Why Unconventional is Good + Strawberry Tomato Salad
I preach eating more raw food…not all raw but some raw fruits and vegetables every day. I eat 90% plant based and 50% of my plants are raw. If you struggle with this concept maybe it is time to ditch the conventional salads and go for some unconventional goodness. I’ll start you off with this Strawberry Tomato Salad! Read on to see my top tips on eating more raw food!
How to Get More Raw Foods in Your Diet
I used to eat raw food in my pre-cancer life. However it had to be covered in Ranch Dressing…pass the carrots. I ate about 4 raw vegetables; carrots, celery, cucumber, and romaine. I did a little better with fruits only because they are more traditionally NOT cooked unless in baked goods. But they had to be perfectly sweet and ripe or it was a no-go. Post cancer, I had to learn to eat more raw foods. The basic reasons that you should eat more raw foods boils down to maximum nutrient consumption. So you can count on the “good for you” things in plants being the highest when you eat raw fresh foods. If this is a new concept for you here are my top tips to get more raw foods into your diet.
- Be Mindful in Your Food Choices – I want you to make a plan! Make a self declaration “I will eat 3 raw foods a day!” then make a plan to do it. Yes, it is that simple!
- Find Unconventional Salads – This really is one of my favorite tips. Most of us get in a rut with salads but try thinking outside the salad bowl. Make interesting combinations and skip the heavy dressings and opt for bold flavors like the recipe below.
- Eat in Season – A tomato in February and a tomato in July taste totally different. Eating in season gives you the most nutrients and the very best flavors! Eating raw in season flavors makes it easy peasy!
These should get you well on your way to getting more real raw foods. If you are ready to move your journey forward check out our 27 Day Real Food Challenge!
Strawberry Tomato Salad
½ cup organics strawberries, hulled and halved
¼ heirloom tomato, cut in thin wedges
¼ English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 inch wedge of red onion, thinly sliced
2 mint leaves, cut into ribbons
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine the strawberries, tomatoes, cucumber, red onions and mint. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Single serving, double recipe to serve more.
