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
Here are a few more effective ways to keep raw cuisine simple when you're just getting started.
- Make sure your cupboard is stocked with your staple ingredients. This way you won’t discover halfway through a raw recipe that you don’t have everything you need.
- Make a list of the ingredients you use most often. Some of these might include: flax seeds, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, tamari (aka soy sauce), spices, dates (great base for desserts), nuts, seeds etc.
- Also, be sure to always have spinach or lettuce on hand- you can never go wrong with a hearty salad for dinner when you don’t have time to prepare something. And salads can be very exciting too; add hemp hearts, tomatoes, raisins, coconut, cucumber, red pepper, and don’t forget some nutritional yeast- it’ll give it a great cheesy flavour!
- Last, but by no means least, make sure to read the recipe from top to bottom before starting! You will find that many raw food recipes call for long soaking times, dehydration times, or day-before prep. Be aware of any extra prep work and make sure you have everything you need. Discovering that the almonds you need must be soaked over-night will likely mean you’re not eating that lovely concoction that you had planned!
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!
FAQs
Studies have shown people on the raw diet lost a significant amount of weight. This diet also provides a variety of nutritional benefits with food high in minerals, vitamins, fiber, and phytochemicals that help fight disease.
What are the side effects of the raw vegan diet? ›
A study on people who followed strict raw food diets found that 38% of participants were deficient in vitamin B12. This is concerning, especially given vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with a range of problems, including jaundice, mouth ulcers, vision problems, depression and other mood changes.
What are the rules for the raw food diet? ›
Think uncooked, unprocessed, mostly organic foods. Your staples: raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains. Some eat unpasteurized dairy foods, raw eggs, meat, and fish. Your food can be cold or even a little bit warm, as long as it doesn't go above 118 degrees.
Can you eat peanut butter on raw food diet? ›
The following foods are suitable for most raw food diets:
freshly made fruit and vegetable juices. soaked and sprouted beans, other legumes, and grains. raw nuts and seeds. raw nut butters, such as peanut butter and almond butter.
What foods Cannot be eaten raw? ›
6 Surprising Foods You Should Never Eat Raw
- Sprouts. elena elisseeva/shutterstock. ...
- Red kidney beans. zerbor/shutterstock. ...
- Honey. gilmanshin/shutterstock. ...
- Yucca. binh thanh bui/shutterstock. ...
- Milk. choksawatdikorn/shutterstock. ...
- You may also want to avoid... arina p habich/shutterstock.
High in nutrients
A raw food diet tends to be high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, all of which are staples of a healthful diet. Eating a range of these foods will provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, and healthful fats, and protein.
What vegetables should not be eaten raw? ›
Vegetables You Should Not Eat Raw
- Asparagus. This wonderful vegetable can be consumed raw however the antioxidant qualities increase after cooking. ...
- Elderberries. ...
- Lima beans. ...
- Mushrooms. ...
- Potatoes. ...
- Yucca/Cassava.
There are also no clinically proven benefits of a raw food diet, but there are documented hazards and risks. In addition to the potential for nutritional deficiencies and harmful bacteria and parasites, the presence of bones in a raw food diet can lead to perforation or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract.
Can raw vegans drink coffee? ›
Yes. Black Coffee will, inevitably, be your best option if you're vegan. Less so, admittedly, if you're a raw vegan, however, seeing as it's most commonly served hot. What's more, whether you're choosing Black Coffee, Cold Brew Coffee, Iced Coffee or any other variety, the beans must still be roasted.
What are 10 raw foods? ›
Carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, and cherry tomatoes are commonly eaten raw in salads and as snacks.
The raw vegan diet permits whole grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, and wild rice, if they are sprouted or germinated.
Where do I start a raw diet? ›
Where to start with a raw dog food (or cat food) diet. To ease your pet on to a raw diet, we recommend starting off with just a single protein - we tend to favour chicken to start with as it's an easy to digest meat and contains soft bone.
What happens if you eat raw meat everyday? ›
The Risks of Eating Uncooked Meat
“Not only is there a risk of being infected with campylobacters and salmonellas, but also parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms,” says Beth Czerwony, RD, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic's Center for Nutrition.
What happens if we eat raw rice daily? ›
Raw rice contains a very high amount of resistant starch, which makes it difficult for the body to digest. Raw rice can also cause constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain when consumed in large quantities. In some cases, it may even lead to bowel obstruction or perforation, which requires urgent medical attention.
What raw foods fill you up? ›
Followers tend to fill up mostly on fruit, with moderate portions of vegetables, and consume only small amounts of plant foods rich in protein and healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts and seeds. This works well for some, while others find that they require more protein and fat to feel satiated after meals.
What do you eat for protein on a raw diet? ›
Green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds are some of the richest sources of proteins in a plant-based raw food diet. There are various plant-based foods that are high in certain amino acids. But incomplete protein doesn't mean it's inferior compared to complete proteins.
Is Greek yogurt raw food? ›
Some raw foodists eliminate milk, which is briefly heated during pasteurization. That means cheese, yoghurt and other dairy foods are out too. And animal protein, some of which can be eaten raw (think sushi or tartare) can be on or off the list.
What meats can you eat raw? ›
Humans are omnivores: we can digest raw meat and thrive. The Inuit, among others living in frozen latitudes, eat raw meat from seals, caribou, elk or whale. Uncooked cuts from horses, chickens and goats are presented as small delicacies on tables from Europe to Japan.
