28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 28

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

Congratulations!

As of today, you have completed the 28-day program designed to help you successfully live a healthier life – preferring the most nutritious foods for the body: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds.

Just to recap what you have accomplished in the last 28 days:

• Day 1 to Day 7: You started the process of adding health-promoting foods to your way of eating.
• Day 8 to Day 14: You moderated your intake of certain foods (e.g. meat, eggs) and switched to healthier ‘green’ options.
• Day 15 to Day 21: You challenged conventional myths you have been told such as benefits of milk, snacking, meat protein, etc.
• Day 22 to Day 28: You are embracing your new eating habits and making them a part of your everyday life.

Your Action Plan: Continue to embrace the five cornerstones of healthy eating:

1. A large salad every day!
2. At least a half-cup serving of beans/legumes in soup, salad or a dish once daily!
3. At least 3 fresh fruits a day!
4. 2-3 ounces of raw nuts or seeds a day!
5. At least one large serving of cooked or raw green vegetables daily!

Now that you have embraced healthy eating in your own life, become an inspiration to your loved ones so they too will want to enjoy the gift of great health through eating right.

Breakfast

• Pomegranate juice
• Tropical Fruit Salad

Tropical Fruit Salad

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed pineapple
• 1 cup cubed mango
• 1 cup cubed papaya
• 2 oranges, peeled and sliced
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut shredded romaine lettuce, optional

Directions

1. Toss fruit together. Add coconut and serve on top of lettuce, if desired.
2. Serve immediately.

Lunch

• Broccoli with Red Lentil Sauce on mixed greens
• Raisin Collards and Carrots
• Cherries

Broccoli with Red Lentil Sauce

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 small clove garlic, chopped
• 11⁄2 to 2 cups carrot juice
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 pound broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Add lentils, onions, garlic, and carrot juice to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are soft and pale. Add more carrot juice if needed.
2. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli until just tender.
3. Add balsamic vinegar to lentil mixture. Add some carrot juice if it is too thick.
4. Plate broccoli and combine with sauce. Top with chopped pecans.

Serve with brown rice (as pictured) or alone.

Collards and Carrot Salad

(with Cucumber-Raisin Dressing)

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients - Vegetables

• 4 bunches collard greens, leaves removed from tough stems and chopped
• 2 carrots, grated

Ingredients - Dressing

• 1 medium cucumber
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup raw almond or peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

1. Steam collard greens for 15 minutes. Add grated carrots and steam another 5 minutes.
2. Blend all sauce ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth. Add sauce to collards/carrots mixture and toss.

Dinner

• Raw vegetables (carrots, cucumber, red pepper)
• Spicy Bean Dip
• Veggie Lasagna Rolls
• Healthy Chocolate Cake

Note: If you are pressed for time, substitute another manual dessert for the Healthy Chocolate Cake. 

Spicy Bean Dip

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, (no or low salt) reserving 1/2 of the liquid
• 1 teaspoon Black Fig Vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or two garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 pinch of turmeric

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, puree the beans with half the bean liquid and the vinegar.
2. Mix in the spices.
3. Serve with raw or lightly steamed vegetables or toasted pita bread with shredded raw greens.

Veggie Lasagna Rolls 

 Serves: 6 (2 rolls each) — Prep Time: 60 minutes

  

Crumbled tofu replaces the ricotta in our Italian-style vegetarian meal.

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 whole-grain lasagna noodles
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14-ounce package firm water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and crumbled
• 3 cups chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup shredded low-salt Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 25-ounce jar marinara sauce, preferably lower-sodium, divided
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, return to the pot and cover with cold water until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tofu and spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach wilts and the mixture is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in Parmesan, olives, crushed red pepper, salt and 2/3 cup marinara sauce.
3. Wipe out the pan and spread 1 cup of the remaining marinara sauce in the bottom. To make lasagna rolls, place a noodle on a work surface and spread 1/4 cup of the tofu filling along it. Roll up and place the roll, seam-side down, in the pan. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling. (The tofu rolls will be tightly packed in the pan.) Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the rolls.
4. Place the pan over high heat, cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; let simmer for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the rolls with mozzarella and cook, covered, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.

*Freeze the cooked rolls and sauce for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Per serving: 354 calories; 11 g fat ( 3 g sat , 4 g mono ); 11 mg cholesterol; 46 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 21 g protein; 8 g fiber; 374 mg sodium; 396 mg potassium.

Healthy Chocolate Cake 

 Serves: 12 — Prep Time: 40 minutes 

Ingredients - Cake

• 1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups pitted dates, divided
• 1 cup pineapple chunks in own juice, drained
• 1 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup shredded beets
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 3 tablespoons of natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients - Chocolate Nut Icing

• 1 cup raw cashews, unsalted
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla soy milk or fat-free milk
• 2/3 cup pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In blender or food processor, puree 3 cups of the dates, pineapple, banana, and applesauce.
4. Slice remaining 1/2 cup dates into 1/2 inch thick pieces. In large bowl, mix sliced dates, beets, carrots, zucchini, cocoa powder, currants, walnuts, water, vanilla and flour mixture.
5. Add the blended mixture and mix well. Spread in a 9.5" X 13.5" nonstick baking pan.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

ICING:

Using a blender or food processor, combine all icing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread on cooled cake and serve.