The photo in this week’s post says it all. ‘You are what you eat.’ If you eat food lacking in nutritive value it will be reflected on your skin, in your face, through the weight you carry, and your general disposition. If the food you eat is nutritive dense and made up of whole plant based items, your complexion and skin will come alive and the weight will start to fall off of you. You will feel more energized and alive. Summer is a wonderful time to experiment with eating differently and lighter due to all the fresh organic produce that is available locally.
The primary reason I hear why people won’t consider a shift in their diet that incorporates more live plant-based foods is that the preparation is time consuming. The other reason is that it is just plain boring to be eating salads all the time.
I firmly believe if you like to play with food and experiment with recipes, you will love playing with raw live plant-based options. For example, there are salads and then there are SALADS! We traditionally think of a salad as being made up of iceberg lettuce, some grated carrot, and possibly a few slices of cucumber and a wedge or two of tomato with some pre-packaged salad dressing. If that was my salad dinner, I would be bored and probably not very healthy.
A Rawking Easy and Exciting Salad
Instead consider purchasing organic produce only and if at all possible, buy locally. Lots of farmer’s markets to choose from at this time of year. Select a variety of lettuces, trying some you have never tasted before. Add in some kale and chard for the dense protein and calcium rush you get from the darker leafier greens.
Find the largest bowl you can and begin to fill it with your choice of lettuces and kale. Consider all the vegetables you like to eat and chop them up and add them to the salad as well. You can even add some defrosted frozen corn and peas for some additional bulk and density (if you can’t get them fresh). A couple avocado slices provide you with some oil as well as a small handful of nuts or seeds. If you like fruit with your salad, fresh summertime berries are a great addition and high in anti-oxidants. Sprinkle your favourite spices on top, add some salt and pepper and squeeze a little lemon, lime, or orange over the whole salad. It is ready. That should take you about 30 minutes to prepare. All fresh, alive, plant-based and nutrient rich.
Variety comes from the different vegetables and fruits you add to your salad, the different spices and flavours you experiment with, and the additional textures you add such as nuts and seeds or avocado. In addition, you can cut the vegetables in different ways (shredding, julienne, rough chop) which changes the texture. Our interest in food is not only influenced by flavour but also by how it looks. There are a number of edible flowers (like nasturiams) available this time of year. They add a spiciness to a dish but also contribute colour.
Consider at least one salad everyday for lunch and/or dinner and you will begin to see a shift in how you look. As your energy picks up, then you will have more enthusiasm for taking on more challenging recipes. In addition, when you start to use only organic produce, you will notice the flavours of the food more. The food becomes more satisfying and you will want more rather than less. The good news is, the more you eat of live plant-based foods like this, you won’t gain weight because it is light and not calorie heavy (as long as you keep the oils to a minimum).
Have a look at what you are eating everyday. Have a look in the mirror. If what you see is what you like, then you are on the right track. If what you see is causing you some dis-ease, then consider what you could change to create the picture of health you desire. It’s as simple as making a shift in the foods you eat. Give yourself the next 35 days to make a change and then see what your mirror is telling you. I promise you will be glad you did.
