Laura- Jane, creator of the food blog The Rawtarian, has made eating raw food not only taste delicious, but her recipes are so simple. Her blog offers great vegan recipes, podcasts, and videos about everything you need to know about having a raw lifestyle! SLM has asked Laura- Jane some questions, and she even helped us make a tasty vegan yogurt… amazing, right!?
Meet Laura- Jane
Hey, I’m Laura-Jane The Rawtarian, and I hail from beautiful Prince Edward Island, Canada. I live on a rural acreage with my husband and dog, an Australian Shepherd named Elgar.
I am the creator of the raw food website and blog The Rawtarian. Creating raw food recipes and sharing them with my readers is what I love to do! Raw desserts and sweets are my weakness (kinda like when I wasn’t raw!). Some things never change…
I can be a bit of an introvert, but at the same time, I’m open to meeting new people —one at a time, that is! I feel that life is pretty darned good, and I want to make the most of it!
What does having a raw lifestyle mean to you?
Feeling alive! I’ve been raw since 2009, and I’m excited to be part of a whole new world that I didn’t even know existed! I actually get excited about eating healthy food, which is still a weird concept for me (a former junk-food queen).
And that’s the thing: I don’t crave junk food anymore, which for me is huge! It’s like junk food doesn’t even enter my radar. So, going raw has changed my relationship with food — in a positive way.
Plus, I’ve reaped the health benefits — increased energy & vitality — pretty much I’m in a happier zone now.
Did you grow up being vegan? What made you decide to have a raw lifestyle?
Ironically, I grew up with a very health-conscious mom, but I resisted her attempts at making ME eat healthy! I spent my own money on junk food (chips, pop, chocolate, you name it).
But as I grew older, I got chunky and lethargic and developed adult acne. I knew things had to change, but how?
Oddly enough, it was my mother-in-law who precipitated this change. She gave me a raw recipe book as a gift, and the concept immediately appealed to me. I’m an ‘all or nothing’ kind of girl so I set myself a 30-day raw challenge back in August 2009. And I stuck to it. After successfully completing the challenge, I found that I could never go back to my unhealthy habits again.
I love how you have every recipe imaginable, from meals, snacks and desserts. Can you explain what it means to be a Rawtarian member?
Lol – well, I don’t have every recipe imaginable, but I’m working on it. Raw scones have eluded me though! I do offer lots of free recipes, but in addition to my free resources, members are privy to over 90+ members-only recipes, plus there are fun monthly challenges, giveaways, a private forum, shared journals, and access to e-books and video tutorials. It’s a fun place to hangout online.
What is your go-to snack?
My favourite snack is a little sweet and savory bar that I keep in the freezer. It’s full of sesame seeds, coconut, raisins & tahini. Yum! My other go-to snack (that I eat every day) is sliced apples.
With having such a successful raw food blog, what can we expect to see in the future?
I’m debating whether to publish a book with a real publisher. However, I’m a control freak and I’m kinda scared of relinquishing control! I also want to make a new version of my recipe app (to include nutritional info, plus other extras).
Of course, I still love creating recipes — my first passion! I am also trying to improve my food photography. I’m currently replacing photos of awesome recipes that are plagued with terrible pics!
Favourite Food: Desserts! But of course! Fruit crumble is my fave: the best recipe is mostly fruit (berries) and then some nuts (heartiness).
Favorite place in the world: Prince Edward Island—namely, my little house in the country. I have it all here: acreage to roam, serenity, solitude. Plus PEI is blessed with fantastic beaches and endless pastoral scenes down quiet country roads.
Hobbies: Blogging, making new friends, staying home, walking my dog, playing the cello (I was a classically trained cellist from the age of 4 onward). I love playing board games, but no one will play them with me! And I love listening to show tunes (musicals).
Fitness: I am AWESOME at healthy food and TERRIBLE at fitness (confession time!). But I do snowshoe with my dog on my acreage in the winter, which forces me to get outside at least once a day.
You cannot go on with your day if you don’t have: a quiet moment!
Raw Yogurt
Cashews, honey, and coconut combine to make this delectable raw “yogurt.” Drizzle over fresh fruit, add some crumbled nuts and dates, and voila! the perfect treat!
It’s so simple: you need only a blender and 5 minutes prep time.
Ingredients:
- 1 c. cashews
- 1/ 2 c. water
- 3 tbsp. shredded coconut
- 1/8 c. honey
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1/3 c. coconut oil
Directions:
Place all ingredients into blender. Blend until it reaches a thin yogurt-style consistency. There should be absolutely no grittiness or chunks in your yogurt mixture.
Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Note: Store yogurt in fridge for up to 5 days.
Featured Photos and Recipes Courtesy of
Interview by
