Many people want to improve their health and relationship to food but think a raw food diet is just too hard. They worry they'll always feel hungry, won't like the food, or won't get the nutrients they need (especially protein.) But most of all, people simply don't want to give up the food they love. Well I'm here to tell you - you don't have to!

For some reason there seems to be an all or nothing approach to raw food. I adopted that attitude myself when I first started. But the truth is... ready? This is huge. You don't have to go 100% raw!! Really, I promise. There's no raw food police that will come after you if you don't do it "right." Just by incorporating more living foods into your diet, say - a few meals a week, you can lose weight, feel better, and improve your health.

When we first discover all the benefits it's very tempting to try to go 100% raw - especially for those of us who are impetuous and passionate. *ahem* But trying to give up all your favorite foods and make such a huge lifestyle change all at once is a recipe for failure. So here's a better approach; try picking one day a week as your raw day. Since learning to (un)cook can be time consuming at first, pick a day that you will have time to spend in the kitchen. Make it a fun experiment. You'll not only realize that raw food is delicious, but you'll slowly build your repertoire of recipes over time.

Compare how you feel that day of the week to other days. You just might find yourself looking forward to your raw day more than you expected! Then maybe you'll want to make it two days a week. Then... maybe three. This is a great way to slowly transition into more raw food without the pain of giving up the things you love, or the intense detox and cravings that come with the all or nothing approach.

Love pizza? Great. Don't ever give it up. Nobody is telling you you have to. (But you just might find that after eating raw food for awhile you don't love pizza quite as much as you once did.)

As far as being hungry... I love the way my husband describes it - when we eat processed food or cooked food (otherwise known as dead food in the raw world,) we overeat because we keep trying to fill something inside of us that the dead food just can't fill. When we eat living food we don't need nearly as much to feel satisfied. And that satisfaction is not just physical - we feel satisfied emotionally and spiritually as well.

Raw food is the greatest preventative medicine on the planet - why wait until we are sick to make a positive change?  Think of it this way - by adding more raw foods to your diet now you won't end up having to give up your favorite  foods later!

Just keep in mind that you don't have to go all or nothing. Try it in small portions, you just might love it.

Oh, and the protein thing? It's a myth that we need large amounts of protein. It's scientifically proven that raw foodists get more than enough protein from our leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. Just ask the professional body builders that are raw! (There's quite a few of 'em.) Or ask a gorilla. :)

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice.

This is a delicious recipe you can make without a dehydrator. Just place the marinated veggies in the sun for a few hours. Serve over cauliflower "rice" - I know what you are thinking, but trust me, it really doesn't taste like cauliflower!

Veggies:

Broccoli

Bok choy

Onions

Carrots

Mushrooms

Cauliflower (for rice)

Marinade:

3 Tbsp Namo Shoyu

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped jalapeno

Chop veggies and mix in bowl with marinade. Let sit about an hour then place veggies on dehydrator tray. Let dehydrate about four hours. Or use the sun method! Make sure to save the leftover marinade to add to you individual serving if desired.

To make the cauliflower rice just pulse in food processor until it takes on rice consistency.

Serve the Not Stir-Fry with this amazing miso soup from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. (This is the picture from the book - obviously. I forgot to take a picture of mine. :)

Soup base:

3 Tbsp. miso

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. grated ginger

1 clove garlic

3 cups water

3 cups shitake or oyster mushrooms (marinated in some Namo Shoyu)

1 scallion

Blend soup base ingredients in blender. Pour into bowls and add mushrooms and chopped scallions. Yuuuummmm.

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice.

This is another recipe that's being bumped up to our favorites list!

This is SO easy and so decadent!

1 cup soaked cashews

4-5 dates

1 Tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp. agave syrup

Fresh raspberries

Blend in food processor to make crust. Top with fresh raspberries and chocolate syrup (cacao powder mixed with water and agave.)

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice.

Instead of using cracked wheat to make this traditional Lebanese salad I use hemp seed. Hemp seed is considered a "super food" - one of the most nutritious food sources on the planet. They contain high amounts of vitamin E, Omega-3 oils, amino acids including the rarely found GLA, and concentrated proteins. And they are SO good in this salad! It's a carnival of flavors for your mouth!

Note: To make it more traditional use mint instead of cilantro. I've tried it both ways and have to say - the cilantro is actually better.

1/4 bunch cilantro

1/4 bunch parsley

1/4 bunch green onions

1 tomato

1 avocado

1/2 a cucumber

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 -1 cup hemp seed

dash of salt

dash of cumin

dash of cayenne

Chop all the veggies and toss with remaining ingredients in bowl.

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice.