Ready...Set...Go...RAW!

I just enjoyed a delicious homemade meal. Pork tenderloin, asparagus and a baked potato. Tomorrow starts my 30 day Raw food challenge. The plan: To eat at least 75% raw foods each day. No meat. No dairy. No gluten. My meals will consist of unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, beans and dried fruit.

Why you ask? The Raw Food Diet is believed to have many benefits: increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, reduced risk of illness (cancer, heart issues, arthritis, diabetes), weight loss and better overall health.

The research: The research shows that you get more nutrients from foods when they aren't cooked. Also, the acid that is found in many foods (as well as stress and toxins) keep our blood from absorbing enough oxygen, causing us to get sick. If our pH is too high or too low, we don't feel well, we feel tried, gain weight, have poor digestion and get aches and pains more easily. The sad news: Most people in the US are too acidic. Thus, we have cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

By eating raw alkaline foods and drinks, we can achieve better overall health. Alkaline foods include: vegetables (especially raw leafy greens), fresh herbs & spices (parsley, basil, cilantro, cayenne, ginger), fruits (watermelon, avocado, cucumber, young coconuts), wheat grass, sprouts (broccoli, etc.). These "living" raw foods contain enzymes that help us digest and absorb nutrients in foods.

I plan on tracking what I eat, how much I eat, calories and how I feel. Hopefully, blogging will keep me accountable!

Tonight I went to Sams Club and loaded up on veggies, fruits and nuts. I also tried some new recipes for snacks. I'll also be sharing recipes.

Home-made Lara Bars

You can buy these at the store, but they are kind of expensive. They are SUPER easy to make! I made three different kinds. There are lots of recipes online. Basically you combine any kind of nuts and dried fruit in a food processor (I used my Magic Bullet) then you press them in a pan and cut them to make the bars. After wards, I wrapped them in plastic wrap. These are the combinations I tried.

• 1/4 c. dried apricots (110 cal)
• 1/4 c. crasins (130 cal)
• 1/2 c. raw almonds (420 cal)

Put the ingredients in the food processor. Take them out. It will be really STICKY! Press down in a shallow pan and form into bars. I made 8 bars, so they are about 83 calories for one bar.

• 1/4 c. dried pitted dates (110 cal)
• 3 tbs. almonds (160 cal)

Follow the same directions. I made 6 of these, so they are about 90 calories per bar.

• 1/4 c. dried apricots (110 cal)
• 1/4 c. dried pitted dates (110 cal)
• 1/4 c. peanuts (340 cal)

This made 6 bars. So they are about 77 calories each!

Fudge Babies

If you love chocolate, you'll love these! Also, very easy to make.

• 1 c. walnuts
• 1 1/3 c. pitted dates
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-4 tb. cocoa powder

I made 16 little squared and figured up they were about 55 calories per square.

Wish me luck! :)