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First day being superhero...Umeboshi Plums & Shoyu??
Started
by Lisa Schmidt
on January 1, 2010
Hey guys! This is my first day becoming superhero/vegan '6/7'. Well this is my first day doing anything really..I skipped right over vegetarian and vegan and went right to superhero...I know I can do it but it's going to be hard. For example, there is not one local health food store. So some of the ingredients that I want or need are going to be hard to get. Lotus root, umeboshi plums, shoyu, burdock, ect. The closest health food store is Whole Foods and it's about 40 minutes away. I went shopping for all the stuff I needed yesterday but some of the stuff was to expensive for me to try and start out with. And it's main stuff that I need! Like the umeboshi plums and the shoyu were to expensive! It would cost me between $20-$25 just for those 2 items alone! I just don't know where else to look. I tried calling local oriental grocers and when I ask them if they have the plum, they have no idea what I'm talking about! Please help! I really want to start making the Cure All Tea and the Weight Loss Tea and some recipes that I need the ingredients for.
I have found that it doesn't matter where you shop those plums are expensive. Try www.edenfoods.com click on the Japanese foods section and you will find lots of what you need including the Shoyu and Miso. I also use www.kushistore.com. They sometimes have specials on shipping. Recently it was 9.95 for all orders under $200. That was a very nice savings and allowed us to stock up a bit.
Focus on what you DO have access to. If Umeboshi plums aren't available right away, relax. Eat whole grains, whatever veggies you can get your hands on, and drink tons of water. That is a GREAT place to focus your energy.
I bought Shoyu at Whole Foods today (it's with the soy sauce and you can also find the nori wraps there if you're interested!) and I think it was around $5. It's a pretty big bottle which will last a while. I haven't tried the plums yet, maybe next week. Seems like a lot of the staple items are a bit pricey but you won't have to buy them often. Good luck!
Thanks everyone! I'm on day 4 now and I don't think I've been experiencing any kind of detox yet...maybe it'll happen when I'm longer into it? Anyways I've decided to just purchase the umeboshi plums and the shoyu because I can't find it anywhere else and I want to try so many recipes with that stuff. Havn't tried it yet though. Maybe tomorrow. Yesterday I had a fabulous dinner though! I had steemed kale with a little sea salt, baked potato mashed with earth balance tofutti sour cream and a little bit of salt, and a mini pita stuffed with : diced romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, non dairy ranch, and vegan meatballs. It was completely filling! 4 days ago I quit smoking, drinking coffee, and became a superhero/vegan...all of it completely cold turkey! Well you know what I mean lol...but I am just so happy now because it was such an easy transition and hopefully if I have withdrawals, it won't be that bad.
That's great! Keep up that momentum. Good for you!
I actually just bit the bullet today and bought my first package of umeboshi plums, $13.99 at Whole Foods (yikes). I also treated myself to a kombucha tea. I do think though that this way of eating pretty much evens out - the more expensive things are offset by the very inexpensive staples like rice/grains, beans, and produce.
So how should I eat these plums? I was thinking of chopping one up and having it with a bowl of rice, along with other condiments.
Try the Cure-all Tea. It uses a bit of umeboshi. Eating it on rice would be tasty, but wouldn't fill me up. Maybe with some good veggies.
A word of warning - your first umeboshi will likely taste REALLY salty. It's a unique flavor and takes a minute to get used to. I love sucking on the pit.
i also have the same problem. The plums are expensive and i dont care for pickled things, so im afraid i wont like them. Is the paste a good enough substitute? its only $13?
Also-- Any advice on a good seaweed for a seaweed virgin?? i picked up wakame but i dont know which one is the best to try?? they were all expensive!
I like arame and hijiki. Alicia has a nice recipe for arame and carrots. It is expensive, but a little goes a long way so even if you eat it once a week or so, you won't be buying it that frequently.
The plums take some getting used to but they're great for digestion. They also last quite a while.
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