Many nutritionists believe that a diet based on raw, unprocessed foods is beneficial to the human body. Raw food diets typically consist of foods that are plant based. Proponents of this diet usually agree that foods cooked below 116 degrees can be part of a raw food diet. Unfortunately, finding tasty recipes that fit these criteria can sometimes be difficult. Here are two sample meal plans for those wishing to try a diet based on raw food.
Meal plan for day one:
For breakfast,
- try a Carrot, Banana and Berry Smoothie. Blend until smooth: one banana, one cup of fresh or frozen berries, one peeled carrot, and one cup of water.
For lunch,
- have a Mexican Burrito. Mash one avocado with a diced tomato, two tablespoons of chopped onion, one half of a chopped green chili, and one half cup of fresh corn. Season the mixture with one tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Place a large portion of the mixture inside a lettuce leaf and you will have a delicious raw lunch.
For snack,
- choose any fresh fruit with a handful of nuts or seeds.
For dinner,
- have a squash and zucchini salad. Dice one yellow squash and one zucchini into bite size pieces. Toss with a diced tomato, two tablespoons of chopped raw nuts, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, and a teaspoon of flaxseed. Serve over a bed of chopped arugula.
For dessert,
- banana ice cream is on the menu! Freeze five bananas. Push them through a processor and sprinkle with chopped raw nuts of your choice. Delicious!
Meal plan for day two:
For breakfast,
- have fruit salad. Mix any three or four chopped fruits in a bowl and toss with a bit of lemon juice.
For lunch,
- tomato soup is easy to make. In a blender, puree six small tomatoes, two cups of water, two garlic cloves, and two carrots. Add more water if necessary. Reserve one cup of the soup for dinner.
For a snack,
- julienne carrot and celery sticks to munch on.
For dinner,
- what could be better than spaghetti. Remove the pulp of a spaghetti squash. This will be your “noodles.” Use the leftover soup as the sauce.
A great dessert
- mango surprise. Simply freeze one mango and blend until smooth. Add frozen bananas or berries if you want to get creative.
