Raw Bento

“Simple is the best” was what I was thinking when I returned to Tokyo after five weeks of holidays in Singapore and Sri Lanka.

While it was fairly easy to remain high raw in Singapore as I had access to a blender and fresh produce most times. But I had to go 80-90 per cent cooked in Sri Lanka due to the undrinkable tap water. I toted along Larabars, three packets of nuts and seeds, bananas, oranges and avocados. Needless to say the fresh produce only saw me through the first two days of my journey.

Breakfast in Sri Lanka almost always included papaya, pineapple, and banana in a smoothie or on a platter, but our long hikes and sightseeing activities where we’re not sure when the next meal was going to be, had me decide to throw in the raw towel and just eat whatever was provided. I still remained vegetarian but I consumed eggs and dairy quite freely.

All was well till towards the end of the second week when I suffered heartburn from all the grains, noodles, and pasta I consumed. Out came the medication — I was not proud of this, but I was away from home and had to make do as best as I could. What surprised me was how sensitive I was to eating what seemed like a regular portion of cooked carbs. I tried to eat less and a couple of yoga sessions at a lovely beach resort set me right again.

When I came back to Japan, all I could think of was fruit and veggies. I had very simple meals — lots of smoothies, juices, and 10-minute raw dishes.

Pictured in this post is one of my old faves — raw tar tar sauce with cucumber slices. Check out the recipe here.