I don't believe an all raw diet is healthy or necessary, but raw foods do provide essential vitamins and enzymes and other nutrients, that are not fully understood by man. So this week have at least one piece of raw fruit (week 2 challenge) and one serving of raw veggies each day.
This can be very simple. Some possibilities include organic carrot or celery sticks (see Jennifer's post about swords). When my boys were little, while I was fixing dinner, I would cut up celery sticks (the swords) and carrot rounds (the eyeballs). They loved to munch on their eyeballs and swords while playing 'knights' nearby. I made it fun and thus they loved their veggie snack, especially when they were hungry right before dinner. Serve with a homemade dip, such as ranch dip, to add good fat to the snack for absorbing the fat soluble vitamins in the produce. Also be sure to buy organic carrots and celery (celery is #2 on the dirty dozen list).
A salad is another wonderful choice - enjoy a green salad, spinach salad, egg salad, chicken salad, or cole slaw. If you have a good homemade dressing on hand for your salad, a salad can be as simple as a bowl of lettuce by itself or with just one other ingredient. Just be sure to use ingredients that are in season when possible. Put lettuce, spinach, or bell pepper on a sandwich or in a wrap (made with nitrate-free meat and whole grains). For lettuce, spinach, and bell peppers, again buy organic. Bell peppers are heavily contaminated with pesticide residues. Mushrooms and onion slices are good raw additions also, and these are o.k. to buy conventional if organic is not available or too expensive.
Another good option is avocado (I count this as a vegetable). We use fresh avocado on almost all Mexican dishes. I buy conventional and organic, depending upon price and what looks the best. Radishes are another spring vegetable, one my husband loves.
Lots of recipes are also available for smoothies that have veggies added. (Doesn't 'veggies' sound more yummy than 'vegetables' - take advantage of this when introducing your challenge to your family!) If you have a Bullet or VitaMix or another good blender, give a smoothie with veggies a try. For this type smoothie, your base ingredients are fruit, veggies, and some ice.
Enjoy the bounty of wonderful fresh vegetables that we have available to us!
Advanced Challenge for those already eating one serving of raw vegetables each day:
Include a raw vegetable(s) with both lunch and dinner, or try something new for you, such as some shredded jicama on a salad.
Lots of recipes are also available for smoothies that have veggies added. (Doesn't 'veggies' sound more yummy than 'vegetables' - take advantage of this when introducing your challenge to your family!) If you have a Bullet or VitaMix or another good blender, give a smoothie with veggies a try. For this type smoothie, your base ingredients are fruit, veggies, and some ice.
Enjoy the bounty of wonderful fresh vegetables that we have available to us!
Advanced Challenge for those already eating one serving of raw vegetables each day:
Include a raw vegetable(s) with both lunch and dinner, or try something new for you, such as some shredded jicama on a salad.
“‘Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.’ At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” Daniel 1:12, 15
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