Of the larger local 'alternative' supermarkets, I recommend New
Seasons, even though I no longer work there. Of all of the chains,
they are doing the most to support the local farmer and local
community, and the money that they make is invested locally in jobs
and community endeavors. In supporting local farmers (whether it is a
grocery chain or an individual buyer such as ourselves), we are
ensuring that our food supplies will remain stronger in times of
turmoil, when dependence on products shipped hundreds or thousands of
miles can become a very pricey endeavor. Many New Seasons stores have
an area for culled product -- produce certainly, but even other
expired goods -- for customers and local community members looking for
free food. Just ask at the store.

I think you will find that New Seasons' prices are, for the most part,
cheaper than Whole Foods, especially if you buy with an eye towards
weekly specials -- which they advertise both online and in stores.
There are other, political, reasons to not support Whole Foods with
your all-important dollar, but this isn't the forum for delving
further into that conversation.

For $30/year. you can become a member/owner at People's Food Co-Op in
SE Portland. You can shop there without being a member, but members
have the amount of all of their purchases logged and receive member
rebates once or twice a year, which is a percentage of individual
total purchases. Member/owners also receive community-oriented
discounts at other local establishments in Portland, so you can save
money other places as well. If you have the time you can be a Hands-On
Owner volunteer worker and earn a discount on all shopping of anywhere
from 5-15%. 12 hours a month gets you the 15% discount; 8 hours each
month gets you the 10%. People's does not stock any commercially grown
produce and is a completely vegetarian store -- they have buying
practices set by the member/owners that do not allow them to buy any
meat (though they do sell eggs and dairy products). Produce prices at
People's can sometimes be higher, as they do not have the buying power
of other stores, but they also have phenomenal weekly prices (small
organic avocados for $.50 each, organic apples for $.99/lb, etc.) and
a discounted bin of overly ripe produce that is $.59/lb (the best
times to get culled produce is in the morning, probably 8-10am).Their
prices on non-produce items are cheaper than other natural foods
stores in the city, pretty much across the board -- this is because
the Co-Op isn't out to make profits, but to support their community
and the member/owners. Their bulk section is quite well-priced with
clearly labeled raw and sproutable items, and they have the largest
and cheapest selection of bulk organic raw nuts in town. People's also
has a free box of expired food.

The year-round Farmer's Market outside of People's is on Wednesdays
from 2pm - 7pm, and features only local farmers selling local goods.
Farmer's Market prices in Portland tend to be higher than in other
states, but if you develop a relationship with the farmers, you can
often get special pricing; some may even do barter/exchange. You can
also time your purchases towards the close of the market, when many
farmers will agree to sell their remaining product for lower prices
they they asked earlier in the day. There are one or two other
year-round Markets in Portland, and the full season will start again soon.

Uncle Paul's Produce Market (http://www.unclepaulsproduce.com/) is on
SE Hawthorne at 23rd, and features very low produce prices on
primarily commercial produce. Uncle Paul stocks second-tier produce
that other stores won't take, so the produce may not last as long in
your frig or may have more blemishes than what you would find at NSM,
Whole Foods, or Fred Meyer's, but it is a lot cheaper. His organic
selection varies day-to-day.

I'm not as familiar with Alberta Food Co-Op and Food Front, but both
are local, community-oriented co-ops that may have discount plans for
member/owners, and most likely have free boxes. Alberta is on NE
Alberta around 15th; Food Front is in NW Portland near 23rd and Vaughn.

Asian markets are an option for cheap produce and seaweed, but you'd
have to be willing to give up organics. Fubonn, on 82nd near SE
Powell, is th eone I am most aware of.

With regards to organic produce, it may be worth researching which
vegetables and fruits are least inclined to absorb chemicals from
commercial farming practices. Some fruits and vegetable will have a
higher toxicity than others, and you may be able to buy some
commercial produce without overly compromising your values, at least
with regards to your personal health.

There are also some local folks in the raw community endeavoring to
provide us with access to high-quality raw foods at better prices.
Ericha Clare, who responded earlier, is one; she has a boutique in NE
Portland. I'm another; I sell high-quality superfoods for super-cheap,
though my distributor recently raised my prices due to my low sales
volume so I've had to raise prices a bit. I've got raw nori sheets (50
for $18), cacao, and the like. Nora Lenz supplies raw produce and nuts
in bulk quantities, and advertises her availability here on the
RawPortland list; her website is http://www.rawtreasure.com/, though
the website doesn't list her seasonal produce picks.

I'll echo others' comments on sprouting. I purchased a lovely tiered
green plastic sprouting tray at Mirador for $35 (before a 5% discount
for being a People's Food Co-Op member) and have sprouting steadily
for almost two months now. It's extremely cheap, it's easy, and it's
completely alive!

Oh... here's another trick you can do -- you can buy produce in bulk
from New Seasons Market for only a 25% markup. You'd have to go in
with others (a case of anything is hard to eat on your own without
spoilage), but produce tends to have a high retail markup because of
spoilage. When I was doing this in the fall, I was getting cases of
organic kale for $1.50/head (vs. $2.29) and organic avocados for
something like $1.75 each (versus $2.50). Then again, avocados are on
sale right now for either $1.50 or $1.95 each at NSM, and kale was
recently $1.50/head, retail.

I live in a neighborhood with a couple of different markets, and I
shop at many of them throughout the week, which allows me to compare
and contrast prices on specific items, ensuring that I get the best
pricing possible. I don't shop at the large chains for political
reasons, but one additional advantage of this is that the local stores
often have extraordinary customer service that can often save me
money. New Seasons, for instance, will refund you the price of an
avocado that was spoiled when you took it home, and they will accept
other forms of return without hassle.

Good luck!

-Brion

--- In RawPortland@yahoogroups.com, "staroseltseva"
<staroseltseva@...> wrote:
>
> Dear Community Members,
>
> I am sitting here thinking about how am I going to stay devoted to my
> raw vegan values during these hard times. The combination of low-paid
> job, need to continue my studies, instability, and fear doesn't leave
> anything else to do but starve, in order to pursue my dreams.
>
> Anyways, I was wandering if you guys have any advice on how to eat raw
> and organic on tight budget. I used to buy everything from Whole
> Foods, but I suspect it's not the cheapest way to go. Anyone ordered
> boxed produce directly from farmers? Anyone made a price comparison
> between, say, Whole Foods and Fred Meyer? What are you doing to save
> the buck?
>
> Thanks a bunch!
>

Greetings, I have a champion juicer for sale.  Not sure if it is cool
to post that here?  It is a great juicer and it has not been used that
much...I bought it in 2000 when I first got into Raw food...however,
because I have never sustained raw food this juicer has seen very
little use.  I do not have the homogenizer plate but everything
else...works great and You could probably use a new blade...they are
$5.00 from the champion website.  Also, thanks for everybody's
posts...it helps me keep motivated to get to the place in my journey
where raw food is something I do with grace and ease rather than
severe emotional turmoil!  Contact me and we can discuss what you
would like to exchange for a juicer......gratis

Welcome, Elizabeth, and all newcomers!  My spiritual community, Christ
the Healer UCC, sponsors the annual Raw and Living Spirit Retreat
(www.rawandlivingspirit.org), occasional raw events, and a weekly raw
food prep class before our Sunday Supper gathering each week at Kairos
UCC, 4790 SE Logus Rd., Milwaukie. We meet in the church kitchen from
4:30-5:30 to help the weekly chef finish a 3 course menu that varies
each time, so you can have hands on experience of many dishes if you
become a regular.  For table conversation, we share our personal
experiences in response to a weekly theme. After dinner, those who wish
are welcome to go deeper into the theme with a story-discussion, closing
prayer circle and raw communion.
This Sunday Tashi Rana is our chef,  making two Thai dishes--Coconut
Curry Soup and Raw Pad Thai--to accompany green smoothies and cookies
for dessert. Donation for the class and dinner is only $10-$20, sliding
scale. Please RSVP if you possibly can by reply email or a message at
503-650-4447 so we can plan accordingly.
Love,
Gabrielle Chavez


Elizabeth wrote:
>
> I'm new to this group and new to the Raw lifestyle.  I'm already
> feeling much better physically and mentally.  Thank you for the
> informative posts.
>
> Are there any local Raw cooking prep/education classes?
>
> Thank You!
>
> ~Elizabeth
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> __________ NOD32 3704 (20081218) Information __________
>
> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
> __________ NOD32 3704 (20081218) Information __________
>
> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> http://www.eset.com

Elizabeth --

Welcome! Congratulations on enjoying improved health!

You might find Oregon Raw Resource to be a helpful website for you as
you venture into the raw foods community. It has a listing of local
classes, groups, restaurants, and special events, and you can elect to
join the mailing list to receive announcements when the list is
updated with new events or other entries. http://OregonRawResource.org/

There are a number of active groups in town through which you can get
access to much information and community support.

Be well!

-Brion

--- In RawPortland@yahoogroups.com, Elizabeth <whitewater20060303@...>
wrote:
>
> I'm new to this group and new to the Raw lifestyle.  I'm already
feeling much better physically and mentally.  Thank you for the
informative posts. 
>  
> Are there any local Raw cooking prep/education classes?
>  
> Thank You!
>  
> ~Elizabeth 
>  
>
>  
>

For the entire month of Feburary get 25% off all books at Mirador Community
Store located
at SE 21st and Divison. We have an awesome selection of raw food books as well
as
everything else you need to maximize you raw lifestyle!

--- In RawPortland@yahoogroups.com, "circleakitchen" <circleakitchen@...> wrote:
>
> For the entire month of Feburary get 25% off all books at Mirador Community
Store located
> at SE 21st and Divison. We have an awesome selection of raw food books as well
as
> everything else you need to maximize you raw lifestyle!
>

I highly recommend Mirador. The selection is great and they also have a nice
selection of
kitchen supplies. It is important to support local businesses at this time as
well.
Best,
Donna

This week raw gourmet chef Gabrielle Chavez invites you to the Kairos
church kitchen, 4790 SE Logus Rd, at 4:30 to help prepare miso soup,
sushi nori rolls and a fresh wasabi sauce. We'll enjoy them and the good
vibes of Sunday Supper conversation at 5:30 with green smoothies and a
slice of John Larsen's chocolate pie with coconut creme topping. Please
RSVP by email or calling 503-650-4447. Donation $10-20 sliding scale.
After supper, you are also invited to stay for a spiritual discussion,
prayer, and communion ending at 7 pm.

Will Allen

Master raw food chef Elaina Love and raw dessert diva Chaya-Ryvka are
coming to Portland to teach a 2-part, 5-hour class -- read on!

Nuevo Mexican Raw Foods
(2 1/2 hours) taught by Elaina

* Corn Tortilla Wraps- These corn tortillas will quickly become a
favorite in your house. Made from raw corn and hemp and flax seeds,
they are then dehydrated and can be stored for months in your
refrigerator or freezer.
* Enchilada Spirals- These very special enchiladas will be made using
raw corn tortillas and wrapping them around a vegie taco filling like
a spiral then topping them with enchilada sauce, pine nut sour cream
and avocado slices. These are so flavorful, satisfying and unique.
* Mexican Spanish Rice- It tastes like the best Spanish rice you've
ever eaten, only there's no rice! Elaina will show you how to use
vegetables and spices to recreate all the flavors and comfort of rice.
* Taco Filling- Again, keeping with her low to no nut agenda, Elaina
will demonstrate how to take root vegetables, and turn them into the
most flavorful, juicy, mouthwatering taco filing that can be eaten in
a "taco", on your salad, in your Enchilada Spirals or dehydrated into
crunchy snacks or burgers.
* Enchilada Sauce- A light and flavorful sauce that can be used in a
variety of dishes.
* Pine Nut Sour Cream- a light and fluffy version of sour cream with
Irish Moss, pine nuts and more flavors to make this a raw food staple.

Elegant Raw Desserts
(2 1/2 hours taught by Chaya Ryvka)

* Creme Caramel- Experience the sensuous elegance of this melt in your
mouth heavenly flan treat while learning the secrets of successfully
working with Irish Moss.
* Hazelnut/Cacao Ganache Truffles- These are real Cacao confections;
we will be stepping into the work of a chocolate lovers dreams. I'm
talking Willie Wonka goes Raw/Vegan. Get ready to bust open your heart
and enter the realm of Theobroma/Cacao.
* White Chocolate- Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake- One of the most popular
cheesecakes at Cafe Gratitude and a must have in anyone's black book
of raw desserts. As well as learning to create a truly heavenly
cheesecake you will learn the art of swirling, which can turn any
plain pie, cheesecake or frosting into a stunning work of art!

TEACHER BIOS:

Elaina Love is a professional Raw Food Chef, Instructor, Restaurant
Consultant and Lifestyle Counselor whose unique style of creating the
best raw food cuisine ever has her highly sought after. She travels
worldwide to bring raw, living foods to Spas, Exotic Retreats,
Festivals and Individuals. Elaina is the Owner & Director of Pure Joy
Planet, which features certification courses, raw food recipe books,
super foods and kitchen & health equipment. She is the co-owner and
recipe developer for her new Café in the Bay Area, Café Soulstice, the
author of Elaina’s Pure Joy Kitchen recipe books and the creator of
The Amazing Nut Milk Bag. She has 3 raw food DVD’s currently on the
market. Elaina has been an Instructor at Living Light Culinary Arts
Institute since 2000 where she teaches specialty classes on an ongoing
basis.

Chaya-Ryvka has been a practicing Raw Food Chef for over three years.
She spent two years apprenticing and working side by side as a
personal assistant with Master Raw Food Chef Elaina Love catering
events, teaching classes, running Pure Joy Planet.com and opening Cafe
Soulstice. She also apprenticed with cutting edge raw pastry chefs and
creators of the desserts for Cafe Gratitude. Chaya is now apprenticing
in the art of raw chocolate confections; she works in a newly opened
raw chocolate company, Coracao Confections. Currently Chaya is
expressing her live creativity as a raw pastry chef at Cafe Gratitude,
catering private events, teaching group classes, creating specialty
gourmet raw desserts, wedding cakes and providing private raw
lifestyle/kitchen consultations.

Thursday, February 26th
9:30am-2:30pm
People's Co-op Community Room, 3029 SE 21st Ave., Portland

INVESTMENT
$99 for both classes

REGISTRATION
Advanced registration is required -- please call 503-789-1727.

Please Note: Due to limited space, there is a 25% cancellation charge
applied if a reservation is cancelled within 3 days of the offered class.

Hi Gabrielle~

I'm in SW Portland and would love to come to one of the dinners. Not
sure yet about tomorrow but please keep posting this information. I
definitely need to learn how to prepare raw foods at home - what a
great way to share your knowledge.

Kind Regards~


--- In RawPortland@yahoogroups.com, Gabrielle <gabrielle@...> wrote:
>
>
> This week raw gourmet chef Gabrielle Chavez invites you to the Kairos
> church kitchen, 4790 SE Logus Rd, at 4:30 to help prepare miso soup,
> sushi nori rolls and a fresh wasabi sauce. We'll enjoy them and the
good
> vibes of Sunday Supper conversation at 5:30 with green smoothies and a
> slice of John Larsen's chocolate pie with coconut creme topping. Please
> RSVP by email or calling 503-650-4447. Donation $10-20 sliding scale.
> After supper, you are also invited to stay for a spiritual discussion,
> prayer, and communion ending at 7 pm.
>

Hello~

Thank you for sharing the posted resources.

I'm introducing more raw foods into my diet and am really wanting raw
butter. I would occasionally buy it with friends before I moved to
Oregon and miss having it. Even if it's available somewhere near
Portland I'd be willing to go and get it. I'm not a vegan so looking
for real milk butter, preferably organic but not a must.


Thanks!

Hi Raw Portland People,
This is Lizz Bommarito. Some of you may know me from The Raw and
Living Spirit Retreat and from Bikram Yoga. Well, I am building and
networking to get a raw vegan collective started in Portland aimed at
Community Health and diversifying the raw food movement to include
food activism at it's core. Please check out the site and feel free to
email me with any comments,suggestions or inquires you may have. Have
a Peachy Day!
Lizz Bommarito
Founding Member Circle A Kitchen Collective

Brion Oliver
The Raw Matrix
Raw Events, Foods, and Inspiration
rawmatrix.net 
OregonRawResource.org 
503-312-0596

How splendid! Thank you ever sooooooo much for all that you do, Brion,
we appreciate it ever so much! =)

I regularly shop at either the People's Food Co-Op and, more recently,
Simply Nourishing on a monthly basis (though I've had to delay my
shopping this month) during the Portland Saturday Market off-season,
and so will definitely keep an eye out for your revised-logo products
the next time I visit the former, which will probably be on the last
weekend of this month.

I loathe admitting I've only tried one of your mousses thus far, but
the one time I did try your Chocolate Banana Monkey flavor in December
of last year, I was simply mesmerized in ecstasy by the flavor. I
can't quite put my finger on what made yours particularly appealing
from others I've tried.......the chocolate in yours was more aromatic
than others I've tried I remember, more floral I guess you can say
than your standard cocoa, but not in a way where it overwhelms your
taste buds and you don't get that full-bodied flavor. But now that
I've gotten more properly acquainted with you, I simply can't wait to
try my second, and parades more of your products, yay! (does happy
dance) ^__^

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton




--- In RawPortland@yahoogroups.com, "brion.oliver" <brion@...> wrote:
>
> Hello, everyone!
>
> I have two announcements regarding my business, formerly The Raw Life.
>
> Announcement #1: I have changed my business name from The Raw Life to
> The Raw Matrix for reasons I will detail below. Along with that name
> change comes a change in my label design which you will see implemented
> at People's Food Co-Op this Friday, February 20th. The salads remain
> available in the deli case near the main doors, and the puddings/mousse
> remain available in the dessert case across from the registers, and it
> should all still be recognizable and will remain yummy!
>
> Announcement #2: The Raw Matrix salads and mousses are now available for
> sale at the Alberta Co-operative Grocery on NE Alberta at 15th St in
> Portland, and will be available starting this Saturday, February 21st,
> at the NW Thurman location of Food Front Co-operative Grocery. Please
> let your friends in those neighborhoods know!
>
> When I chose the name The Raw Life for my business last summer, I had
> thought I had done my due diligence. The name has neither a national
> trademark nor any legal obstacle to its use in the state of Oregon, but
> I failed to realize that Paul Nison wrote a book with that title in 2000
> and runs a business through the website rawlife.com
> <http://rawlife.com/> . As far as I know, Paul is unaware of my business
> and he hasn't contacted me in any way about the name, but I felt I had
> an ethical obligation to not continue doing business under a name that
> he coined long before I did.
>
> My challenge was to find a business name that fit the breadth of
> activities I wish to conduct under it, and I am quite pleased that The
> Raw Matrix captures the event organization, education, food production,
> and focus on community, information, and healing that I attempt to
> promote through my business activities. My thanks to Gabrielle Chavez
> for the name suggestion!
>
> Please join me as part of the Raw Matrix in 2009, and be most well!
>
> With warm thanks for all of your generous support,
>
> - Brion
>
>
>
>
> Brion Oliver
> The Raw Matrix
> Raw Events, Foods, and Inspiration
> rawmatrix.net <http://rawmatrix.net>
> OregonRawResource.org <http://OregonRawResource.org>
> 503-312-0596
>

Does anyone here have an Excalibur Dehydrator that they don't use much
and would sell to my family and I?  We got into raw foods in 2006 and
had one then, but didn't use it too much...since selling ours, my
husband has worked in a raw food cafe and learned SO much. We'd love
him to make us some goodies to keep us honest!

We sold our 9 tray to a newly raw family back in Charleston, SC, for
$100 - would love to find a similar deal here :)

Please email jesaroj@... or call 843-737-3963 and talk to me -
Jessica - or Aron

Thanks!