Raw Food for 10 Days.

Part research and just to see how wonderful I feel, I have put myself on a 10 raw food cleanse. After 10 years of working for myself, I now have a "boss," Ms. Stanzi Pouthier of Vitality Ventures, who is telling me, via email, what to eat and think about and do every day.

Today's affirmation: "Congratulations! You made it through the first day! I hope you woke up this morning feeling lighter, more alive and awake. If you're still feeling sluggish and moody, hang in there, it WILL get better on Day 3." I even took a walk IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORK DAY ("get 30 minutes of vigorous exercise" says Stanzi) with my own husband, which has never before happened even though we both work at home and our offices are a few yards from one another.

Steve is having a rough time being much larger than I am and perhaps because this was all my idea. "I need a pastrami sandwich!" he bellows every few hours. I hope he makes it.

As for the food, we had to fast yesterday (another first for me), with a small raw meal for dinner. At 5pm, when we allowed ourselves a first taste of food, we pretty much emptied all the raw foods in our refrigerator and pantry into our mouths. That would be kimchi, every kind of nut, red cabbage and orange coleslaw, bananas, mangoes, and cucumbers in under 3 minutes. Then we were able to calm down a bit and cook (VERY HARD) dinner for the kids. We borrowed a juicer from a neighbor and the kids drank a week's worth of vegetables and fruit all at once...watermelon-lime juice and carrot-pineapple-ginger. We must buy a juicer.

This morning, Steve got up early and got creative blending raw almonds and a peeled apple in the food processor for a few minutes and then spreading the almond-apple butter on banana slices. Satisfying. Although only for about an hour.

Lunch (pictured) was this salad, which was very very good. Not hungry yet (T minus 2 hours).

RAW SALAD
Handful of mixed greens (I used romaine, bibb, and sliced baby bok choy)
1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
Handful of sprouted legumes (from health food store...never saw them before)
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/2 mango, diced
Package of raw kale chips, crumbled over like croutons
DRESSING
In a blender jar, combine juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup tahini, handful of cilantro leaves, 1 garlic clove, generous pinch of salt, and about 3/4 cup of water. Add more water if it's very thick.