Day 1 of our 40 Day Raw Diet

Even though we have been eating a mainly raw diet for over 4 years, it is still a challenge for me get my mind working on this new concept.  Up until now our diet has been 80 per cent raw and 20 per cent cooked.  The cooked foods include grains and legumes (dried beans, lentils, etc).  So for the next 40 days those food groups will be eaten sprouted.  I'll give more info on that in later posts.

The biggest obstacle, for some, with a raw food diet is to be organized and think ahead.  Especially when you live as far from a grocery store as we do, it is so important to take a little time to plan some meals ahead so that ingredients do not become a problem.  That can be very frustrating and lead to failure.  As well, many recipes require soaking nuts or seeds overnight.  So read the recipes for tomorrow today.

This morning's breakfast:  16 ounce Green Smoothie

                                        Fresh Fruit

                                        Raw Oatmeal Porridge (recipe at the end of this post)

Today's Lunch (almost always our larger meal):

                                        Cabbage & Carrot Slaw with Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing (recipe to follow)

                                         Sunflower Sundried Tomato Pate

                                         Flax Crackers

                                         Nuts

After lunch, Noel asked if we were going to have this everyday.  I'm not sure if that means he liked it or is just afraid that that will be the case!

Supper:  Even though we will be out at a church pot-luck, I'll take our meal -

                                         16 oz Green Smoothie

                                          Fruit

                                          Nuts

                                          Dehydrated Banana-Peanut Butter Treats

Here are a couple of recipes from today's menu:

Raw Oatmeal Porridge

(adapted from the Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon)

(ISBN 0-920470-48-3)

1 cup raw oat groats or steel cut oats

1/4 cup almonds - soaked

6 dates - soaked

1 - 2 bananas

Soak oats, dates, and nuts overnight - separately.

Next morning, drain water off and place in food processor with S blade.  Add bananas and process until porridge consistency.  Serve with fresh fruit of choice or nut milk.  This is a delicious, hearty breakfast!

*Note:  oat groats are the actual raw grain which can be purchased from most health food stores.  They are not rolled oats.  Steel cut oats are the grains actually cut in little rounds.  This can be purchased in the grocery store health food section.

Creamy Honey Mustard Dressing

This is actually the recipe that goes along with a salad that we will have later.  But the dressing is so good that I decided to have it with the slaw - and it was really a good match.  Here is the link for the recipe:

http://preventdisease.com/news/13/021013_Kale-and-Red-Cabbage-Salad.shtml

Sunflower Sun-dried Tomato Pate

from Raw Food Made Easy by Jennifer Cornbleet

ISBN-10  1-57067-175-3

1 cup soaked raw sunflower seeds

1/3 cup soaked or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic (1 clove)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon minced red or green onion

2 teaspoons minced fresh dill weed, basil, or parsley

Place sunflower seeds, tomato, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cayenne in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process into a paste.  Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Transfer to a small mixing bowl.  Stir in the onion and herb and mix well.  Store in the fridge for 5 days.