It can be hard to find tasty and healthy foods at the grocery store that aren’t chock full of preservatives or other chemicals that are impossible to pronounce.  That is why the raw food trend has become so popular – it lets you enjoy amazingly tasty and healthy food that doesn’t have any additives. If you’ve never tried eating raw, or aren’t sure where to start, here are 10 tasty recipes that you’ll fall in love with this summer. Most of these recipes are vegan, but you don’t have to be strictly vegan to enjoy some tasty raw food.

Raw Food Recipes to Try This Summer

1.Banana ‘Nice’ Cream

If you need a cool treat during the warm summer months, nice cream is a great alternative to sugary frozen treats.

Ingredients

• Frozen banana
• Milk/almond milk/coconut water for blending (optional)

Instructions

Place frozen bananas in blender, and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately or freeze for 30 extra minutes and serve with ice cream scoop.

Additions

You can add almost anything to this recipe to make it your own.  Cocoa powder for chocolate banana nice cream, a handful of berries, or even just strawberries all add a tasty flavor profile for you to enjoy.

2. Raw Pad Thai

Pad Thai is a super tasty meal that doesn’t have to be unhealthy, though you will probably want to invest in a vegetable spiralizer for this recipe!

Ingredients – Salad

• 1 zucchini, spiraled
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 cup red cabbage, sliced thin
• ¾ cup frozen edamame
• 3 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds.

Ingredients – Dressing

• Garlic, 1 clove
• ¼ cup raw almond butter
• 2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 2 tbsp tamari (low sodium)
• 2 tbsp water
• 5 teaspoons sweetener (maple syrup or other)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated.

Instructions

Prep veggies and toss to combine.  Whisk together dressing ingredients or process in food processor. Add dressing to salad and enjoy!

3. Cucumber Avocado Rolls

Putting together a raw appetizer for a party that isn’t just a veggie plate can be tricky.  These rolls take no time to put together and taste amazing.

Ingredients

• 1-2 large cucumbers, sliced into wide ribbons
• 3 ripe avocados
• ¼ cup capers
• ½ tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 1/8 cup fresh dill

Instructions

Mash avocados with all other ingredients other than the cucumber. Spread in a thin layer on the cucumber ribbons and roll up.  Use a little extra avocado to seal the ends, then just garnish with capers and parsley and serve!

4. Raw Cashew Cheese

This sounds odd but cashews can be a great vegan replacement for parmesan cheese in all sorts of recipes.

Ingredients

• Cashews
• ¼ tsp onion
• ¼ tsp garlic
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Soak the cashews in water overnight. Drain the water, then blend the cashews in a food processor along with the other ingredients until smooth.  Store in the fridge for up to two months or enjoy immediately.

5. Guac Stuffed Red Peppers

You can’t go wrong with guacamole, especially when it’s loaded with a ton of healthy, tasty vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4-5 ripe avocados
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 and ½ cups shredded kale
• 1 sweet bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup zucchini, diced
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ a jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
• 1 and ½ cups cooked chickpeas
• 3 sweet bell peppers, halved for stuffing

Instructions

Mush avocados with lime juice, sea salt and maple syrup. Mix in the kale, then the other vegetables until well incorporated. Scoop into the halved peppers and serve!

6. Salted Caramel Macadamia Cheesecake

Believe it or not, you can have your (cheese) cake and eat it too – even if you’re eating raw! The only thing on this cheesecake that’s not 100 percent raw is the caramel sauce, but it’s still about as healthy as caramel sauce can get.

Ingredients – Crust

• 10 pitted Medjool dates
• 2 cups dried coconut
• ½ cup macadamia nuts

Ingredients – Filling

• Coconut cream – 1 can
• 10 medjool dates, pitted
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Ingredients – Caramel Sauce (Omit for raw cheesecake)

• Coconut cream – 1 can
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Instructions

First, form the crust. Blend the base ingredients in a food processor then press firmly into the bottom of your baking dish. Next, the filling – blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, then pour over the crust and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

For the caramel sauce, you’ll need the hardened cream from the top of the can, as well as the sugar.  Pour both into a saucepan and heat to a simmer without burning the cream. Stir until combined and caramelized, then allow to cool.

Top the cheesecake with the caramel sauce, crushed macadamia nuts and a pinch of sea salt.

7. Cucumber, Onion and Tomato Salad

This summertime classic is perfect for those warm afternoons when you really don’t want to turn the oven on.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cucumbers
• 4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 onion, sliced thin

Instructions

Prepare your vegetables.  Whisk together vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper. Add vegetables to the dressing and allow to stand for 30-60 minutes.

8. Wild Berry Salad

Summertime berries, like strawberries and blueberries, make the perfect addition to a healthy salad.

Ingredients

• Salad Fixings – Whatever greens/vegetables/proteins that you enjoy eating in your salads. We usually go with spring mix or baby greens, onion, tomato, cucumber, radish and carrot, along with nuts or chickpeas for protein, but the salad base is up to you.
• Fresh berries – pick up whatever’s in season or available at your local farmer’s market. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are our favorites.
• Balsamic or Pomegranate Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

Prep your salad.  Toss with berries of your choice. Whisk together oil and vinegar to make a simple vinaigrette.  If you enjoy dairy products, the salty bite of feta cheese is a perfect complement to this salad, but again – that’s totally optional and it is delicious without it as well.

9. Hot and Sour Slaw

Craving some hot and sour soup from your local Chinese restaurant?  Get the same flavor profile in this healthy and cool alternative.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ¼ tsp pepper, to taste
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, to taste
• 3 cups shredded Napa cabbage
• 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1/3 cup scallions, sliced
• 1 can bamboo shoots, sliced

Whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes until combined.  Add cabbage, bell pepper, scallions and bamboo shoots, and toss to coat.

10. Cucumber Noodles with Peanut Sauce

If it’s too warm outside, the last thing you want is a dish of hot pasta.  Try these tasty cucumber noodles instead – just break out your spiralizer!

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers
• 1 bunch bok choy
• ¼ tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp tamari
• Juice of half a lime
• 3 tbsp water
• ½ tsp chili oil
• Salt to taste
• Peanuts and cilantro to garnish

Instructions

Start by whisking your peanut butter, maple syrup, tamari, lime juice, salt, water, and chili oil. Set aside to chill in the fridge while you prepare the vegetables. Spiralize your cucumbers and chop the bok choy into thin slices.  Coat with sauce and garnish with peanuts and cilantro!

Eating raw might seem intimidating but it’s a lot easier than most people think.  Try out a few of these recipes and you might never want to go back to cooking!

About the Author: Kacey is a lifestyle blogger for “The Drifter Collective.” Throughout her life, she has found excitement in the world around her. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations, cultures, and styles, while communicating these endeavors through her passion for writing and expression. Her love for the world around her is portrayed through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.

The Drifter Collective: An eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Follow on Twitter , Pinterest , Instagram

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