So you have made the decision to change your diet to a healthy one eating mostly raw food, smoothies and juices with just a small amount of cooked food. The only problem is that the people you live with don’t want to follow the same diet. How do you manage when this happens?
Let me share some of the things I found worked for me.
The first thing I did was make sure I let everyone know what I was doing and why I was doing it. I told them the truth I was changing my diet because I was not healthy and tired of all the health problems I was experiencing so I wanted to try a mostly raw diet.
I also made sure they knew I would not tell them what to eat or criticize them for what they were eating and I needed them to give me the same respect back and let me try it and see how things worked.
Since I was making the meals for my husband and son I made sure I started each meal with a large healthy salad. It became very clear after the first week that they were enjoying these salads almost as much as I was.
The baked goods I used to make were replaced with bowls of fruit that were set out each day and soon they were enjoying this without complaint.
I started making more casseroles as the cooked part of the meal so I could make mine separate without meat. My husband and son’s share was made with half the meat I had used before and I only bought free-range organic meats (because I was using half the amount I was actually paying less than I did when they ate more meat).
Then at least once a week we had a meatless casserole and every Friday evening we ate out so they could have their steak or ribs if they wanted.
For my extended family and friends I had them all over for dinner at different times within the first six months of my diet change and prepared for them some of my favorite foods.
I made sure I had tried each recipe I made for them so there would be no surprise and included:
- a fresh baked multi grain loaf of bread
- an appetizer like my stuffed tomatoes with seed cheese
- a great big salad like my broccoli crunch
- a pasta casserole like my famous goulash
- a raw berry apple crisp with my banana dreams ice-cream.
They always went away full and in wonder that a vegan menu could be so good!
And since they were used to eating mostly cooked food I always made sure there was a good hearty cooked casserole as the main course; I might like mostly salads but they did not!
The main rule was never to preach unless they asked a question, and believe me, after eating one of my meals as listed above they soon were asking me lots of questions. I was able to re-educate them and they started eating healthier as time went on.
The other thing that convinced them that this new diet was good was how much better my health was – nothing is better than showing by example. As the months and years have gone by many of my own family and circle of friends have started eating more healthy diets themselves.
Judy’s Famous Goulash
serves 6
Cook 1 package of tri-coloured rice or whole wheat pasta, drain and set aside.
Make my favorite easy tomato sauce:
Tomato Sauce:
Sauté the following in a frying pan:
- ½ cup of onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 cup celery thinly sliced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
Season to taste with:
- 1 tsp. of each: sea salt, oregano, thyme, basil
Add the following to the pan and simmer on low for 20 minutes
- 1 medium can diced tomatoes
- 1 small can tomato paste
Add the pasta to the sauce with 1 cup rice cheese (optional), stir then cover and simmer on low for another 20 minutes (or put in a casserole in a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes). Serve hot and enjoy!
