About
I’m Julie Kalivretenos and I’m a self-taught gourmet, freelance food and wellness writer, and amateur photographer. I started Julie’s Raw Ambition after discovering the raw food lifestyle in July of 2007.
Why “raw food”? Contrary to few reactions, I didn’t join a cult and decide to eat only salads and carrot sticks. Superfoods and detox juice cleanses might come to mind. Fortunately, it’s deeper than that (see FAQ’s), otherwise I would’ve jumped into a wagon of croissants by now, never to be heard from again.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2003 after suffering from digestive problems for about 13 years. This meant reanalyzing what I thought I knew about healthy eating in a more scrutinous way, whether I liked it or not. I’ve always had pride in my sense of balancing healthy eating with my LOVE of food, so I wasn’t about to be doomed to a life of the bland and the boring.
I eventually left my job as a corporate art director for full-time healing. I became a Raja-hatha yoga instructor and taught healthy cooking classes. From macrobiotics to vegetarianism to veganism, I continued searching for the best formula. Then I got hold of some books on raw vegan cuisine and never looked back.
For wee starters, going raw teaches you to examine things a lot closer… like really close. Such as, where did it come from? Is it organic, conventional? Has it been sitting on a shelf since the 80’s? Just when I thought all of this new found scrutiny gave new meaning to the term “food snob”, I began to notice how the real feel-good benefits seep into every layer of your entire being – mental, spiritual, your relationships – not just the physical. Hence the term, “raw food lifestyle“.
Increasingly widespread epidemics like obesity, cancer, and chronic illness are connected directly to industrialized food and poor lifestyle habits. But more and more people are growing wiser to how they can take control of their own health. It’s exciting to see that this increasing consciousness is becoming evident even within the mainstream culinary world, no matter what you do or don’t eat. My goal is to inspire all types of eaters who just want to do it healthier and creatively so. I don’t believe in going on diets as a temporary means, and there’s no “one size fits all” solution.
Do I eat 100% raw all the time? No…but I strive to hold a high ratio. Going raw isn’t about perfection and it is not for everyone. I guarantee though, it’s a pure educational process that challenges the way we eat food, prepare food, think about food, our attitudes toward food, food addictions, food traditions, and well you get the idea. Julie’s Raw Ambition is a place to share my recipes, wellness perspectives, restaurant experiences, and miscellaneous other bits worth mentioning. Sometimes I’ll feature a recipe from an awesome (un)cookbook, because there’s so much deliciousness to be shared!
Another thing – eating raw, vegan, or vegetarian doesn’t mean you’re an anti-bathing hippie, or an eco-terrorist, or that people who eat meat are evil. Going vegan certainly has a basis in compassion for animals and/or animal rights, but that’s a different discussion, really a different blog altogether, except for times when I may use this site as a forum to support those non-profit organizations and causes close to my heart. Julie’s Raw Ambition isn’t the place to discuss vegan abolition or have ethics wars. Just about sharing healthful, beautiful cuisine, discussing wellness, and to celebrate healing – and the spirit of giving.
Thank you for visiting.
Articles, media, mentions:
- “Make + Give Treats” by Julie Kalivretenos, Purely Delicious Magazine, Fall ‘09 (recipes)
- “Who’s Afraid of Sea Vegetables?” by Julie Kalivretenos, Purely Delicious Magazine, Summer ‘09 (article)
- “Raw Ambition” by Kristen Manieri, Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine, August 2009 (article)
more to come….
Legal:
© 2007-2010 Julie’s Raw Ambition. Reproduction in part or entirety is prohibited.
This site is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease. Julie’s Raw Ambition strongly advises seeking the advice of a physician before making changes in diet or lifestyle that could affect health.
Photographs and artwork contained in this site is protected under a Creative Commons License, (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.)
