Anita: 0:00

Hey sister, welcome to the Power on Plants podcast. Are you tired of staring into the fridge wondering what to eat so you can just feel better? Do you want to avoid spending hours in the kitchen making complicated meals in the name of health? Would you love to leave fatigue behind and finally have the energy to do all the things you want to do? Hi, we're Jared and Anita Roussel, christ followers, healthcare professionals, parents of four and big fans of great tasting food.

Anita: 0:28

We, too, tried exercising more, eating natural and clean foods, but we still found ourselves struggling with what we thought were changes that come with age or bad genes, and we weren't finding answers the traditional route. So we dug into the research and created our secret nutritional weapon sustainable plant-based living. The truth is, you can eat more whole plant foods and it's not hard. You just need the way. That's realistic and delicious, so you never feel deprived. If you're ready to enjoy your meals, no longer be held back by your health struggles and actively live your life, then you're in the right place. So grab your favorite plant-based cup of happy. Then you're in the right place. So grab your favorite plant-based cup of happy, pop in those earbuds and let's get started. Hey there, friend, welcome back to the Power on Plants podcast, where we help you eat whole food plant-based the exciting, enjoyable way, so your body can heal naturally and you can finally feel good.

Anita: 1:23

Jared and I are healthcare professionals and a husband and wife team who are all about helping you finally feel like living your God-given dreams to the fullest, and today we're diving into one of my favorite topics raw meals. Now I know you're probably thinking raw meals. Are you kidding me? Isn't this just salads and carrot sticks? Oh no, sister. Raw meals can be so much more than that. They're vibrant and flavorful and packed with whole living nutrients that fuel your body optimally and help you feel your absolute best. I'm convinced that these are even the key to reverse aging. So today, jared and I are sharing five deliciously easy raw meals that you can whip up in minutes. These recipes are perfect for busy days and they'll help you get more of those living nutrients your body craves.

Anita: 2:13

Are you ready to learn how to make some quick, easy raw meals that taste amazing? Then let's jump right in. Let's start with one of my favorites rainbow veggie wraps. These are as beautiful as they are delicious. Picture the colors. You'll use bright green, raw collard leaves or large lettuce leaves as your wrap, and then you fill those with shredded carrots and bell peppers, cucumber, avocado and sprouts. I've even been known to add some dehydrated tofu in our Asian peanut sauce or barbecue sauce to these. It's so good.

Jarrod: 2:50

Now here's the next level. Stuff the creamy tahini dip, which is made with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a splash of water to make it the perfect consistency. If you feel like you need extra ingredients for making a tasty tahini dressing, don't worry, anita's got you covered. She's written down all the measurements for the creamiest, mouthwatering tahini dressing for you in our Thrive Cookbook at poweronplantscom slash cookbook. That's poweronplantscom slash cookbook. You'll also find her sauce recipes inside the cookbooks too. These rainbow veggie wraps are packed with fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats, and they're so easy to make. Plus, they're perfect for meal prep because you can just roll them up and store them in the fridge for a quick grab-and-go healthy, plant-based option. And how about zucchini noodles with a creamy avocado pesto?

Anita: 3:36

Ooh, that's a good one.

Jarrod: 3:38

Yeah, if you've never tried zucchini noodles, you're in for a treat. All you need is a spiralizer, and the handheld ones are super budget-friendly and don't take up a whole lot of space in the drawer. We'll put a link for our favorite one in the show notes for you. The simple device will turn zucchini into long strands that are like pasta, perfect for covering in sauce.

Anita: 3:55

And for the sauce I enjoy using our Asian nut sauce. Or you could make a pesto just by blending avocado with some fresh basil, white, miso, garlic, lemon juice and a handful of walnuts or pine nuts for a smooth sauce, but if you prefer it chunkier, like a traditional pesto, here's the key Pulse the ingredients together in a food processor instead of a blender, and then toss those veggie noodles into the pesto and top it all off with some cherry tomatoes for a pop of color and flavor. This dish is light, refreshing and loaded with healthy fats and vitamins and minerals. It's the perfect way to enjoy raw food that feels indulgent but is naturally healing and energizing.

Anita: 4:41

Now this next one is a game changer Raw taco salad with walnut meat. You'll start with a base of romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes and shredded carrots and avocado, but the star of the show is the walnut taco meat. To make it, blend soaked and drained walnuts with some green onions and red bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, sun-dried tomatoes and a little bit of tamari until it has a crumbly taco-like texture. It's so flavorful you won't even miss the cooked version. And let me tell you it just so happens that today I tried our recipe for the best walnut taco meat without cooking it to keep things raw-ish, because it does have some cooked tomatoes in it, but you'll be absolutely amazed by this. Seriously, you got to try this one.

Jarrod: 5:29

I like topping taco salad with guacamole sour cream that's made with just two ingredients ripe avocado and fresh lime juice. This meal is high in protein, healthy fats and flavors that leave you satisfied and full of energy. And for the fourth raw meal option, how about a smoothie bowl?

Anita: 5:45

I love them. It's a nutrient powerhouse. These foods are amazing when it comes to healing and flavor.

Jarrod: 5:52

I agree. And all you have to do is just blend some frozen bananas with spinach, your favorite berries, a few almonds and a little water. This will give you a thick, creamy smoothie base. Pour it into a bowl and top it with your favorite extras, like chia seeds, sunflower seeds or cacao nibs. I love those. You can even add some fresh fruit, nuts and granola for crunch and flavor too.

Anita: 6:13

Enjoying smoothie bowls is such a great way to pack in a ton of vitamins and minerals and other nutrients into just one meal. Plus, it's fun to customize with your favorite ingredients and toppings. It's like dessert for breakfast, but it's 100% good for you. And in reality I don't just enjoy these in the mornings, because they're perfect any time of day.

Jarrod: 6:34

Last but not least, imagine raw pad thai with an almond sauce that has a kick. Talk about flavor. For the base, use a spiralizer that we just mentioned before to spiralize zucchini and carrots, then add some strips of shredded cabbage, bell pepper and green onions. Last, make the spicy almond sauce by blending some nut butter, tamari, lime juice, garlic, ginger and a pinch of chili flakes.

Anita: 6:57

And again, we'll put a link for our favorite spiralizer for you right down below. It's handheld, super small, like Jared said, easy to store, so quick and easy to use. You're going to love this little gadget and, with this recipe, all that's left at that point is to toss the veggies that you spiralized into the sauce until they're well coated, and you want to garnish the top with some sesame seeds and fresh cilantro something to give it a pop. This dish is the perfect, satisfying way to get more raw, whole plant foods into your life and actually enjoy it.

Jarrod: 7:29

And there you have it five fast and easy raw meals to get more living nutrients into your day. These recipes are packed with the nutrients your body needs to prevent and reverse disease naturally.

Anita: 7:39

When you try one of these meals, we'd love to hear about it, so let us know how it went inside our free group at poweronplantscom forward slash P-I-E. That's poweronplantscom forward slash pie. And remember, if you'd love more inspiration for simple, flavorful meals, you can grab our cookbooks at poweronplantscom forward slash cookbook for even more plant-based joy. Friend, we're so glad that you've joined us today. If this podcast has blessed you and you'd like to have even more episodes from us to guide you on your plant-based journey, take just a moment to leave a written review for us on Apple Podcasts. It would mean so much to us. And until next time, remember that the one true God loves you. We love you and you are prayed for and things are looking up. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Have a wonderful day.