Hello.  Boy, have I struggled learning a new blogging platform – talk about “teaching an old dog!” So I begin with the most simple template and few bells or whistles. I’ve been having a bit of an identity crises and felt that my blogger blog name, Mixed Threads, didn’t really reflect what I like to write most about these days, raw foods. So I went out and got a shiny, new name, Raw Vibe, to call my little corner of the Internet.

Raw, as in raw foods. I really love this way of eating. I’m not exclusively a raw vegan, but I enjoy adding more and more of it into my daily diet. Raw, also as in open, honest, and sometimes unedited.

Vibe, as in vibrant. When I eat this way, I feel vibrant, more energetic, and younger. Vibe, also as in good vibrations (that Beach Boys’ song just launched in my head). I like to read positive, loving, life-affirming stuff from other people and hope to pass along these good vibrations in my writing and images.

For any of you already familiar with Mixed Threads, perhaps I need little introduction. It’s still me, Dominique. Thank you for following me here. For the rest of you all, welcome.

In a nutshell, I am a wife and a mother of two beautiful children, 12yo and 4yo, living in downtown Chicago. I love raising my kids in a big city, although I often dream of having a postage stamp of a backyard. For now, it is a privilege having Chicago’s amazing parks as my big backyard and lake Michigan just out my front door.

I write mostly about my discovery and experiences with raw foods and share some mouth watering recipes along the way. I am like many people who have discovered this healthful way of eating, enthusiastic. If you met me a few years ago I would describe myself as aging fast. Over forty, over weight, sad, lethargic and having chronic pain. Yet, on the other hand, I was celebrating the birth of my second child. Welcoming this little man into my home was a good kick in the pants to stop letting my health slide. Kids are a lot to keep up with, and I was tired of lagging behind.

Since then, many people have crossed my path who have introduced me to raw foods and have inspired me to eat better. I was a cynic when I first heard that people eat this way. Crazy. So extreme. Where’s the research? You’ve got to be kidding me! However, little by little I opened up to hear more. Frankly, how bad could it be to include more fresh fruits and veggies into my diet?

Changing my diet is a process. While I love making and eating raw foods, I fall into old eating habits easily. As a family, we’ve been eating takeout, convenience foods, processed foods, total junk food for so long, it’s been a challenge to clean up our diets. Sometimes it’s such a synch to whip up good food for myself, but oftentimes my husband and kids won’t have anything to do with my garden veggie pate, collard wraps, or green smoothies. While I’d love for my family to share in all I make, I’ve got some fussy eaters to contend with. My goal is to cook more wholesome meals for them to enjoy that will work seamlessly with the raw vegan meals I make for myself. When I accomplish that, I think I’ll have a good story to tell. In the interim, I enjoy the process and I’d like to share it with you.