Day 8 of 28 Days of Raw

As you already have read, energy, energy and more energy is what I am experiencing being on a 100% raw diet for 8 days now.

After a long day of teaching yoga, doing chores and running around all over the place I'm usually pooped and ready to hit the sac by 10 p.m.  Last night I couldn't believe how awake I felt and that I still had enough energy to want to get up and do something else.  Of course I didn't do that, get up that is, I just closed my eyes and focused on my thoughts till sleep settled in.

After another amazing nights sleep, I woke up ready to go.  Again not feeling hungry at all but having energy to get going, getting a fire on to keep the house warm, tidying up, and experimenting in my raw food kitchen.

Inspired by the smoothy I had yesterday I felt like I could do with another to have while I played around in the kitchen with new recipes and what I would like for lunch and diner today.

Here is what is un-cooking in my kitchen today:

B: Superfruit Smoothy

L: Raw beet hummus on sprouted quinoa

D: Nori rolls with jicama/cashew rice and wasabi-ginger dipping sauce.

Superfruit Smoothy

In a high speed blender add the following:

1 handful of organic kale

1/2 cup of organic frozen super fruit blend containing blueberries, blackberries, and dark sweet cherries

1/2-1 tsp chopped ginger

2 C almond mylk

For an added energy boost add some maca powder (optional of course)

Blend until smooth and enjoy!  

Raw Beet Hummus

In a high speed blender add the following:

1 cubed medium organic beet (approximately 1.5 cups)

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

2 heaping tablespoons of organic raw tahini

Pulse until smooth adding filtered water as required.  Do not add water until required or else it will come out a bit soupy just like mine did today.  

Raw Beet Hummus on Sprouted Quinoa

Nori Rolls

Jicama/cashew nut rice:

3 cups jicama, 1 cup cashews, 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ginger pulsed in a food processor until rice like consistency.  Try not to overdo or else it turns into mush.

Rolls:

Using raw nori add the following: 

Jicama/cashew nut rice

sliced avacado

diced carrots

diced mushrooms (any variety)

Dippin sauce: 

no exact measurements for this one folks just add the following ingredients in a bowl and taste test until your taste rejoice!

Tamari

grated ginger 

Wasabi to taste

Roll, cut, and enjoy!

Nori Rolls

Day 7 of 28 Days of Raw - and I'm energized!

Day 7:  One week into my 28 day raw challenge and I can't believe how energized I feel.  Still having such great sleeps throughout the night and ready to go when I wake up.  Again today I wasn't hungry in the morning and had to literally force myself to have breakfast before heading out to teach a morning of yoga.

During the classes the energy that I felt in the morning transitioned well into the practice with very little effort required to move into the harder poses.   I'm really getting hooked on this great vibe that stays with me throughout the day!

On todays menu:

B: raw cinnamon raisin sprouted buckwheat and wheat berry granola with almond mylk
L: Green smoothy made with organic kale, strawberries, apple, and ginger
D: Left over night!!!   Lots of left over Thai inspired jicama salad, eggplant ratatouille on a bed of sprouted quinoa and maybe a green field green salad!

After yoga snack:  banana and a 1/2 slice raw bread with a couple of slices of avocado

Bon appetite!

Day 6 of 28 Days of Raw

Okay this is becoming truly weird. Why am I not starving?

After a long day of teaching yoga, what I intended to have for diner last night didn't really pan out.  Get it pan...never mind, just thought it was funny because no pans are needed for raw food prep.  Okay, I get it....not funny!  ;0)

Needless to say, diner last night was quick and easy.  Chopped tomato and avocado guacamole on raw bread with a sprinkle of coriander.  It was great but I definitely thought I needed more.

Pleasantly surprised when this morning I didn't feel hungry.  There is a lot to be said about raw food.  I am definitely finding that less is much more in terms of satisfying my appetite.

Today on the menu:

B: Fruit bowl with a handful of chopped nuts, chia, almond butter and half a chopped date for sweetness.
L: Jicama salad on a bed of arugula with a Thai inspired apple vinaigrette
D: Something with eggplant and zucchini...not sure exactly what it will be yet.

Jicama Salad on a Bed of Arugula

with a Thai inspired dressing

Day 5 of 28 Days of Raw

Day 5, another great night sleep even though it was interrupted by my little dog Ella who wanted to get down off the bed and roam through the house at 3 a.m.

Woke up a few hours before I had to head out to teach a couple of hot yoga classes.  Was pleasantly surprised to how wide awake I felt and ready for another a day.

So today I'm looking to changing things up a bit with some of my raw food recipes.  Headed out between my yoga classes to the grocery store to pick up some goodies for tonights diner.

Fresh Cilantro
Jicama
Arugala

Now what to make.  I picked up some sprouted rice a couple of weeks ago, so maybe I'll try and make a nice salad of jicama, soaked sprouted rice, assortment of organic chopped veggies,  arugala and a heaping handful of chopped cilantro.

I might have to come up with a new salad dressing recipe that will complement all the flavours!  That is what I love about my raw food kitchen, you never know what you will come up with!

On todays menu:

B: A big bowl of mixed fruit, chopped nuts, chia seeds, topped with some almond butter
L: Green smoothy made with mixed berries, greens and almond mylk
D: Jicama Salad Surprise!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Day 4 of 28 Days of Raw - Feeling Great!

Day 4 and woke up from another amazing night's sleep.

It's Sunday and it's my day off from teaching yoga to a day of being a student.  This morning a friend and I headed down to the city for a hot yoga class.  I love taking this time to take a nice drive, enjoy a great class, and then hit a local coffee shop for a great cup of tea before the ride home.  

On the menu today:

B: A slice of raw breakfast bread with almond butter
L: Cold Thai salad rolls with almond butter dipping sauce with lots of garlic and ginger
D: Vegetable nut loaf with a side field green salad.

After yoga snack: Berry smoothy made with berries, almond milk, and greens.

Mid afternoon snack: Organic Bartlett pear and a naval orange.

Tonight I feel like I want a dessert...hmmm what shall I make?  Any ideas?

Bon appétit!

Day 3 of 28 Days of Raw - Raw food Junky

I love how good I feel by the 3rd day on a 100% raw diet.  My mind is clear and I feel so energized.

It's been a year since I discovered the raw food lifestyle.  I gradually started to introduce more and more raw food into my regular diet until I got to approximately 80% raw.  So one of my daily meals would contain some kind of cooked food.

Since I made a commitment to myself and stay 100% raw for 28 days I'm discovering that with a bit of planning I can make my cake and eat it too!  Without the guilt!

I guess I'm becoming a raw food junky!

On today's menu:
B: Sprouted buckwheat and soft wheat berry granola with a sprinkle of cinnamon, raisins with almond mylk

L: Organic field greens salad with shredded cabbage, carrot and broccoli tossed in a mediterranean style dressing.

D: Spiralized Zucchini pasta with pesto.

mmm mmm good!

Day 2 of 28 Days of Raw

Feeling great and enjoying making raw food in my kitchen.   This morning I woke up to the smell of sunflower bread dehydrating in my kitchen.  After so many attempts at making a great raw bread I have finally mastered what ingredients make a great tasting bread that doesn't fall apart on the first bite.  The added bonus is that the bread itself makes a great pizza crust as well.   So tonight it will be "rawsted vegetable pizza" (yes the veggies are all raw as well as the sauce, crust and cheese)

On the menu for today:

B: Raw Breakfast Bread with almond butter with a bowl of fresh fruit
L: Broccoli Slaw with almonds and walnuts
D: Rawsted vegetable pizza with a side salad of organic field greens

Just love experimenting in my raw food kitchen!

Rawsted Vegetable Pizza