Delicious Nutritious "Cooking" for Cold Weather

We started eating raw last spring with a Vitamix and huge salads, by summer we were at about 70% raw. For those that may be unfamiliar with the Raw Food Movement, it is simply eating all or mostly raw fruit and veggies, nuts and seeds. Some eat this as their only diet and they are Raw Vegan. It is a very nutritious wholesome way of eating and living and has been a major source of help and healing for many people. Don't take my word for it, Google it, YouTube it, see for yourself the lives that have been transformed it is very inspirational! 

Our Winters although mild are still too cold here to keep up with the raw diet; but I have been eating a lot of fruit and some room temp to slightly warmed green smoothies. I am a big believer in listening to your body when it asks for certain foods (not a license to eat chips and ice cream though! :). Instinctive eating is for best nutrition, your body knows what it needs and mine was craving hot meals this winter! 

Here are a few things I've done this Winter that are new to me too to keep my food as close to raw as possible.

I use Miso and boil the water but I add raw veggies to the hot broth. Miso is a Japanese bean paste (please make sure that you get the Non-GMO organic kind). 

I make a lot of soups, beans, lentils, and veggies. I make my broth base with caramelized onions and deglaze them slowly with water. I still do a simmer for several hours but it is with just the broth and onions so that I can achieve the umami before adding the veggies. I started using the pink Himalayan salt and for iodine replacement I use a finely ground seaweed. I process all the veggies extremely thin so they are easy to chew and add them to the broth at the last minute so they don't cook very much. This is a big change for my soups because I am used to doing an all day slow simmer.

One more thing I started recently was lightly wilting mixed greens. I use enough greens to be base for a dinner dish then serve the entree on the base of greens (instead of pasta) I use coconut oil, onions, garlic, and cayenne (very warming). We've also been trying new lightly saute'd veggies a lot of squash. 

I also make blender soup in my Vitamix so far I have a four recipe's that I like and use over and over, tomato soup, non-split pea soup, butternut squash soup, and green soup. 

I will be glad for spring and summer again. I am finally starting to crave cold salads and smoothies again. I do eat meat but in moderation; and I buy sustainable free range, organic, etc.