Ripe for raw

10 Ways to Incorporate Living Foods into a Daily Diet

Ripe for raw

Here are some tips to keep in mind on your journey to incorporate more of this cuisine into your daily diet using the recipes in this book:

Supergreen smoothies: Start your day with a delicious smoothie blended with fresh fruit, greens, and superfoods!
Salads: Have a salad with every meal. Fresh greens aid digestion and provide chlorophyll to help break down the proteins in the food you eat.
Vivacious wraps: Collard greens, red chard, and romaine lettuces can all be wrapped around fresh vegetables, hummus, guacamole, and more. This is a nice alternative to a salad.
Superfoods = super you!: There are several raw superfoods available as supplements. Add these vital nutrients to salads, sandwiches, pastas, and wraps. Because much produce is cultivated in depleted soils, adding the vitamins and minerals from superfoods can help remedy basic health concerns such as low hormone levels, chronic fatigue, concentration issues, an unbalanced metabolism, and arthritis. These are all attributed to demineralization in the body.
Juices: Especially for people with busy schedules, fresh juices can be a lifesaver. Apple, orange, and pineapple juices hold their enzyme content throughout the day and act as preservatives in fruit and vegetable blends. Sip on an apple-lemon-ginger blast and feel the amazing energy (it really is better than coffee!).
Dark, leafy greens: Add kale, spinach, chard, or collards to your next sandwich. Remember that just adding more of the “good stuff” can jump-start your health and take it to the next level.
Fruit salads for dessert: If you have a sweet tooth, try fresh fruit salads for dessert. Make them fun by using different ingredients such as coconut, cherimoya, sapote, pineapple, mango, and fresh berries! These are a fast and easy solution when you don’t have time to whip up a more advanced raw dessert.
Raw ice creams: These delicious desserts can be made in advance and enjoyed at the end of a meal or as a high-protein snack. The essential fatty acids serve as a sustained source of fuel for the body… and you’ll be treating yourself to a vital, vibrant meal at the same time.
Breakfast delight: If you’re a breakfast lover, enjoy this meal any time of the day. Raw breakfast items (see Chapter 3), although oftentimes sweet, are very high in protein. Try a delicious banana smothered in almond butter instead of a candy bar for your midday snack.
Squash pastas: Squash pastas are a great quick fix and can be easily tossed with your favorite fruits and vegetables, as well as a variety of sauces. They make a great alternative to the standard salad and, of course, to the heaviness of a regular pasta dish. You can begin by simply substituting the noodles and leaving the rest of the ingredients in your favorite pasta recipe and then slowly adapting your selections as your body calls for more vibrant foods.

The excerpt is taken from the book RAW BASICS: Incorporating Raw Living Foods into Your Diet Using Easy and Delicious Recipes by Jenny Ross. It is published by Hay House (July 2011) and is available at all bookstores or online at: www.hayhouse.com.