gift to me. I told them to save the money they would have spent on me, and, instead, use it for the vegan and raw foods they were going to buy themselves. I provided them with the starter kit from GoVeg.com as well as a little document I wrote including easy recipes as well as tips and tricks.
7. Tell me about the project/book you’re most excited about right now, and how people can get their hands on it.
I’m excited about my latest project, Green Mommy Blog. It’s a place where I write about all things green and/or mommy related. I also have a new recipe book I’m writing that will hopefully be available in the next 1-2 months.
8. If you could summarize your experience with raw food, what one word would you use?
THRIVE!
Thank you Kristen!
Thanks again to the lovely green mommy to be Kristen. I just loved reading her advice to those who want to conceive, as well as her tips for dealing with reluctant friends and family members. You can get your hands on Kristen’s raw recipes books here.
Join us next time for more interviews and more raw related goodies! :)
{ 4 comments }
Great post Kristen. Did you know that John Robbins has a new book and blog? You should link to his site.
http://www.johnrobbins.info/ his blog is here: http://www.johnrobbins.info/blog/
Thanks for the comment about John's new book Greg.
I love Kristen! She's my gal!! Met up with her a few weeks back! She is my raw food guru :)
Aww that is so cool, I love seeing people from the web meeting in person and becoming good friends. :) Thanks for sharing!
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