Raw desserts look absolutely decadent! (Source - SweetOnVeg on Flickr Creative Commons)
This week’s #homechat is on Raw Foods, so I’ve been digging into what that means to different people and what it might looks like in my family. So many foods are more beneficial to our bodies when they are raw, so it is in our best interest to explore them at the very least.
Raw Foods as Snacks
Fruits and veggies are obvious here, and they should be the first stop when incorporating raw foods into your meal plan. Have a wide variety accessible so that they become the easy snack over crackers and chips or other processed foods. It might help to take some time at the beginning of the week or in the morning to chop some bell peppers, cauliflower and broccoli, carrots and others to have on hand. Try bringing in a new veggie or fruit every now and then to mix it up. You never know what will become your new favorite!
Smoothies are Raw, Too
If you haven’t tried a green smoothie yet, go grab some strawberries, bananas and raw baby spinach leaves and get to it! The flavors meld together perfectly, and you don’t even notice the veggie taste most of the time. After just a few times, my kids began to associate great smoothies with a bright, happy green color. The sky’s the limit with smoothies, and because they are easily digestible, they make fantastic popsicles and early-eater foods.
Raw food recipes are so creative! (Source - Geoff Peters 604 on Flickr Creative Commons)
Raw Foods Recipes
When I first heard of raw foods, I pictured single foods — mostly munching on carrots. Boring. But raw foodies are just like any other foodie. They know how to eat. Desserts and soups and salads and snacks…I am continually amazed at what is out there. Granted, not all of it looks appetizing. But then, there was a time when throwing a couple handfuls of spinach in my berry smoothie sounded pretty gross, too.
Even if a complete raw foods diet is not feasible, there is no denying the benefits of gleaning from this movement. Have you given raw foods a shot? How much are you able to bring into your diet? What’s your favorite raw recipe?
Check out the discussion we’ve got cooking (er..dehydrating?) at the Udi’s community, and then join us for #homechat Tuesday, January 24 at
