We’re back to the start of the week. I used to find Monday’s such an emotional day. You’re shocked back into a rigid work schedule. Wearing shoes and seated at a desk under insanely bright fluorescent lights.

Topped off with maybe a summertime hangover or sunburn from spending too much time in the sunshine, but craving more sun and freedom that seems a world away.

The Monday emotions can still creep up, but you can add some more sunshine into your life by eating colourful, seasonal, raw foods. While I don’t drink a lot now, I can guarantee nothing cures a hangover like a big bowl of raw salad.

While you may think that salads are all created equal, that assumption is incorrect. The key is how you build it and what you build it with.

What is raw?

Raw food consists of uncooked and unprocessed foods (organic produce recommended). A raw food diet is made up of vegetables, fruits, activated nuts and seeds. Would also include raw sashimi, carpaccio, dairy products (un-pastuerised and un-homogenised milk/yoghurt/cheese) and fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut and kefir.

Why raw?

Raw foodism was created in Switzerland as an experiment to test the human health from eating raw vegetables.It is believed that the enzymes in raw food aid digestion. Heating food (and these enzymes) above 40 degrees celcius destroys them and their long list of benefits.There is so much information out there about raw food and it’s a topic I urge you to do your own research on. Just like any food, some ingredients work for some people and not for others. I really recommend you look into Fully Raw by Kristina. Before you get overwhelmed with the kombucha’s and kimchi’s of the world, take a moment to think about what is already in your diet that is raw? There are many raw elements that a lot of us already include in our diets, such as fresh fruit and vegetables. This is a great place to start and maybe stay if that is what your body wants you to do.

How much raw is enough?

Again this depends on you and what works well. In summer I aim for 2 raw meals a day as they are refreshing and have a cooling affect on the body.

In winter it’s much less, or none on super chilly days. As our bodies will instinctively crave warmer, heavier foods to get us through the colder months and help warm the body from the inside out. 

BYO (build your own) sunshine in a bowl salad

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa or lentils

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 handful bean sprouts

• 1 handful parsley

• 1 small beetroot

• 1 cucumber

• 1 tsp red onion

• 1 tsp lemon juice (and some zest too)

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil

• OPTIONAL FRUIT: 1 mango cheek or 1 necterine or handful of green grapes

• OPTIONAL PROTEIN: Ricotta cheese, Quark (European cream cheese – highly recommended) or a poached egg

Process – to cook quinoa

1. The ratio 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water1 cup dry quinoa = 2 cups cooked – I recommend you cook 1 cup, then you will have leftovers during the week

2. THOROUGHLY rinse quinoa under fresh water in strainer (it has a coating with a very sour taste, this needs to be washed off)

3. Add to pot and add 2 cups fresh water

4. Add garlic clove – don’t worry about chopping itThe garlic will infuse into your quinoa. It won’t over power the flavour, but add a nice tone to it.

5. Bring to boil, cover with lid and reduce to simmer for 10 minutes

6. When 10 minutes is up, turn heat off and let it sit for another 10 minutesThis step is important and will dry the quiona out so its light and fluffy

7. You can remove the garlic or mash it up into the quinoa

Process – BYO sunshine in a bowl salad

1. Grab your lunch container or bowl

2. Add bean sprouts and quinoa to bowl

3. Peel and grate beetroot, add to bowl

4. Chop cucumber, parsely, red onion and add to bowl

5. Dress with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and olive oil

6. Mix well

7. Season with salt and pepper

I hope you enjoy this meal. The key to happiness and a winner in the ‘no detox’ detox is a super easy, delicious, summer salad.

So far in the 7 easy ways to detox without having to detox…