This past week I’ve laid off the dessert train because it was getting a bit pricey… A pound of cashews makes for an incredible cheesecake but it also makes for an expensive grocery run. So I’ve backed off a bit to focus on simple, whole foods that are actually healthful (because let’s be real, no raw cheesecake is actually good for you). 
So I’ve gotten back to the au naturel route and I’m so glad I have. There’s less stress with experimentation-gone-wrong and less stress on the wallet. Many people eat simply as a sort of “cleanse” but I don’t really like the whole cleansing idea for raw foodies … I eat pretty clean and the only thing that needs cleansing from time to time is my attitude. But when I eat pure, simple, whole foods I can feel the difference in my digestion, my sleep, my mood, and my energy levels. It’s incredible. When I tone down the fancy foods I find that I actually adhere to a more 801010 lifestyle. I do not like sticking to an 801010 approach for the long haul because I really enjoy eating healthy fats (and my skin thanks me, too) but I can easily say that 5 days out of the week, and especially on these eat-simply kicks, I gravitate toward an 801010 lifestyle more easily.
So … if you’re looking at my pics of my food for the past week and thinking  “…THAT’S IT?!” then I totally get it. It’s simple. It’s a lot of fruits and veggies (though that ain’t new). And it’s probably a bit simpler than most people would fathom eating on any given day. But I challenge you to try it on for size!! I can promise you with almost certainty that you will be astounded by the changes your mind and body go through!

Fruit. It’s no secret that I love fruit. And one of the redeeming qualities of Miami is that there is almost unlimited access to deliciously ripe fruit year round. This particular fruit is “Mamey”. When it is ripe it is outta this world … if you ever get the chance to try some, I suggest you do so immediately.

 Mango Dressing. True to 801010 fashion I made a dressing out of mangoes. One juicy mango, one tomato (seeds scooped out) and a handful of fresh basil blended just until chunky. Pour this over some crisp lettuce, add 1/4 of an avocado and a ton of other veggies and you’ve got such a refreshing and wholesome lunch!

 Mango “Juice”. I’ve been collecting ripe mangoes by the bag-fulls and so I’ve made lots of “juice”. In tropical cultures, and especially in Miami, “juice” is what they call fruits blended with water. Whenever I hear someone referring to this as “juice” I find myself fighting back the annoying urge to explain that it is not actually juice because juice is stripped of its fiber. Instead, this is a smoothie. But the several times I did explain this to someone I was met with blank stares and a vibe that read as “totally annoying”. So I’ve stopped myself and just accepted the fact that I am drinking mango “juice” (though it’s really just juicy mangoes blended with water).

 Figs. Figs are in season for what seems an extremely short period every year. At least they only show up sporadically at the end of summer here in Miami. So whenever I see them at the store I grab them and eat them for days. So I’ve had a lot of fig-cakes,-puddings,-smoothies,-etc.

Gold Goddess Dressing. 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, 1 orange (juiced), 1/2 lemon (juiced), a couple tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of miso … blend and pour. This is a quick and easy dressing recipe that is low in fat and high in flavor.

Zucchini Noodles. The end of summer is always wrought with the overproduction of zucchini. If you do not live on a farm with your own vegetable garden, and you never have, then you may not understand the pleasure that is also the nuisance of the overproduction of zucchini. These little-guys turn into monstrous-guys by the end of the summer and take over the vegetable garden. So, now that I do not live with my parents and therefore do not live with a garden, I feel like the end of summer is perfect time to pretend there is an overabundance of zucchini in order to pay tribute to my garden-life upbringing. So I’ve made noddles out of loads of zucchinis and dressed them with almost any sauce I can think of. And it’s delicious.

What do you think about this approach to food? Have you ever taken a break?

xo

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