Off the Wagon for my 40th B-day & Most Important Foods on a Raw Vegan Diet
Days 77-83I’m officially 40! It feels great to be eating so healthy at this time in my life, and gearing up for 1/2 marathon training after I run my first (post high school) 5k on April 11.
So I didn’t exactly fall off the wagon around my birthday, but I did let some things slip when it comes to the Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine trial.
Here’s me and hubby Dave at the Orange County raw vegan restaurant Au Lac (does he look a little scared, lol?)
Actually, he was a great sport and enjoyed the food even more than my mom. They were able to order some cooked vegan dishes, but sampled some of my raw stuff.
The things I’ve let slip have been with sweets, primarily. I made some chocolate for my birthday, and added maple syrup for extra sweetness. Then, at Au Lac, I totally indulged in this chocolate coconut pie. It was extremely decadent! The menu states that some foods may contain agave. It also could’ve contained dates. Regardless, it was worth it! I even ordered one to go.
Another food that blew me away at Au Lac was raw vegan bread. I have always loved bread, but gave it (and pasta) up long before going raw.
This bread was warm, doughy, and incredible dipped in this garlic/herb olive oil. Even my husband loved it!
Aside from from raw vegan chips and salsa which we all shared, I also ordered this salad
…and zucchini wraps.
The salad had an amazing sweet mustard dressing, zucchini noodles, pistachios, crumbled flax crackers, and lots of veggies. One of the best salads I’ve had at any restaurant.
The zucchini wraps were not my favorite, but the presentation and freshness of this dish was incredible. It had a Thai flair to it.
Any other cheats?
My other big “no-no” was starting to eat bananas again, with about one week to go in the trial. I’ve only eaten about 1 1/2 bananas plain, and the rest have been in green smoothies. I don’t think the sugar in the bananas has the same effect on the body when combined with greens. This is something I’m going to research more post-trial.
According to the phase chart, bananas should be used sparingly, even on phase 2.
Foods I can’t be without on a raw vegan diet
I’d like to preface this section by clarifying that I’m not trained in nutrition. I’m writing about my personal experiences as a raw vegan, foods that have worked for me, and research I’ve compiled during this trial.
Many people automatically think about deficiencies when they hear “vegan”, or “vegetarian.” The number one question asked is “where do you get your protein?”
Here is a brief video that answers that (thanks to www.runningraw.com).
I’d like to refer to the “phase chart” again from Gabriel Cousens’ Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine (*note: for some reason, this chart varies slightly from the book)
He refers to phase I as your foundation. So naturally, those are going to be the most important foods on this type of diet.
I want to highlight just a few that I feel are important, and what I won’t go without:
Greens
I believe greens are the single most important food for not only vegans, and raw vegans, but for everyone! Aside from being a foundational food on the Gabriel Cousens diet, Victoria Boutenko’s research has provided tons of evidence to support this. Two of the most nutrient dense are kale and dandelion greens.
I recommend reading Victoria Boutenko’s book “Green for Life.” In it she gives concrete evidence which makes me believe that greens are the missing ingredient in the diets of many that attempt to go vegan, but give up due to decreasing energy levels.
Sea Vegetables & Algae Superfoods
I still don’t get enough sea vegetables, but they are essential for their high levels of minerals and protein. My favorite sea vegetable is nori, for wraps, or nori rolls. Another good one is dulse in the form of flakes, because it can be added to salads and smoothies without detecting a change in flavor.
I also supplement with spirulina and chlorella tabs every day. They have an extremely high ratio of protein by weight. They are loaded with healing nutrients, and are highly alkalizing and detoxify the tissues. All it takes is a quick google search to learn about the many benefits of these two algae types.
Berries
My two favorite berries are blueberries and goji berries. I can’t be without either of these for long! All berries have benefits, but these are two of the most nutrient packed, and are low glycemic to boot. They also have been cited in numerous articles and studies as having anti-aging properties.
I always have my freezer stocked with frozen organic blueberries to add to smoothies, or eat in a bowl with almond milk. Goji berries come dried, and are a great snack on the go.
Foods Containing Probiotics
Probiotic rich foods can be hard to come by on a raw vegan diet. I’ve experimented with kefir quite a bit, with almond milk. It can be a lot of work. It you’re unable to put the time into it, at least take a supplement. I believe the proper gut flora is essential for optimal digestion and absorption, as well as boosting the immune system.
Some other foods that contain healthy bacteria are fermented foods such as sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, and miso.
What else can’t I live without?
Some other absolute staples in my diet are hemp seeds (in salads), chia seeds (in smoothies), coconut oil, olive oil, lemons (juiced in water w/ stevia), and almonds (for almond milk, nut pates, or as a snack).
Only a few more days to go to reach the 90 day mark! Stay tuned for my next post, the 90 day trial wrap-up.
