Eat to Live Nutritarian Recipes
If you’re doing Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat to Live plan, here is a listing of the best nutritarian recipes that are all oil-free, vegan, and plant-based. Find recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.
For those of you who are wondering what kinds of recipes you can make on the Eat to Live plan that don’t use salt, oils or added sugars, here are some of my favorite nutritarian smoothies, juices, salads, and soups. These all meet the guidelines set for Dr. Fuhrman recipes, including that they are 100% vegan and plant-based.
Most nutritarian meals are based around the idea of eating more whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and whole food fat sources. You can also feel free to include protein sources like tofu, if that works for you.
Ideally, a nutritarian diet excludes animal products, oils, refined sugars, and processed foods. Depending on your health needs, you can follow the Eat to Live diet for anywhere from around 6 weeks, or longer. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider to determine which diet plan works for you.
Dr. Fuhrman Recipes
Breakfast
A Nutritarian breakfast can consist of a smoothie or juice, or even leftovers from the night before. See my complete index of dairy-free smoothies or my round-up of the best dairy-free breakfast smoothies.
Lunch
Lunch on the Eat to Live diet is generally a very large salad using romaine lettuce with lots of chopped, raw vegetables on top. You can add a small handful of raw nuts or seeds, some avocado and sometimes some microwaved frozen asparagus. See my Food Processor Salad recipe.
Fat in the diet is certainly important, but it’s best to choose to use whole-food fats like avocados, nuts and seeds.
Dinner
Dr. Fuhrman dinners can be anything from a salad, wrap, or bean-based soup.
Dessert
There are so many ways to enjoy nutritarian dessert, from a piece of fresh fruit to a blended smoothie made with frozen fruits and nut butter. Or, try cutting a date in half and filling it with almond butter or coconut butter.
If you feel like you are battling sugar cravings, be sure to see my tips for how to flush excess sugar out of your body and how to go sugar-free.
Snacks
If you’re hungry between meals, try going for fresh fruit, chopped vegetables with hummus, or a green juice. See my complete list of the best juice recipes for weight loss.
Diet Tips
Try to remember that the Eat to Live plan may not work for everyone.
Use it as a short-term plan to get control over your cravings. If you find that it is too strict for you, then read my articles on what happens if you eat meat after being a vegetarian and potential problems with a plant-based diet.
You may also like my weight loss tips for women.
Eat to Live Nutritarian Recipes
For those of you who are wondering what kinds of recipes you can make on the Eat to Live plan that doesn't use salt, oils or added sugars, here are some of my favorite nutritarian smoothies, juices, salads, and soups. These all meet the guidelines set for Eat to Live recipes.
Breakfast Recipes
These nutritarian breakfast recipes are perfect for starting the day right.
Anti-Cancer Breakfast Smoothie Recipe (Vegan & Dairy-Free)
This is my go-to nutritarian smoothie recipe. It has a secret, cancer-fighting ingredient.
Vegan Broccoli Sprout Smoothie
If you have broccoli sprouts on hand, you're going to want to make this broccoli sprout smoothie. It's so delicious and creamy!
Food Processor Smoothie (Mango Pineapple Spinach)
You can even make a smoothie in a food processor!
Juices
Juicing is a great way to increase your micronutrients. The general recommendation is to consume juice just before a meal.
Celery Juice Recipe (Juicer & Blender Instructions)
Celery juice is so popular right now. See how I make it taste good with a secret ingredient.
Celery Cucumber Green Juice Recipe
If you love the taste of celery and cucumber, you're going to adore this healthy juice recipe.
Easy Beet Juice Recipe
Beet juice is so great for supporting health. This easy recipe is so delicous.
Lemon & Ginger Green Juice Recipe
Fresh lemon brightens up this healthy green juice. Ginger adds zest.
How to Make Green Juice Pulp Crackers
If you’re doing a lot of juicing right now, don't throw away the pulp! Instead, try making these fiber-rich Green Juice Pulp Crackers that are so crunchy and tasty. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.
Nutritarian Salads & Salad Dressings
These are perfect for an Eat to Live lunch or dinner.
Lentil Salad with Wild Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Everyone loves this tasty salad that is served with avocado.
Easy Oil-Free Hummus (4 Ingredients)
This easy hummus recipe can be served alongside fresh cut vegetables for a super simple meal.
Eat to Live Soups
Making nutrient-dense soups is one of the hallmarks of a nutritarian diet. Here are some of my favorite soup recipes.
Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup (Paleo, Vegan)
You'll need a pressure cooker for this easy carrot ginger soup.
3-Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup
This is a super simple soup recipe using flavorful butternut squash.
Oh She Glows Eat Your Greens Detox Soup
This detox green veggie soup is full of nutrition. Leave out the oil to make it nutritarian.
Nutritarian Eat to Live Desserts
Find healthy vegan dessert recipes that have no added oils and no added sugars.
Easy Pomegranate-Lime Popsicles (2-Ingredients)
During the warmer months, cool off with these healthy popsicles.
Vegan Avocado Chocolate Pudding
This healthy pudding is made with avocado and sweetened with dates!
No Sugar Crockpot Applesauce
This healthy applesauce recipe is a great snack for kids and adults.
No-Bake Strawberry Tart (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Fresh strawberries are the star of this healthy tart made with no oils or added sugars.
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Vegan Soft Serve Ice Cream
Use dates to sweeten this creamy banana soft serve that also has peanut butter and cocoa.
Check out full index of Nutritarian dishes!
Conclusions
You don’t have to worry about finding recipes if you’re doing an Eat to Live Nutritarian diet. These recipes all follow Dr. Fuhrman’s guidelines and are perfect for eating this plant-based way.
If you like this post, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
Note: this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for recommendations related to your individual situation.
Carrie, are you sure you listed the right amount of vinegar in the Creamy Avocado Dressing?
“2 – 2 1/2 cups of white balsamic vinegar”
I was really hesitant about using that many CUPS, so I did one cup and it was still way too vinegary. Should it have been tablespoons? Any other liquid need to be added?
Thank you.
Hi Tara! Great question. I have adapted this recipe over time and include at least half of the liquid as non-dairy milk. I’m sorry I haven’t updated it. To be honest, I don’t use avocados that much in my dressings anymore, I find they are too fattening for me. Instead, I like to use a mixture of frozen berries, walnuts, dates, vinegar, onion and garlic.
Great blog and excellent suggestions. You are living proof it works and it works for working/studying busy women. Thanks so much. The comments are also great, no nastiness! Love it.
Thanks for sharing your recipes and reflection on Eat to Live. We did his extreme 6 week plan almost 2 years ago and it, paired with other influences, has led us to being committed vegans – though with a recent move to the south, we’ve had to make that vegetarian when out of the house, occasionally, for graciousness and hospitality’s sake. We’re re-committing to doing the extreme 6 week diet again, for the same reason as the first time we did it. We want to renew our health and ditch our bad habits that we’ve at least somewhat reacquired… and most of all, I want to lose pregnancy weight! Though fortunately, this time around I really seem to have gained it almost exclusively in my mid-section 🙂
Anyways, I thought it was funny to come across your blog in my search for fuhrman friendly dressings and realize I already follow you on Instagram. So happy for you in your pursuit of health and grateful that you share it, unpretentiously, with others 🙂
Cheers!
Thank you so much for your comment, Hawley! It’s great to hear from other “Fuhrmanites” as I like to call us. 🙂 Good luck with your 6-week program, I’m doing a modified version of it myself. Are you by chance going to Dr. Fuhrman’s Getaway coming up in a few weeks? I’ll be there!
Hi Carrie – I applaud your healthy take on veganism. I’ve seen a lot of vegan and raw vegan recipes that rely on concentrated sugars, salts and oils; and that’s one of the reasons why I like your blog and recipes.
I love what you wrote here: “Trying to eat less of calorie-dense foods like animal products, oils, refined grains and sugars is never going to work because it’s against our nature to restrict ourselves. Rather, let’s fill our plates with leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, avocados, nuts, seeds and some whole grains and leave the table satisfied and nourished.” I was like, “YES!”
Question for you: Do you soak your grains, nuts, seeds and beans before eating?
Carrie – I think it is very important to soak all nuts, seeds, beans and grains before eating. And I also agree with you on the roasted nuts. I only eat raw nuts and seeds! (Although truly raw almonds are very difficult to find as most are pastuerized because of laws requiring it – even if they say “raw” on the package.)
Congrats for getting on Pinterest! See you there!
I struggled against adding on another social media outlet, but I’m liking Pinterest so far! You have such gorgeous photos that I’m sure I’ll be pinning lots of your images! 🙂
Awesome post, Carrie! Could you do a post on how you eliminated salt from your diet? I’d be interested to know how you worked on that. I’m sure your taste buds have changed by now and you are used to it! I’ve been doing pretty well on ETL but have a hard time with salt. Sometimes, I crave it! I don’t use it in dressings or on steamed veggies but sometimes want it on beans and in soups. (esp the beans!)
Also, your applesauce has helped me with my sweet tooth! I have the second batch cooking away right now! 🙂
Hi Prathiba! My husband said that I should talk about this, too! It was a huge transition for both of us to get off salt, so I know what you are going through. I will see if I can incorporate it into a post, but my best advice is to use a splash of vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) on your food, it makes all the difference and really compensates for the lack of salt. Let me know if that helps…
I’ve started using sea veggies and/or nutritional yeast in place of salt in some dishes. The sea veggies especially taste salty, but are really low in sodium.
Hi Melissa, thanks for the link! I have seen these products in the health food store, but I try to stay away from too much iodine and, if I remember correctly, that has been my concern in the past. I think in moderation these items are probably okay, I will take a closer look at them the next time I’m at the store. Thanks again for pointing them out as an option to salt!
Hmm, iodine was the other reason I purchased the seasoning. I thought I read in “Eat to Live” that vegans who don’t use iodized salt may not be getting enough iodine, so I thought this was a good way to up my intake (when we use salt in my house, it’s non-iodized sea salt). I could be wrong, I don’t have a copy of the book right now, so I can’t double check. I don’t know about dulse, but the kelp granules are VERY high in iodine (2260% RDA according to the packaging). Thanks for pointing that out Carrie.
Hi Melissa! You are right, vegans can become deficient in iodine and need a reliable source. I get it through Dr. Fuhrman’s Gentle Care supplement. The goal is to have a daily intake between 150-300 mcg. My concern with using the product you suggested (assuming one used it regularly) is that it would put my iodine intake over his maximum recommendation. The risk with over supplementing with iodine is that it can depress thyroid function. Hope this helps.
Best way to not miss salt I’ve found is to break out your spice rack & start experimenting! Onion & garlic powder have replaced the salt shaker on our dinner table to add a similar zest to finished dishes. I highly recommend utilizing garlic & onion powders throughout all cooking, too(just be sure they are not garlic salt or onion salt)!
I really need to get to the library to see if this book is available. It sounds like a plan I would love to try although I am not a fan of smoothies or consuming nuts. Does this plan offer alternatives? With this eating plan, could I do away with the food scale and calorie counting? Sorry about all the questions. I guess I should just try to find a copy of the book huh? Thanks for sharing the recipes. They are so helpful.
Hi Paula! Yes, you absolutely must get away from calorie counting…life is too short for that!!! That’s one of the basic tenants of Dr. Fuhrman’s philosophy is that we should never have to calorie count or go hungry. If we fill our stomachs with low-calorie dense foods, then we can get optimal nutrition without having to worry about eating too much. Trying to eat less of calorie-dense foods like animal products, oils, refined grains and sugars is never going to work because it’s against our nature to restrict ourselves. Rather, let’s fill our plates with leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, avocados, nuts, seeds and some whole grains and leave the table satisfied and nourished. Have I convinced you yet? 🙂
My real aim is to feel well. I have stopped eating meat, refined grains, and oils. I am working on dairy. I still will have a pancake when out to breakfast & occasionally a cheese pizza but that is becoming less frequent. My next goal is to eliminate both sugar and dairy completely.
Hi Paula! I think feeling better and having more energy is a great motivator for change. Rather than trying to cut out foods from your diet, why don’t you try making sure you eat plenty of vegetables (A LOT!) and fresh fruits and then see how much room you have for other, less healthy, items? That way, you won’t feel deprived. You can have your long-term goal to eliminate those items like sugar and dairy, but it might be easier if you take baby steps while drastically increasing your consumption of whole, plant foods. Just a thought. 🙂
Have you ever tried roasting or grilling asparagus? That’s my favorite way to eat asparagus and I think that would add a little extra deliciousness to your salads. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion, Amanda! I like the frozen asparagus because it’s cheap. 🙂 The version I buy is grilled before it’s frozen so it does seem to have some extra flavor as opposed to just plain.
GREAT summary of how an ‘Eat to Live’ person eats, Carrie! 3 months in, I am always so appreciative of all your recipes, ideas, and tips on how to make this work in everyday life. Keep up the awesome work! You are an inspiration. 🙂
Thanks Gina, I really appreciate the kind words. 🙂
Thanks for a great post! I too am starting to follow Dr. Fuhrman’s plan and it is very helpful to see a typical day’s menu laid out in the way you did here. I love your blog and my partner and I have enjoyed many of the recipes you’ve shared. I don’t know how you find the time to blog as often as you do WHILE going to school. I’m impressed 🙂
Thanks Melissa! You might want to check out my post tomorrow (Wednesday) because I’ll be posting a photo diary of my actual meals over a 24-hour period. Thanks for the compliment on my blog. It takes a LOT of effort to post daily, but it’s so rewarding that I make time for it. Take care!