Eating more raw foods

Veggies.  I love them, every which way:  roasted, stir-fried, steamed, sauteed, pickled, baked, you name it.  There aren't many vegetables I don't like, and I'm always willing to try a new one.

This past weekend I finally got my hands on a copy of Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet.  If you haven't heard of it, you can read a bit about the author's journey to a healthier lifestyle here.  I read this book in the store with fervor -- it is sharp and full of Carr's personality.  It's also full of information that I, in my own experience, have found to be true and helpful to me.  Things like eating a alkaline based diet.  Making juices and smoothies.  Exercising.  Detoxifying.  Eating organicly when possible.  It's so nice to see a book the echos what has worked for me.  I only wish she had writen it sooner!

Above all, the thing she wrote about which resonated with me the most this week was to eat more raw foods.  During the summer I definitely gravitate towards raw foods -- who wants to cook when it's hot outside?  Lately, since it's been so chilly here in Maine, I've been cooking all of my vegetables, morning, noon and night.  Even though I love the crunch of eating vegetables raw, I sort of forgot about that method of "preparing" vegetables.

Why is raw food so good for you?  In most cases, raw fruits and vegetables have maintained all their luscious vitamins and minerals.  When you cook them, the vitamin levels decrease, and their natural enzymes break down.  Our stomachs love enzymes!  Be nice to your belly.   Raw vegetables are also more alkaline than acidic.  Why should you care about that?  Well, if our body is being fed mostly acidic foods, then we are more susceptable to diseases and cancer.  Alkaline foods help heal the body and keep it at a healthy pH level.

So, lately, I've been including raw foods with all of my meals.  I've been cooking food too, but having raw food on the side, probably a 50/50 ratio.  As the weather heats up and the farmers at our local market start bringing in the fresh vegetables, my ratio of raw foods will probably increase.

Eating raw is easy.  I've been including my First Date Collard Greens Wraps in my lunches every day, and sharing a raw veggies with hummus platter with Andrew for dinner.

From left to right, the beauties in this dish are:  red wine hummus, baby carrots, cute cucumbers, and baby bok choy.  I just discovered that I am quite a fan of baby bok choy.  It's crunchy, almost in a celery-ish way, but without all those disturbing strings that celery leaves in your teeth.  The leaf is soft and the contrasting textures make it a delight to eat.  Bok choy is full of fiber and is high in calcium, potassium, and folate.  What a winner!  But wait, there's more!  Bok choy is part of the cabbage family, which is also cruciferous.  And guess what?  Cruciferous veggies prevent cancer.  It's also full of antioxidants, which are mean little cancer killers too.  Pretty awesome.

Curious about my red wine hummus?  Here's the easy recipe:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans either soaked overnight and cooked in a slow cooker during the day or canned -- cannellini beans work too!
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup red wine or more, to taste.  I was adventerous and added in more.  It gave the hummus a hint of pretty pink
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Combine everything in a blender.  Hope that your neighbors don't mind the noise.  Keep going until everything is combined.  Taste, add more wine or spices if you see fit.  Dip and swirl your veggies in the dip.  Enjoy your raw and disease fighting appetizer.

What veggies do you like to eat raw?  What's your favorite way to eat raw vegetables?