Transitioning to the raw food diet

The easiest way to transition to the raw food diet is to start eliminating processed, packaged foods. Increase your consumption of raw foods one meal at a time. Your trash will tell you if you are consuming too much processed foods:) It will be full of boxes, cans, and other food packaging.

Enjoy as many raw fruits and veggies as possible every time you eat. I actually didn't start out to be a raw foodie. For a year or so before becoming raw, I had cut out all processed foods. In 2007, I read a book called The Cure, and as soon as I finished it, I knew I would consume as much raw food as I could for the rest of my life! I started to see and feel the results of eating raw, and the rest is history:)

I found it very easy to start with breakfast. Until noon each day, eat any, (and as much!) fruit, juices, and smoothies as you like! Do this for a few weeks, then add a raw lunch.

A few weeks later, add a raw or mostly raw dinner. Food combining may help with digestion issues and weight loss. This site has some good information for transitioning. Click here for some wonderful guidelines for choosing healthy options.

Although I have been what I consider a raw foodie for several years, I am not 100% raw. This means I sometimes consume items from the Dead Food List, as well as some other ingredients. There is usually a raw substitute for these ingredients, but I eat them occasionally and in such small quantities I don't worry about it. On weekends, we eat out so I usually have 2 meals weekly that are cooked.

Today's lunch was an example of 'mostly raw' ingredients:













I wanted to try a recipe from gone raw that looked so good to me! It is called Summer Rolls by paige4. They were very different from any sushi recipe I usually have so I had to try them. They were so good, it was love at first bite! Thank you paige4! I put in a bit of red bell pepper and had to sub chives for the spring onions, and parsley for coriander. I used my trusty julienne peeler for the veggies.
*posting the recipe since goneraw.com sometimes has "issues" :(
 

Here is a picture of the nori I used. Although labeled "raw", it could just be un-toasted. I found this one at the health food store.













The summer rolls went perfectly with another recipe from gone raw, Korean cucumber salad by mptraveller ((( hugs to you!))). This was one of the first recipes I ever tried from there, and it is now a staple in my happy raw kitchen.
*posting recipe due to goneraw.com working intermittently:
 
Here is a pic of the cucumber salad. I add a touch of dark sesame oil and use rice vinegar.














While transitioning from SAD to raw, you may want to keep some of your favorite non raw items on the menu. This helped me tremendously while incorporating as much healthy raw foods as possible. I occasionally still have Ezekiel tortillas , pictured below with eggplant/bacon, lettuce, tomato, and sprouts.













I may never be 100% raw , but that's O.K. with me, as I have never felt better, or had more energy in my life!