When many people think of a raw food diet, they think of plain fruits and vegetables.  Raw food diet recipes may seem like an oxymoron. However, there are many different ways you can combine raw foods into delicious new things.  Here are three great recipes for a raw food diet.

1. Raw Pad Thai

Love Thai food but going on a raw food diet?  Never fear, AllRecipes.com has a version of Pad Thai you can make at home.  Here is what you will need:

        2 zucchinis

        2 carrots

        1 head red cabbage, thinly sliced

        1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

        ½ cup bean sprouts

        ¾ cup raw almond butter

        2 oranges, juiced

        2 tablespoons raw honey

        1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

        1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce)

        ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

        1 close garlic, minced

        1 tablespoon unpasteurized miso

To make the Pad Thai, cut the zucchini and carrots into long, thin strips to imitate noodles.  Combine the other vegetables. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, then toss the cabbage mixture with half the liquid.  Top the noodles with the cabbage. Pour additional sauce over the entire plate.

2. Raw Alfredo Sauce

This is for all the pasta enthusiasts out there.  The Spruce Eats has come up with a raw food diet recipe for alfredo sauce.  Pour this over a salad, or create vegetable noodles by slicing zucchini or squash.  For the sauce, you will need:

        ½ cup cashew cream or thick cashew milk

        1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

        1 teaspoon miso

        ¼ small onion, chopped

        1 clove garlic

        1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil

        2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

To make the alfredo sauce, simply mix all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until thick and creamy.  This will take about a minute on medium or high speed. After that, just adjust to your personal liking with salt and pepper and serve.

3. Raw Carrot Falafel

All the delicious flavors of falafel within the constraints of a raw food diet!  This recipe is from the cookbook Choosing Raw.  To make the carrot falafel, you will need:

        1 cup sesame seeds

        ½ teaspoon of sea salt

        1 ½ cups carrot pulp from juicing or 1 ½ cups finely grated carrot, squeezed firmly between paper towels to remove excess moisture

        2 cloves garlic, minced

        1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

        ¼ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

        2 tablespoons flax meal

        ¼ cup fresh curly parsley

Once you have gathered all of your ingredients and a food processor,

1. Grind the sesame seeds and salt into a fine powder.
2. Add the carrot pulp, garlic, lemon, cumin, flax, and 1/3 cup of water.  Mix in the food processor until smooth.
3. Add the parsley and pulse until combined.
4. Form the mixture into 12 small balls. 
5. Dehydrate at 115F for six hours, flipping the patties once, or bake in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes.  Flip the falafel, then bake for 10 more minutes.

You can eat the carrot falafel immediately, or store it for up to four days in the fridge.  It can also be frozen for storage.

Not a cooking person, but want variety in a raw food diet?

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