Choosing Raw, Day 20!

So close, y'all! Only one more day to go on the 21-day Choosing Raw Challenge, where I've been cooking (and un-cooking) my way through Gena Hamshaw's cookbook of healthy, whole foods-based raw and cooked recipes.

Today started with an easy leg strengthening workout and some ab stuff using the medicine ball. And then I had this yummy parfait with Cashew Banana Yogurt, fresh blueberries, and raw cashews.

My morning snack was more Cheesy Kale Chips, which I snacked on in the car while running a work errand. And then it was lunchtime! I made a new recipe for lunch today — Easiest Vegan Pumpkin Soup. This really is the easiest soup! You just throw everything (pumpkin, cashews, spices) into the Vitamix. You can then heat it on the stove, but I opted to use the Hot Soups setting on my Vitamix, so I didn't even have to dirty up a pot. A co-worker pointed out that it looked like a bowl full of mustard. And it does. But it tasted divine. Those cashews make it extra creamy and thick.

On the side, I had a salad with steamed beets, eggplant bacon, cannellini beans, mushrooms, red cabbage and herbs de provence vinaigrette.

I skipped my afternoon snack because I knew I had a special treat coming soon (more on that in a few). Dinner was another fun new dish — Coconut Curry Kelp Noodles.

Have we talked about how much I love kelp noodles? I'm sort of a rice noodle addict, and these are the raw answer to rice noodles. I love the weirdly crunchy texture, and I love how they soaked up this creamy coconut curry sauce in this dish. I'm glad I get to have leftovers of this tomorrow on the last day of the diet!

On the side, I had some Steamed Kale with Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

Now about that special treat. Throughout these 20 days, I've banned myself from having beer, refined sugar (except for a couple cookie/cupcake splurges and some sugar in my soy creamer), bread (except for sprouted grain), and processed food. Even though I have one more day left on the cleanse, I decided to break the beer rule tonight! The Memphis Flyer, the newspaper I write for, was having its annual 20>30 party, where we honor 20-somethings who are doing awesome things, at High Cotton Brewing Co. No way was I going to a party at a local craft brewery without grabbing a beer! My High Cotton Scottish Ale was soooooo good.

But I just had one, and then Cassi and I went to a Memphis Grizzlies game. We had awesome seats (I won tickets at work), and we beat the Toronto Raptors! Go Grizz! Oh, and I smuggled in a couple of Coconutty for Chocolate Chip Cookies as a snack. Those hit the spot in the second quarter.