28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 24

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

Inspire Others with Your Success!

Along with changing your eat habits , you have probably lost some weight as well. You should feel good about yourself regardless, for you have begun a change that will, if followed religiously, enable you to live a long, healthy and happy life!

Your Action Plan: Apply everything you now know and become a success story, living life to the fullest and inspiring others on their journey to great health.

Breakfast

• Mixed Vegetable Juice (Note: This recipe requires a juicer.)
• Special Oatmeal

Veggie Juice Smoothie

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients

• 6 kale leaves
• 8 carrots, peeled
• 2 stalks bok choy
• 2 apples
• 2 medium beets, peeled
• 1 cup watercress with stems
• Dash of Tabasco (Optional)

Directions

1. Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Ultimate Oatmeal 

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 6 pitted dates, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 cup chopped or grated apple
• 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

Directions

1. In saucepan, bring water to a boil and stir in all ingredients, except blueberries and flax seeds. Simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in blueberries. Sprinkle flax seeds on top or stir in. Cover for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Lunch

• Mixed Greens and Fruit with Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing
• French Minted Pea Soup

Mixed Greens and Fruit Salad

(with Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing)

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients – Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoon blackberry preserves
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Ingredients - Salad

• 2 heads (about 12 cups) romaine lettuce, washed & torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 kiwis, cut into pieces
• 1 pint fresh organic strawberries, halved
• 1 apple, cut into chunks
• 1 pear, cut into chunks
• 2 ounces chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

• Boil vinegar and blackberry preserves in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour vinegar into large bowl.
• Combine water with no salt seasoning. Whisk into vinegar, along with mustard, marjoram and garlic. Toss salad ingredients together.
• Combine dressing and salad and toss.

French Pea Soup

 Serves: 3 — Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients

• 10 ounces green peas, frozen
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves (save a few leaves for garnish)
• 3 tablespoons Mrs. Dash no-salt seasoning
• 3 cups water
• 3 dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce or chopped organic baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives (optional)

Directions

1. Simmer peas, onions, garlic, mint and Mrs. Dash in water for about 7 minutes.
2. Pour pea mixture into a high powered blender. Add remaining ingredients except for the lettuce and chives. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Add lettuce or spinach and let it wilt in hot liquid.
4. Pour into bowls and garnish with chives and mint leaves.

Dinner

• Tossed green salad with dressing recipe of choice
• Spaghetti Primavera
• Orange Chicken
• Berry Cobbler (or fresh fruit salad)

Pasta Primavera

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients

• 16 oz. of whole-grain pasta (Your choice)
• 1 1/2 carrots, julienned or shredded
• 1/2 cup celery, diagonally sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small zucchini, sliced thin
• ½ pound cherry tomatoes
• 1 red pepper, sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook carrots, celery and red pepper in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a covered pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add garlic and zucchini and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.
4. When pasta is almost done to al dente, add to the veggies and finish cooking in the sauce.
5. Mix the vegetables & herbs with the sauce mixture and serve.

Orange Chicken 

 Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients  (For 2)

• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 orange, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic clove, minced
• 16 ounces chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 4 ounces water chestnuts, sliced, drained
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon corn starch

Directions

1. Mix orange juice, orange and garlic. Add the chicken chunks and marinate in fridge for 1 hour.
2. Put the oil in a large non-stick skillet and take the chicken out of the marinade and cook it in the skillet with the green pepper, water chestnuts and mushrooms. After cooking about 5 minutes add the corn starch to the orange marinade and stir and then add it to the chicken and vegetables.
3. Serve over brown rice (Optional)

Banana- Berry French Toast

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 2 minutes 

Ingredients

• 2 banana, sliced
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries
• Dash of cinnamon
• Few drops vanilla extract
• 2 slices Whole-grain wheat bread
• Dash powdered sugar (Optional)

Directions

1. Slice bananas
2. Defrost frozen berries, reserving juices
3. Mix the banana, berries, cinnamon and vanilla together.
4. Slice and toast bread.
5. Top one piece of bread with half the banana and berries.
6. Top this with the other piece of bread and top with the remaining banana-berry mixture.
7. Drizzle with the berry juice and sift a dash of powdered sugar on top (Optional)