Raw Food Diet Recipes

As modern diet is one of the key factors for lifestyle diseases, many health conscious people have switched on to the raw food diet for better health. According to nutrition experts, some of the beneficial food enzymes and nutrients are lost during the cooking process. And with raw foods, one can reap the benefits of nutrients in their original forms. For some people, coming up with raw food diet menu is challenging, especially in the first few weeks of starting this diet program.

Healthy Raw Food Recipes

While on the raw food diet, 75 percent of the daily food is of raw items, like fruits, veggies, sprouts, nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, etc. Though the popularity of this dieting strategy has increased significantly in the last few decades, eating raw was basically adopted by primitive people. Today, it is purported as the perfect diet for shedding extra kilos, detoxifying the body and more importantly, reducing lifestyle health problems. If you are planning to follow raw food diet for weight loss, or simply for ensuring good health, the following are some healthy raw food diet recipes for you.

Nut Cookies

Ingredients

• 1½ cups dried fruits (walnuts, pecans and cashews)
• 2 cup raisins
• ½ cup raw carob powder

Directions for Preparation

This is one of the simplest raw food diet breakfast recipes that you can prepare within 5 minutes. While purchasing carob powder, choose the raw version that is not processed completely. For the dried fruits, you can use any of the options - walnuts, cashews, pecans, or a mixture of them. So, gather the required recipe ingredients for making carob cookies. In an electric mixer, add nuts, carob powder and raisins. Blend for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture turns smooth and a bit sticky. Check if it is thick enough to make cookies. If not, add more raisins and some water before mixing. Make small cookies out of this mixture, and serve directly.

Mixed Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh mango, sliced
• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 cup orange, cubed
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups coconut water
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• A dash of Celtic sea salt for taste

Directions for Preparation

Perfect for serving in summer and during peak mango season, this cold fruit smoothie is one of the tastiest and filling raw food diet options. You can also use frozen mangoes, but fresh ones taste better. And if you love coconut essence, substitute it for vanilla extract to enjoy coconut flavored smoothie. In an electric blender, add all the healthy food ingredients - mango, banana, orange, shredded coconut, coconut water, agave nectar, vanilla extract and salt. Blend this mixture until you get a smooth, creamy puree. Pour in tall serving glasses and serve.

Lettuce Wrap

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 3 medium-sized tomatoes, diced
• Kernels from one ear of raw corn
• ½ jalapeño pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 large romaine lettuce leaves

Directions for Preparation

These lettuce wraps are excellent for serving in main course. To start with the preparation for this raw food recipe, take a medium-sized bowl and mash the avocados. Add the recipe ingredients - onion, garlic, tomato, corn, jalapeño, lime juice and cilantro. Combine the mixture with a wooden spatula. Lay the lettuce leaves in a shallow dish, and spoon the avocado mixture (2-3 tablespoons) over each leaf. Gently wrap the leaves and serve.

For every dieter, it is not unusual to get bored with serving the same raw food breakfast or raw food detox diet recipes. Hence, creating variety in the food menu is one of the thumb rules for getting adjusted to this healthy eating habit, and following it for long-term period. So, try different raw food diet recipes with your favorite ingredients and enjoy them as regular meal servings, not as a part of dieting.