Summer Veggie Wrap

One of the things that people always say to me is that they don't eat as many vegetables as they should because they find them boring. Unfortunately our taste buds have been overwhelmed by the amount of salt, preservatives and fat that is in the "Standard American Diet." I try to encourage people to reset their taste buds so to speak, by eating less of the processed foods and more of the ones that Mother Nature provides for us. My biggest rule is to only eat the vegetables you like. Plain and simple. If it tastes good to you, chances are you will eat it. I absolutely hate mushrooms and eggplant, therefore I will never buy those vegetables. They will literally rot in my fridge. Having said that,  I choose to buy and prepare the veggies that I do like and get excited about to eat. One great way to give vegetables a little extra flavor is to marinate them, just like you would meat. Also I know many people who prefer raw vegetables to cooked ones.

Here are some benefits of eating raw:

-all of the vitamins and minerals from the veggies are kept intact since there is no cooking process to deplete them

-many raw foods claim to have more energy, require less sleep and lose weight

-raw foods can help lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels

-don't need to spend time cooking

-can help to reset taste buds

With summer approaching, here is a simple raw vegetable recipe that can be thrown together in minutes

Summer Veggie Wrap

Step 1: Gather the vegetables that you like to eat raw. My salad included celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, and red onion

Step 2: Make Marinade

1 TBSP lime juice

1.5 TBSP olive oil

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

Toss veggies with mariande and allow to sit in fridge for at least 1 hour. 

Gather salad in romain lettuce leaves and top with plain greek yogurt, avocado, sesame seeds, tofu, edamame, or chicken

Enjoy!

XO,

Veggie Lisa