Lunch: Keepin' it Simple...

So...breakfast: green smoothie or green lemonade, then some fruit... easy, right?

What about lunch? I find that the further into raw I go, the less I 'jones' for lunch, and I'm able to put it off as I notice my hunger is more of a light stimulation rather than the old 'Gotta eat NOW' syndrome.

But...occasionally, if I wait toooooo long, like if I'm out somewhere...I can still get that way. But if I follow my routine, I'm good to go.


When it's time to eat lunch, I'd guess more people would rather keep it simple rather than go all out..... A little pre-planning is great... make a couple easy food processor dips the night before...think of the morning after a pot luck party at your place...I love eating the dips and breads and dishes that folks brought... I load a little plate with pates and olives and cut veggies and just graze. Speaking of grazing, I also love spreading lunch out all afternoon...a few cherry tomatoes here, a flax cracker there, some avocado, maybe a bit of salad...just nibble my way into dinner time.

So...with EASE in mind, I thought I'd share my thoughts here.

Simple, Quick, & Yummy Lunch:

• Simple salad, made with green leafies and tomato and cuke or any combo you like...but no need to make it a kitchen sink salad... I usually reserve these for dinner. If you want more of a salad meal, add avocado or chick peas, both of which will keep you sated longer.

• Large romaine leaf used as a wrap, smeared with almond butter and loaded with cucumber, red pepper, etc. You can prepare Collard Wraps the night before and use those, they are lovely!

• Eggless Egg Salad sandwich... I omit the vinegar in this recipe, because when I used it, I found it sent the taste into the 'dip' category, whereas I just wanted an egg salad taste I could relate to :) In any case, it's absolutely delicious!!!!

• Remember, another green smoothie/green lemonade is never a bad idea, and can be just the thing to carry you through the afternoon

• If you have a dehydrator, warming up last night's meal is a great lunch...(says the girl who just got her new dehydrator and who can't wait to try this...)

• Don't forget raw soups are quite filling.

• I love munching on a little plate of delicious dips and flax crackers with chopped peppers and cucumber

Then, there is always taking a little trek to your local raw cafe, if you're so blessed, and being served lunch!
Life being what it is, you're likely going to find yourself away from your own kitchen or raw cafe some of the times. ;) Make the best choices wherever you are. Do the best you can to grab salad if you're in a 'regular' restaurant. But if you find that you occasionally grab something less than optimal, give yourself permission to enjoy it, then move on back to the way you know you feel best. Eating isn't about punishment and it shouldn't be hard or entwined with shame and guilt messages. Your good choices add up, as do your less-than-optimal choices.
When I first started transitioning to raw, I was SO hungry. Some days it was annoying and confusing. So was the constant thinking about what worked with what, and what not to combine...but with experience, it really, truly does get easier. In fact, it becomes second nature. As your body adapts, you'll probably find, like I did, that because you're eating nutrient dense foods, that you require less, and keeping it simple doesn't equal deprivation, it equals energy and vibrancy.