Weekly Meal Plan - Low-Fat Raw Vegan

Complex combinations of food and raw food recipes are time consuming to prepare and extremely difficult to digest, so I choose to keep my diet very simple. I enjoy a low-fat, raw vegan diet consisting mostly of monomeals, so the following meal plan may seem a bit bland for you. As you progress on your raw journey, however, you will appreciate and even desire more simple meals. Remember, be kind to your body—transition at your own pace.

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Keeping your diet simple also allows you to spend more time and energy on other aspects of your life, such as fitness, work, and play. Many raw foodists spend enormous amounts of time in the kitchen dehydrating or sprouting this and that. Aren’t you relieved that you don’t have to spend so much time preparing meals or loads of energy cleaning your kitchen after you’ve used just about every food processor or kitchen gadget you have?

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My diet consists of fresh, sweet, non-sweet, and fatty fruits, and tender leafy greens. Nuts and seeds are acceptable too, but I rarely eat them, so you will not see them in the meal plan below. I do not use salad dressings or condiments either. If you feel that you still need salad dressing, try this fruit-based tomato and mango salad dressing recipe: blend 1 cup tomato, 1 cup mango, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 quarter cup of water (only if needed).

It’s best to eat according to what produce is in season. There are many produce charts available online or in books to help you make the best selections. The winter season is challenging as in-season produce is limited. Summer, however, offers an abundance of yummy options. Following is a one-week meal plan for the summer season. My calorie consumption is between 1,200 – 1,400 calories per day, depending on my activities and exercise for the day. Weekly, my caloric breakdown is approximately 80% carbohydrates, 10% protein, and 10% fat, following Dr. Douglas N. Graham’s 80/10/10 calorie ratio for a low-fat, raw vegan diet.

DAY 1

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 5 medium bananas, 2 *Ataulfo mangos, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)

--Lunch – 4 large peaches

--Pre Dinner – 2 cups pineapple

--Dinner – salad: One half head Romaine lettuce, 1 cucumber, 3 tomatoes, 4 stalks celery

* Ataulfo mangos are also called champagne mangos. They are small and apricot in color. When ripe and ready to eat, they will be a little soft, and the skin will just start to wrinkle.

DAY 2

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 3 medium bananas, 1 cup strawberries, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)

--Lunch – 1 honeydew melon

--Pre Dinner – 2 cups grapes

--Dinner – salad: One half head Iceberg lettuce, 1 cucumber, 2 tomatoes, 4 stalks celery, 1 avocado

DAY 3

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 4 medium bananas, 2 Ataulfo mangos, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)

--Lunch – 1 personal watermelon
--Pre Dinner – 2 grapefruits
--Dinner – salad: 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber (chop all ingredients) Eat as is, or add lettuce of your choice: Romaine, Boston, Bib, etc.

DAY 4

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 5 medium bananas, One half cup blueberries, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)
--Lunch – 4 large peaches

--Pre Dinner – 2 cups pineapple

--Dinner – salad: 4 oz. baby spinach, 4 tomatoes, 4 stalks celery

DAY 5

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 4 medium bananas, 4 fresh figs, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)

--Lunch – 1 honeydew melon

--Pre Dinner – 2 grapefruits

--Dinner – lettuce wraps: 3 chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped cucumber, and 3 stalks chopped celery wrapped in Romaine lettuce leaves

DAY 6

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 4 medium bananas, 1 papaya, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)

--Lunch – 4 large peaches

--Pre Dinner – 2 cups grapes

--Dinner – *Dine out for a salad and a Beefsteak tomato at J. Alexander’s. Salad: mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, one half avocado. Beefsteak tomato: plain tomato with a touch of fresh cilantro.

*For tips on ordering out at a restaurant, go to [http://www.TheSkinnyOnRaw.com], click on "articles," and read "Eating Out and Staying Raw: Keep It Simple."

DAY 7

--Breakfast – fruit smoothie: 5 medium bananas, 2 Ataulfo mangos, 2.5 - 3 cups water. (Blend)

--Lunch – 1 lb. Rainier cherries

--Pre Dinner – 2 cups berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.)

--Dinner - 1/2 head green leaf lettuce, 4 Roma tomatoes, 4 stalks celery

Weekly Meal Plan - Low-Fat Raw Vegan

WEEKLY