Going Raw Vegan? (ingredient alternatives for your favorite foods)
I mentioned in an earlier post that I am preparing myself to eat a raw vegan diet. I eat a high raw vegan diet, mostly in the Spring and Summer. A high raw vegan diet is when one eats at least 75-80% of their foods uncooked from plant-based sources.
It is easier for me to stick with this way of eating in the warmer months, plus I enjoy eating many of the fruits and vegetables that are in season in the area where I live, during the warmer months.
Eating a raw vegan diet can get boring and be challenging, but if eating a raw vegan diet is what you want to do, then I’m sure you can and you will do it. Don’t think you have to eat salads all the time, because you don’t.
I’m sure you have some favorite foods that you enjoy eating. You are probably thinking there is no way I can continue eating my favorites foods while eating a raw vegan diet.
You don’t have to give up your favorites. You can still eat your favorite foods, actually you can create some pretty awesome dishes, that will have your taste buds doing the happy dance. If cheesecake is something you like eating every now and then, why not make it a dairy-free cheesecake.
Here are healthy ingredient alternatives for some of your favorites, when preparing your meals:
- binders and thickeners - agar, dates, dried fruit, flaxseed, psyllium husk powder
- bouillon or stock - dried mushrooms, miso, vegetable powders
- bread - lettuce leaves, raw vegetable wraps
- butter or shortening - avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil
- chips - kale chips, flax crackers, spicy croutons
- chocolate - carob, cacao, raw cocoa powder
- cooked garlic or onion - garlic or onion powder
- cooked tomatoes - sun-dried tomatoes
- cooked vegetables - marinated and/or dehydrated raw vegetables
- flour dried - almond pulp, ground nuts and seeds
- ice cream frozen - bananas or fruit ice creams
- meat - ground nuts or seeds, marinated mushrooms
- pasta or rice - spiralized summer squash (green/yellow), or other vegetables
- vinegar - berries, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, tamarind
- white sugar - dates, figs, currants, raisins, other dried fruit; fresh fruit, stevia
Source: The Raw Food Revolution Diet
Question: What other alternative ingredients do you use?
Image: nokhoog_buchachon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Category: Vegan
Evelyn,
I recently watched the documentary Forks over Knives and it dramatically affected my food choices. I strongly suggest you also watch it. I used to be meat-lover. Actually, I still love it but switched to having more plant-based diet recently.
Forks Over Knives is a very good documentary. It’s good that you are eating more plant-based foods, you can’t go wrong doing that.
Take care!
Flax is also a diuretic so be careful how much you use when thickening stuff with it.
Thanks for sharing!
Young coconut– the coconut water and the young coconut meat. Honestly I’m still investigating whether the coconut meat is healthy (it is saturated fat, though not quite the same as the saturated fat in meat). I’d put it in the butter or shortening substitute category. The coconut water I’m quite sure is healthy, and it’s a little sweet, too. Good as a milk substitute in smoothies or for rehydrating after a workout.
Hi Mary,
I’m quite sure that the whole coconut is healthy. The coconut meat is where coconut oil is derived and to my knowledge coconut oil is healthy and great for the skin, hair and the whole body. We don’t want to over do anything, though.
Take care,
Evelyn
Hi Evelyn, I enjoyed this post! Good tips on healthy ingredient alternatives that are raw vegan. This list will help make eating this way much easier for many people. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Shelley,
Glad you stopped by and I am pleased that you enjoyed this post.
Take care,
Evelyn