Raw & vegan - that's the new 'Breakfast of Champions'

RAW AND VEGAN lifestyles have finally gone mainstream. In fact, some might even say they are the newest epicurean delight. That's right: Move over bacon, and so long Wheaties, there's a new breakfast of champions in town.

From the hills of Hollywood to the bodegas of Manhattan, everyday folks are clamoring for smoothies, raw juices, tofu wraps, and raw energy balls.

There are many reasons more Americans are embracing various forms of vegetarianism, but at the heart of the matter is people's desire to eat cleaner, lighter, and healthier. Some are responding to food sensitivities.

Or maybe all those reports about diseases that can be tamed or even cured by a change of lifestyle have more folks looking outside the box for answers. That means ditching sugar, saturated fats, gluten, highly processed, and otherwise unhealthy foods.

Who doesn't want meals that are simple, fast, delicious, and healthy? It's so easy to do at breakfast, the first and possibly most important meal of the day.

Replace those sugary doughnut holes with no-bake energy balls. My recipe is not only nutritious, but tasty, too. It takes less than 30 minutes to whip up a dozen and you can vary the ingredients to include what you have on hand.

For example, starting with a base of raw oats, I might add chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, dates, form them into one-inch balls and roll them in chocolate powder. Yum!

Smoothies are another any-time meal that works especially well at breakfast. They're quick to make and can deliver a powerful nutritious punch. I always keep a plastic bag of sliced bananas in the fridge as a great base for many smoothie recipes. I make small bags of frozen berries and cut-up fruit like mangos, peaches, and pineapples.

Fresh leafy greens like collards and spinach are wonderful whipped with frozen bananas or other fruit combinations. When it comes to smoothies, the possibilities are endless.

If you are slightly confused about the difference between a raw foodist and a vegetarian, here are some fundamental differences.

Raw-food purists are vegetarians, too, but they usually don't cook their vegetables and fruits. That means no steamed vegetables and no peach cobbler.

Vegetarians don't eat meat, fish, or poultry but do eat cooked vegetables, pasta, rice, and, yeah, french fries. They might also eat eggs and dairy products like yogurt, cheese, and milk.

Vegans are similar to vegetarians in that they don't eat meat, but they also spurn animal-based products like eggs, dairy, and even honey. Vegans also take it up another notch and do not use products such as leather, fur, silk, and wool. They also don't use soap or cosmetics made with animal products.

Beyond vegetarianism, there are fruitarians, who eat only botanically classified fruits and seeds. Period!

The only fruitarian I know of is activist/comedian Dick Gregory, who adopted that lifestyle more than 40 years ago. This year, he is approaching his 84th birthday, and he's not only still kicking but still sharp as a tack. I have a copy of his 1974 paperback, Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature! It is a must-read for those seeking to expand their culinary consciousness.

Remember, the closer you eat to nature, the more like a champion you will feel, guaranteed!

Kimberly Garrison is a wellness coach and owner of One on One Ultimate Fitness in Philadelphia. Her column appears Wednesdays.