Ok! It begins! The 30 day raw food challenge. I know I announced it earlier but we’re going to get on this challenge and make it happen! We had to get that horrible thanksgiving day holiday out of the way first, but now were in the clear until Christmas.
So, why Wednesday and why not right now? Well, one, you may not have the necessary food in your household yet and you may not be able to readily identify outside eateries that can help with this challenge… So for your house, do yourself a favor and remove any tempting foods you may find yourself craving that you know are bad for you… crackers, cookies, leftover thanksgiving dinner, breads, ice cream, and any other non raw foods. Some people make the mistake of keeping roasted peanuts and other roasted nuts thinking they’re healthy for you and perhaps even raw. But no, that’s not the case. If you are going to to go raw, get raw almonds, cashews, or peanuts. Nothing roasted or covered with honey and salt. Not good for you. Also, get rid of potato chips and other snack related foods. No yogurt (yogurts not raw). No meats (chicken, beef or even fish) No sushi, because it contains cooked rice… (there is an awesome raw sushi recipe that I’ll show you all later on in the month.). Oh, yes and NO COFFEE, especially any coffee with a creamer of any sort. So, what should you get and what can you eat?
Well, let’s take a look at what qualifies as raw food. Raw food is essentially any non-meat based food that has never been cooked. The food can be dehydrated if you want something somewhat warm, but it can never be cooked or even steamed above a temperature of 104 degrees (if you’re planning on doing this long term, you may want to get a dehydrator machine). When food is cooked, you lose nutrition and enzymes your body needs to help repair itself and stay healthy. So, any fruits of any amount is fine (not Doles fruit in a cup or anything like that). Vegetables are fine as well obviously… cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, or really anything that grows from the ground is fine. Raw nuts of any sort are ok, and help with protein. Also, if you find yourself getting weak and lethargic, take a multi-vitamin to help offset the lack of dairy and meat you’re no longer getting. Also, look for raw snacks in your local super market. There may be a good number of raw food snacks you may have never noticed and give them a try. (Two Moms In The Raw make some nice snacks as well as ) As for beverages, the best thing to drink is water, and drink lots of it. For warm beverages, with coffee off the list and it being winter, find yourself a nice decaffeinated tea. If you’re in a Starbucks, ask for a hot Passion Tea… you can sweeten it with a spoonful of raw honey! NICE!
Also, eating raw is not about just sucking on a celery stalk. Any combination of raw foods is perfectly fine. Salads are great, and you can top any salad off with crushed cashews, topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And speaking of olive oils, no crisco (do people sill use crisco?) or vegetable oils or butters or margarines, just good clean extra virgin olive oil or almond oil. You may even find it necessary to purchase a good raw food “cook” book, just so you won’t get bored with eating singular items of food all the time.
So, what to get?
- Fruits (apples, grapes,
- Vegetables (carrots, lettuce, avocados, celery)
- Nuts
- Olive Oil or Almond Oil
- Spices like cayenne
- Raw honey
- Agave nector
- Dried dates
For a more concise list on what you can buy, click here. Happy shopping, and good luck. Get your last few days a dining debauchery over with.
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