Posts Tagged ‘Lettuce’

Beginner’s Guide to Going Raw

April 16th, 2010

The idea of “going raw” might sound odd to some, confusing to others, and downright terrifying to the rest. In the day and age in which we live, there are fewer and fewer options available that are truly raw. We survive and subsist on a diet that is made up of processed foods, whether it be fast foods, prepared meals or even home cooking. So the thought of giving all of that up, and going back in time to a more archaic and uncooked diet might sound less like an adventure or challenge, and more like foolishness and delusion.

But for those brave enough to take the raw plunge, it can still be a rather confusing and somewhat off-putting process. How does one transition to a raw diet? Do you simply dive in, head first, forsaking all cooked and processed foods? Can a person truly survive and thrive on a diet change so drastic and unusual?

If you are interesting making the switch to a raw food diet, or simply want to add more raw foods to your daily intake, there is no need to fear. There are some simple steps you can take to make your transition relatively smooth.

First, don’t think of this as a drastic change that needs to be undertaken overnight. If you are like most people, you have a very low percentage of your regular daily intake that is raw. For some, it is as low as a piece of lettuce or a tomato on their fast-food hamburger. If you are in that group, the thought of doing a 180 degree turn in your eating patterns can be unnerving at best, and debilitatingly impossible at worst. Instead, look at eating a raw food diet like you would any other lifestyle change. You don’t have to do it all at once. What you need to do is work at it, a little bit each day, and build up your body and prepare it for eating more raw foods.

In this way, it is a lot like weight lifting. If you are working out with heavy weights, you don’t simply walk in to the gym and try to bench press a few hundred pounds. Instead, you start off with a light weight that you can comfortably handle, and as you progress, adding more heft to your bar. The same principles apply to eating a raw diet. Instead of throwing yourself into it, try easing your way in. For starters, try replacing at least one meal a day with a raw food option.

This might take you several weeks to get used to, but it will give you a way to get your body used to an increase in raw foods, without shocking your system and making you crave the old, cooked foods from which you are now estranged. After the shock wears off, you will notice just how good you feel after your raw meal as compared to your regular cooked meals, and the transition will be easier to manage going forward.

Raw Food Smoothie Recipes

March 23rd, 2010

iStock_000003025292SmallIf the last smoothie that you had came from the mall, I have big news for you. While it might have been made fresh to order, and it might have contained all sorts of delicious fruits, it was probably about as healthy for you as a big, heaping bowl of chocolate ice cream – with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Yes, those smoothies from the fast-food joints are not smoothies that are going to do you any good. If you want a true smoothie – one made only from raw ingredients, and one that is going to make you feel great inside and out, then there is only one place to go – your own kitchen.

Not only will a smoothie made at home cost you pennies on the dollar as compared to what you can buy at the mall, you can control the contents in a way that will really benefit you.

For instance, let’s say it is early in the morning, but not early enough. You have five minutes to get out the door and head to work – no time to brew a cup of coffee, and certainly no time for a properly prepared breakfast.

You could stop somewhere and pick something up, but this recipe will take less time than even the most efficient drive-through window. All you need to do is toss a handful of leftover greens from last night’s dinner – be that spinach, kale or lettuce – into the blender, along with a cored apple, a drizzle of honey, and a cup of ice water. After less than a minute of blending, you have a great, healthy green smoothie that you can pour into a travel mug and enjoy on your way into work. It is nutritious, delicious, modifiable and incredibly easy. What more could you ask for in the morning?

But what if it’s not the morning? What if you’ve just come in from a hard workout, and you need to replace all the fuel you’ve just burned in your system?

You could grab a glass of pasteurized and otherwise dead milk, mixed with a dose of chocolate-flavored syrup. But why not replace the fuel with something of a higher octane than that?

Grab your trusty blender, and toss in a handful of your favorite fruits and berries, along with a few ice cubes, a cup of water and some nut milk – almond tends to work best for flavor, but go with whatever you prefer here. There are other milks available, including raw soy milks, so experiment a little, and find out what works best for you.

If you like a little more sweetness than the berries and fruit provides, add a bit of raw honey or agave syrup. Blend until smooth, and drink while it’s still cold. You’ll get a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals, fluids to replace what you’ve sweated out, and some protein to help those tired muscles to recover. And you’ll do it without all the added processed sugar and the hard-to-process milk products that your regular smoothie stop will usually toss in.

Raw Food Grocery List

December 2nd, 2009

groceriesA few weeks ago I told you that we started getting organic produce delivered to our door. It is really such an easier way to get more raw foods into your diet then having to make your out to the stores several times a week.

Sure I’m a bit lazy, but who doesn’t like getting stuff delivered right to their door?

We receive our raw fruits and veggies every Monday from Mama Earth Organics. They’re really great but sometimes I question whether it’s worth the extra money, considering that many times the produce is not even ripe to be eaten for several days.

Anyways, here’s our grocery list from this week:

- 8 bananas
- 4 apples
- 9 kiwi
- 7 satsuma oranges
- 8 pears
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 avocados
- 1 cucumber
- 1 head of broccoli
- 2 heads of lettuce
- 4 onions

All of this comes out to $55. Considering that Amy and I can get through pretty much half of these raw foods in just 1 day, I’m beginning to wonder if the cost is worth it. After all, it seems like we can get much more local and organic produce from some of the stores around us.

Obviously the convenience is nice but is it worth the price?

In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy feeding my body with delicious organic fruits and vegetables. I haven’t been as creative recently with some of my raw food recipes. In fact, most of my meals have consisted of several servings of the same fruit (ie. mono meals).

Also, at this time of year, I find that my body needs more warming foods. I’m not going to fight it. If my diet transitions to less raw foods in the winter, then that’s fine by me. As long as getting in my 10 servings of fruits and veggies each day, that’s what’s most important in my eyes.