This is the chicken curry recipe I've always used, I just used vegetables instead of chicken. You can used whatever veggies you have around, it doesn't have to be these specifically. The curry sauce has a really strong flavor, so even if you put in veggies that aren't your favorite, they will still taste great.
3-4 cups sliced vegetables (I like carrot, potato, green beans, and mushrooms. I haven't tried it yet, but I think broccoli would be really good too)sp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 cloves crushed garlic
3 onions, chopped
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
3 Tb curry powder
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tb tomato paste
1 pinch salt
1/4 c olive oil (may sub water)
water to cover
Saute the onions in olive oil or water until browned. Add the cinnamon and the bay leaf. Continue stirring and add the ginger, paprika, curry powder, sugar, salt, and garlic. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Mixture will become much like a paste.
Add veggies and tomato. Add enough water to just cover all veggies. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
Just before serving, add the lemon juice and the cayenne pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot over brown rice.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tanner week 4 update
So I have 2 items to report. The fist thing is that this week was one of my best ones weight loss wise--I lost 4.5 lbs. The only cheat I had was eating between meals. At night from dinner, at around 6:30, till bed time is the worst. Especially when I have to stay up late studying or waiting for Nina to get home from work. But every night that I don't eat past 6:30pm, the next morning I have weighed less than the day before. I know it probably isn't a good thing to weigh myself every week, but I can't help myself.
The second thing to report is a change in my goals. I'm staying on Fuhrman no matter what till June, but I was planning on doing it in 6 week chunks. And at the end of each of the 6 weeks, Nina and I were going to go out somewhere nice. But this coming weekend is the super bowl, and I'm only human. So to avoid two weeks of cheating in a row, this first 6 weeks will be shortened to 5, and Sunday will be our big cheat. I'm not going to lie, I'm very much looking forward to it. But hopefully a week from now I'll be another 4.5 lbs or so lighter.
The second thing to report is a change in my goals. I'm staying on Fuhrman no matter what till June, but I was planning on doing it in 6 week chunks. And at the end of each of the 6 weeks, Nina and I were going to go out somewhere nice. But this coming weekend is the super bowl, and I'm only human. So to avoid two weeks of cheating in a row, this first 6 weeks will be shortened to 5, and Sunday will be our big cheat. I'm not going to lie, I'm very much looking forward to it. But hopefully a week from now I'll be another 4.5 lbs or so lighter.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Bran Muffins
I've altered the recipe to make it as close as I could to Fuhrman approved, except for the eggs and skim milk; but pace yourself, because Tanner and I ate all 18 muffins in 3 days! That's a lot of fiber, if you know what I mean, and more grains than you should have, but at least they're good for you, right? Tanner kept calling them brownies he liked them so much.
Cream together 3/4 cup sweetener (we have a bag of Splenda, it can be used in baking) and 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
Add 2 beaten
eggs
1 overripe banana
Add: 3 c all bran cereal
Pour 1 cup boiling water over the cereal, egg, sugar mixture and let sit for about 10 minutes to soften cereal. I usually give my my mixer a few turns just to get all of the cereal wet before I leave it for the 10 minutes.
Add: 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2
cups skim milk w/ 1 Tb vinegar, let sit 2-3 minutes before adding.
Mix, pour into muffin tin and bake on 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
These are good to have around if you are really tempted, because they are really healthy, as long as you don't eat as many as Tanner and I did. Serve warm with spray butter!
Stuffed Peppers
This is one of our new favorites, tons of flavor and very filling!
4 green bell peppers
1 tsp olive oil (we just used water)
1 sm onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 carrots, julienned
1 c peas, fresh or frozen (we used green beans instead)
1 tomato, diced
1/2 c walnuts, finely chopped
1 1/2 c cooked brown rice
2-3 c tomato sauce (we used low sodium spaghetti sauce)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and clean peppers. Cut off tops and remove seeds and membrane. Place prepared peppers on steamer rack and steam 3-4 minutes (we suggest 5, ours weren't totally done).
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet, add onion and garlic. Saute 1 minute. Add herbs, carrots, and beans. Continue to cook 3-5 minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and add the tomato, walnuts, brown rice, and 1/2 c tomato sauce. Heat through.
Stuff mixture into peppers. Spread 1/2 c sauce in bottom of baking dish. Stand peppers upright. Pour remaining sauce over the tops of peppers. Bake in oven 30 minutes.
Enjoy!
4 green bell peppers
1 tsp olive oil (we just used water)
1 sm onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
2 carrots, julienned
1 c peas, fresh or frozen (we used green beans instead)
1 tomato, diced
1/2 c walnuts, finely chopped
1 1/2 c cooked brown rice
2-3 c tomato sauce (we used low sodium spaghetti sauce)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and clean peppers. Cut off tops and remove seeds and membrane. Place prepared peppers on steamer rack and steam 3-4 minutes (we suggest 5, ours weren't totally done).
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet, add onion and garlic. Saute 1 minute. Add herbs, carrots, and beans. Continue to cook 3-5 minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and add the tomato, walnuts, brown rice, and 1/2 c tomato sauce. Heat through.
Stuff mixture into peppers. Spread 1/2 c sauce in bottom of baking dish. Stand peppers upright. Pour remaining sauce over the tops of peppers. Bake in oven 30 minutes.
Enjoy!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Veggie and Sweet Potato Lasagna
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz white or baby bella mushrooms, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 24 oz jar of prepared tomato marinara sauce
- 2 cups of pureed sweet potato (from approx 2 sweet potatoes)
- 1 package (9 oz) no boil whole wheat lasagna noodles
- 2-3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method:
The key to this lasagna is to dice the vegetables finely; this creates a layer that mimics the texture and feel of the traditional meat layer, but this taste so much better! Serves 6.
1. To make the sweet potato puree, pierce the skin in several places with a knife. Either set the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with tin foil, bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or set them on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Peel the skin and discard. Mash insides with a fork. Set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, red bell pepper, carrot, Herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Add ½ the jar of marinara sauce or about 1 ½ cups. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Divide the box of noodles into four even stacks. Assemble the lasagna by covering the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with half the remaining marinara sauce (about ¾ cup). Next, lay out one stack of noodles in a single layer. On top of the noodles, spread ½ the vegetable mixture evenly. Top with another single layer of noodles. Next, spread out the sweet potato evenly and top with another layer of noodles. Then, add the remaining vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining noodles and spread the remainder of the marinara sauce over top. Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over top and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes. Remove the tin foil half way through to ensure the top gets crisp and golden. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.
Helpful hints: I didn't have enough mushrooms so I cut up a zucchini very finely. I liked it in the dish.
~Months ago we bought this thing called a vidalia chop wizard at Bed, Bath and Beyond. It is awesome and has been one of the most used tools on this diet. There are two different sizes to chop. And what I love is that it can get the veggies really little. That's what I used for this lasagna.
~I used spaghetti sauce. I would suggest a low sodium one, because this seemed to have more salt in it than I would have liked.
~I have no idea what Herbs de Provence is, so I used italian seasoning in the same measurement.
~On top of each veggie layer I added fat free cheese.
~For the bread crumbs I just toasted 2 slices of whole wheat bread, broke them up in smaller pieces and then put them in the food processor and pulsed it until they looked like bread crumbs.
I really liked this recipe. I had a ton of left overs and for me that seems to be the key to stay on track better because it gives me several different meals after I've made it. I got this recipe from a website called mygreendiet.com. I saw her on the Studio 5 show last year and I got her book. The book I have has tons of recipes. The only thing is in some of her recipes she will use oil and more carbs. But I'm realizing I have to do what I like and sometimes I adjust it or just follow the exact directions. ENJOY!!
1. To make the sweet potato puree, pierce the skin in several places with a knife. Either set the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with tin foil, bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or set them on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Peel the skin and discard. Mash insides with a fork. Set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, red bell pepper, carrot, Herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Add ½ the jar of marinara sauce or about 1 ½ cups. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and remove from heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Divide the box of noodles into four even stacks. Assemble the lasagna by covering the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with half the remaining marinara sauce (about ¾ cup). Next, lay out one stack of noodles in a single layer. On top of the noodles, spread ½ the vegetable mixture evenly. Top with another single layer of noodles. Next, spread out the sweet potato evenly and top with another layer of noodles. Then, add the remaining vegetable mixture. Top with the remaining noodles and spread the remainder of the marinara sauce over top. Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over top and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes. Remove the tin foil half way through to ensure the top gets crisp and golden. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.
Helpful hints: I didn't have enough mushrooms so I cut up a zucchini very finely. I liked it in the dish.
~Months ago we bought this thing called a vidalia chop wizard at Bed, Bath and Beyond. It is awesome and has been one of the most used tools on this diet. There are two different sizes to chop. And what I love is that it can get the veggies really little. That's what I used for this lasagna.
~I used spaghetti sauce. I would suggest a low sodium one, because this seemed to have more salt in it than I would have liked.
~I have no idea what Herbs de Provence is, so I used italian seasoning in the same measurement.
~On top of each veggie layer I added fat free cheese.
~For the bread crumbs I just toasted 2 slices of whole wheat bread, broke them up in smaller pieces and then put them in the food processor and pulsed it until they looked like bread crumbs.
I really liked this recipe. I had a ton of left overs and for me that seems to be the key to stay on track better because it gives me several different meals after I've made it. I got this recipe from a website called mygreendiet.com. I saw her on the Studio 5 show last year and I got her book. The book I have has tons of recipes. The only thing is in some of her recipes she will use oil and more carbs. But I'm realizing I have to do what I like and sometimes I adjust it or just follow the exact directions. ENJOY!!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Antelope Jerky and Spaghetti a la Sqaush e Lentil
Hey everyone,
First of all, I have been excellent at meals. My meals are totally Dr. Fuhrman approved. However, it's between meals that I suck. For example, my roommate brought some antelope jerky from home. Apparently her dad's a bug hunter. Anyway, it's amazing! That's been my weakness this week because she's been like, "Oh, eat as much as you want." It's really hard to resist. Every week it's something else for me. Oh well.
So I made up a new recipe that I love!!! I had some things in my cupboard that I really wanted to use, so I had to be kind of creative, but it worked out really well, and it's one of my new favorite things to eat. I like to experiment with food, and I think even the Fuhrman diet leaves room for some creativity. There aren't exact measurements with this recipe (like I said, I was experimenting), but just try it out and use some common sense, and it will still taste wonderful. I've attached some pictures at the end so you can kind of see what it looks like. It's not difficult, so don't let the bulky instructions intimidate you.
Spaghetti a la Squash e Lentil (my random name for it)
You will need:
1 big spaghetti squash
Spaghetti sauce (low sodium)
Lentils
Some sort of meat flavored liquid
1 green pepper
Half of an onion (or more, if you want)
Spices (Cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic -- whatever you want)
First -- Cook one big spaghetti squash. Keep an eye on the squash throughout the cooking process. (In case you don't know how to cook spaghetti squash, just cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then put it face down on a pan at about 350-375 degrees for about an hour or until soft. When it's done you just scoop out the inside and it comes out like spaghetti.) If you don't want to use spaghetti squash, you can just use wheat noodles. But I prefer spaghetti squash; I think it has a nice texture.
Second -- While the spaghetti squash is cooking, you make your sauce. This is where the lentils come in. You need about three times as much liquid as you have lentils. So add your liquid to the sauce pan (if you're doing half a cup of lentils, then do 1 and half cups of liquid). Add the liquid. I like using lentils because they absorb flavors, so they can take the place of meet in your spaghetti dish. So make sure you don't just use water for your liquid. When I did it, I didn't have much in my apartment, so I added a beef flavoring packet from a top ramen packet in my cupboard. But you can use anything -- seasoning packets, chicken/beef broth, bullion cubes, etc.
Third -- Add your lentils. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat down to a simmer and cover. Make sure there's always enough liquid around the lentils so that they can get soft. Just eyeball it. I had to keep adding water. Stir occasionally.
Fourth -- While lentils are cooking, cut up half an onion (or more, whatever you want really), and green pepper. Sauté onion and green pepper in a separate pan. I just scoop a couple of table spoons of the liquid from the lentils to use in sauteing the onions and peppers.
Fifth -- Once green peppers and onions are soft, add them to the lentils. Turn up the heat (to about medium, or a little less), and let them simmer together. Stir occasionally. Add spices if you want. The longer this sits, the better because the flavors can seep into the lentils. However, if you don't have time to wait, you can pull this off the stove as soon as the lentils are completely soft.
Sixth -- Once lentils are soft, add spaghetti sauce--however much you want. I added about half a cup.
Seventh -- When the spaghetti squash is done, pull it out, scoop out the inside. Serve spaghetti squash with lentil sauce on top.
It's super delicious! Sorry I don't have exact measurements, but it was an experiment. Just be creative, and try different things. I'm sure it will be tasty. Enjoy!
This is a picture of the lentil, green pepper, and onion mixture.
This is a picture of the lentil mixture after I added the spaghetti sauce.
This is a picture of what the spaghetti squash looks like after I scooped it out.
And this is the finished meal! Yum!
First of all, I have been excellent at meals. My meals are totally Dr. Fuhrman approved. However, it's between meals that I suck. For example, my roommate brought some antelope jerky from home. Apparently her dad's a bug hunter. Anyway, it's amazing! That's been my weakness this week because she's been like, "Oh, eat as much as you want." It's really hard to resist. Every week it's something else for me. Oh well.
So I made up a new recipe that I love!!! I had some things in my cupboard that I really wanted to use, so I had to be kind of creative, but it worked out really well, and it's one of my new favorite things to eat. I like to experiment with food, and I think even the Fuhrman diet leaves room for some creativity. There aren't exact measurements with this recipe (like I said, I was experimenting), but just try it out and use some common sense, and it will still taste wonderful. I've attached some pictures at the end so you can kind of see what it looks like. It's not difficult, so don't let the bulky instructions intimidate you.
Spaghetti a la Squash e Lentil (my random name for it)
You will need:
1 big spaghetti squash
Spaghetti sauce (low sodium)
Lentils
Some sort of meat flavored liquid
1 green pepper
Half of an onion (or more, if you want)
Spices (Cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic -- whatever you want)
First -- Cook one big spaghetti squash. Keep an eye on the squash throughout the cooking process. (In case you don't know how to cook spaghetti squash, just cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then put it face down on a pan at about 350-375 degrees for about an hour or until soft. When it's done you just scoop out the inside and it comes out like spaghetti.) If you don't want to use spaghetti squash, you can just use wheat noodles. But I prefer spaghetti squash; I think it has a nice texture.
Second -- While the spaghetti squash is cooking, you make your sauce. This is where the lentils come in. You need about three times as much liquid as you have lentils. So add your liquid to the sauce pan (if you're doing half a cup of lentils, then do 1 and half cups of liquid). Add the liquid. I like using lentils because they absorb flavors, so they can take the place of meet in your spaghetti dish. So make sure you don't just use water for your liquid. When I did it, I didn't have much in my apartment, so I added a beef flavoring packet from a top ramen packet in my cupboard. But you can use anything -- seasoning packets, chicken/beef broth, bullion cubes, etc.
Third -- Add your lentils. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat down to a simmer and cover. Make sure there's always enough liquid around the lentils so that they can get soft. Just eyeball it. I had to keep adding water. Stir occasionally.
Fourth -- While lentils are cooking, cut up half an onion (or more, whatever you want really), and green pepper. Sauté onion and green pepper in a separate pan. I just scoop a couple of table spoons of the liquid from the lentils to use in sauteing the onions and peppers.
Fifth -- Once green peppers and onions are soft, add them to the lentils. Turn up the heat (to about medium, or a little less), and let them simmer together. Stir occasionally. Add spices if you want. The longer this sits, the better because the flavors can seep into the lentils. However, if you don't have time to wait, you can pull this off the stove as soon as the lentils are completely soft.
Sixth -- Once lentils are soft, add spaghetti sauce--however much you want. I added about half a cup.
Seventh -- When the spaghetti squash is done, pull it out, scoop out the inside. Serve spaghetti squash with lentil sauce on top.
It's super delicious! Sorry I don't have exact measurements, but it was an experiment. Just be creative, and try different things. I'm sure it will be tasty. Enjoy!
This is a picture of the lentil, green pepper, and onion mixture.
This is a picture of the lentil mixture after I added the spaghetti sauce.
This is a picture of what the spaghetti squash looks like after I scooped it out.
And this is the finished meal! Yum!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Veggie Wrap
This was really good, even Taylor liked it! I used fat free cheese instead of the non dairy. For the guacamole we just took an avocado and mashed it with a little lemon juice and Salsa. Fast and easy...
Enjoy
Best Ever Veggie Wrap
Ranette
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 C. Sweet Potatoes (cut like french fries)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 C. Spinach leaves
1 whole Avocado
1/4 C. Guacamole
1/2 C. Shredded Carrots
1/4 C. Shredded non-dairy cheese
2 Tortillas
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss potatoes with small amount of olive oil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until lightly golden and tender.
When potatoes are done, spread two tortillas with guacamole then top with sliced avocado, spinach leaves, shredded carrots, cheese and potatoes and fold the wrap. You can either eat it like this, or put into a pan and brown on both sides. Slice in two and enjoy!
Enjoy
Best Ever Veggie Wrap
Ranette
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 C. Sweet Potatoes (cut like french fries)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 C. Spinach leaves
1 whole Avocado
1/4 C. Guacamole
1/2 C. Shredded Carrots
1/4 C. Shredded non-dairy cheese
2 Tortillas
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss potatoes with small amount of olive oil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until lightly golden and tender.
When potatoes are done, spread two tortillas with guacamole then top with sliced avocado, spinach leaves, shredded carrots, cheese and potatoes and fold the wrap. You can either eat it like this, or put into a pan and brown on both sides. Slice in two and enjoy!
Tanner's Dream Pie
This isn't strictly Fuhrman so use it sparingly. We actually haven't tried it yet, but it came to me in a dream, and next time we want a desert I'm going to make it. It should be cheap and easy to make.
Directions:
(1) Make one batch of the banana oat cookie batter that is listed on the blog.
(2) Press this into a pie dish as pie crust. Bake in the oven for what ever it says for the banana oat cookies. Be sure to spray the pan well so crust doesn't stick.
(3) Make one batch of banana cream low fat/no sugar pudding mix.
(4) Chop up 1 or 2 bananas and throw it in the pudding.
(5) Add frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries (whatever you have in the freezer for shakes and such) to the pudding.
(6) Mix pudding and poor it into banana oat cookie pie crust.
(7) Freeze!!!
I'm pretty sure this is going to be a delicious desert. Again I wouldn't make this all the time...but on a Friday or Saturday night it would go perfect with a good movie.
Directions:
(1) Make one batch of the banana oat cookie batter that is listed on the blog.
(2) Press this into a pie dish as pie crust. Bake in the oven for what ever it says for the banana oat cookies. Be sure to spray the pan well so crust doesn't stick.
(3) Make one batch of banana cream low fat/no sugar pudding mix.
(4) Chop up 1 or 2 bananas and throw it in the pudding.
(5) Add frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries (whatever you have in the freezer for shakes and such) to the pudding.
(6) Mix pudding and poor it into banana oat cookie pie crust.
(7) Freeze!!!
I'm pretty sure this is going to be a delicious desert. Again I wouldn't make this all the time...but on a Friday or Saturday night it would go perfect with a good movie.
Quick Helpful Hint
I would like to take the time to respond to Tanner's and Lindsey's posts but I don't have time right now, hopefully later on. I did want to pass on a helpful hint. Tanner mentions that he is always hungry. I have read an listened to more Dr. Furhman than you can shake a stick at. He always tells people when they don't feel satiated (Satisfied) to eat more beans, or grab a small handful of nuts. These things help with the hunger. Eat lots of beans, edamame, lima all kinds... I find they help with the hunger. Eat 1 to 2 cups of beans per day.
Well, got to run to a meeting... I will post more later...
Well, got to run to a meeting... I will post more later...
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Tanner's response to Lindsey's post
Hi Linz. I was going to make a quick comment, but it ended
up being so long I turned it into a post. I struggle with a lot of the same
stuff you do, but I know you have a lot of your own unique challenges. I tried
to sum up my advice in 4 simple points that are helping me. The fact of the
matter is…I don’t know if it will be successful this time, but I’m trying to
stay motivated and positive.
1) Don't stress about it so much.
2) Realize that true change is difficult to the say the
least. Rafiki: "Change is good!" Simba: "Yeah, but it's not
easy." It won't happen in a day, week, 6 week diet plan, or probably even
in a year. So find joy and satisfaction in the little things you are able to do
and then slowly add those little things together.
3) GET INTO FUHRMAN (if that is what you are
doing).
Ask Michael if you can spend $30 and purchase a 6 month
membership, or use Dad's or mine. Go on there and find recipes. If you can't
find them there, look on the blog or on the web. Get excited about it.
Try new things. That doesn't mean that you have to waste
money on crap you don't know if you like. We wasted a lot of money on that kind
of stuff the first 2 weeks. My rule for
a new recipe is this, if it has ingredients that you like in it, then you will
probably like the dish.
Put tons of crap into your salads: almonds, walnuts,
sunflower seeds, grapes, tomatoes, black beans, radishes, mushrooms, craisons
(not all at once of course). I find my salads are the best when there are at
least 3 toppings. Try the ranch spritzer from Walmart, we love it. It's only 15
calories for like 10 sprays. So I really don't put a limit to how much I use. If
you don’t like it try something else, because you really need a dressing you
like. To make an easy salad do this: go to Walmart and buy two plastic tubs of
"Marketside Spring Mix." It’s just a whole bunch of pre-cut weird salad
stuff you see on Chopped. Then buy one thing of spinach. This will last you two
whole weeks. This has made a huge difference for us, it's quick and there is a
large variety.
Buy edamame (cheap at Walmart), make shakes, make soup and
chile that will last for days. Buy the progresso soup that only has like
120-200 Cal per can they have flavors like clam chowder, chicken noodle,
itialian meat ball, chicken and dumplings, vegetable barley. Basically any of
the cans with weight watcher points on the side. Although they aren't strictly
Fuhrman they are good for you and I think fantastic. When I don't feel like
having a huge salad, I'll eat a whole can of soup with a medium salad, or a
package of edamame, and then a couple pieces of fruit. Make your own salsa and
dips. Buy fruit that you like and that is on sale.
I wish I could say that doing this will get rid of your
appetite. But IT WILL NOT. Half the battle will be learning to control the
appetite. It sucks at first. There is no way around it. Fuhrman says you don’t
need to be hungry, but that is a bunch of crap. I eat healthy stuff till I can’t
do it anymore. Not because I’m too full, but I just feel tired of eating and
relatively satisfied. Then an hour later, I can eat a gain. To help I chew
sugar free gum, and drink water. And if I can’t stand it any longer…HAVE A
SALAD OR A BOWL OF SOUP.
Keep living your life. If you go to a party and there is
cake and ice cream, have a small helping. Nina and I laughed at ourselves the
other day when we went to a party. They had cake and ice cream, so went over
and got us a little of both. It was delicious, but we really tried to limit it
to one small helping. We got home and realized that it was probably one full
serving of ice cream (like 1/2 cup), and then realized we had probably never had just one
serving in our whole lives!
4) IT’S ABOUT
CONSISTANCY NOT PERFECTION. I wish I could say that I’ve been perfect, but I
haven’t. But I guarantee you this, the reason most people fail this diet is
because they give up, not because they stopped losing weight or couldn’t do it.
Good luck.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
venting
I'm not wanting any sympathy at all. I'm just having a hard time. I'm way too connected to food. On such a level that when I'm not eating food I'm thinking of it and how I can sneak something that I shouldn't. But who am I sneaking from? Nobody. Michael is very encouraging but doesn't make me feel bad when I slip. Probably because he knows that I would bite his face off if he did. What an emotional couple weeks it has been. I feel like I've been a monster. I'm to the point already that when I think of eating a shake or salad I want to throw up. So because of that sometimes I'd rather eat nothing than those "things." And honestly the unhealthy stuff that we have around the house is not that tempting. But because I know I shouldn't have it I want to and often give in. It is my drug. I am completely addicted worse than I ever have been. I hate how far I've gotten into this addiction and how it has ruined my health. If someone were to come up to me and ask if I would drop everything and be on the biggest loser, I would. I feel like because I can't keep my food under control everything else in my life is out of control. AHHHHHH!!!! Give me some motivation. Advice. Anything that helps you. (I will reread the helpful hints post) But you can't just tell me it's self control or will power. Because my problem is way beyond that. I have every reason to become healthy but for some reason my mind cannot wrap around those important things that I want to live for. I haven't given up but I need something to change. Food is destroying me, physically and mentally and I need help. There, you have my confession. What do I do?
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Doing Well -- Not Amazing
So I have been doing well on the diet. I'm trying to implement his "eat for health" diet, vs. the "eat to live" diet. I would love to go all out, but I don't think that is practical for me. Not only is it an expensive diet, but it's hard to do it all by myself out here. But the eat for health diet seems like something I can keep up long term. I have a lot more control over my hunger. And when I gave up sweets for a couple months last year, it really taught me that I can resist that crap. I CAN have control over my appetite! So I am doing Much (MUCH! Like 90%) better than I was doing before the new year. However, last night I broke down and had some peanut butter delight. I happened to have some chocolate chips in the cupboard (leftover from Christmas), and I also had peanut butter. So the natural, Fullmer response was to melt it and eat it on a banana. I loved it while I ate it, but then after I felt guilty and sick. Bleh! Please don't coddle me. Scold me! Tell me I'm going to get fat if I keep doing that!
I need things that I can cook and then conveniently bring around with me on campus. If there's some type of Fuhrman (sp?) casserole, that would be awesome. Because it could be my lunch for like a week. Anyway, good job y'all. Hopefully when Tanner and Nina see me next I'll be like a size [insert size], smaller than I am right now. Keep on keeping on!
And thanks for all of the recipes. I'm going to try some new ones this week. Also, I stand by my black bean soup. I love it. I added some corn, and it makes it less monotonous to eat.
I need things that I can cook and then conveniently bring around with me on campus. If there's some type of Fuhrman (sp?) casserole, that would be awesome. Because it could be my lunch for like a week. Anyway, good job y'all. Hopefully when Tanner and Nina see me next I'll be like a size [insert size], smaller than I am right now. Keep on keeping on!
And thanks for all of the recipes. I'm going to try some new ones this week. Also, I stand by my black bean soup. I love it. I added some corn, and it makes it less monotonous to eat.
Bean Enchilada
Bean Enchiladas
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup sliced onion
8 ounces tomato sauce, no or low sodium, divided
2 cups cooked pinto or black beans or canned beans, no-salt-added or low sodium
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
6 corn tortillas
Instructions:
Saute the green pepper and onion in 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce until tender. Stir in the remaining tomato sauce, beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, cilantro and cayenne (if using). Simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture on each tortilla and roll up. Serve as is or bake for 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
This is one of my favorite Dr. Furhman recipes so far. However, instead of tomato sauce we usually just use enchilada sauce. Give it a try, it will be a regular..
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup sliced onion
8 ounces tomato sauce, no or low sodium, divided
2 cups cooked pinto or black beans or canned beans, no-salt-added or low sodium
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
6 corn tortillas
Instructions:
Saute the green pepper and onion in 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce until tender. Stir in the remaining tomato sauce, beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, cilantro and cayenne (if using). Simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture on each tortilla and roll up. Serve as is or bake for 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
This is one of my favorite Dr. Furhman recipes so far. However, instead of tomato sauce we usually just use enchilada sauce. Give it a try, it will be a regular..
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tanner's Update
So I know it's a little tacky to post my weight loss or how I've done on the diet, but I want to be held accountable. If I post it on here where others can read it then I hopefully it will motivate me to achieve my goals. My 6 week goal is 25 lbs, and my 5 month goal is 53 lbs.
Week 1: I did really well with sticking to the diet and ended up losing just over 6 lbs! I'm sure a lot of that was water weight. I also quit drinking diet coke cold turkey and suffered through the headaches for a couple days. My only weakness was snacking in between meals, especially on almonds.
Week 2: My week started great. In 3 days I had lost 4lbs, but on day 4 and 5 I had a couple business dinners and cheated on both days. I don't really care that I cheated a little bit, but that on days 6 and 7 I lost control of my appetite and ate way too many snacks. They were healthy, but again went overboard on the almonds, and on day 6 I ate a whole thing of sugar free pudding (280 Cal). Anyway, I ended up only losing 4.5 lbs for the whole week. Which brings my grand total to around 10.5 lbs in 2 weeks.
My goal for week 3 is to CUT DOWN ON EATING BETWEEN MEALS. Again I don't really care that I ended up cheating a little on the diet. Nina and I keep saying that we are going to be as perfect as possible, but also live our lives. So if one week something comes up where I have to buy something at work because I forgot a lunch, well then so be it. I'm going to avoid these situations, but not going to beat myself up when they happen. Overall I feel really good on the diet. I feel a lot more in control of my hunger and I'm learning to study, watch football, and read without eating the entire time. Hopefully I finally grow some cojones and lose the weight!!!
Week 1: I did really well with sticking to the diet and ended up losing just over 6 lbs! I'm sure a lot of that was water weight. I also quit drinking diet coke cold turkey and suffered through the headaches for a couple days. My only weakness was snacking in between meals, especially on almonds.
Week 2: My week started great. In 3 days I had lost 4lbs, but on day 4 and 5 I had a couple business dinners and cheated on both days. I don't really care that I cheated a little bit, but that on days 6 and 7 I lost control of my appetite and ate way too many snacks. They were healthy, but again went overboard on the almonds, and on day 6 I ate a whole thing of sugar free pudding (280 Cal). Anyway, I ended up only losing 4.5 lbs for the whole week. Which brings my grand total to around 10.5 lbs in 2 weeks.
My goal for week 3 is to CUT DOWN ON EATING BETWEEN MEALS. Again I don't really care that I ended up cheating a little on the diet. Nina and I keep saying that we are going to be as perfect as possible, but also live our lives. So if one week something comes up where I have to buy something at work because I forgot a lunch, well then so be it. I'm going to avoid these situations, but not going to beat myself up when they happen. Overall I feel really good on the diet. I feel a lot more in control of my hunger and I'm learning to study, watch football, and read without eating the entire time. Hopefully I finally grow some cojones and lose the weight!!!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Vegetable Bean Burrito
Vegetable Bean Burrito
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 head broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 head cauliflower florets, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's VegiZest or other no salt seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup raw cashews or 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
1/2 cup unsweetened soy, hemp or almond milk
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (15 ounce) can no salt added or low sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 whole wheat tortillas or large romaine lettuce leaves
no or low sodium salsa
Instructions:
Place 2 tablespoons water, the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, garlic, VegiZest, basil, oregano, and parsley in a large covered pot. Saute for 15 minutes or until tender, adding more water if needed. In the meantime, place cashews and milk in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add the cashew mixture and beans to the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Spread the mixture on the tortillas and roll up to form burritos. Serve with salsa.
These are really good, they take a long time to prepare, probably 20 -30 minutes . If don't have vegizest don't worry about it or maybe use a little Mrs Dash. ALso, you need Salsa to put on it....Good for several meals, I took to the office the other day for lunch and they were excellent..
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 head broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 head cauliflower florets, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's VegiZest or other no salt seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup raw cashews or 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
1/2 cup unsweetened soy, hemp or almond milk
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (15 ounce) can no salt added or low sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 whole wheat tortillas or large romaine lettuce leaves
no or low sodium salsa
Instructions:
Place 2 tablespoons water, the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, garlic, VegiZest, basil, oregano, and parsley in a large covered pot. Saute for 15 minutes or until tender, adding more water if needed. In the meantime, place cashews and milk in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add the cashew mixture and beans to the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Spread the mixture on the tortillas and roll up to form burritos. Serve with salsa.
These are really good, they take a long time to prepare, probably 20 -30 minutes . If don't have vegizest don't worry about it or maybe use a little Mrs Dash. ALso, you need Salsa to put on it....Good for several meals, I took to the office the other day for lunch and they were excellent..
Bean Burgers
Simple Sunny Bean Burgers
Serves: 2
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups cooked or canned red or pink beans, no salt added or low sodium, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons low sodium ketchup
1 tablespoon wheat germ or old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet with a little olive oil on a paper towel.
Chop the sunflower seeds in a food processor or with a hand
chopper. Mash the beans in the food processor or with a potato masher
and mix with the sunflower seeds. Mix in the remaining ingredients and
form into six patties.
Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, until you can pick up each
patty and compress it firmly in your hands to re-form the burger. Return
the patties to the baking sheet, bottom side up, and bake for another
10 minutes.
These are one of my favorites.... I like to have ketchup with them... Really good with a Salad
Serves: 2
Preparation Time:
10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups cooked or canned red or pink beans, no salt added or low sodium, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons low sodium ketchup
1 tablespoon wheat germ or old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet with a little olive oil on a paper towel.
Chop the sunflower seeds in a food processor or with a hand
chopper. Mash the beans in the food processor or with a potato masher
and mix with the sunflower seeds. Mix in the remaining ingredients and
form into six patties.
Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, until you can pick up each
patty and compress it firmly in your hands to re-form the burger. Return
the patties to the baking sheet, bottom side up, and bake for another
10 minutes.
These are one of my favorites.... I like to have ketchup with them... Really good with a Salad
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
feeling better already
Guys I just have to say that I'm feeling really positive and good about this "time around." I just started on Monday but I already feel better. I think it's my body getting rid of all the bad stuff and feeling good and full on the good stuff. Maybe it's because I'm better prepared or because I've prayed really hard for help. But whatever it is I sure hope it sticks. It doesn't hurt to have amazing support like all of you. Thank you guys for everything and keep posting those great recipes!
Another Black Bean Soup
Vegan Black Bean Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans (rinsed)
- 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (full can)
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.
My tips: I cut back just a little on the chili powder and cumin. I would add a lot more carrots and celery next time. I used frozen corn instead of canned. And I omitted one can of black beans and added pinto beans instead (not to the blender part).
I really really liked this! I think it's my new favorite healthy soup.
Black Bean and Corn Salad
1 can, 14 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c frozen corn kernels
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot sauce (tobasco)
1 lime, juiced
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to fully defrost and flavors to combine, then toss and serve. The corn will also place a quick-chill on this easy side salad as it defrosts--no need to refrigerate.
My tips:
-I like to eat this with avocado.
-When doubling recipe do not double onion.
- I also add a clove of minced garlic to this and tomato.
-Unless you love red onion :) chop it very very fine. If not saute the onion before you add it or else it is really strong.
-For the hot sauce I use the milder kind of tobasco which is in a green bottle.
-I cut a tortilla into triangles and ate it that way. I also really like it when all the ingredients are sauted together.
2 c frozen corn kernels
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot sauce (tobasco)
1 lime, juiced
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to fully defrost and flavors to combine, then toss and serve. The corn will also place a quick-chill on this easy side salad as it defrosts--no need to refrigerate.
My tips:
-I like to eat this with avocado.
-When doubling recipe do not double onion.
- I also add a clove of minced garlic to this and tomato.
-Unless you love red onion :) chop it very very fine. If not saute the onion before you add it or else it is really strong.
-For the hot sauce I use the milder kind of tobasco which is in a green bottle.
-I cut a tortilla into triangles and ate it that way. I also really like it when all the ingredients are sauted together.
Some helpful tips..
Here are some things that have helped us this past week (though we know Dad doesn't need it, he doing so awesome, way to go Dad!):
-Find variety, but within reasonable limits. It is expensive to get too crazy, but a lot of the base stuff that will last a long time will be pricey in the beginning. Especially with salads, you need different things to put on it to enjoy it. My new favorite is Costco's mango peach salsa. It is amazing! If you don't have a membership, have someone who does pick some up for you, it is $5 for a huge container and it tastes SO GOOD! I throw in some black beans, corn if we have it, and TONS of spinach and lettuce and voila! lunch. And you don't have to put a ton on-I put on about 2 tablespoons, stirred it around to coat the salad, and it was perfect.
-Cook some things ahead. Tanner has been buying dry beans, then soaking and cooking the whole bag one night, throwing it in a tupperware in the fridge, and then you have beans whenever you need them and don't have to rinse them from the can.
-Have some back up things that will hold you over when you are tempted-like the cookies, dips, or something healthy to snack on so you can indulge if you are feeling overwhelmed.
-Don't kill yourself if you do badly for one meal. Our neighbors do a weekly potluck lunch. Obviously I can't stay vegan if I go. Last week I went and I didn't let myself have more than one of each thing. I made sure I enjoyed it though, not worrying about only having one and wanting more (except the cookies, I did want another one of those). And when I was done, I felt that feeling that I could eat more because I wanted to, but I knew I wasn't hungry. If you miss a meal, don't freak out and blow it, just eat a reasonable amount.
-Remember, since so much is raw, it isn't that hard to take on the go. I know eating a salad in public is never an attractive thing, at least not for me, but throwing greens and something to go on top in a tupperware and going works out great. Then a piece of fruit to go with it and you're good! I always justified that it was too hard to pack a salad to go, but it isn't that bad.
Hope this is helpful to anyone reading and hope you're doing well!
-Find variety, but within reasonable limits. It is expensive to get too crazy, but a lot of the base stuff that will last a long time will be pricey in the beginning. Especially with salads, you need different things to put on it to enjoy it. My new favorite is Costco's mango peach salsa. It is amazing! If you don't have a membership, have someone who does pick some up for you, it is $5 for a huge container and it tastes SO GOOD! I throw in some black beans, corn if we have it, and TONS of spinach and lettuce and voila! lunch. And you don't have to put a ton on-I put on about 2 tablespoons, stirred it around to coat the salad, and it was perfect.
-Cook some things ahead. Tanner has been buying dry beans, then soaking and cooking the whole bag one night, throwing it in a tupperware in the fridge, and then you have beans whenever you need them and don't have to rinse them from the can.
-Have some back up things that will hold you over when you are tempted-like the cookies, dips, or something healthy to snack on so you can indulge if you are feeling overwhelmed.
-Don't kill yourself if you do badly for one meal. Our neighbors do a weekly potluck lunch. Obviously I can't stay vegan if I go. Last week I went and I didn't let myself have more than one of each thing. I made sure I enjoyed it though, not worrying about only having one and wanting more (except the cookies, I did want another one of those). And when I was done, I felt that feeling that I could eat more because I wanted to, but I knew I wasn't hungry. If you miss a meal, don't freak out and blow it, just eat a reasonable amount.
-Remember, since so much is raw, it isn't that hard to take on the go. I know eating a salad in public is never an attractive thing, at least not for me, but throwing greens and something to go on top in a tupperware and going works out great. Then a piece of fruit to go with it and you're good! I always justified that it was too hard to pack a salad to go, but it isn't that bad.
Hope this is helpful to anyone reading and hope you're doing well!
Banana Oat Cookies
www.drfuhrman.com
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates 2 medium bananas, mashed 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or almonds 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 100% fruit spread, any flavor, if desired Instructions: 1. Add 2 tablespoons water to dates or raisins and soak for 30 minutes. 2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 3. Combine the mashed bananas and the oats. Add the nuts, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and the soaked dates or raisins. Mix well. 4. Drop by tablespoons onto a non-stick cookie sheet. If desired, flatten a little and make an indentation into the center of the cookie. Add the fruit spread. 5. Bake for 13 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 14 cookies.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sweet Walnut Salad
1/4 cup walnuts (I'm just guessing on these measurements, I just put on a handful and put on what looks like a good amount)
1/4 c craisins (Same as above)
1 cup spinach
2 cups lettuce (whatever kind you prefer)
raspberry walnut vinaigrette (I like the Newman's brand), or any vinaigrette you prefer
Mix salad ingredients together and pour on 1-2 Tb vinaigrette and mix it so it coats the whole salad. You only want enough to make the salad not dry, you don't want to saturate it. Has a nice sweet flavor that is balanced out by the nuts. Almonds are a great substitute for the walnuts.
1/4 c craisins (Same as above)
1 cup spinach
2 cups lettuce (whatever kind you prefer)
raspberry walnut vinaigrette (I like the Newman's brand), or any vinaigrette you prefer
Mix salad ingredients together and pour on 1-2 Tb vinaigrette and mix it so it coats the whole salad. You only want enough to make the salad not dry, you don't want to saturate it. Has a nice sweet flavor that is balanced out by the nuts. Almonds are a great substitute for the walnuts.
Arugula and Spinach Stuffed Pitas with Watercress Pesto
www.drfuhrman.com
Instructions:
Slice bottom edge including root off garlic bulb. Lightly roast bulb for 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Cut open cloves and squeeze out soft cooked garlic. Combine the roasted garlic with the other pesto ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.
Spread pesto on whole grain pitas. Stuff pita with the remaining sandwich ingredients.
Alterations: We couldn't find watercress anywhere, so we just used spinach instead and made a spinach pesto, still tasted great. We also just used 1 Tb of dried basil instead of the leaves.
*I (Nina) thought that the garlic aftertaste was a little too strong, so I don't know that I would use the whole bulb, I had to brush my teeth twice and chew some gum to get the garlic taste out of my mouth. But while we were eating them, they were delicious!
Serves:
4
Preparation Time:
20 minutes
Ingredients:
PESTO
1 bulb garlic
2 cups watercress, stems removed
5 basil leaves
1/2 cup walnuts
4 tablespoons unsweetened soy, hemp or almond milk
SANDWICH
4 whole grain pitas
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 cups arugula
2 cups spinach
1 avocado, pit removed, sliced
Slice bottom edge including root off garlic bulb. Lightly roast bulb for 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Cut open cloves and squeeze out soft cooked garlic. Combine the roasted garlic with the other pesto ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.
Spread pesto on whole grain pitas. Stuff pita with the remaining sandwich ingredients.
Alterations: We couldn't find watercress anywhere, so we just used spinach instead and made a spinach pesto, still tasted great. We also just used 1 Tb of dried basil instead of the leaves.
*I (Nina) thought that the garlic aftertaste was a little too strong, so I don't know that I would use the whole bulb, I had to brush my teeth twice and chew some gum to get the garlic taste out of my mouth. But while we were eating them, they were delicious!
Bean Dip
2 cups or 1 can black beans, rinsed
2 cups or 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 cup chick peas
1 can drained corn, or 2 cups thawed frozen corn
1/4 c red onion
1-2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 Tb white vinegar
1 Tb lime juice
1 Tb basil
1 Tb oregano
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Tastes better cold, so I let it sit in the fridge for a while, but it is great right after you make it too. I use this a lot on salads as well. I use this a lot on salads as well, it makes it a lot more substantial. It makes a lot, so you may want to half it.
2 cups or 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 cup chick peas
1 can drained corn, or 2 cups thawed frozen corn
1/4 c red onion
1-2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 Tb white vinegar
1 Tb lime juice
1 Tb basil
1 Tb oregano
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Tastes better cold, so I let it sit in the fridge for a while, but it is great right after you make it too. I use this a lot on salads as well. I use this a lot on salads as well, it makes it a lot more substantial. It makes a lot, so you may want to half it.
Avocado Salsa
1 cup finely chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tb finely chopped red onion
3 Tb fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Combine all ingredients and mash lightly with fork.
We eat this as a side with lettuce and toasted corn tortillas; we also use it as a salad dressing, just add some black beans and it tastes great!
1/2 cup chopped peeled avocado
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tb finely chopped red onion
3 Tb fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Combine all ingredients and mash lightly with fork.
We eat this as a side with lettuce and toasted corn tortillas; we also use it as a salad dressing, just add some black beans and it tastes great!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Tomato Bisque/Pasta Sauce
- 3 cups carrot juice
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped or 1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, no-salt-added or low sodium (San Marzano variety is best, lower acid and sweeter)
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's MatoZest or other no salt seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1/2 cup raw cashews or 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 5 ounces organic baby spinach
Remove 2 cups of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Puree the remaining soup with the cashews in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth. Return the pureed soup along with the reserved vegetables to the pot. Stir in the basil and spinach and heat until spinach is wilted.
From Dr. Fuhrman's website
Alterations: This is a good soup, but Tanner and I found it tastes a little like eating tomato sauce. So we put it on whole wheat or rice noodles and it tastes great! We substituted Mrs. Dash's Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning for the MatoZest and added walnuts instead of cashews because we didn't have any. We also added mushrooms after it had been blended and let them cook another ten minutes.
Black Bean Soup
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup chunky salsa
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
- In an electric food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth.
- Heat the bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
- Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream and 1/2 tablespoon green onion.
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