Clean Eating: Raw Energy Salad

Back in May last year, I decided to change my way of eating. This came about for several reasons, but one of the main reasons was to improve my general health. I am generally a fairly healthy person and have always been very aware of what I eat.  However, I was aware I was carrying a few too many kilograms and this certainly was not helping my health.   I love food and I love eating and I don't understand my hubby when he says he has forgotten to eat that day!! Seriously, how can you forget to eat??? My stomach would be rubbing on my backbone if I was to go too long without food! 

Around about the same time I bought a cookbook by Dr Libby Weaver who is an Australian nutritionist who believes in the power of eating real food...that is food in its raw state or food that hasn't been processed or interfered with.  I was a convert after trying a couple of recipes.  I was cooking food that tasted divine, but it was also good for you.  

Source: www.foodshow.co.nz

It certainly isn't a cheap way of eating...my shopping trolley now has whole foods, nuts, fruits, beans, grains, vegetables, maple syrup, and medjool dates which are $30 a kilo at my local supermarket!!! However, I feel so much better for it and have lost 8kg (17lb) since then.  I also was doing the 5:2 diet to help me lose the extra kilos and lapsed from that in September when I went to San Francisco, then Christmas came and then there was New Year drinks, but I have gotten back on the 5:2 wagon now.  Seriously, when I eat processed food now, I really feel blech afterwards.  Even my family love what I cook and request meals from Dr Libby's cookbooks.

So one of my favourite salads I make that is completely raw is a Raw Beetroot Salad.  It comes from the Revive Cafe cookbook which is one of 3 cookbooks that come from the Revive Cafe in Auckland, a healthy vegetarian  cafe that serves food to nourish the body. I substitute the dried fruits...tonight I used apricots, but I also use, sultanas, raisins, cranberries etc. This makes a huge bowlful which serves about 6 people, depending how many helpings you have! It has about 220 calories per serve, again depending on which calorie counter you use!

Raw Beetroot Salad

½ cup sultanas
2 medium beetroot
4 carrots
10 fresh mint leaves
½ cup sunflower seeds

Orange Dressing
juice of 2 oranges or ½ cup of orange juice
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps maple syrup, date puree or honey
1 tsp salt
2 tbsps oil

Put dried fruit in some boiling water to plump them up and make them juicy.
Grate the beetroot and carrots
Mix the dressing ingredients
Drain the water off the sultanas
Mix all the ingredients together

Source: Revive Cookbook 2 by Jeremy Dixon

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