Day Two - Diary of a Raw Foodist - Lunch

August 2, 2009 - Toronto, ON - Doing some research today, I stumbled across this great blog. Check it out HERE.

Here's whats in the bowl for lunch today:

KTB's Veggie Salad

Ingredients

For Dressing -

Raw Mayonnaise:

• 1/2 cup almonds (soaked overnight)


• 1/4 cup of water


• 1/2 lemon juiced


• 1 small garlic clove


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1 1/2 cup of olive oil

Raw Mustard:

• 1 cup brown soaked mustard seeds


• 3/4 cup lemon juice


• 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 juice of a Lime

For Salad:

(Adjust all ingredients to what you need to make your salad)

• Kale


• Spinach


• Romain Lettuce


• Orange Pepper Sliced thin


• Field Cucumber


• Broccoli


• onion sprouts


• bean sprouts


• sunflower seeds (soaked overnight)

Directions:

For Dressing -

Mayo - Blend everything except the Olive Oil until smooth. Add in a steady stream of the Olive oil until emulsified.

Mustard - Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Mix both equal parts of mayo and mustard and juice from half a lime. Mix well.

For Salad:

Tear with hands all greens, add in the Broccoli, Pepper and Cucumber. Top with sprouts and seeds.

*Top salad with Raw Mustard Mayo dressing and enjoy!

DAY One - For the Sweet Tooth

August 1, 2009 - Toronto, ON - So after one day of completely Raw, I thought it would be wise to post a recipe for the sweet tooth to ease the transition. Here you'll find the raw recipe for Carrot Cake:

Dessert - Rawsome Apple Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrot
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded apple (I prefer Granny smith)
• 3/4 cup of shredded coconut
• 1 cup walnuts (soaked for at least 2 hours)
• 1 cup raisins (soaked for at least 2 hours)
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp grated orange peel

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in blender. I prefer to put the batter in muffin tins (for single servings!) and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Day One - Diary of a Raw Foodist

August 1, 2009 - Toronto, ON - Here are the recipes of what I made for Lunch and Dinner today, all inspired from the websites, blogs, movies and books I've been following. Try them out yourself!


Lunch - Minty Fresh Smoothie ( I made this a couple days and froze half of it, and used it today)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium bananas
• 1 medium cucumber
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 1 tbsp fresh mint
• 2 small peaches or 1 apple

Directions:
Put all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth.


Dinner - Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chopped cauliflower
• 1 medium carrot chopped
• 6 soaked sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1cm piece of ginger root
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup dried coconut
• 1 tbsp flaxseed
• 1 cup of water

Directions:
Blend all ingredients until well combined and finely chopped. Serve in a bowl with alfalfa sprouts. OR serve on top of cucumber rounds topped with sprouts.

Thanks to:
http://thekitchendispensary.wordpress.com

Day ONE - Diary of a Raw Foodist

August 1, 2009 - Toronto, ON - So, this is day one of recording my progress in the transformation of a raw lifestyle. Yesterday, I found a great deal for a Juicer ($5!) which was a great addition to my equipment I was hoping to accumulate.

This morning I made one of my favourite Breakfasts and here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Banana

1/2 cup (give or take) blueberries or any berries you like

1/2 cup of mango (give or take)

handful of soaked Almonds (Soak them overnight in about an inch of water in a glass bowl at room temp)

a splash of unsweetened Almond Milk

1/2 Tbsp of Raw Honey

handful of unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

Slice banana, mango and add to bowl. Add in the berries. Top with Almonds, add honey, milk and coconut. Mix together and ENJOY!

For more information on soaking seeds and nuts, click HERE.

Staples in your Fridge, Counter & Pantry you need

July 31, 2009 - Toronto, ON - So you've started doing your research, and you want to get started right now. Below you will find a list of things you will need in order to start a proper healthy raw diet:



Equipment:

* Glass Bowls (for germinating & sprouting)
* Blender (This is your new best friend)
* Juicer (not needed, but helps for a lot of recipes)
* Dehydrator (not needed, but helps for a lot of recipes) Don't buy any of them unless it's the Excalibur
* Spiralizer (not needed, but helps for a lot of recipes) ... it's also a lot of fun!
* Sharp knives
* Cutting Board

GROCERY LIST:

Dried Fruit, Legumes and Nuts:
* Raw Cashews
* Raw Almonds
* Raw Sunflower Seeds
* Raw Macadamia Nuts
* Raw Pine Nuts
* Raw Flax Seeds
* Dates
* Raisins
* Dried Lentils
* Dried Chickpeas

Miscellaneous:
* COLD PRESSED Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
* Raw Agave Nectar
* Raw Coconut Oil & Shredded unsweetened coconut
* Raw Cocoa
* Raw Almond Butter

Spices & Condiments:
* Raw Honey
* Himalayan Salt
* Sun Dried Tomatoes
* Cayenne Pepper
* Cinnamon
* Ground Cumin

Frozen Section:
* Frozen Organic Fruit
* Manna Bread (YES YOU CAN HAVE "Bread"!)

Fish/Meat Section:
* Proscuitto (Cured Pork)

Fresh Produce: (if it's organic, even better!)
* Avocados
* Bananas
* Kale
* Bell Peppers
* Onions
* Garlic
* Tomatoes
* Lettuce & Spring Mix
* Spinach
* Lemons & Limes
* Oranges
* Apples
* Berries
* Mangos
* Zucchini
* Celery
* Fresh herbs such as: Parsley, Basil, Cilantro
* Jalapeno Peppers
* Ginger root


This should be a good start! good luck and keep checking back for more info and recipes to come!

Interesting facts of a Raw & Healthy Lifestyle

July 31, 2009 - Toronto, ON - I know most of us these days don't have time to read tons of books to gain knowledge. We now rely on Google, Wiki, Blogs and Television to educate us, or simply by learning from others.


I have seen two documentaries lately about a Raw & Healthy lifestyle that have given me a lot of insight on the whole concept. From being able to reverse effects of Diabetes, Cancer and other illnesses that usually we rely on drugs to cure or to regulate. Both of the documentaries show alternative ways that WORK.

Please take some of this with a grain of salt, because obviously, being a documentary it can become Bias at times. Here are the two links if you are interested in learning more:

FOOD MATTERS

SIMPLY RAW: REVERSING DIABETES IN 30 DAYS

A New Inspiration Everyone Can Benefit from

July 31, 2009 - Toronto, ON - For the past week now, I have taken on the challenge of living a RAW lifestyle. That's right. Raw vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts. Nothing is cooked, organic is preferred and devoted research and time is required.



Luckily for all you curious Raw enthusiasts, I have done about a years worth of research and I have some great tips, starters, recipes and staples you'll need to get you started. First off, in this post I would like to fill all of you in on just SOME of the good stuff your body and mind will get out of this new lifestyle:

What is a Raw Food Diet?

The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed.

Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food.



What are the Benefits of a Raw Food Diet?

* Increased energy
* Improved skin appearance
* Better digestion
* Weight loss
* Reduced risk of heart disease

The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.

These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.



What are the Techniques Used in this Diet?

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:

* Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
* Juicing fruit and vegetables
* Soaking nuts and dried fruit
* Blending
* Dehydrating food


Does “Raw Food” Mean Eating Only Salad?

Not at all! There are dozens of variations on a raw food diet – and if it seems like raw foodists eat a lot of salad and uncomplicated raw veggies, that’s mostly to do with convenience. Raw cooking can be time-consuming – from slow, low-temperature dehydration to preparation of gourmet main courses and desserts.

Some raw food diets depend on the simplicity of raw fruits, nuts and vegetables, but most include complex meals of nuts and seeds, plenty of avocado and healthy oils, smoothies, raw cereal, sprouts, juicing and more.



More to come! - Look forward to some starter recipes, staples in the kitchen, websites, blogs and videos to watch!