Wednesday Raw: The first one

   

Today is the first of a little feature I wanted to start here called Wednesday Raw.

Like a good little blogger I made some resolutions. I tried to make ones that didn't just last through January, but goals for the year.

One of them was to eat more RAW foods.

So here's what this this feature and my resolution is NOT:

• This is NOT about a super restricted diet.
• It is NOT about feeling like I failed if I missed a day.
• It is NOT advice about what YOU should eat.

This is what Wednesday Raw IS about:

• Me trying to amp up my diet with more whole nutrients and fresh foods. One of the best ways I saw to do this was a raw food day.
• My plan is to do one day a week, high raw until dinner and maybe the whole day.
• If I don't get in a full day, for sure I will squeeze in some raw meals through out the week.
• Me learning more about raw foods, and having a place to keep me accountable and challenged.
• Perhaps later it will be a place for others to link up their own raw food experiences.

My first Wednesday Raw day was pretty good. Here's how it went down:

• Breakfast - Cherry, banana and cilantro smoothie (very yummy, but it made me very cold)
• Green tea
• Blueberries for snack
• Lunch - Apple kale salad (with non raw crackers)
• Super-addicting-I-had-to-have-some Trader Joe's chocolate almond butter smeared on rice cracker (not raw - obviously, but it had to be done)
• Raw almonds and apple
• Dinner - of huge pile of cooked green beans and a couple bites of chicken 

I think it was an ok raw day for how little I had prepared for it. I think this next week I will think ahead and make sure I have enough items to eat on hand. This week I seemed to be searching for something raw and wasn't completely prepared for my day. 

This salad will be had over and over. 

If you are afraid of the raw kale, this is a great place to get over your fear. It's easy, satisfying and the kale softens into a beautiful grassy fresh taste. The apples are the perfect crunch and counter sweetness to the tangy vinegar.

                        

All you need is a nice generous portion of kale, one apple diced, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and salt.

The dressing ratio is really personal. I like about 1 Tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoon honey and 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. I really like the flavor of the vinegar to come through, but you may prefer the taste of lemon in yours, or up the honey if you like things sweet.

Dress the salad and apples then sprinkle some salt over top. Then you massage with both hands. This breaks the kale down a bit. Your huge mountain of kale will shrink dramatically so keep that in mind.



I had this with some crackers and was sufficiently full after the whole bowl.

The first Wednesday is off to an ok start, but I'm ready for more. Do you have any ideas or recipes?
Are you eating more raw meals too? Are you eating a piece of chocolate cake now and are wishing I'd shut up about massaging kale?