Day 29!

This is sooooooooo much fun!! I'm definitely going to contine, but a little slower next time! We need time to eat the food!! Haze is spoiled by having a completely different recipe for each and every meal--going to have to introduce him to leftovers!! ha ha!!

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I learned sooooo many things by doing this project. I LOVE brussels sprouts and collard greens! That alone just floors me! I CAN cook great tasting/ healthy food! And I learned by doing and taking action. Dr. Fuhrman is telling the truth when he says that you will not lose pleasure in life by eating this way. I swear--I just did not believe him until now. Salt is not necessary in life! Adding salt does not "bring out the flavor of food" but rather it brings out the flavor of salt! bleah! It is important to add side dishes and desserts to your life. They make the meal sooooooooo much more pleasurable and satisfying. DON'T skip the side dishes and desserts!!

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Monday I will start blogging Chef AJ's DVD called Healthy Made Delicous. Chef AJ is a vegan chef from Los Angeles. This will be a short 3-day project. Her recipes look fabulous--can't wait to get started! Check out this clip of AJ making her yummy Lentil Loaf! This is a sneak preview of her awesome DVD. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABtdPdkBhro

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So here are the recipes that I missed making over the last month. Hope this is everything!!

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Breakfast:

Creamy Greeny Blended Salad

I made this two ways--once with spinach only, once with spinach and romaine (like the recipe says). I liked it better with spinach only--it's amazing how well you can hide the taste of spinach! But as is I gave it a B so it was pretty good! I told Haze he had to taste it and he goes, "I'm all good!" He is a chicken! He just doesn't like the juices or smoothies that are green colored--but that's ok. He loves the Eat Your Greeens Smoothie--so I'm all good!!

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Lunch:

Mishmash Salad with Orange Cashew Dressing

Spinach and Brussels Sprouts Delight

Neither of us liked any of the cashew/ orange type dressings--just not our taste. So for this salad I made the Cashew Currant Dressing and it was wonderful!! We loved the mishmash part!! We gave it an A- I LOVED the Spinach and Brussels Sprouts Delight!! I just can't believe how much I love brussels sprouts now!! I gave this dish an A+/ Haze said A-/B+ It makes a really good lunch with a nice big salad. Love the tomatoes and onions--I will be making this one lots!

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Dinner:

Vegetable Shepherds Pie

When I was making this, I thought it did not look very tasty. But it was surprisingly good! I made half with white potatoes for Haze and he loved it! I didn't have any tofu so I added red beans instead. It was very good!! We both gave it an A-

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Dessert:

Berry Cobbler

Sooooo simple, and soooooooo good. I don't know what happens to bananas when they get all warm, but it totally turns them into a dessert! This is a totally feel good dessert--really pretty too. This totally tasted like cobbler!! Yum!! We gave it an A

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Day 28/ Phase 4/ Week 4

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I played softball as a kid. This project was sort of like sort of like swinging two bats in the on-deck circle!! I mean really!! I cooked anywhere from 4-7 recipes per day. In real life, cooking 4-7 recipes per week should feel easy as pie!! But we made it!! Can you believe it?? I have one more day to sort of finish up though. There are just a few recipes I did not make, so I will post that tomorrow. This was an amazing experience.

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One thing I have to say is that there were TONS of meals that I never ever would have tried just by reading the recipe. It just did not "sound" good. But SURPRISE!! I have a literal freakin cache of recipes now that I will make over and over again. Haze is on board with this--he really truly is now. He asks for a little bit of salt, and a little bit of meat on occasion. But overall, he loved the food. I did too. We were flipping through the book last night looking at our grades--lots and lots of As!! I am encouraged now to keep doing this! I am going to do another book after Chef AJ's project--maybe not at the breakneck speed in which I did Eat for Health! This was so much fun! Here is what we had yesterday:

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Breakfast:

Garden Eggs and Tofu with Salsa

This had tons of veggies in it, and Haze loved it. (He pretty much loved all of the egg dishes!) He gave it an A-. This is a great weekend breakfast dish. (sorry no pic)
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Lunch:

Broccoli with Red Lentil Sauce

Raisin Collards and Carrots

The Raisin Collards was our first real taste of collards--just on their own (not in soup). I left some of the raisins whole (and forgot the carrots!) but we love love LOVED this dish! We BOTH gave it an A+!! It's kind of sweet and nice and creamy from the nut butter. Really yummy!! The Broccoli with Red Lentil Sauce was not our favorite (I think I made the lentil sauce way too thick!) It was kind of time-consuming to make. We both gave it a B. But it was nice with the Collard dish. We also had brown rice and some salad. Nice lunch!

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Dinner:

Raw veggies and Bean Dip

No Pasta Vegetable Lasagna

Ok, the Lasagna was fabulous!! I said A+/ Haze said A-. It took awhile to make--so just settle in, put some music on (or Judge Judy like I did!) and start chopping. And when you make it, make LOTS! The tofu ricotta tastes sooooooooo yummy. It's just a perfect fancy schmancy dinner. I added some no-salt canned San Marzano tomatoes to my low sodium pasta sauce--we like things extra saucy. Big YUM.

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Dessert:

Healthy Chocolate Cake

A+ and a big WOW. I hardly know what to say. This was by far our most favorite dessert--Haze cannot believe he gets to eat this wonderful treat!! I read all of the comments in the Recipe Guide (on Dr. Fuhrman's website) and learned that there was a little trouble with the cake being "too moist" and not quite cooking right. So...(this seems to by my cure for everything!) I made them into cupcakes!! Here are the changes I made: I pureed all of the dates into the "wet mixture." I minced all of the vegetables very fine and I chopped the nuts extra. So I left nothing really "chunky." (that is how we like it) Then I made them into cupcakes and baked them for 45 minutes (but make sure to test the time on your own--I live in Colorado and the altitude affects baking times.) They are so fudgey and moist--so freakin good!! These are amazing!! A MUST try!!

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Day 27/ Phase 4/ Week 4

Life took over yesterday (we sold artwork and had to deliver! hooray!) and so I missed making half the recipes. Plus there are a few other recipes I missed here and there and I want to finish strong!! So...I am adding an extra day (Day 29) to my little project! After Eat for Health I will be moving on to Chef AJ's DVD, Healthy Made Delicious. It is a 3-day project filled with yummy all-vegan recipes!! That will start Monday, January 18th! See you right here!!

Yesterday's menu:

Breakfast:

Creamy Greeny Blended Salad

(See Day 29)

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Lunch:

Mishmash Salad with Orange Cashew Dressing

Spinach and Brussels Sprouts Delight

(See Day 29)

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Dinner:

Raw Veggies and Tofu Ranch Dip

Filet of Sole with Mango Salsa

Chard and Vegetable Medley

I like how Dr. Fuhrman's Eat for Health plan slowly weans you off of animal products and allows fish once in a while (if you choose). Otherwise, he always gives you a vegan substitute. But Haze and I both were very excited to be having fish last night! We both enjoyed it very much! Haze said that along with the Chard Medley, it was a meal that you would see in a gourmet restaurant! It was a perfect combination!! A+ on the whole meal!!

Day 26/ Phase 4/ Week 4

I am totally over salt. I know this for a fact now. In the past, sweet potatoes without salt TOTALLY gagged me. And I thought I was going to hate yesterdays sweet potato dish, but I ACTUALLY LOVED IT and gave it an A+!! And it had NO salt!! This was a first for me! Haze on the other hand is not over salt. I received a tip from a friend on Dr. Fuhrman's website Discussion Forum (another great reasong to join his website!) who said to not add salt to the dish while you are cooking it, and let him add a little at the table via Spike. This way, he gets a salty taste right on the top of the food. I know if he would just give it two more weeks tops, he would be over salt. He just won't do it!! Anyway, we talked about it and both agreed that he could have the salt version of Spike on the table IF he agrees to measure the serving with a 1/4 teaspoon. So I think we are back on track. If a tiny bit of extra sodium will help someone to continue eating high nutrient food, then that is what you have to do. I know this is hard for him--even though someone wants to change, it's still not easy doing it. We both have had to sort of "give" here and there. This was yesterdays menu:

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Breakfast:

High Cruciferous Juice

I totally forgot to take a picture of this juice, but it looked suspiciously just like the last juice! Anyway, I liked this one slightly more than the Mixed Veggie Juice--this one was slightly sweeter (more carrots and more apple). I gave it a B-/ Haze hopes that veggie juice in general is not served again anytime soon!

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Lunch:

Greens and Brown Rice Salad with Pine Nuts, Apples and Currants

Leftover soup

I LOVED this salad. I had some of Dr F's Balsamic Vinaigrette in the fridge so I used that instead of just plain balsamic for the dressing--but it would be good either way. I gave it an A/ Haze said A-

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Dinner:

Garden Stuffed Vegetables

Hawaiian Sweet Potato Pudding

I also LOVED this dinner!!! And Haze just "liked" it. And this was funny --I thought the Low Sodium Pasta Sauce was tooooo salty!! For the Garden Stuff I minced the vegetables very fine--I loved it that way. You had a choice of stuffing zucchini, bell peppers or portobellos. I think next time I will only stuff the portobellos--as that one was our favorite. You get more of a mushroomy blast. And the Hawaiian Sweet Potato Pudding was surprisingly good! I can't believe how much I loved it--AND with no salt. It was soooooooooo creamy and went very well with the stuffed veggies. I gave both items an A+/ Haze said B. So I made Chocolate (Banana) Ice Cream for him and all was well!

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Day 25/ Phase 4/ Week 4

Haze wants to know if he gets to have a giant chicken and mashed potatoes after the 28 days is over. He was joking (sort of) but I made a deal with him. He can eat chicken and steak if he promises to read a few pages that I select from a few websites and/or books. I am thinking GoVeg.com, and the book Skinny Bitch. The chapter called You Are What You Eat made me cry. (Skinny Bitch is a great book by the way!!) He is still craving meat, even though he is full, even though he likes his meals, even though he gets desserts. BUT, he did not agree to the deal--I think he knows better! He loves animals just as much as I do (we have 3 dogs and if I would let him we would have 10) So we are plowing forward, and doing our best! Haze has lost a total of 16 pounds and I have lost 8!! He looks soooooooo good!! We both feel sooooooo good! I am totally over the whole salt thing--it's amazing how great food tastes when you can actually taste the food. And I know Haze will eventually be over it too--because we are forging ahead!!
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Yesterdays fare:

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Breakfast:

Chocolate Smoothie

We reviewed this smoothie in Phase 3, so instead we had our favorite Eat Your Greens Smoothies

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Lunch:

Eggplant Hummus

Whole-grain tortilla, romaine, red pepper, tomato

Raisin Coleslaw

I used Smoked Paprika in this hummus--and it was fabulous! I made my wrap with lettuce, pepper, and tomato and it was great! Haze used the leftover Greek Chickpea Salad in his wrap--with the Eggplant Hummus on top. We both gave it a B+. I did not love the Raisin Coleslaw dressing. (I LOVED the salad mixture--but just not the dressing) (I would give it a C-) So... I used the coleslaw dressing recipe called Sunshine Slaw from Phase 1--which I love!! So Raisin Coleslaw salad + Sunshine Slaw dressing = A+ coleslaw!!

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Dinner:

Asparagus Shitake Salad

Creamy Sesame Dressing

Hearty Vegetable Stew

This salad was truly FABULOUS. The warm mushrooms and asparagus on top of the salad sort of "melted" the creamy dressing and it was just soooo good. Total comfort-food salad. We gave it an A. The soup.....not so much. Our dinner conversation regarding the soup ended in, "Just shut up and eat your food." (ha ha ha!!) It called for cinnamon (which I added) but even without, I don't think we would like it. It was not very exciting, and sort of time-consuming to make. I gave it a C/ Haze sort of generously gave it a C-

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Dessert:

Strawberry Pineapple Sorbet

I totally read this recipe wrong, and purchased frozen (fresh) pineapple instead of dried. But it was still great!! Haze love love LOVED it and gave it an A+!! Me too! I used frozen strawberries, frozen pineapple, dates, and soy milk. YUM!

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Day 24/ Phase 4/ Week 4

I had a dream last night that Haze was really trying to be supportive of our food plan (which he really is!!) but in my dream he went out and purchased 3 GIANT-sized sacks of garlic because they were on sale. We are talking like trash bag size--and 3 of them!! I was trying to be nice because I knew that he was all excited about his bargain garlic find! But secretly I was thinking, what the hell am I going to do with all of this garlic?? Anyway, we do use tons of garlic!! We absolutely love it!

One of the recipes that I cooked yesterday was Southwest Vegetable Chili and it is not listed in the EFH recipe index for some reason. I was supposed to cook it a few weeks ago, but couldn't find it! Anyway, I found it! The recipe is on page 239 and it's really really good!! Here is what we had yesterday:

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Breakfast:
Mixed Vegetable Juice
Special Oatmeal
We reviewed the Special Oatmeal back in Phase 3, and again it is a favorite!! This was our first real taste of a fresh vegetable juice--and it was...not bad! I admit that it would take some getting used to, but overall it was pretty good. I can definitely taste the kale in the background--and maybe a simpler mixture of veggies would have been better to start out with. I think next time I would add more apple to make it sweeter, but all in all it was pretty good. I gave it a C. Haze on the other hand, could barely take more than a sip and did not like it. But hey, he is drinking the Smoothies every day--so I am happy!!



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Lunch:
Mixed Greens and Fruit
Blueberry Dressing
French Minted Pea Soup
Let's start with the soup. Both of us gave it an A+!! It was sooooooooo easy to make, sooooooo yummy good!! Haze did not want the lettuce added to his--he liked it better all creamy. I added the lettuce and really liked it. I actually forgot to add the dates (I was looking at the recipe as I ate it), and so I have to say it's good without the dates! I don't even think I would add them when I make it again. I think this soup would be really easy to change flavors--you could make it spicy, or add paprika, or spinach. It's super easy to make--We highly recommend this one! The Blueberry Salad was really good too--there is a lot to be said for "pretty" food! It was really tasty--not too sweet. We gave it an A-.






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Dinner:
Orange Sesame Kale
Southwest Vegetable Chili
The dinner was supposed to be Spaghetti Squash Primavera--but since I already made that back in Phase 1, I decided to make the recipe I missed which was the Southwest Vegetable Chili. It was heavenly good! Right away Haze gave the whole meal an A+. I did too!! He LOVED the Orange Kale soooooooooo much and said he would eat it every day if I made it! (I made the kale with almond butter but I told Haze it was peanut butter because he always says he hates almond butter! ha ha ha!! ) The Chili recipe seemed to be lacking some liquid, so I just added double the canned tomatoes and it was perfect. It had big chunks of potato and some corn too--it was very filling and very tasty. I also added some Spicy Mrs. Dash (I am digging the Spicy Mrs. Dash!!). It was fantastic. A+ meal!!






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Dessert:
Supposed to be Berry Cobbler but we ended up having Jenna's Peach Freeze. I will make the Berry Cobbler in a few days and let you know how it is!

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Day 23/ Phase 4/ Week 4

I am a bookworm. I admit it! And I've been a total nutrition bookworm for about 20 years now. For me it all started way back with Fit For Life I and II by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond, which lead me to Dr. Fuhrman, William Esser, Susan Smith Jones, Herbert Shelton, Dr. Alan Goldhammer and many many others. So if you know who any of these people/ doctors/ authors are, you know that I've never really been far off the track with what I believe about food. I mean, I've never subscribed to anything like Atkins, Southbeach--none of that nonsense. It's always been a focus on whole natural foods: Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts/ Seeds, Whole Grains, and Beans/ Legumes.


So the question is...how did I get to be overweight? And the answer is....I have no idea!! I worked and had a ridiculous commute and did not have time to cook--so we ate out a lot at restaurants. And spent tons of money too. And we ate junk food. Potato chips are vegetarian, right!!?? But I still read my nutrition books and vegan cookbooks. I would be on the couch reading Eat for Health and Haze would be like, "Are you reading that book again?? GEEEEZUS. Just close your eyes and pick a fricken recipe and make it!!" So this is my year of action/ vs just reading about it. I am DOING rather than reading. But don't get me wrong--reading is good! But it has to be followed with action. Last night I was on the couch again with Eat for Health and Haze was like, "Seriously, what can you possibly be looking at in that book?? I mean, come on, really--what are you looking!!???" I was writing little grades next to all of the recipes! And at my feet (aside from Violet the dog) was another little stack of books!! The Engine 2 Diet, Eat to Live, Julie and Julia... I told you I'm a bookworm!!




And Haze, I know you are struggling. I know you are not feeling well because of the Collagenous Colitis. But hang in there--I promise it will get better!! You are doing great!! Let's have a round of applause for Haze for totally sticking with this!! I am so proud of you!!


Yesterdays menu...


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Breakfast:
Eat Your Greens Fruit Smoothie
Well FINALLY!! I can't believe this is a Phase 4 breakfast--because it seriously tastes like ice cream. I've been eating this smoothie for years now and I am hooked. Chef AJ, on her DVD Healthy Made Delicious says that once people start eating these green smoothies they become addicted to them (in a good way!) And if you miss a day, you actually feel worse. This is sooooooooo true. I neeeed my smoothie every single day. I CRAVE this smoothie and absolutely totally love it! In fact, this could be my most favorite recipe in the whole book!! A+ + + + + Try it!! (But remember--you need a high-powered blender for this--but trust me, it is worth every penny.) Haze is not a breakfast person, but loves this smoothie too!!




Lunch:
Greek Chickpea Salad
Leftover High Cruciferous Vegetable Stew
Haze and I were split on this lunch! He loved the Chickpea Salad and gave it an A. I, on the other hand......hoped it would not be served again real soon. But since Haze loves it I will be making it again! I was out of Spicy Pecan vinegar so I used Pear vinegar. I think maybe it just needed a squeeze or two of lemon on top (which I did not have). The soup was even better the second day!



Dinner:
Indian Mango Salad
Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry
Neither of us loved the Indian Mango salad--we both thought it needed something else. Like beans? Lettuce? Not even sure. But it just felt like something was missing. We gave it a C+. I had made the Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry about a year ago, and neither of us liked it. Maybe we were just not ready then! But this time, I made a few changes. I used a little Garlic Rice Vinegar instead of Balsamic, I used Table Mrs. Dash and SPICY Mrs. Dash, and I added a Phase 1 amount of sodium (via Low Sodium Soy Sauce) and I absolutely LOVED it!! The sauce is peanut-buttery and slightly spicy/ sweet--really yummy and filling. I gave the dish an A+!! Haze said B+.







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Dessert:
Leftover Bluevado Pie "Cupcakes"
Still yummy!




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