For a while now, I have really been thinking of going raw. Ultimately, I would LOVE to have a 100% raw diet, but that seems like a huge challenge-not that I’m afraid of a little challenge 😉 I really REALLY love my cooked veggies! Broccoli and brussel sprouts are my favorites! Sweet and sour cabbage, I could eat it for days!! So maybe I could have a 90% raw diet! Well, either way, this is something I feel like I will need to do slowly. When I became vegan there was no hesitation what-so-ever, and I jumped right into my new lifestyle. I absolutely love having an animal-free diet. My health has improved drastically, my hair is shiny, I’ve lost weight, my mood is better, and life overall feels better. Even though I became vegan for health reasons, my compassion for animals has increased significantly. My research towards a healthier diet has opened my eyes to a hidden world involving animal cruelty, therefore I will NEVER go back to a carnivores diet.

That being said, what food is healthier than that plucked straight from the surface of our beautiful land? Doctors, scientists, nutritionist, dietitians, and athletes will all tell you that pure fruits and vegetables are by far the healthiest, safest food you can consume. I notice a huge difference in how I feel if I don’t eat enough fruits or veggies from one day to the next. I notice it even more now that I am working on building my endurance and training for one 5K after another.

I have been looking into some easy raw recipes to help me get started on my new venture and recently made a few. I wanted to share some with you. If you are thinking of going raw, looking to incorporate raw into your diet, or just want to try something new, start with these simple and quick ideas.

I have been making banana ice cream for a while now. It’s so simple and delicious too.

Make sure to freeze bananas ahead of time. Slice them and put them in little zip loc baggies. Slicing them will make it much easier on your blender or food processor. Either will work, but I find the food processor to be much easier. Now, I don’t really measure, I just kind of wing it. For plain banana ice cream use about two frozen bananas and blend. That’s it! They will create a wonderful creamy consistency that is sweet and yummy. Since bananas are sweet, you won’t need to add any sugar! You can add a little vanilla or cinnamon if you like.

I decided to take this to another level and make sherbert. I keep frozen fruit in my freezer at all times since I make smoothies on a daily basis.

 I used mixed berries and combines with about three frozen bananas. It was soooooo good!!! Here is how it turned out…..

I enjoyed this treat so much that I decided to make more the next day! This time I made cherry ice cream…..

                             My son LOVES cherries so I knew this would go well!

• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup of strawberries (I used about 1 1/2), cut and thinly sliced

1. Pulse the dates, nuts, oats, and salt in a processor until combined
2. Press the date mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 5 inch pan.
3. Mash half of the strawberries and spread onto the date mixture.
4. Top with remaining sliced strawberries
5. Cut into squares.

The next recipe I also used from Whole Living magazine, but it is one that I have seen several times before.

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados
• 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup raw honey (I used agave)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• sea salt

1. Puree avocados, cocoa powder, honey or agave, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth.

   

                                        2. Sprinkle pudding with salt and serve.

One thing I have learned, is that your tastebuds can be adjusted. We have all been so adapted to overly sweetened and processed foods, that when we taste something real, we just don’t like it. That is a bad sign and a reality check as to why our America is so overweight!

I have started eating many, many foods that I never thought I would. I have adjusted and adapted my tastebuds a lot and very thankful that I have. But, I still have a way to go and this pudding tasted a little off. So, I added a little dairy-free chocolate syrup…..hey, I never said I was perfect, lol.

Try it out for yourself, try them all! Let me know how your ventures go…….