Have you been contemplating going raw? Do you spend hours browsing raw recipes, but never seem to make that shopping list? Do you tell yourself, “I’ll start next week”? Or you think, “When I eat up all the other food in the house…”? Maybe you say, “When I can afford all the kitchen appliances, then I’ll start.”

I know firsthand starting something new can be challenging and a bit overwhelming, but starting a raw food lifestyle is a change you won’t regret. The health benefits are so worth it and it’s easier than you think!

And you don't have to do it all right now. You don't have to go raw overnight. It all start with the next bite. Can you try a raw meal for your next meal? Or your next dessert?

If you’ve been a long time “meats and sweets” kind of person, you may want to ease your way into it. Just start with one raw meal a day. Perhaps add a delicious green smoothie to your morning routine. You’ll start feeling the difference right away. Soon your body will start craving the good stuff and you’ll find yourself reaching for a piece of fruit instead of a bag of chips (unless they’re dehydrated kale chips, of course).

You don’t even need any special appliances to get started. There are several delicious recipes that don’t require any equipment at all. They do make it more fun though! Start with a basic blender and work your way up to the big stuff. However, you may find when you aren’t spending money on meat, processed food and at the drive thru, there might be a little more in the budget for those kitchen gadgets than you realize!

So go ahead, grab a pen and paper and start making that grocery list or better yet, download one of my helpful apps and get started today. Your body will thank you!

You will feel amazing. Eating raw increases energy, clears up skin, helps you sleep better, promotes weight loss and reduces the risk of disease. It’s even thought to slow the aging process. That should be enough motivation to give it a try. You can do it! 

Wondering how to start the raw food diet, also known as the raw vegan diet? It’s a common question. You’ve heard about the benefits that a diet of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds can have on the body and mind, but how can you go about changing the way you eat and starting your new life on the raw food diet? And where can you find a raw food diet meal plan?

Raw food diet plans are not that revolutionary. In fact, raw food diet plans have been around for thousands of years. Let’s not over complicate things! Raw food diet plans are simply another word for eating fresh foods. That’s it. Simple!

And what are these raw foods? Well, you can take a look at my raw food grocery list below for a thorough overview. But, in sum, raw food diet plans are simply based around eating nothing but fresh, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains, unprocessed nuts and unprocessed seeds.

If you are wondering whether raw food diet plans are for real or are right for you, of course they are! Everyone should be eating more real fresh fruits and vegetables. Now, whether you should eat an all raw food diet is another story!

Raw food diet plans don't have to be complicated. Simply incorporate more raw fruits and vegetables into your diet. You can use raw food diet recipes to help you incorporate more of these healthful foods into your diet on a daily basis–regardless of whether you eat a low, high or all raw food diet.

If you’re wondering how to start the raw food diet try keeping these important questions in mind:

Why do you want to start the raw food diet?

Understanding the reason why you want to become a raw vegan will help you to see the big picture of your health and your quality of life. If you truly want to make a change in your life and you’re ready to work hard and see results, then you will have the will and drive to take action towards starting the raw food diet. That’s the most important step when starting the raw food diet!

What will you do when you feel like reverting back to the standard American diet?

When figuring out how to start the raw food diet you’ve got to have a plan for what you will do when faced with cravings and awkward social situations that revolve around food. Have you given any thought to what you will say or do in these situations? Start with a plan so that you’re ready to execute your plan when faced with these situations.

What do you need to buy in order to start the raw food diet?

Let’s get to the nitty gritty, right? If you’re wondering how to start the raw food diet you are probably looking for some basic information, such as what do you need to buy and what will you need to succeed? There’s a lot of hype about superfoods and fancy equipment. Some raw fooders will tell you that all you need to get started on the raw food diet is a fridge full of fresh fruits and veg. Sounds simple enough, right?

However, I think that’s a little too simple. Most raw recipes that actually taste good require a high-speed blender and a food processor, so if you’re wondering how to start the raw food diet I recommend:

• A cutting board
• Sharp knives
• A fridge full of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
• A high-speed blender
• A food processor

Many people also use dehydrators when eating only raw vegan foods. However, if you’re just getting started you don’t need a dehydrator. You can always get one at a later date.

Next comes the important part: the food!

Raw Vegan Grocery List

All items on this raw grocery list should be organic and raw where possible. It is not always feasible to buy everything organic, and I don’t even always buy organic. However, aim for the gold standard when it comes to your raw grocery list — where possible!

Raw grocery list - Fruits

• Apples
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Grapefruits
• Lemons
• Limes
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Cantaloupe

Raw grocery list - Vegetables

• Onions
• Carrots
• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, etc.)
• Parsley
• Fresh mint
• Green bell pepper
• Red bell pepper
• Cucumber
• Garlic
• Celery
• Tomatoes

Raw grocery list - Nuts and Seeds

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Chia seeds
• Cashews
• Macadamia nuts
• Hemp seeds

Raw grocery list - Oils and condiments

• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• Coconut oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Herbs and spices (thyme, basil, curry, cinnamon, cloves, allspice etc.)
• Sea salt (not regular table salt)
• Vanilla pods or pure vanilla extract
• Dried dates
• Dried coconut
• Raisins
• Cacao

This is a sample basic raw grocery list to give you a general idea of what might be found in a typical raw foodist or raw vegan kitchen. 

Raw Appliances

Now, wondering what raw appliances to buy for your raw food kitchen?

Blender

Your blender is the most crucial part of being a raw vegan. Blenders are used to make smoothies, puddings, sauces, and much more. I recommend the VitaMix. It's the best blender you can get, it's large, but it isn't cheap! There is no alternative to a good blender. If you must, you can use a cheaper, personal blender but I guarantee that your existing blender will not blend as well and the motor will burn out over time. Don't feel bad if you can't afford one right away. But plan on buying a VitaMix at some point soon. At least put it on your Christmas list!

Food Processor

You need a blender and a food processor. This here is a great food processor, but you do not need such a good one. My honest recommendation is to use the food processor that you have at home. If you do not have a food processor then simply go to your local big box store and choose a medium priced food processor (perhaps in the $50 range). Invest any extra money into the VitaMix blender above, please!

NOTE: Yes, you need a blender AND a food processor. Blenders do smooth, liquidy stuff (smoothies, soups, sauces) and food processors do chunkier stuff (think raw cookie dough, pizza dough, raw pie crusts, etc.). I suggest buying a crappy (cheap) food processor and an awesome (expensive) blender.

Also, check out my handy recommended raw food products list here. The list includes a wide variety of raw appliances, from blenders and food processors to manual juicers and spirooli slicers. The list also includes some great idea for edible raw food specialty items, including chia seeds, nutritional yeast, kelp noodles and much more.

Daily Raw Food Diet Menu

Wondering what you're going to eat on a raw food diet plan? Curious what’s in a typical raw food diet menu? Much like regular eaters who eat standard American diet fare, raw food diet menus can vary per person based on different food preferences and dietary needs. Raw food diet menus can also vary hugely based on how much time you want to dedicate to preparing your raw meals!

If you are anything like me, odds are you’re busy running errands, working, spending time with family and keeping your life on track. While cooking (or “uncooking”) can be a pleasurable hobby, most of us don’t want to spend hours creating complicated items for your daily raw food diet menu.

I advocate making simple, satisfying raw food diet menus to ensure your success with the raw food lifestyle. 

Here's a simple example of what’s on a typical raw diet menu:

All of these raw diet menu dishes can be made at home quite easily with some basic raw food appliances.

30 Days Raw

Are you up for 30 days of raw food? If you’re considering going raw for 30 days I encourage you to go for it!

30 days raw can have a powerful effect. Many people go raw for 30 days and on the last day they actually don’t want to eat standard American diet foods.

That’s what happened to me. Let me tell you my 30 days raw story.

In 2001, I became a vegetarian. However, I was a “junk-food vegetarian.” In other words, I ate vegetarian foods but they were anything but healthy. In fact, I barely ever ate any fresh fruits or vegetables. Almost everything I ate was processed, and items like chips, candy, cheese buns, packaged cookies, cinnamon buns, tofu dogs smothered in cheese and ketchup, and much worse were on my plate daily! I felt tired all the time, and I had very bad acne even though I was well past puberty.

In 2009 I decided to make a major change in my life. I was over-weight for my height, lethargic, moody, unhappy and low energy. After witnessing a family member’s amazing transformation with raw foods, I decided to start my own 30 days raw just to see whether I could do it for a short time.

I certainly didn’t have any inkling that I would go raw and stay raw ever since!

Yes, it’s true, after my 30 days raw I decided to stay raw for Day 31, too. And when I woke up on Day 32, I realized that I felt and looked so much better that I didn’t want to eat standard American foods. And so, since my 30 days raw in 2009, I’ve stayed raw for years now–and I’m still going strong.

30 day raw diet plans can be helpful for a variety of reasons, including weight loss and simply resetting your tastebuds to appreciate real, unprocessed foods. It can be overwhelming and a bit daunting to try to figure out what to eat when you’re on a 30 day raw diet plan. Especially if you’ve never eaten these types of foods before!

Different Approaches for Going Raw Food 30 Days

There are many ways to approach raw food for 30 days. Here are three ways to approach raw food for 30 days:

1. Raw food 30 days – 50% + raw vegan

When approaching raw food for 30 days, for some people simply increasing their daily intake of raw, living foods to above 50% of their total diet is a remarkable change. In my experience, however, it is important when doing a 30 day raw food challenge to aim for higher than this level in order to experience the full benefits. In addition, it’s key that the remaining portion of your non-raw intake be healthful food choice! For example, the following 50%+ raw vegan diet is not recommended:

No: 50% raw vegan / 50% junk (not recommended):

• 51% healthful raw vegan choices, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for 30 days
• 49% standard American diet junk food, such as cookies, chips, cheese, dairy, full-fat meats, potato chips, soda pop, candy, refined sugars, poultry, deep fried foods, etc.

Yes: 50% raw vegan / 50% healthy, cooked foods (recommended):

• 50% healthful raw vegan choices, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for 30 days
• 40% healthful cooked food choices, such as lentils, brown rice, steamed vegetables, rice wraps, very limited dairy, meats and poultry, little to no refined sugars, etc.

2. Raw food 30 days – High raw vegan (80%+)

When going raw for 30 days you’ll experience more positive effects the higher your raw foods ratio. When opting for a high raw vegan diet (80%+), it is again important to make sure that the non-raw options that you incorporate into your diet are also healthful choices. Most people find it more difficult to eat raw when out of the house, at social events or at restaurants. When going raw for 30 days and when following a high raw vegan diet, a good option is to eat close to 100% raw at home, and then opt for the healthiest non-raw options possible when at social events and other places where you must eat out of the house.

3. Raw food 30 days – 100% raw vegan

Eating 100% raw vegan–or close to it–is actually the best option for many. Some people find it easier to eat 100% raw for 30 days because they have, in fact, removed the temptations by calling every cooked item untouchable for 30 days. For some, this is the easiest way to do raw food for 30 days.

Raw food – 30 days… Are you up for it? If so, it’s important to consider which one of these raw for 30 day approaches will work best for you.

30 Day Raw Food Diet Meal Plan

Want to have a look at a 100% raw 30 day raw food diet meal plan? They can be difficult to find for free on the internet. So, I thought I’d pull this one together for you based on my experiences over the past few years as a raw vegan.

Here’s my 30 day raw food menu for you, which you can use a sample to help you figure out some ideas for what to eat re: a 30 day raw food menu.

30 Days Raw Food - What to expect

Wondering what to expect if you experience 30 days of raw food? Everyone has a slightly different personal experience with 30 days of raw food. However, the overall results are quite amazing and follow a general pattern. This discussion assumes that you’re following a 100% raw food diet (or very close to 100%).

For the first week it’s tough. You’re going to have a difficult time breaking your normal patterns and having to figure out what to eat and when. You’ll also find that you’re quite hungry, so you’ve got to make sure you’re eating lots and lots of food! The raw food diet is not about restricting calories. You’re actually going to find that for your first 10 days or so on raw food you’re going to spend more time eating (I mean physically chewing and sitting at the table) because you need to eat more food than you’re used to eating.

In the first 10-15 days and perhaps even longer you’ll be experiencing some detoxification, whereby your body is getting rid of a lot of the junk it has stored in your body. So, prepare to go to the washroom more often than your used to. This can mean having a bowel movement (sorry!!) after every meal! Fresh fruit and veggies have a lot of fiber in them, and most people are not used to going to washroom so frequently.

Here are a couple of my favorite videos on the 30 days raw food subject. If you can obtain copies of these or borrow them from a friend they are inspirational and well worth the watch:

Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days (DVD)

Supercharge Me: 30 Days Raw (DVD)

By the end of your 30 days of raw food you will have learned some valuable raw food preparation skills, will have lost weight, and will have actually found some real food recipes that make your heart pitter-patter and your tastebuds salivate!

Raw Food Meal Plan – Is It Necessary?

If you want to go raw for an extended period of time, a raw food meal plan is not necessary for you to follow a raw food lifestyle. Although I sell a 30-day supported raw food meal plan program that’s awesome, you may not need one.

However, there are some of us who do well with raw food meal plans, while others honestly have no need for meal plans.

Will you benefit from a meal plan?

Whether you need a raw food meal plan is totally up to you.

People who benefit from following raw food meal plans enjoy structure and organization. You might be considered more of a Type A personality. Someone who likes structure, planning and having a set of guidelines to follow. You probably prefer to know what’s coming rather than be blind-sided by a crisis. Does that sound like you? Then if you’re interested in raw foods you will benefit from following a raw food meal plan.

Raw food meal plans are not for everybody, but if you’re interested in launching yourself into the raw food lifestyle the right way and right away, consider whether a 30 day raw food meal plan is the leg up that you’ve been looking for.

Losing Weight with a Raw Food Diet Plan

Is it really possible to lose weight with a raw food diet plan? What about eating as much as you want and still losing weight? Yes, losing weight with raw foods is totally possible, and basically guaranteed. But the raw food diet plan is not a magic pill that will allow you to eat anything you want and still lose weight. It’s not magic. It’s rational, focused and it works.

The raw food diet plan is all about reality and hard work. Losing weight with the raw food diet plan requires hard work and will power. But the rewards are guaranteed and trust me when I tell you that you will learn to enjoy the taste of healthy food. If you stick with raw eating, you will, I promise.

Losing weight with the raw food diet is not about restricting pleasure or eating your greens because you have to. You’ll only lose weight with the raw food diet if you actually stay with it and retrain your taste-buds and your thinking. Raw food is not something that you do for a week to lose those last five pounds; that’ll never work because you’ll just gain the weight back again.

In order to lose weight and be happy on raw foods you’ve got to become excited about your food and raw recipes. You’ve got to learn to get excited about fruits and vegetables! Trust me, you will.

Wondering how to get started losing weight with the raw food diet? The first step is to get mentally prepared. Losing weight with raw food diet — it is possible.

Raw Food Diet Meal Plans – What Makes a Good One?

1. An effective raw food diet meal plan… isn’t complicated!

For the love of nancy, if your life is like mine you’ve got about a gazillion things you should be doing and raw food just can’t be that complicated in your life. OK, I love to go out to a raw restaurant and have raw lasagna and raw cheesecake and all kinds of crazy delicious good raw stuff, but puh-lease I don’t have time for a high-falluting raw food diet meal plan on weeknights–or even on weekends for that matter!

So let’s have reasonable recipes that don’t take very long to prepare, OK?

2. An effective raw food diet meal plan…tastes shockingly satisfyingly delicious!

In case you don’t know this about me, the only reason that I am raw is because it tastes uber-super-delicious. If I was bored with my raw food diet meal plan I’d be off of this raw food bandwagon so fast you would only see smoke flying through the air where my body used to be lying horizontally on the bandwagon.

In my raw food diet meal plan world raw meals are simple to prepare and they satiate you just like standard American diet (“SAD”) food used to.

Yes, you can still have a lovely belly-is-full and “I am so happy after that meal” feeling.

For me, I still have sweet and salty cravings, but I know how to satiate them because I’ve found delectable recipes that work for me, like chia puddings, nut pates, raw macaroni and cheese, raw alfredo and noodles, and much more. (Yummers!)

3. An effective raw food diet meal plan…focuses on *your* favorite foods.

Hate bananas? Love hazelnuts? Grossed out by avocado? Look, you are the boss of you. If you don’t like something that some raw foodists say must be in your raw food diet meal plan, then don’t eat it! It’s that simple.

And if, on the hand, you find a recipe that you absolutely love, make it often and enjoy yourself!

The beauty of raw foods is that everything you eat is healthy. It’s alive! It’s natural. So if you want a raw strawberry smoothie for breakfast, then go for it.

All I say is that you must learn to love greens in order to have a balanced raw food diet meal plan. But, do not fear. If you aren’t totally raw, you will learn to love your greens. (I promise!) But for some people that might be kale, for others it might be baby spinach, or romaine, or mesclun. Listen to your tastebuds and don’t let anybody else boss you around!

4. An effective raw food diet meal plan…should make you feel great.

The raw food lifestyle is not about pining away for the foods you used to eat and it’s certainly not about feeling hungry.

Effective raw food diet meal plans should leave you feeling satiated, full, and energized.

If you are transitioning to a raw food diet meal plan from a very junky meal plan, like I did, then you will go through some detox so at the beginning you might not feel so hot. But after the first week you’ll be on the upswing.

Rule of thumb? If you’re hungry, eat! Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, desserts for dinner, entrees for breakfast, whatever you like is fine. Just eat raw and don’t let yourself go hungry.

5. An effective raw food diet meal plan…should include some serious standby recipes.

An effective raw food diet meal plan for you must contain some recipes that you absolutely love to eat and make. This is crucial, because if your raw food diet meal plan doesn’t contain anything that you LOVE you are going to have nothing to turn to when you hit a rough patch.

Find your raw comfort food. Mine is various types of chia pudding or raw macaroni and cheese, but you might want something completely different.

The point is to identify a sweet and a salty favorite recipe as part of your raw food diet meal plan, and make sure you always have the ingredients to make those comfort-food raw recipes on hand.

From your host

I hope you’ve found my overview of the raw food diet and my sample raw food meal plan helpful.

My purpose is to inspire you to try this amazing lifestyle, one bite at a time. It is an honor and a privilege to get to live my life's purpose. Thank you for being here and for sharing your journey with me.

I am just a normal person who literally trained myself to love to eat healthy food. If I can do it, then I know you can too. Welcome to the world of raw food, and I can't wait to help you be an even healthier, happier more vibrant you.

The first step is to make a raw recipe right now or this weekend! Subscribe to my free email newsletter now and you'll get a PDF copy of 11 of my most popular recipes. Add your name immediately below!  

Your friend,

Big list of raw food recipes here.

Who doesn’t love pie? These easy raw pie recipes are simple to make. Make ‘em for dessert, or for any time you please. For a sweet, creamy fix, try the raw banana cream pie. Whip up a raw pumpkin pie for a special occasion. For home-style taste, grab yourself a slice of raw apple pie.

At least one of these easy raw pie recipes will become your favourite!

Raw banana cream pie

-Pretty and pleasing, this raw pie will impress you with its banana-creaminess. Freezer-friendly & easy to make = the perfect raw pie choice!

Raw apple pie

–Great for a family dessert or casual get-together. This easy raw apple pie recipe is fast and tasty. You don’t even have to peel the apples!

Raw pumpkin pie

–Mmm. This raw pie tastes like real pumpkin pie! A must-have easy raw pie for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Or any time!

Raw chocolate cream pie

–Try this easy, one-step chocolate cream pie that's sure to delight!

 These easy raw pie recipes are fun to make, and a treat to eat. What are you waiting for?

It’s almost Father’s Day! What is the dad in your life's favorite dessert? One of these simple raw desserts will surely satisfy his sweet tooth! If he likes creamy desserts, try the raw cheesecake or the raw banana cream pie. For simpler fare, whip up raw apple pie or raw carrot refrigerator cake. Whatever you decide to make, you can be sure it will be a big hit with the dad in your life!

And if dad isn't into "raw food"? Don't tell him! What he doesn't know won't hurt him :)

Raw Banana Cream Pie

You can’t beat this delicious and simple raw dessert. So very smooth and creamy, yet easy to make, this Raw Banana Cream Pie will impress your dad! (Everyone wants seconds of this one, so if serving for a large group you may want to double it.)

Cashews, coconut, dates, honey, and bananas (of course!) are the main ingredients in this delightful recipe.

Raw Cheesecake

Here is a simple raw dessert that even your non-raw dad will love! This rich and delicious Raw Cheesecake tastes just like the real thing, try it and see.

Macadamia nuts, dates, and cashews feature in this cheesecake. Yum!

Raw Apple Pie

Here is a great simple raw dessert for the dads who love Raw Apple Pie. While not a ‘fancy’ dessert, this raw apple pie is both flavourful and filling, and can be made up to a week before dad’s special day!

If my dad was here, I'd make him this one because he loves apple pie. Oh pop, wish I lived closer to you!

Raw Carrot Refrigerator Cake Recipe

Who doesn’t love carrot cake? This simple raw dessert surprisingly has the texture and taste of cooked carrot cake, and keeps well in the fridge for several days. It even has a creamy cashew-based icing to make it perfect.

Surprise your pop with this Raw Carrot Refrigerator Cake this Father's Day!

Raw Chocolate Mousse

If chocolate is more your dad's thing, then treat him to this smooth and creamy Raw Chocolate Mousse. It's so easy - you just need your food processor.

Avocado is the secret ingredient, along with banana and cacao. Soooo good!

Hmm, which one to make?

Can't decide? Remember, you can always make more than one dessert! In fact, you can find more desserts in the raw recipes index. So what will you be making for dad this Father’s Day?

Are most of your friends non-raw fooders? You’ve probably tried encouraging them at some point to try some raw food, but couldn’t get them to fall in love with the dish. It’s a common experience for many raw vegans. It usually leaves you wondering what the best raw food recipes to impress your friends would be. But you know what? The best way to get around their hesitation is to target their sweet tooth! (And present them with some unexpected, gorgeous recipes they’d never have imagined to be possible until you show them.)

Raw Chocolate Brownies

Honestly, who can resist chocolatey treats? I guess there are relatively few who can, but hey, brownies are amazing! And this raw brownie recipe will be hard to keep for long because they’ll be gone before you know it. They’re that tempting.

To prepare these yummy brownies, process pecans in a food processor, then add dates and continue processing until the mixture thickens. Place all the other ingredients in the food processor with the mixture and process some more until it becomes chocolate-like brown but not too buttery. Press down the brownie mixture firmly into a dish and chill for a couple of hours or so before serving to your friends.

Raw Vanilla Drop Cookies

Little somethings can ignite a spark of interest, and these raw vanilla drop cookies are the perfect little sweet bombs to drop on your friends’ unsuspecting taste buds. They don’t look like they’re made raw ingredients, and they don’t look too “raw” daunting for non-raw foodies either.

Their simplicity is exciting. Simply mix tahini, maple syrup, coconut oil, pure vanilla extract and sea salt together in a bowl until well combined. Add shredded coconut and mix well before scooping drops onto a cookie sheet and freezing for at least half an hour so that they will firm up. It’s best to store these sweet vanilla drops in the freezer (if there’s any left at all).

Raw Strawberry Cheesecake

Fancy-looking desserts are also a big plus. Your friends’ eyes can feast on the awesomeness of this raw cheesecake recipe. But they’ll be more astounded when they have a bite and realize it’s far from what they were expecting about raw food. This recipe doesn’t taste any different from regular cheesecake, and more of your friends and family won't even realize its a raw dessert recipe.

To make this cheesecake, process macadamia nuts, salt and dates in a food processor. Prepare your cheesecake pan by lining its bottom with dried coconut, and press down the crust mixture into it. For the filling, blend all the cheesecake filling ingredients in a high-speed blender, then pour the filling mixture on top of the crust mixture. Allow it to firm up for about an hour in the freezer while you make the final topping. Blend strawberries and dates to a nice and smooth consistency, and pour it over the raw cheesecake recipe. Let it freeze for a few more hours, and voila! You now have a pretty-licious raw cheesecake.

Raw Alfredo Sauce and From Scratch Noodles

Show your friends you don’t need to envy them with their tasty non-raw pasta. Instead, let them see how you make your own equally delicious pasta, raw style. Although you can’t really have authentic noodles from raw ingredients, there are still great alternatives. And the best mock noodles for this raw Alfredo sauce recipe? Spiralized zucchini or raw vegan kelp noodles.

But let’s get to the main highlight of this whole raw dish – the alfredo sauce, of course. Place cashews, lemon juice, garlic cloves, water, thyme, and sea salt all together in a high speed blender and blend until you get a nice and creamy texture. Pour it over raw “noodles” and serve!

Now Get Uncooking!

Don’t these just look mouthwatering? Most people are attracted to food first because of what they see before they get to know its taste. So showing off your kitchen prowess in making those gorgeous eye candies and the best raw food recipes to impress your friends is a great way to encourage non-raw fooders to try the healthy raw lifestyle.

Easy raw recipes - Are you looking for some? Well, of course you are. Why slave around in the kitchen when quick'll do? Lol

Going raw may seem daunting but there are some amazing, easy raw recipes out there. I should know, I've been collecting and creating them for years now. (Shudder - this must mean I am getting old!) While the raw food lifestyle does require a bit of advanced planning (okay, a LOT of advanced planning when compared to stopping off at McDonalds!), the good news is that there ARE some delightful raw recipes that can be thrown together fast with ingredients that you likely have on-hand.

Check out these 4 easy raw recipes—you'll be surprised at how quick and simple they are to prepare. Whether you're looking for something savory or sweet, I've got lots of easy raw recipes to satisfy almost any craving! Well, except for a craving for garlic bread, but I AM WORKING ON THAT ONE! (Stay tuned!)

Raw brownies in 10 minutes!

With six simple ingredients, a few minutes with your food processor, and a bit of chilling in the refrigerator, you will have mouthwatering vegan raw brownies that taste like the real thing. This versatile, easy raw recipe can also be used for a raw chocolate pie crust or raw chocolate truffles.

Oh ya, and don't forget the icing :) Actually, this is the most visited page on my entire website (and I've got over 100 easy raw recipes here, people!)

Raw lunch salad

If you're in a rush putting your lunch together before work, or just looking to switch up your usual raw lunch fare, look no further than this delicious avo-carrot-tom salad.

It doesn't get any easier than a couple of carrots, a tomato, and an avocado—and this salad dresses itself with the juices from the tomato and the creaminess of the avocado so no complicated raw dressing is required. The flavors blend together beautifully, and the texture contrasts make this an exciting, satisfying meal. Perfect to grab on your way out the door to work.

Strawberry banana bowl

Whether you're looking for a quick, delicious breakfast or an easy snack to satisfy a sweet tooth, this simple strawberry banana bowl recipe is sure to please. Topped with a tasty raw nut milk, and perhaps a sprinkling of cinnamon, this delightful dish will whisk you back to your childhood—especially as you drink the fruit-sweetened milk at the end.

Love it. Am I suppose to say "Love it" about my own recipes? Well, this is my blog so I can if I want to! Lol

Raw guacamole

This is the way guacamole was meant to be made—with fresh, healthy ingredients and an amazing flavor!

This raw guacamole recipe is so delicious it can be enjoyed on its own, as a topping on simple salads, or as a dip to enjoy with raw corn chips or raw crackers. And it's definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Which one will you try?

These four easy raw recipes are delicious, quick to make, and will add a wonderful variety to your simple raw recipe arsenal. Why not try one of them now. What are you waiting for? Go! Now! Get thee to a kitchen!

I love almond butter. Nothing makes a better snack than raw crackers topped with scrummy almond butter. I can't eat an apple without slathering each slice in the stuff . And while store-bought is pretty good, home-made almond butter is that much better. Now you've probably heard stories about making almond butter: how long it takes, the difficulty... But it isn't that hard, truly!

Really, the key factors to making excellent almond butter at home are high quality almonds, a food processor (yes, you heard right), and a little bit of extra time.

You need almonds (of course!), plus some honey and salt. That's it. And you need that food processor. So, are you ready? Then let's do it!

Toss the almonds into your food processor. Start processing. Continually scrape the sides. And that's it! Process and scrape. Process and scrape. Do this for about 10 minutes (time will vary depending on strength of your food processor).

The mixture will be powdery at first, but that is normal. Keep processing and scraping. It will turn into almond butter, so don't lose your patience!

Oh, and on the topic of almonds: do not pre-soak your almonds. Use dry almonds or this recipe will not work!

When it does reach the consistency that you like, mix in the honey and sea salt by hand. Grab a spoon and taste your butter. Isn't it divine?

Making almond butter isn't difficult nor should it be traumatic. Make sure to use high-quality dry almonds for the best butter, use your food processor, and don't hurry the process. The end result is totally worth it!

There are a number of reasons why many of us just love chocolates and even more reasons why we should eat raw chocolates. Isn’t it just music to your ears when you hear that something that tastes so wickedly good is actually really healthy for your body?

Yes, raw chocolates are in fact very rich in antioxidants and many other vitamins and minerals like magnesium. And the best part is you can make lots of very easy and very yummy raw chocolate recipes right in your own kitchen! Let me share with you some really good ones that you can try at home.

Raw chocolate fudge in 1-minute. No equipment!

Chocolate treats that are so easy are definitely a perfect fix for sudden sweet tooth cravings. You can whip up this raw chocolate fudge in one minute and you don’t even need to sweat or need any equipment at all. All you need to do is mix coconut oil, honey, and cocoa powder… and enjoy eating! That’s just how simple and fast it is.

No equipment required to make chocolate haystacks.

Another easy, yummy treat you can add to your list of raw chocolate recipes is this sweet, no-equipment-required raw chocolate haystacks recipe. It’s great to have quick and uncomplicated confections like this around. Just put coconut oil, maple syrup, raw cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract and sea salt in a bowl and mix well. Once it’s blended, add the shredded coconut and continue mixing until the mixture is well combined. The next step is to form them into small mounds, place on a plate (optionally, you may want to roll them in shredded coconut too), and store in the freezer for at least half an hour. These chocolate haystacks are best eaten right out of the freezer.

Make traditional chocolate bars with a blender.

This recipe is very basic and easy, yet tastes absolutely great. Simply mix coconut oil, maple syrup, raw cacao powder, and pure vanilla extract in a blender. (You can also whisk the ingredients in a bowl.) Also make sure your coconut oil is in a liquid state before you start mixing. Once the mixture is well blended, pour it into molds or into a glass dish and place in the freezer. Easy peasy. You may also want to add your own twist to your raw chocolates recipe by adding nuts or raisins to make it more interesting.

Make white chocolate with a food processor.

This recipe might be a little confusing because there isn’t even any chocolate in it at all. But trust me, the raw white chocolate bars you end up with after making this recipe are really sweet and quite surprisingly white chocolatey-ish. First (and very important instruction), you need to process dried shredded coconut alone in a food processor until it becomes moist. This can take quite a while! When it does, add maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt, and continue processing until the mixture becomes rather wet/oily in consistency. Put the white chocolate mixture into molds or a shallow dish and press down firmly. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before serving. If you visit this recipe directly, you can watch me make these white chocolates on video.

Raw truffles ready in minutes with your food processor.

Truffles! Yum! Here’s how you can make this awesome raw chocolate truffles recipe in few easy steps. Put walnuts and sunflower seeds in a food processor and blend well before adding dates, sea salt and raw cocoa powder. Continue processing until the mixture thickens and holds together. Finally, roll it into small balls and serve. If you prefer it to be a little fancier, you can also roll the truffles into shredded coconut or raw cocoa powder.

Which raw chocolate recipe will you make next?

With all these mouthwatering raw chocolate recipes, I bet it’s now even harder to resist such sweet yet healthy goodies, yes? You don’t really have to. Just go ahead and indulge! Of course, it’s always best to keep in mind that moderation in all things is most important. But whatever you do and whichever recipe you decide to make, remember to have fun!

I just watched the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" for the second time and was very moved - for the second time!

The film is about the power of juice fasting - where one consumes nothing but fresh juice for a set period of time. If you haven't seen this movie, it's a very "easy" watch that focuses more on personal stories than on a lot of heavy nutritonal info. I highly recommend watching it if you are looking for an inspirational, make-you-smile documentary that is light on the actual nutrition info.

The first half of the film tells the story of Joe Cross, the creator (and star) of the film who lost 80 pounds throughout the making of the movie. However, for me, the real gem of this film was the second half, which chronicles the story of Phil - a trucker who somewhat randomly gets swept up into this documentary.

I am not an avid juicer, although I do eat a raw food diet and have done so for 3 years. However, many people are first introduced to raw foods when coming off a juice fast - perhaps their first one. Interestingly, it was a common under-current throughout the film that most people who successfully complete a substantial juice fast no longer want to eat the heavy, greasy diets of their past. And they are then introduced to raw food when looking for healthy, living food (as opposed to juice) to eat.

One of the great things about juicing is that it is an excellent way to reboot your system. However, juice fasting (or juice "feasting" as some call it!) isn't something that is sustainable so it's important to have an arsenal of healthy raw recipes that work for you after the juice fast is complete.

One of the main reasons why I find this movie personally inspirational is the fact that Joe Cross's fleeting, happenstance meeting with Phil is so random. And yet it completely sends Phil's life into a new direction - for the better. I feel that in a tiny way that is what I am trying to do here with my website: www.therawtarian.com. And thus, this movie brings me to (happy) tears every time.

Raw food recipes for beginners are my specialty. I call them my simple, satisfying raw food recipes, which are perfect for beginners. But many people who love my recipes are not raw food beginners; they are simply busy people on the go who don't want to bother with too much fuss - just like me. Because of this, some avid rawfooders like to share my simple raw recipes with raw food beginners because my recipes are simple and taste great! But enough tooting my own horn, huh?

Eating raw has become increasingly popular as more people realize the many benefits associated with consuming whole foods in their raw state; but starting out can be daunting! Many recipes call for mysterious ingredients (think nutritional yeast, agave nectar, chia seeds, and on and on!) that most raw food beginners don't have in their pantries. While recipes that include such ingredients are great and I too use them, they are probably not where you want to start if you are searching for raw food recipes as a beginner.

Add more fruits and vegetables to your routine: Useful, but boring

If you are a real raw beginner who is just starting to dabble in raw recipes, think about how you can start adding more raw foods to your regular meals.

Salad is probably one of the easiest items to add, because it’s perfect as a side dish or as a full meal.

Start by adding a small salad to your lunch and dinner. And when it comes to salads please remember, people! The best salads only have a FEW ingredients! So don't put the kitchen sink in there - just be simple, like spinach, tomato and fresh basil, for example.

Similarly, breakfast can be a great opportunity to get some fresh fruit - whether it’s a smoothie or simply crunching down on an apple and some nuts.

For snacks, replace your granola bar or cookies with an orange or a banana. If you’re worried that these might not hold you over until dinner, then add some raw nuts and seeds. The complete proteins in the nuts will bind with the incomplete proteins in the fruit providing you with more protein, which will help you to feel full longer.

However, at this point you'll probably be lacking inspiration - and the only "raw" foods you'll be able to think of will be salads and raw apples. BORING!

Well then friend, you are now ready to try some raw food recipes for beginners.

Raw food recipes for beginners

So, where do you start? First, weed out those recipes that require crazy soaking times or dehydrators. If you are a beginner chances are you might have a crappy blender and a food processor - if you're lucky. So don't make anything too crazy. Start slow, yah?

Creating raw food recipes for beginners is where it gets fun. Why is it fun? Because you get to combine healthy ingredients, like dates, pecans, coconut and cocoa powder and make something amazing! Your friends will be impressed when they taste it and you explain that all that's in your raw recipe is whole, uncooked ingredients - no flour, refined sugar or dairy.

Here are some perfect recipes for raw beginners that are sure to turn out great:

• Raw brownies (most popular recipe ever!)
• Raw chocolate pudding made from avocado
• Raw lemon bars
• Raw chocolate fudge in 1 minute
• Raw chicken salad (raw and vegan - no meat!)
• Raw egg salad (raw  and vegan- no dairy!)
• Raw alfredo sauce
• Raw ranch salad dressing recipe

OR CHECK OUT ALL MY FREE RAW RECIPES HERE!

Final tips for beginners

These are just a few tips to help you master the art of making raw food recipes for beginners. Above all, remember to keep it simple!