By far the hardest thing about going raw is figuring out what to eat on a meal-to-meal basis. Even with all the free raw resources available, I know it's still difficult to go raw.
We live in a cooked food world and eating raw just seems so difficult...even preposterous!
The best thing I can do for you is to give you some recipes to get started, raw recipes that are not only tasty and satisfying, but HEALTHY.
Check out this entire day's worth of low fat, high fruit raw vegan recipes!
Breakfast: Banana Blueberry Bonanza
Ingredients:
* 5 bananas
* 1 pint blueberries
* water
Directions:
Blend! The amount of water used is completely up to you. I prefer thinner smoothies so 1.5 cups would be about perfect for me.
Lunch: Papaya Power
Ingredients:
* 6 medium papaya
* Half a lime
Directions:
Cut papayas in half and remove the seeds. Squeeze limejuice over the papaya and devour with a spoon...or your hands.:)
Dinner Fruit Meal: Peaches and Blueberries
Ingredients:
* 8 medium peaches
* 1 pint blueberries
Directions:
Half, pit, and chop up the peaches (I prefer to peel mine first, but it isn't necessary). Mix together with the blueberries in a big (and I mean BIG) bowl.
Dinner Savory Meal: Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
* 1/2 Hass avocado
* 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
* 2 medium tomatoes, diced
* (Optional): lime juice
* (Optional): handful cilantro
* 1 head romaine lettuce
Directions:
Peel and mash the avocado with a fork. Mix in chopped bell pepper, tomatoes, squeeze of lime juice and cilantro (if desired). Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves and down the hatch!
I really hope you enjoy these delicious and healthy raw recipes and that they help you stop procrastinating and go raw TODAY!
And remember, each meal can easily be modified for taste or calories needed. If you don't like blueberries, substitute raspberries or blackberries instead. If you need double the amount of calories for breakfast, don't hesitate to double the recipe.:)
Go raw and be fit,
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Raw Diet Recipes: Lunch
Below you can read my favorite raw diet recipes and ideas for lunch (below). These raw recipes are all delicious and easy to prepare. And if you have friends over you can treat them to the best lunch ever. Most likely they won't know it's raw. But don't be surprised if they say how fresh and tasty your lunch is.
Enjoy!
Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 cup hemp seed
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey or a few drops of stevia (2-3)
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped ginger
1/2 tablespoon red chili
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup raw almond butter
1/2 head savoy cabbage, shredded
6 very large wild spinach leaves
1 carrot
1 ripe mango
1 handful cilantro leaves
1 handful torn basil leaves
Himalaya sea salt
Directions
Cut the carrot into into matchstick-size pieces. Cut the Mango lengthwise into strips, about 1/4 inch (1 cm) thick.
In a Vita-Mix or high-speed blender, puree the honey (or stevia), lemon juice, ginger, red chili, and soy sauce. Add the almond butter and blend at low speed to combine. You should get a rather thick consistency. (You may add water if it needs to be thinner)
In a bowl, mix the almond butter dressing with the cabbage. The best and easiest way is to do this with you hands or a large wooden spoon.
Now you need to roll the cabbage with dressing into a "lettuce" wrap. This is kind of tricky. Place the spinach leaf on a cutting board with the underside facing up. Then you put some of the cabbage mix on the leaf. Add some hemp seeds, a few sticks of carrot, a few pieces of mango, and a few leafs of cilantro and, basil.
Try to roll up and the spinach leaf, you might need to stick a cocktail stick in it to hold. Do this for all the other spinach leafs until the ingredients are gone.
Tip
This is my absolute favorite lunch dish. It's an adapted and simplified version of Pure Food & Wine's "Thai Lettuce Wraps". If you ever go to NY, I highly recommend you try them in this restaurant. If you bring this dish to a lunch or potluck, you'll be wowed!
As an alternative to putting the wraps together yourself, it's actually quite fun to let your guests put the wrap together themselves. This will save you time and it adds to social special atmosphere of your dinner
If you live in the US, you can also use collard greens instead of the spinach leafs, But I haven't found them in the Netherlands yet.
Enjoy!
Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 cup hemp seed
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey or a few drops of stevia (2-3)
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped ginger
1/2 tablespoon red chili
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup raw almond butter
1/2 head savoy cabbage, shredded
6 very large wild spinach leaves
1 carrot
1 ripe mango
1 handful cilantro leaves
1 handful torn basil leaves
Himalaya sea salt
Directions
Cut the carrot into into matchstick-size pieces. Cut the Mango lengthwise into strips, about 1/4 inch (1 cm) thick.
In a Vita-Mix or high-speed blender, puree the honey (or stevia), lemon juice, ginger, red chili, and soy sauce. Add the almond butter and blend at low speed to combine. You should get a rather thick consistency. (You may add water if it needs to be thinner)
In a bowl, mix the almond butter dressing with the cabbage. The best and easiest way is to do this with you hands or a large wooden spoon.
Now you need to roll the cabbage with dressing into a "lettuce" wrap. This is kind of tricky. Place the spinach leaf on a cutting board with the underside facing up. Then you put some of the cabbage mix on the leaf. Add some hemp seeds, a few sticks of carrot, a few pieces of mango, and a few leafs of cilantro and, basil.
Try to roll up and the spinach leaf, you might need to stick a cocktail stick in it to hold. Do this for all the other spinach leafs until the ingredients are gone.
Tip
This is my absolute favorite lunch dish. It's an adapted and simplified version of Pure Food & Wine's "Thai Lettuce Wraps". If you ever go to NY, I highly recommend you try them in this restaurant. If you bring this dish to a lunch or potluck, you'll be wowed!
As an alternative to putting the wraps together yourself, it's actually quite fun to let your guests put the wrap together themselves. This will save you time and it adds to social special atmosphere of your dinner
If you live in the US, you can also use collard greens instead of the spinach leafs, But I haven't found them in the Netherlands yet.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Benefits From Raw Food Diet Recipes
Raw food diet recipes are those that consist of only organically grown vegetables and fruits. A raw food diet has not been cooked at temperatures over 115 F degrees. This is critical because when foods are heated above 115 degrees F valuable enzymes and nutrients are destroyed. These nutrients are key to your body's health. Because many people eat cooked vegetables as well as processed foods millions of people are dealing with bodily deficiencies often for years and even decades. Is it any wonder that millions of people are now diagnosed with cancer?
If you are interested in learning more about raw food diets then what better way than to learn from those who have experienced and studied the different facets of this diet for years. The way I recommend is to read books from qualified authors as these books are massive collections of knowledge and helpful tips. Here are some ideas to consider when you are trying to learn more about raw diet recipes:
* Look for books that will give you tasty recipes. The success of your raw food diet recipes are dependant on your personal experience. Just because you are eating healthy is no reason to eat food that lacks taste. In order to assure your success you need to eat foods that you will like and look forward to eating on a regular basis. These books can also provide you with the types of foods to buy and a good description on what these foods can offer you. Start by making a list of the foods that you like and then work to find recipes that use those ingredients.
* Surf the Web or read magazines that deal with the topics of raw food diets. Many of these sources offer tips from nutritionists as well as information on which foods are important sources of nutrients.
* Many traditional recipes can be adapted into raw food diet recipes. By taking popular recipes and substituting cooked versions of vegetables or fruits with raw ones, you can create new and tasty recipes that will help to sustain your interests.
* It is not always possible to prepare your own food and you typically won't find too many restaurants and fast food joints serving foods prepared this way. Use the internet to look for places nearby where you live that will have raw food recipes ready to be served to those on the go.
* When you search for raw food diet recipes, make sure not to become confused with vegetarian recipes. The recipes should be composed of uncooked organic ingredients. A true raw diet enthusiast is someone who eats at least 75-80% raw foods.
Changing the way you eat can be a great turning point in your life. You just need to make sure that you put in your research to generate the results that you want. By finding raw food diet recipes that are delicious tasting to you, you will give yourself an incentive to continue this diet for more than a month. This diet should become a lifestyle and it can when the right raw food preparation is used and you make sure to plan your meals accordingly.
If you are interested in learning more about raw food diets then what better way than to learn from those who have experienced and studied the different facets of this diet for years. The way I recommend is to read books from qualified authors as these books are massive collections of knowledge and helpful tips. Here are some ideas to consider when you are trying to learn more about raw diet recipes:
* Look for books that will give you tasty recipes. The success of your raw food diet recipes are dependant on your personal experience. Just because you are eating healthy is no reason to eat food that lacks taste. In order to assure your success you need to eat foods that you will like and look forward to eating on a regular basis. These books can also provide you with the types of foods to buy and a good description on what these foods can offer you. Start by making a list of the foods that you like and then work to find recipes that use those ingredients.
* Surf the Web or read magazines that deal with the topics of raw food diets. Many of these sources offer tips from nutritionists as well as information on which foods are important sources of nutrients.
* Many traditional recipes can be adapted into raw food diet recipes. By taking popular recipes and substituting cooked versions of vegetables or fruits with raw ones, you can create new and tasty recipes that will help to sustain your interests.
* It is not always possible to prepare your own food and you typically won't find too many restaurants and fast food joints serving foods prepared this way. Use the internet to look for places nearby where you live that will have raw food recipes ready to be served to those on the go.
* When you search for raw food diet recipes, make sure not to become confused with vegetarian recipes. The recipes should be composed of uncooked organic ingredients. A true raw diet enthusiast is someone who eats at least 75-80% raw foods.
Changing the way you eat can be a great turning point in your life. You just need to make sure that you put in your research to generate the results that you want. By finding raw food diet recipes that are delicious tasting to you, you will give yourself an incentive to continue this diet for more than a month. This diet should become a lifestyle and it can when the right raw food preparation is used and you make sure to plan your meals accordingly.
Top Raw Food Recipes For Teenagers
1. Breakfast
* Green Drink: Juice lots of kale, celery and apple.
* Chocolate Smoothie: nut milk, 3-4 dates, a bunch of strawberries, 3 bananas, a small amount of vanilla pod, 1 tblspn raw carob powder, 1/2 tblspn raw cacao powder. Blend. Serve.
* Muesli: Raw oats, dried sultanas, dried mango, chunks of almond and cashews, 1/2 tblspn sunflower seeds and 1/2 tblspn pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas). Mix. Add almond milk sweetened with 3-4 dates. Soak in refrigerator overnight. Serve the next morning.
2. Mid-Morning Snacks
* Lots of dried or fresh bananas and mango mixed with a selection of raw nuts.
* Cashew Ice-Cream: In a high speed blender, mix 2 cups cashew butter with 1 1/2 cups dates. Fold in 2/3 cup chopped almonds. Add 1/2 cup raw carob powder. Freeze. Serve.
3. Lunch
* Italian Noodles: Shape 3 large zucchinis into noodle shapes with Spiralizer, add small bunch fresh basil, 2 tspns cold-pressed olive oil, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1 avocado,2 tspns chopped garlic, juice from 1/2 lemon, sea salt to taste. Mix. Serve.
* Noodles with Pasta Sauce: Shape 3 large zucchinis into noodle shapes with Spiralizer. Make pasta sauce by blending 3 tomatoes, 1/2 avocado, 1 1/2 carrots, 1 stick celery, 30g dehydrated tomatoes, 4 dates, 1/4 onion, 2 tbspns cold-pressed olive oil, 2 tbspns organic tamari, 1 tspn apple cider vinegar, 2 tbspns fresh basil and 1 clove garlic. Serve.
4. Afternoon Snacks
* Green Drink: Juice 1/2 bunch spinach with 4 apples.
* Brazil Sweets: Mix 125g Brazil nuts, 125g raisins, 125 g dates, 1 tbspn carob powder and 1 pinch cinnamon. Blend until smooth. Roll into ping-pong sized balls. Roll again in shredded coconut. Serve.
5. Dinner
* Guacamole Salad: Mix chopped parsley, 30g cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sliced red onion, 1/2 chopped cos lettuce, 1/2 bunch kale, 1/2 bunch cilantro, juice from 1/2 lemon and sea salt to taste. For the guacamole, blend 2 avocados, 1/4 cup onion, 1/2-1 tomato, pinch cayenne and sea salt to taste. Mix into the salad. Serve.
* Same as lunch.
* Green Drink: Juice lots of kale, celery and apple.
* Chocolate Smoothie: nut milk, 3-4 dates, a bunch of strawberries, 3 bananas, a small amount of vanilla pod, 1 tblspn raw carob powder, 1/2 tblspn raw cacao powder. Blend. Serve.
* Muesli: Raw oats, dried sultanas, dried mango, chunks of almond and cashews, 1/2 tblspn sunflower seeds and 1/2 tblspn pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas). Mix. Add almond milk sweetened with 3-4 dates. Soak in refrigerator overnight. Serve the next morning.
2. Mid-Morning Snacks
* Lots of dried or fresh bananas and mango mixed with a selection of raw nuts.
* Cashew Ice-Cream: In a high speed blender, mix 2 cups cashew butter with 1 1/2 cups dates. Fold in 2/3 cup chopped almonds. Add 1/2 cup raw carob powder. Freeze. Serve.
3. Lunch
* Italian Noodles: Shape 3 large zucchinis into noodle shapes with Spiralizer, add small bunch fresh basil, 2 tspns cold-pressed olive oil, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1 avocado,2 tspns chopped garlic, juice from 1/2 lemon, sea salt to taste. Mix. Serve.
* Noodles with Pasta Sauce: Shape 3 large zucchinis into noodle shapes with Spiralizer. Make pasta sauce by blending 3 tomatoes, 1/2 avocado, 1 1/2 carrots, 1 stick celery, 30g dehydrated tomatoes, 4 dates, 1/4 onion, 2 tbspns cold-pressed olive oil, 2 tbspns organic tamari, 1 tspn apple cider vinegar, 2 tbspns fresh basil and 1 clove garlic. Serve.
4. Afternoon Snacks
* Green Drink: Juice 1/2 bunch spinach with 4 apples.
* Brazil Sweets: Mix 125g Brazil nuts, 125g raisins, 125 g dates, 1 tbspn carob powder and 1 pinch cinnamon. Blend until smooth. Roll into ping-pong sized balls. Roll again in shredded coconut. Serve.
5. Dinner
* Guacamole Salad: Mix chopped parsley, 30g cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sliced red onion, 1/2 chopped cos lettuce, 1/2 bunch kale, 1/2 bunch cilantro, juice from 1/2 lemon and sea salt to taste. For the guacamole, blend 2 avocados, 1/4 cup onion, 1/2-1 tomato, pinch cayenne and sea salt to taste. Mix into the salad. Serve.
* Same as lunch.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Raw Food Recipes - Living Life to the Fullest
You have heard that a raw food diet is very good for you in terms of health and weight loss. Now you need to find recipes to help you get started. You will find some interesting raw food ideas on this page so don't go away.
Let us begin by examining what a raw food diet comprises. It is a diet that includes uncooked and unprocessed plant foods; all fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, nuts, sprouts, dried fruit and seaweed.
If you are wondering why you cannot cook the food before eating it, the answer lies in the fact that food cooked at 116 degrees Fahrenheit or more, destroys the nutritional value of the food as well as the enzymes that help us digest and absorb food.
The benefits from sticking to raw food recipes include: reduced risk of heart problems; weight loss, improved appearance of the skin; increased energy and better digestion.
Cooking techniques for raw food recipes involve sprouting seeds and grains; blending and juicing, and soaking nuts. You will need the following equipment in your kitchen to prepare your raw food recipes.
* A dehydrator to cook food at temperatures lower than 116 degrees Fahrenheit.
* A juice extractor to juice your fruit and vegetables.
* A combination food processor, blender and chopper.
* General containers for your sprouts, beans, seeds and grains.
A good example of a raw recipe would be this refreshing "soup" as the recipe owner terms it. You have to blend together all the ingredients in their raw form to make the soup. Add cantaloupe, carrot, soaked almonds, grated ginger, coconut milk; lemon juice and a little honey. Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy!
The internet is full of recipes that you can try out. You will find recipes for appetizers, starters, breads, cereals, crackers, side dishes, entrees, soups and salads, juices and smoothies and so much more.
Let us begin by examining what a raw food diet comprises. It is a diet that includes uncooked and unprocessed plant foods; all fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, nuts, sprouts, dried fruit and seaweed.
If you are wondering why you cannot cook the food before eating it, the answer lies in the fact that food cooked at 116 degrees Fahrenheit or more, destroys the nutritional value of the food as well as the enzymes that help us digest and absorb food.
The benefits from sticking to raw food recipes include: reduced risk of heart problems; weight loss, improved appearance of the skin; increased energy and better digestion.
Cooking techniques for raw food recipes involve sprouting seeds and grains; blending and juicing, and soaking nuts. You will need the following equipment in your kitchen to prepare your raw food recipes.
* A dehydrator to cook food at temperatures lower than 116 degrees Fahrenheit.
* A juice extractor to juice your fruit and vegetables.
* A combination food processor, blender and chopper.
* General containers for your sprouts, beans, seeds and grains.
A good example of a raw recipe would be this refreshing "soup" as the recipe owner terms it. You have to blend together all the ingredients in their raw form to make the soup. Add cantaloupe, carrot, soaked almonds, grated ginger, coconut milk; lemon juice and a little honey. Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy!
The internet is full of recipes that you can try out. You will find recipes for appetizers, starters, breads, cereals, crackers, side dishes, entrees, soups and salads, juices and smoothies and so much more.
Break Old Habits With Raw Food Recipes
Thousands of people are quickly learning that a raw food diet is essential to a healthy immune system as well as maintaining a healthy weight. However many people are not aware of how to prepare raw fruit and veggie recipes or they have never even seen this type of recipe book. If you are not used to (not) cooking with raw food, you may not find the plant based diet to be tasty or worth continuing. This is why it is so important for you to find a good collection of recipes before you actually do begin a raw food diet. If you have a large selection of delicious food that is easy to prepare you will have a far greater chance of continuing with the diet. As you begin to expand your raw food recipes you will be able to create more tasteful and creative dishes.
The most common raw food recipe is a salad. There are different types of salads with numerous ingredients. Some salads are simply a mixture of fresh greens and there are others that use nuts and cheeses and fruits. Really the only limit of raw foods to be used in your salad is up to your imagination. To add taste, you could get creative and add some raw fish or a dressing. Try a healthy option like a dill dressing, mango ginger dressing, or cilantro pesto and use fresh pieces of fruits like mandarin oranges and apples for additional taste. It is important to find ways of spicing up your food. This keeps the excitement and joy of eating alive. Remember that being healthy does not have to be boring,
A salad is a great way to start a meal, but for some, there needs to be more. An entree is going to provide more filling nourishment and the list or raw foods entrees is long. As you begin to work with different raw plants, you will learn the qualities that each one has and the list of nutrients they have to offer. This will allow you to create a custom creation for each day of the week and help to keep everything interesting. If you do not work on finding delicious raw food recipes you may give up on the raw food diet, so this is an important area to really focus on when creating a diet plan.
There are other recipe categories in the raw food diet that include desserts and drinks. Just because you eat healthy foods does not meant that you have to be deprived of delicious meals. Even desserts can be healthy, nutritious and great tasting. These items can be made from almost all raw foods. This can include fruit sorbet, berry cream cake, and even carob sauce. Drinks may include ambrosia, a chai smoothie, a cucumber cooler, carrot and orange juice or papaya sunflower nectar. Here are some ideas for raw food dishes, but this really is just the tip of the iceberg, the possibilities are nearly endless.
* Chocolate Smoothie
* Muesli with: Raw Oats and Fruits
* Lots of dried or Fruits and Nuts
* Cashew Ice-Cream
* Italian Noodles
* Noodles with Pasta Sauce
* Fruit Juices with soy protein Powder
* Guacamole Salad
Todd Butcher is a former diving instructor, bartender of 13 years and more recently spent 12 years as an IT pro. He now works from home as a promoter of healthy products and writes articles on numerous subjects focusing on the benefits of a raw plant based diet.
The most common raw food recipe is a salad. There are different types of salads with numerous ingredients. Some salads are simply a mixture of fresh greens and there are others that use nuts and cheeses and fruits. Really the only limit of raw foods to be used in your salad is up to your imagination. To add taste, you could get creative and add some raw fish or a dressing. Try a healthy option like a dill dressing, mango ginger dressing, or cilantro pesto and use fresh pieces of fruits like mandarin oranges and apples for additional taste. It is important to find ways of spicing up your food. This keeps the excitement and joy of eating alive. Remember that being healthy does not have to be boring,
A salad is a great way to start a meal, but for some, there needs to be more. An entree is going to provide more filling nourishment and the list or raw foods entrees is long. As you begin to work with different raw plants, you will learn the qualities that each one has and the list of nutrients they have to offer. This will allow you to create a custom creation for each day of the week and help to keep everything interesting. If you do not work on finding delicious raw food recipes you may give up on the raw food diet, so this is an important area to really focus on when creating a diet plan.
There are other recipe categories in the raw food diet that include desserts and drinks. Just because you eat healthy foods does not meant that you have to be deprived of delicious meals. Even desserts can be healthy, nutritious and great tasting. These items can be made from almost all raw foods. This can include fruit sorbet, berry cream cake, and even carob sauce. Drinks may include ambrosia, a chai smoothie, a cucumber cooler, carrot and orange juice or papaya sunflower nectar. Here are some ideas for raw food dishes, but this really is just the tip of the iceberg, the possibilities are nearly endless.
* Chocolate Smoothie
* Muesli with: Raw Oats and Fruits
* Lots of dried or Fruits and Nuts
* Cashew Ice-Cream
* Italian Noodles
* Noodles with Pasta Sauce
* Fruit Juices with soy protein Powder
* Guacamole Salad
Todd Butcher is a former diving instructor, bartender of 13 years and more recently spent 12 years as an IT pro. He now works from home as a promoter of healthy products and writes articles on numerous subjects focusing on the benefits of a raw plant based diet.
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