Raw update: I successfully went all raw for 9 days and loved it. My body feels clean. Yesterday, for my birthday, I went off my raw streak and had Thai food (rice noodles and veggies in black bean sauce) and drank wine and had a sugar-filled cookie. So delicious. But this morning I woke up and felt terrible. I hadn’t slept well. Too much salt, too much Louis Jadot Beaujolais (fantastic vegan wine), too much sugar … I felt bloated and irritable. So that gave me motivation to stick with the raw diet. I don’t plan on being 100% raw, but I’ll definitely incorporate a lot more raw food into my diet. I can’t wait to see how I feel after a few months. I feel bad for people who grew up during times when everything was cooked for safety. My dad said his mom used to over cook everything. She was a dietitian and was very conscious of good health. But fresh foods just weren’t considered safe because of germs and diseases and pesticides. But now we have wonderful organic food in our stores and need to take advantage of that.
So, what are sources of raw protein?
- cashews
- almonds
- brazil nuts
- hazel nuts
- macadamia nuts
- pecans
- walnuts
- oatmeal
- chickpeas
- green peas
- spinach
- kale
- broccoli
- peanuts
- lentils
- sunflower seeds
- spirulina
Spirulina, an algae, is the ultimate best source of protein (yes, better than animal protein). But where can you find it?
It is a supplement generally taken in pill form or added to food. You can add spirulina powder to your smoothies!
What do I eat?
I like to start my morning off with my wheatgrass shot and a little bowl of raw oats and flaxseed in milk. I also love making smoothies. Blueberries, banana, strawberries, clementines, peaches, cherries… I like to mix it up. Even when they’re out of season you can use frozen fruits- they still count as raw and maintain their nutrition. Throw them in a blender. Delicious. Sometimes I’ll add a splash of oat, hazelnut, hemp, almond or some other milk. I eat fresh fruit, dried fruit, lots of fresh spinach and salads. I’ve made raw hummus, pesto, marinara… various sauces, which I pour over veggies, like shredded carrots, green beans and broccoli sprouts. Using olive oil is a great way to get some healthy fat. I get a raw trail mix that contains seeds, nuts, and dried fruit that I bring to work. I LOVE raw cashews. Figs and dates are divine. I’ve switched most of my coffee for tea. And I use hot water for the tea, but not boiling. I try out new recipes whenever I can from Raw Truth: The Art of Preparing Living Foods
Ani Phyo also has intruiging recipes that I want to try.
I finally got a food processor (for my birthday) so I can make a lot more stuff.
I love sprouts. Sometimes I’ll thaw frozen peas or other veggies during the day so I can use them for dinner at night. I also love adding avocado to things. The raw lasagna I made is soooo good. And My acid reflux has gotten so much better since I went raw. Odd since raw food is usually harder on the stomach. But these foods are also known to have great healing effects, and I guess that’s what’s happening. I get so much less salt (I rarely add it to anything) and sugar (I use mostly fructose) and just feel much more energized with raw food. I also find I need less sleep with raw food. And the sleep I do get is very deep.
Downside: It can get expensive with buying so much organic, and having to shop more often for fresh foods. So I need to figure out what I can get at the regular grocery store for cheaper, versus Wild Oats, so I can afford to stick with this lifestyle. Because so far it seems very worth it.
