The Glowing Fridge

Interview Featuring Amanda from RawManda

• Wellness & Lifestyle

Hey guys! I feel like I’ve been MIA for a bit… but for a very good reason! I am FINALLY releasing my guide this Friday, November 14th and I can’t wait to share!!! It’s been a long time coming, and it’s almost here!!!!!

It’s called ‘The Glow Effect’! I’ve dedicated a page to it with more information and a sneak peek inside! Check it out here! If you follow me on instagram, you will know I’ve been recipe testing and cooking up a storm (like a crazy person), adding the final touches to this guide so today, I’m letting Amanda from RawManda take over!

I’ve been following Amanda on instagram ever since I started my insta account for The Glowing Fridge. She has the most beautiful pictures, seriously! Amanda has been thriving on a raw foods plant based diet. She eats fully raw and I knew I had to interview her and share it with you, as we can all be inspired to incorporate more raw foods into our life! And if we make she’s having, we will be eating an abundance of beautifully delicious food. She recently started her blog where she shares recipes for her inspiring creations, I’ve already made her raw, nut-free brownies a few times now. Let’s get to it so I can get back to finishing my guide 🙂

 

Meet the beautiful Amanda!

Interview Featuring Amanda from Raw-Manda - All about the raw vegan plant-based lifestyle!

 

How yummy does this chocolate and dragonfruit nana ice cream look though?! Seriously! Photo from her insta page

Nana Ice Cream from RawAmanda - Plus a fun interview with Amanda about all things raw vegan and plant-based!

 

Hi Amanda! Tell us about yourself and your journey to becoming raw vegan.

About a year ago I stopped eating meat.  This happened naturally, I didn’t find it appetizing anymore and found other sources of protein to taste much better anyways. Giving up seafood and animal products like greek yogurt and eggs was where I had to make a conscious effort to eliminate foods from my diet.
I was deeply moved by documentaries that exposed the truths about the food industry and literally became vegan overnight after watching Vegucated. I decided to create an Instagram account (@raw_manda) to hold myself accountable for the meals I was eating. While documenting my journey there, I was shocked to see that I was inspiring others to incorporate more raw foods into their diets with surprisingly simple raw vegan recipes.
I used social media to look for inspiring accounts and like-minded people to help me start this journey. My biggest inspirations are Fully Raw Kristina and Freelee the Banana Girl. Their passion and commitment to helping people understand this lifestyle is extremely motivating. I quickly watched all of their YouTube videos in something like less than two weeks!
 
 

Do you incorporate specific superfoods everyday? What are your go-to’s?

I consider everything I eat to be “superfoods.”  Everyone has a different definition of what this term means but I like to think of superfoods as all organic, raw and plant-based foods. Bananas are always my go-to 🙂
 

What are some of the benefits that you have noticed since changing your diet to raw vegan?

The best digestion and elimination! Being “regular” might be a topic that’s TMI for some people, but it’s a fact of life and we all experience it. I love feeling like my body is working properly and nothing is unpredictable. I wake up, drink a glass of water and go to the bathroom.. every single day. When you love your body by giving it the foods it needs, it will love you back.


How do you manage staying raw during the workday? Do you bring lunches and snacks?

I am in a unique situation where I work very close to my apartment.  Since I go home during lunch to walk my dog, I am lucky enough to be able to make a quick smoothie or banana ice cream. When I’m at work, I am always snacking on dates and dried fruits.
 
 

Who motivates you to live fully raw and where do you find recipe inspiration?! 

My Instagram followers. They are so supportive and knowing that my dishes can inspire my them to incorporate more raw foods into their diet is a huge motivation for me to live fully raw. My biggest recipe inspiration comes from the produce section of my grocery store, MOM’s Organic Market. I’ve tried so many new and interesting fruits and veggies thanks to them! I also find recipe inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest and sometimes YouTube.  
 
 

Your instagram success comes as no surprise, you truly are an artist and photographer all in one! Do you have any tips for building a following on social media? 

Thank you so much, that means so much to me! I think that building relationships with your followers is really important. If someone asks me a question or compliments my work, I take the time to address them or show my gratitude. Connecting with other accounts is also a great way to build a following! Leave comments on posts you really enjoy and be genuine! I also try to post regularly but filter out content that’s not relevant or engaging. Sometimes my smoothies don’t always turn out to be the most attractive colors or textures, I choose to leave these photos out. Find accounts that are dedicated to showcasing other foodie accounts and use their hashtags in your photos, I’m running @veganfoodspot to share inspirational accounts on Instagram! 
 
 

What are your favorite Instagram accounts that you follow?

There are seriously so many talented people on Instagram who are unbelievably creative! I have so many favorites but here are a few that I really love: @feltbyheart, @eat_to_thrive, @nourishbynature, @flourishinghealth, @livepurejenna, @the_peachy_pear, @dehappy5_mama, @lonijane, @pureveganfood 

 

Will you share what you typically eat on a normal day?

  • Breakfast: In-season fruit mono-meal, my favorite would have to be 2-3 ripe mangoes or if I have time in the morning, a simple green smoothie with spinach/kale, almond milk and bananas!
  • Snacks: Dates, dried figs, mulberries
  • Lunch: Nana ice cream (about 6 frozen bananas blended) with fresh fruit toppings.
  • Dinner: Zoodles (spiralized zucchini noodles), homemade dressing/sauce usually made from blended fruit, chopped veggies, fruits and a few nuts/seeds.
 

How has your beauty regimen changed and do you have any products or natural beauty tips that you can’t live without? 

The raw vegan lifestyle has taught me more than just being aware of the foods I eat. It was very alarming to find out that a few of my long-time favorite products came from companies that fell into the animal testing category. After these realizations, I vowed to never use those brands and had to look for replacements. Make-up was a little more challenging to replace, but luckily one of my favorite products Benefit “Brow Zings” eyebrow shaping kit is made by a company that doesn’t support testing on animals.  Another brand that I am currently obsessed with is LUSH. Not only are their products amazing, but the company is dedicated to supporting green initiatives, ethical campaigns and charities. LUSH’s “Dream Cream” is one of my favorite products I use on a daily basis on my sensitive dry skin. Lucky for me there’s a LUSH store right by my office and even my male co-workers love and use their products.

 

What is the easiest and the hardest thing about living fully raw?

Grocery shopping and food preparation are two things I never looked forward to. Now I can walk into the store and spend a few minutes in the produce section and I’m pretty much done. A majority of my meals are made with very few ingredients, which makes “cooking” a breeze. My social life is an area where I feel keeping up a fully raw diet has been challenging. I’m not hard on myself if there aren’t raw options and I’m okay with having some cooked foods from time to time.

 

Follow Amanda on social media!

Blog: http://rawmanda.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/rawmanda
Instagram: http://instagram.com/raw_manda
Twitter: http://twitter.com/itsrawmanda
Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/rawmanda
Bloglovin: http://bloglovin.com/rawmanda

 

A huge thank you to Amanda for being with us today and sharing a look into her raw food lifestyle!

And one more yummy pic from her insta page … Clearly I’ve been stalking her 🙂

 

Raw Mushroom Burritos from RawManda + a fun interview featuring Amanda and all things raw vegan plant-based!

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amanda

    Thanks so much for the feature Shannon! You’re amazing! This was such much fun xx

    Reply

    • Shannon Leparski

      You are so very welcome Amanda, I loved sharing your feature! You truly are amazing and so creative. I hope we can collaborate again in the future 🙂

      Reply

  2. Kathy Sturr of the Violet Fern

    Thank you for this introduction! I need to be a better Vegan and here is inspiration. Kelp noodles on the grocery list – I have always wanted to try!

    Reply

  3. Julia

    I loved your interview with Amanda! These dishes are fresh, colorful and delicious! Remember to add your favorite raw food restaurants to your Besty List at http://www.thebesty.com/theglowingfridge

    Reply

    • Shannon Leparski

      Thank you Julia! I definitely will add them to my Besty list!

      Reply

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