We are thrilled to be welcoming Teniel Moore as our new Raw Foods Contributor here at New Nostalgia. Teniel will be here one Saturday a month sharing her love and knowledge of Raw Foods.
I have been seeking a 4th Saturday Contributor and Teniel is the perfect fit. I am so intrigued by raw food recipes and have been incorporating them into our diet a couple times a week. I got to know Teniel through Instagram, her photos of mouth watering raw foods made me a huge fan. I also love following Addicted To Raw on Facebook, where she posts her recipes.
I recently had a Q&A session with Teniel about her Raw Foods diet. I sure would have loved to have done it in person, but Teniel is from Australia so that would have been a bit hard! Maybe someday I will get to visit her in person…how great would that be?
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{keep on reading for the recipe!}
When did you start having an interest in raw foods?
I started looking into raw foods nearly 2 years ago. I knew I needed to change the way I was eating. I exercised all the time but still made bad food choices.
I first heard about a 14 day green smoothie challenge. Which I completed and I have never looked back since.
Why do you believe raw is the best way for you to eat?
I chose to eat mainly raw as I have found it to be the best way to nourish my body and feed it a huge amount of living foods.
It has given me an absolute love for fresh fruits and vegetables and has helped me maintain my weight and keep me regular.
I find it simple fast and fresh, and not in anyway as time consuming as cooking for my family can be.
How much of your diet is raw?
I eat a high raw diet. On average about 90% raw. Of course some days are more and some days are less.
Does your whole family eat raw?
I have a husband and 3 kids. My kids are twenty two, six and four. My eldest son who is twenty two does not live at home anymore. My family do not eat a raw diet. However our whole families
diet has changed dramatically since I started eating raw. My kids are aware of how healthy I eat and they often like to copy me. Snacks have become based all around whole foods and lots of foods like raw cookies, kale chips and fruit leathers instead of lots of packaged foods. I cook food for them but its based around whole foods. To me being a good example is the best thing I can do.
Have you always liked fruits and vegetables or was it an acquired taste for you?
I never had a strong dislike for fruits or vegetables, but I used to find it very hard to get my basic serve of vegetables into my diet every day. It was a real struggle.
Breakfast was always multi grain toast with honey or jam with a coffee or sometimes oats. Lunch was always on the go and it would be a milk based coffee drink with maybe a fruit bun or some fresh fruit. If I was at home I’d just grab a bowl of cereal. Dinner usually had some vegetables in it along with some meat or fish.
So as you can see no where near the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that our bodies need. Raw food has given me a genuine love for fresh fruits and vegetables. I truly love them now and have learned so many ways to make them taste delicious while still keeping them full of goodness.
What are some foods you make sure you eat every day?
Greens greens and more greens. I have to eat greens every day. I believe they are so good for us. I get these greens through a green juice or smoothie and salads.
What is a go to breakfast for you?
A green juice or green smoothie.
What is a go to lunch for you?
A smoothie. This smoothie is often a more indulgent smoothie. Often made from almond milk, frozen fruit and some cacao powder. Or a chia seed cereal with fresh fruits and sometimes a delicious flax cracker with some veggies and sauerkraut.
What is a go to snack for you?
I am big on snacks. I look forward to them. My go to snack is always some type of goodie/energy ball or oat cookie that I have made. Sometimes just a beautiful crisp organic apple with a nut butter.
Is eating raw hard on the budget?
Eating raw can be expensive. I try to buy about 80% of my food organic. With a family of 4 at home that can be very expensive. I buy most of my fresh vegetables at a local
organic market every Sunday. It’s much cheaper and of course fresher than the supermarkets. Its really about shopping smarter and planning ahead. And of course knowing your prices and buying whats in season.
Do you ever miss cooked foods?
Yes and No. You see I still eat some cooked food. I am not 100% raw and are not really striving to be 100%. I enjoy some cooked quiona at least once a week. Would be happy to eat some cooked beans or baked vegetables. But for the most part I just make my salad for dinner and find I am very content with it.
Do you ever do juice fasts? Why?
I do love a little juice fast. I did my first juice fast in October 2012. This was a 7 day juice only fast. I did this fast to see what a juice fast was like and too give my digestion a break. After doing that fast I made a commitment to myself that at the beginning of every month I would do a 2 day mini juice fast. I love the discipline that comes with fasting and each month it serves as a reminder to me to be more mindful of what food I should be eating and how much food I really only need.
How do you feel during a juice fast? After?
My diet going into a fast is pretty good. Not perfect but certainly not the SAD diet I used to have. So I find I do not have many strong detox symptoms. However I do not
do extended juice fasts. Maybe I would see a different result if I did longer than 7 days. I might get a slight headache and some puffy eyes. But other than that nothing. I also have to cut back on my running for that week and take it a bit easier.
After a juice fast I feel a great sense of accomplishment and feel proud that I disciplined myself to not eat and give my digestion a break. Of course I feel lighter and enjoy the feeling my body has only been feed 100% raw organic juice.
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No Bake High Raw Oatmeal Banana Bites
1/4 cup sultans (raisins)
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup-1cup dates
3 cups oats
1 banana
3 tsp honey
Process almonds in food processor until a little texture is still left Add your dates and raisins and mix well, still leaving some bits visible. Add one cup of oats and mix, then add banana & process again. Now add coconut and the rest of the oats along with the honey. Process. Add a drizzle of water to help moisten the mix if needed. You want the mixture to have a consistency that makes it easy to form into balls, so add water if it is too crumbly. Store in refrigerator.
For more amazing Raw Food ideas and recipes, follow Addicted to Raw on
Facebook & tell her New Nostalgia sent you!
