Personally, I land in the category of health-food minded vegan who loves raw foods, but isn't a strict raw foodist by any means. However, with every new product that comes out on the market these days (think coconut butter, raw agave nectar, raw cacao), I find it easier and more exciting all the time to incorporate more living foods into my diet! Plus, it doesn't have to be hard at all. Or boring!
Here are my top ten EASY (and, uh, yummy!) ways to eat more raw foods every day, in every way...
1. Start your day with a smoothie and a smile. For a raw food smoothie, use fresh juice and fresh or frozen fruits. You can also throw in some superfood additions like hemp, flax, or spirulena for an extra woo-hoo!
2. Make a delicious salad every day. Find or make a fresh dressing you love and add lots of yummy things to your salads (like avocado, shredded beets and carrots, sprouts, and grape tomatoes).
3. Sprout it up, people! Sprouting is an incredibly cheap, nutritious way to incorporate living foods into your diet. Plus, anytime you sprout a food, you exponentially increase its available nutrients.
4. Have a yummy meal in a glass. Raw foods shakes are delicious, filling, and uber-nourishing. Try adding frozen banana for sweetness - or if you prefer things a little sweeter a few soaked dates are great as they add sweetness in a whole-foods, nutrient-dense way. I also like to add vanilla and almond milk for a delicious, creamy vanilla shake.
5. Experiment with raw desserts! Oh yum, are they good! I've been doing a lot of this for my next book (which is a yummy weight loss program) and boy have I been enjoying the recipe testing part of it! "Rawberry Star Bars" are my daughter's new raison d'etre. But until my book comes out, suffice it to say that you can have some fun making up treats using fresh fruits, raw coconut butter, soaked cashews, agave nectar, etc. and you'll never miss a thing.
6. Wrap up some deliciousness in a romaine or chard leaf! Here's a recipe for Funky Chunky Guacamole Wraps from the raw foods chapter of my book, Radiant Health, Inner Wealth. YUM.
7. If you really want cooked foods, that's fine. However, if something is just as delicious raw, then why not eat it that way? For example, I've recently discovered how delish it is to prepare kale in the raw. Simply cutting it finely and "massaging" it with its sauce really tenderizes it. It's so yummy and fresh-tasting!
8. Snack on fresh vegetables throughout the day - carrots, cherry tomatoes, pea pods, and celery are all familiar, crunchy health foods that do our bodies a big favor with their fiber, vitamins, and minerals. If you're on the go, you can make up "veggie snack packs" to grab each morning before you head out of the house.
9. Experiment with one new raw foods recipe each week. There are lots of great recipes available for everything from sushi to pies to wraps. Gone are the days when raw foods were only about health. Nowadays, they're also about the yum!
10. Consider investing in a food dehydrator. I personally finally bought one last year and now I can't believe I waited so long! I had wanted one ever since the Ronco infomercial days of the 80s! But now I have me one fine little mama - the biggest baddest Excalibur. And boy do I love it! I can make all kinds of raw/living foods - flax crackers, veggie-based tortillas, fruit leathers (for my daughter's lunches), zucchini chips, and so much more.
Thanks so much for stopping by and I'd love to hear what YOUR favorite way to eat raw foods is!!
Eating more raw foods is a great way to stay healthy and PREVENT illnesses. I'm loving the Kathleen Show's Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesdays. Be sure to check out the other fabulous bloggers here!
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