November 4, 2010
Yesterday, I was so excited talking about my mellow green smoothie that I overlooked something big. That post was my 365th: that’s a year’s worth of CR.
Back when CR was just an idea, I used to come up with all sorts of reasons why I shouldn’t start a blog: my writing wouldn’t be good enough, no one would care, my friends and colleagues would think I was even more of a wackadoo than they already do, I’d get attacked for my veganism, etc. Most of all, I worried that I would run out of content. How much could I possibly have to say about vegan food?
The past year and a half has proven me dead wrong. If any of you happen to be aspiring bloggers (foodie or otherwise), and you’re thinking that you won’t have enough content to fill a blog, let me put those fears to rest. If you write a blog about things you love—anything you love—you’ll have more content than you know what to do with. Trust me on this. No matter how many posts I write, I find myself constantly struggling to get everything I’d like to say on paper. And as I grow, so too does CR. It’s a fun part of blogging: as you evolve, your blog evolves with you. How could that not be an endless source of material?
In honor of a year’s worth of the mind-numbing sound of my own voice blogging, I thought I’d do an extra special CR giveaway. No, this isn’t raw treats or an appliance. It isn’t even raw food DVDs. It’s a free CR nutritional consultation with yours truly. In other words, if you haven’t yet gotten sick of me, you can talk to me about food and health for an hour on the phone. Free.
An initial CR consult will include:
- Discussion of your history with food, including your feelings about your body and your own self worth
- Discussion of what you eat day in and day out, and whether or not there are gaps in your diet that need filling
- Discussion of any health complaints that might respond well to plant-based nutrition
- How-to for some fundamentals of raw un-cooking
- Recipe ideas based on personal taste and preference
Before we start, I’ll be sending you a questionnaire that will help me get to know you and your goals.
In the last year, I’ve had to scale back my counseling practice dramatically to accommodate other professional projects, but I hope to expand it once again very early in 2011. Until then, nothing could make me happier than to give one of you a chance to sound off a bit about plant based food, body image, and health—and to give you encouraging feedback as you do. The deepest reward of being a blogger is to connect with likeminded men and women via the magic of keystrokes. What could be a more fitting celebration of a year’s worth of posts than the chance to connect with you outside of my blog—and offer some helpful feedback about nutrition while I do it?
There are a bunch of ways to enter. Each of these is worth one entry, so just use a new comment to tell me if you’ve done it:
1) Leave a comment telling me what sort of post you’d like to see more of within the next year of CR. Recipes? Nutrition talk? Body image/ED musings? Vegan rants discussions?
2) Tweet this giveaway, by copying and pasting the following text: @choosingraw is giving away a free plant-based health and diet consultation! https://bit.ly/aRSONk (Or at least include my twitter handle in your tweet.)
3) Like me, please like me, on Facebook.
I’ll announce the winner in exactly ten days: on Sunday, November 14th.
Good luck!!!!
xo
This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission. Visit my privacy policy to learn more.
Categories: Uncategorized
Leave a Comment
I love reading your blog so much! In order of preference, I would like to see more 1. recipes(!) 2. ED musings 3. nutrition talk. Thanks for doing what you do chica!
I’d like to see more nutrition posts, although one can never have too many recipes. Of course I’ll like you on Facebook! I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while now and really enjoy it. Keep up the great work!
Congrats 365!
I”m a big fan of your recipes – raw, vegan, machines, whatever. I like food and variety is spice.
gave you a fb like!
Hi Gina,
As a long time vegetarian who has just started the transition to veganism, I would love to see more recipes. Yummy, healthy recipes make the transition doable and more importantly enjoyable.
i would like to see a blog on how to plan the meals for someone who has no time during the week ….and recipes for those who need to gain a little weight
Hi Gena – I already like you on Facebook. Yours is the only blog I read religiously. I enjoy the variety – nutrition, ED and recipes. If there is anything I’d like to see more of, it’s recipes….cooked or raw, I’m into both. Happy 365th!! Sherry
Congratulations on 365 posts, Gena!!!
I’m not sure if you’d find this request to be too ‘personal’ (as it’s a matter that you’ve only really brushed upon) but I’d really like for you to post your story in relation to your ED, and overcoming body image issues and healing your relationship with food. You’re really inspiring, and it intrigues me as to how someone who seems so strong, could have once been so ‘weak’.
Of course, I agree with a bagazillion suggestions that everyone else has made, especially what Averie, Kayleigh and Laura C said.
I’ve already liked you on facebook (somedays I wish there was a ‘love’ button.) 🙂
As for the twitter, I don’t have one. I’m sorry, but some of the social applications going around are utterly, and absolutely useless. (Okay, all of them, but I’m not in the position at the moment to face up to my uncontrollable addiction to wasting time on facebook.) :p
Reigne.
Hi Gena! I liked you on Facebook and would also enjoy reading more vegan discussions on the blog. I became vegan more for health reasons than anything else but, over the years, my “reason” for being vegan has morphed into some combination of health, compassion for animals, being an environmentally conscious citizen, etc. I’d love to read more about your journey in veganism and other contemporary vegan topics, as it seems to be popping up in the news all the time now. Congrats on the 365-post anniversary!
I liked you on facebook!
Recipes please! Simple and easy ones!
3) Like! on Facebook 🙂
2) Tweeted! (by @tippytoe)
1) Definitely recipes, preferably easy ones for busy days 🙂
I like more of everything, please! 🙂 but your posts on body image, nutrition and recipes are my faves.
Just like you on facebook too.
Hi Gena,
Congratulations on 365 posts! I would so love to win a counselling session with you! I would like to hear more about Vegan nutrition and recipe that fit into those nutrition guidelines. Oops that’s two I guess 🙂
Love your blog!
P.S – I liked you on facebook too!
I’d love to hear more about vegan nutrition!
Thanks Gena for this giveaway! I would be honored to have you as my mentor. I would like more posts talking about how to stay consistent on the diet. Simple things that work. Habits that trigger binges and should be avoided. I would love to hear more of that.
Nutrition talk! Whatever is in those recipes, I would very much like to know what exactly is in them etc and how to keep a raw vegan diet in accordance to the daily values(vitamins, minerals etc).
(:
Would love to see more recipes, together with nutritional info. Thx for a great blog!
I liked you on FB! 🙂
More recipes and nutrition talk would be great. Also, the best ways to eat raw in season would be great as well. Liked on facebook now… working on twitter next. 🙂
Yay, what a fabulous way to celebrate your 365! Congrats, Gena! I would love to hear more about eating on the go. I am a student who doesn’t live on campus and, though I love Lara bars and Sabra individual packs, it’s really getting old!
I already liked you on FB, not sure if that counts.
Happy 1 year! So happy you are blogging away. It’s a real gift to us readers.
I like you on facebook and everywhere else. 🙂
Eventhough I know you aren’t that much into creating raw desserts, I would like to see more of them on your blog! Maybe by guest bloggers? 🙂
tweeted
@cherrycobbler
long enough?
Liked on facebook.
WP says my comment is too short…this long enough?
I’d like to see everything! I especially love vegan err…discussions. 🙂
I tweeted too. I wonder why wordpress doesn’t let us write short comments? I had to “go back and try again” too.
I like your posts on eating disorders and body image. I mean, I like all your posts 🙂 but I’d like to see more of those too.
tweet! (Your comment was a bit too short. Please go back and try again.) seriously, word press?
Blog topics… I have so many ideas for you!
I do love when you share your nutritional expertise- foods that supply large amounts of hard-to-get nutrients, for example, or dispelling myths about nutritional properties.
Some of these might stretch your comfort zone or expertise, but they could also be done in tandem with guest bloggers. I’d love to hear about mental health and nutrition- for example, research and anecdotes on optimal nutrition and lifestyle for people with mood disorders (or even autism, bipolar, etc). I’m also curious on your thoughts about healthcare and alternative health care providers. And what about care for ED patients? I know you have some opinions there! I’d love to hear from readers as well about what was most healing for them.
Next, I’ve noticed you rarely talk about food addiction or overeating, probably because they aren’t close to home for you. But I’m sure overeating, emotional eating, and binge eating are close to home for many of us, and it would be interesting to share strategies and thoughts.
Finally, how about M? 😉 OK, not fair. Hmm- how about a post counting all the calories and macronutrients of a day in the raw or hi-raw- not a personal food diary, but a day of Gena-endorsed food, meeting all nutritional reqs? It’s not that I don’t believe it can be done, by any means- it’s that I’ve never seen it demonstrated in the raw(ish) world. Most authors are so defensive about their way of eating that they are almost offended by the question- but I’ve still never seen it. And what a simple way to answer the “where do you get XYZ” question- a link to your post. Or if you don’t want to do that, maybe a post on your general strategy of evaluating people’s diets as a nutritionist, so that readers can apply some of your considerations to their own diets.
Now my facebook reflects the fact that I like you 🙂
Hi Gena…
Going into winter, I would love to hear some more raw vegan survival tips! This is when I find sticking to veganism, raw in particular, is most challenging… Secondly, I would love to hear more about coming to terms with food, and liking food, post ED. This is one topic I am still wrapping my head around! Your knowledge and personal insight would be greatly appreciated x
You are liked on fb!
Consider yourself thoroughly liked on Facebook. 🙂
I liked you on FB and would like to see more on nutrition and more recipes!
I like you on facebook! Congratulations on a years worth of posts and thank you so much for all of them! I especially enjoy your body image/ed posts as I am all too familiar with those struggles, and the insight of you and your commenters have helped me a lot. But I would also like to see more posts on the subjectivities of veganism because there is so much grey area within it. I don’t personally know any vegans so I really don’t have anyone to discuss these things with. For example, while I don’t purchase any animal products in the form of food, body care products, clothing or anything, ‘first hand’ that supports a current industry, I do buy second hand animal products (like leather and wool) from thrift stores. I can’t justify buying a pair of chemically toxic polyurethane shoes at the mall that will last a year and take thousands to decompose, when there is a perfectly good pair of 30 year old leather shoes, that would otherwise be thrown out, sitting on a shelf at a 100% not for profit charitable store that encourages the act of recycling. Yes, having dead animals on my feet bothers me, but I think it is worse for the animals currently alive, not to mention the environment, to buy clothing, accessories and shoes made from synthetic fabric and materials (i.e. oil and plastic) manufactured in some present day, fossil fuel pumping factory. Whoa, you see, I just don’t know how other vegans would respond to this?!
Kayleigh, great points, really interesting. These issues are so complicated. There are great environmental and vegan shoe companies out there, but like many truly responsible companies, their products are more expensive!
I would like to hear more about veganism and IBS. I am currently eating an all vegan diet but feel that my digestion has gotten worse, I really want to know what I can improve!
tweeted (@nutellacube)
also, i enjoy your usage of the word “wackadoo”.
i would like to see more… body image/ED musings. ED not as a means of controlling the physical, but controlling something metaphysical. philosophy of food in general. interested in what you think. what you foresee as the future “standard american diet” – will it change? will there always be factory food (soda, etc)? will everyone become vegan? will everyone be on grain-free diets? will everyone shop at whole foods? also, what averie mentioned above: i want to who gena is and what she does because i find her interesting!!
i’d like more nutrition talk – i love the recipes too, but i’d love in-depth nutrition posts with a simple starter recipe of sorts at the end/ interspersed with factual info in a post.
i think i already like ya on facebook!
ahh, excellent. i never did receive those giveaway dvds, but here goes…
liking you on facebook
I would love more raw/vegan recipes. I’ve loved every CR recipe I’ve tried! Even my raw-skeptical omnivorous mother is addicted to your raw sesame noodles.
p.s. I liked you on facebook
I just “liked” you on FB! Didn’t even realize I hadn’t done that yet! yay!
I love seeing your recipes, hearing your veg rants, talks on body image.. the variety you provide is actually the thing that keeps me reading your blog so truly, don’t change too much please!! You’re doing an awesome job. Thanks so much!!
Nutrition talk, please! I always love your nutrition talk.
And of course I “Like” you on FB! Not sure how I missed doing that before.. sorry!
I tweeted it.. thanks!!
i would like to see more of your life…not necessarily your food, but just more life in general. Your daily purchases, where you go, who you meet up with, various life rants, raves, musings and such. Who you’re dating, the last great movie you saw, the fact that you wasted an hour changing your sheets and sorting your silverware drawer. Sounds mundane, but it’s really the stuff I enjoy reading about…who someone IS 🙂
i tweeted it (loveveggiesyoga)
I like you on FB (and otherwise!)
More posts on… haters who don’t understand why you eat the way you do.
hmmm…seems to me like we should focus on POSITIVES rather than bashing others and their mindsets (even if we are fundamentally opposed to their beliefs).
I would love to see more hot topics in terms of nutrition…I always find your posts and opinions very interesting!
I’ve liked you on FB for a long, long time. 🙂
xoxo,
LJ
Gena, I love your blog! Everything is so well-written and you manage to tackle controversial topics with incredible tact and respect. It’s hard to pick one thing that I’d like to see more of…I love it all! But discussions on veganism (nutrition-related posts, or how to deal with family members, etc) are especially loved by this vegan girl!
… and I ‘liked’ you on fb awhile ago, but I figure this will count just the same because I would like to win this, for real.
I liked you on facebook! 🙂
I love reading your blog already, but I’d like more tips on how to use a blender quietly.. haha. I live in an apartment at college with assigned roommates and half of them are not morning people. how can I make smoothies for breakfast? I’m also required to have a dining plan. though I’m pescetarian and not a full vegan or anything, it can be difficult to make good choices sometimes.
in general, more tips on eating healthy in college would be absolutely awesome.
I would have to say nutrition articles and body image issues please!
I liked you on facebook, too.
What an awesome giveaway! I’d love the chance to have a consultation with you (as I’m bummed that I didn’t have the chance to talk to you at HLS). As a raw food fan, I love your recipe posts. I also really relate to your ED posts but overall just like that you mix it up. Thanks for this opportunity. 🙂
I like you on Facebook!
I’d like to see more recipe posts!
I commented on twitter!
And I really enjoy your body image and nutritional discussions!
I liked you on FB!
I appreciate your honest approach to ED/body image related topics so I’d love to see more of those. I also love nutrition talk, especially about the specific nutrients in food. I love eating something knowing that it will give me more energy or smooth my digestion, or promote strong bones, etc…especially when its a food I’m discovering for the first time!
i’d say just keep doing what you’re doing, because it’s splendid already 🙂
but i do love your posts on nutrition, as well as posts on body image. they help me greatly 🙂
I am so glad.
i tweeted. a bright spot on this gloomy thursday!
I’d like to hear about recipes that will clear up my skin!
Facebook liked. That article you linked to today makes my blood BOIL.
Don’t even get me started. I was fuming for like, 2 hours. Am writing a letter to the Atlantic editor.
I would definitely like to hear more about veganism on here. I know that you share my concern for the animals. Yet a lot of vegans that I meet out there are doing it for health reasons. I know, this is still totally great, but why are people so scared to jump on the compassionate bandwagon??? Thanks and congratulations to you!
I would love to write more about that. Thanks, Priscilla.
I adore your blog! my boyfriend even reads it sometimes! i would love for you to write more about the nutritional aspects of your lifestyle…. and also for you to post more recipes b/c everything i try is fantastic!
Whoa, the BF reads? I’m impressed! Thanks Rita!
I tweetered!
Haha, it won’t let me post a ‘short’ comment. Great spam catcher. 😉
I enjoy everything you write, Gena, but I’d especially love to see more of your own personal take on current nutritional ‘trends’, as well as musings on veganism, mostly because I never get sick of reading and talking about veganism. =)
I already liked you on facebook! I would love more recipes and more nutritional talk. Congrats on one year! and for putting in all the effort! 🙂
I love everything about your blog but especially love your recipes! I’ve made several of them and have loved them all. I really like how they usually don’t require a lot of ingredients and I usually have most if not all ingredients already in my kitchen. Happy 365th post!
Congratulations on reaching 365! I would enjoy more vegan discussions. I find those discussions typically initiate more interesting/controversial comments.
I liked you on FB! 🙂 Honestly, I’m not sure why I didn’t like you on FB from the get-go. My apologies for lagging on that!
I tweeted! 🙂
Thank you again for this fantastic giveaway!
This is one of the best giveaways EVER!
I’d actually love more of all of the topics you mentioned, but very, very specifically, I would be so grateful for a pressure cooker tutorial post!
M and I are on it!
I liked you on FB! Woooohooooo!!!
What an amazing giveaway. I would always love to see more recipes. Yours is the only blog whose recipes I often read and make in the same day. Not only are they delicious but they use whole simple nutritious ingredients and I usually have everything on hand or can make a substitution or two.
I would love to hear more about vegan nutrition, how to answer to the cynics and anti vegans, product , restaurant and store recommendations and maybe short interviews of impressive vegan or raw people .
Oh, and I liked you – I really liked you – on facebook
Heh. Thanks!
Wow, Gena, this is really giving of you. I’d like to see more recipes, even if I rarely make them. I also really enjoy the nutrition talk – it’s like a counseling session with you without actually taking more of your time already!
I liked you on facebook and would welcome more posts on all subjects!
I love your nutrition/body image talk, I always walks away feeling better about myself. Choosing Raw puts me in a good mood 🙂
Liked you on FB; retweeted giveaway at http://www.twitter.com/luiyuming
I’d like to see more recipes, geared towards being quick and easy but tasty. Do we get to choose more than one topic? Haha… I love debates — be it on raw/veganism or body image issues… I think I also wondered why you never said anything about raw vegans reverting to meat. I know you had a post on raw vegans turning to raw dairy/eggs but I noticed some prominent folks in the raw community swinging from one extreme to another. Also, what are your thoughts on supplementing a vegan diet? I know you are not a big fan of protein powders and prob supplements, too?
Ah, interesting. I assumed my thoughts on someone adding MEAT back in would be so self evident they wouldn’t be worth sharing 🙂 suffice is to say, I am not supportive. But of course, to each his own…
I would like to see more vegan discusssions and of course, more recipes. I’ve posted about this on twitter and will “like” you on Facebook when I get home! Thank you for taking the plunge and putting the effort that you do in your blog. 🙂
congrats on your one year!!! that’s such a big accomplishment 🙂
i’d LOVE to see more nutrition talk! it’s one of my favorite topics (though, truth be told, everything you listed i’d love to see more of!), especially now that i am essentially rebuilding my diet! thanks, gena :)!
I “liked” you on facebook! And I like you in real life, so that should count for something too…. hehe.
More vegan rants please! Seriously. I like them 🙂
I liked you on facebook.
…but I liked you already off of it, too. =]
I want more recipes!! Secondly, I love to read about your vegan musings and how you fit your food habits into daily life (ex: food at work, preparing crowd pleasers, traveling, etc…)
I liked you on FB too 😉
I already like you on facebook, because your posts are excellent! I would love to see your recipes made into their own online magazine-style ‘book’. I love that you have a recipes page on your site but it would be so cool to have every single one of them collated with your great photos in one easy-to-use spot. I use your recipes ALL the time. Such an inspiration Gena, thank you for your work.
Thank YOU Bonnie!
I love your blog! I would love to hear more about veganism in the media and how different people perceive it. Also I would love more recipes (of course)! Thanks for the blog, It has really been an awesome part of my daily routine.
1,Recipes and 2, body image/ed 3, nutrition
love em all! You have no idea how much this give away would mean. I emailed you a while ago about conseling and you said you couldnt do it. I struggle with my own issues (not dets here) I would love your help. you are not to extreme but love natural healthy living. This would mean the world to me seriously! and its my bday;) you are liked on fb and twitter. I really hope you pick me. Thank you!!!!! for everything love your blog!!
I liked you on facebook and I would love to hear more ramblings on body image/ed stuff. I feel like it’s something that I not only deal with but so many other men and women so I always love to hear your take on it 🙂
Emma
Recipes!! Especially your smoothies..I love all your creative ideas!
I liked you on FB!