Week 4 - A Little More Help

I'm a big fan of coconut milk mainly because I find it to be a great addition to boost flavor in soups, stews, shakes, you name it. Couple that with the fact many of us are going to be looking for quick easy, "safe" shakes for the next couple of weeks, and  I'm on a roll.
So here goes with some fun and definitely tasty ways to add creamy goodness while being dairy free for fasting.
These are all shakes as in all ingredients in your Bullet,blender or whatever device you use, some ice, and let 'er rip!
1. Plum Banana
    1 cup coconut milk
    1 peeled banana
    1/4 cup dried plums
   
#2 Mango-Berry
1 peeled Banana
1 cup strawberries
1 cup mango

#3 Mixed Berry and Chocolate
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp chocolate protein powder
dark, unsweetened chocolate shavings for topping

More recipes in "The Daniel Fast Smoothies" by Marissa Pavone, available paperback or for Kindle

Happy New Year as you call your own fast and sacred audience before the Lord. More next week!

Week 3 -More Tips on Getting Ready for the Daniel Plan

Last weekend I was reminded to warn people that feeling lousy the first three days or so of the Daniel Plan is perfectly normal.

If you are off caffeine,  off sugar, and going easy on carbs, it will have an effect. Besides, don't forget your body will be getting rid of toxins too. Chief offenders then are headaches, tired or sluggish feeling, maybe a little hungry - just until your body accepts it's new normal.

So, stick it out. Staying well hydrated and not overtaxing yourself physically will also help. 

And now here is your very long good food list. Next week we'll talk about recipes.

Game on!

VEGETABLES

• asparagus
• avocado
• bell pepper, red
• bell pepper, yellow or orange
• bok choy
• broccoli
• brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• carrots
• celery
• cucumber
• endive
• garlic
• ginger
• green beans

• jalapenos
• kale
• leeks
• lettuce, iceberg
• lettuce, romaine
• lettuce, mixed greens
• mushrooms, portabella
• mushrooms, shitake
• mushrooms, other
• onions, green
• onions, red
• onions, yellow
• onions, white
• parsnips
• potatoes, new

• potatoes, russet
• potatoes, white
• radishes
• shallots
• snow peas
• spinach leaves, baby
• squash, green
• squash, summer
• squash, spaghetti
• squash, yellow
• squash, other
• tomatoes
• tomatoes, cherry or grape
• yams or sweet potatoes
• zucchini

FRUIT

• apples, red
• apples, green
• bananas
• blueberries, fresh
• cantaloupe
• cherries
• coconut
• grapefruit
• grapes, green
• grapes, red
• lemon
• lime
• mango
• oranges
• papaya

• peaches
• pears
• pineapple
• raspberries
• strawberries

FRESH HERBS

• basil
• chives
• cilantro
• dill
• marjoram
• mint
• oregano
• parsley
• rosemary
• sage
• thyme

BREADS

• sprouted grain bread (sugar free)
• multi grain bread (sugar free)
• gluten free bread
• whole wheat pita
• whole wheat toritllas (sugar free)
• Ezekiel bread
• Ezekiel pita bread
• Ezekiel tortillas

CARTON/ CANNED/JARRED FOODS

• artichoke hearts
• beans, black
• beans, kidney
• beans, pinto
• Vegetable Broth, low sodium (in a carton)
• Chicken Broth, low sodium (in a carton)
• capers
• pasta sauce, organic
• tomatoes, whole
• tomatoes, stewed
• tomatoes, crushed
• tomato paste

PACKAGED FOODS:

GRAINS

• Bulgar Wheat
• couscous
• farro
• oats, steel cut
• oats, old fashioned
• pearl barley
• quinoa
• rice, brown
• cereal, organic with low sugar content

BAKING AISLE

*Some of the oils may be found in the "specialty" section or may be purchased at a health food store

• baking powder
• baking soda
• bread crumbs, whole wheat
• coconut, raw and organic *no sugar added
• refined coconut oil
• walnut oil
• almond oil
• extra virgin olive oil
• raw, unfiltered honey
• pure maple syrup, organic
• sesame oil
• real vanilla extract
• real maple extract
• real coconut extract
• oat flour

• rice flour
• soy flour
• spelt four
• whole wheat flour

NUTS AND SEEDS

• raw almonds
• raw cashew
• raw walnuts
• raw chia seeds
• raw flax seeds
• raw pumpkin seeds
• raw sunflower seeds

PASTA

• whole wheat spaghetti
• whole wheat penne
• whole wheat fettucini
• gluten free pasta
• risotto
• spinach fettucini

LEGUMES

• black beans
• garbanzo beans
• lentils, green
• lentils, red
• lima beans
• kidney beans
• mung beans
• pinto beans
• split peas, will be found next to beans

OTHER

• Whole wheat crackers
• packaged soup mixes
• taco seasoning
• baked chips, organic
• cookies, sugar free (no artificial sweeteners)

SPICES AND SEASONINGS

• Allspice
• basil
• bay leaves
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• chili powder
• cinnamon, ground
• cinnamon sticks
• corriander dried
• cumin, ground
• curry
• Himalayan pink salt
• red chili powder
• ginger, ground
• paprika

• Italian seasoning
• lemon pepper
• nutmeg
• organo
• red pepper flakes
• sea salt
• sesame seeds
• thyme, dried
• turmeric
• white pepper

CONDIMENTS

• hoisin sauce
• horseradish sauce
• ketchup
• Mayonnaise, low fat
• mustard, yellow
• mustard, dijon
• relish
• salad dressing, balsamic lite
• salad dressing other
• salsa
• soy sauce, lite
• teriyaki sauce
• balsamic vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce

REFRIGERATOR CASE

• Earth Balance- butter substitute
• eggs
• egg substitute
• low fat milk
• soy milk
• soy cream
• rice milk
• low fat yogurt, avoid flavored yogurts that have sugar and artificial sweeteners!
• cheese, at your own risk!

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

*All Meat should be free range, organic, antibiotic free, and hormone free

POULTRY

• chicken Breast
• chicken thighs
• whole chicken
• turkey breast
• whole turkey
• ground turkey

SEAFOOD (WILD) - LIMIT SHELLFISH

• Halibut, steaks or fillets
• Salmon fillets or steaks

FREEZER CASE

FROZEN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

*Should be Organic

• blackberries
• blueberries
• broccoli
• cherries
• green beans
• mixed vegetables
• peas
• raspberries
• strawberries

SPECIALTY ITEMS AND MISCELLANEOUS

*These Items will usually be found in the gourmet or health food section.Some may need to be purchased in a health food store.

• Almond milk
• rice milk
• hemp milk
• Herbal Tea
• Green Tea
• Cocao nibs, raw
• Cocao powder, raw
• coconut water
• carob chips, use sparingly in recipes!
• dried figs
• dried fruit, eat sparingly!
• hemp seeds
  (no, they won't make you high)
• spelt flour
• pure maple syrup, organic
• honey, raw and unfiltered

• chia seeds
• flax seed oil
• Spirulina
• Stevia
• Chlorella
• Vega brand protein powder
  (or some other sugar free protein powder)
• Trail mix (Raw) No sugar,
  no high fructose corn syrup or sulfur dioxide added
• Protein Bars
• Tamari sauce
• Tofutti- "Better than cream Cheese"
• "Parma," vegan parmesan cheese by "Eat In The Raw"
• Vegannaise, mayonnaise substitute[1]

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[1] http://danielplan.com/healthyhabits/goodfoodlist/

Getting Ready (2)

Why these five particular keys of Faith, Food, Friends, Fitness, and Focus?

Faith: God says our bodies are his temple. Therefore whatever we do to maintain those temples, we can count on his strength. His Word says he wishes us to prosper and be in health as our soul prospers 3 John 2:2.

Food: All things are made for our enjoyment but we should never be brought under bondage to our appetites.

Friends: Food should not take the place of healthy friendships. And having the support of a friend makes challenges easier — “two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up the other …” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

Fitness: Health is not just about what we eat. Mobility is just as important. Emotional health is important as is spiritual health. Fitness encompasses all these and more.

Focus: This can be described as the art of being mindful — being aware and single mindedly tracking a goal

According to the Daniel plan workbook the point to remember this week is, “You can actually eat anything based on one rule: Eat real, whole food. Eat a colorful variety of real, whole foods from real ingredients that you can make yourself — or that are made by another human nearby. If it was grown on a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, leave it on the shelf.”[1]

Look at the five areas again and do a self-assessment. How are you doing?

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[1]

Warren, Rick. The Daniel Plan Jumpstart Guide: Daily Steps to a Healthier Life (p. 6). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Daniel Plan: Getting ready (1)

Every action begins in the mind.

It’s intentional and incremental.

What we believe and practice we master.

This first week I choose Focus as our key for contemplation.

As you do your holiday shopping, be Mindful (a word you will hear a lot over the next several weeks) that if you over shop you will have a lot of groceries left over to use up come January. As you make your list, keep an eye out for these items[1]:

Don’t eat: HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup), MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), Trans fats (partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated fats).

• Sugary breakfast cereals, unhealthy cookies and crackers, fried chips, and junk food, regular and diet sodas, sports drinks and other sweetened beverages, juice, artificial sweeteners (except stevia)

• High-sugar or high-sodium condiments.

• Unhealthy oils, such as standard mass-market “vegetable” oil and shortening.

·         White sugar, white flour, white rice, and white

·         If you can’t figure what it is or spell it, don’t eat it. For e.g. sodium and calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate, phosphoric acid, sulfites, nitrates/nitrites, artificial colors, flavors and dyes, and carrageenan.

·         If you must have sugar go for raw sugar, raw honey, natural fruit sugars, or pure maple syrup.

Focus: Being mindful of what we buy and getting rid of foods that harm.  Game on!

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[1] Warren, Rick. The Daniel Plan Jumpstart Guide: Daily Steps to a Healthier Life (p. 22). Zondervan. Kindle Edition

Daniel Plan: Friends, Faith, Food, Fitness, and Focus

The year is swiftly coming to a close. And if you are thinking, come January I’m going to start my diet, I have one word for you. That’s right. One word, DON’T. Why? Diets don’t work. Oh, you will lose weight for a while but will also more than likely gain it all back (and more) as soon as you resume normal eating patterns again. So what works? Lifestyle changes, eating the proper foods in right proportions, and exercise. And bear in mind exercise does not have to be going to the gym and lifting weights. It could be as simple as developing a walking regimen.

Save the date and join me and a couple of friends, about the 3rd week of January 2018,  as we do a lifestyle upgrade following the Daniel Plan. The plan focuses on five keys: Friends, Faith, Food, Fitness, and Focus. Starting this Saturday, I will be blogging again at Talk About https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3581362718261966354#editor/src=sidebar in order to facilitate the program. There will be weekly tips and recipes and feedback from the group, and a whole lot more. Game on!