28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 26

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

A Word on Juicing

Juicing should never replace fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, but it is a great way to boost your nutrient absorption. In addition to nutrient intake, some people have difficulty digesting large quantities of roughage when they first switch to a mostly plant-based diet. Often, problems with gas and bloating can be solved by replacing some whole, raw, and cooked fruits and vegetables with blended and juiced fruits and veggies.

Blending raw vegetables with fruit is an efficient way to increase your nutrient absorption because when we eat a salad, many of the micro-nutrients do not get absorbed well because the cell walls are not adequately crushed. In contrast, studies show that when you make high-nutrient fruit and vegetable smoothies, the absorption of beneficial phytochemicals is increased by over 500 percent. These phytochemicals supply you with a nutrient punch and are incredibly satisfying. You may also want to consider investing in a high performance blender.

Your Action Plan: Experiment with juicing and smoothies and find the right tastes for you.

Breakfast

• Green Smoothie
• Whole-grain bread
• Nut butter
• Raspberries

Green Smoothie

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 apple, cut into fourths
• 1 banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 4 pitted dates
• 2 ounces spinach

Directions
Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth and enjoy!

Lunch

• Brown Rice Salad (with Pine Nuts, Apples, and Currants)
• Hearty Vegetable Stew* (Leftover from Day Twenty-five dinner)
• Watermelon

Brown Rice Salad 

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 10 ounces baby greens
• 1 Zucchini, sliced
• 1 apple, cored, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup currants
• ½ cup garbanzo beans
• 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Toss all ingredients except pine nuts.
3. Sprinkle with pine nuts and sea salt and serve.

Veggie Stew

 Serves: 8 — Prep Time: 45 minutes

(Save the leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch!)

Ingredients:

·        28 ounces of tomato puree

·        8 ounces carrot juice (or water)

·        2 cups navy beans, rinsed

·        2 cups white kidney beans, rinsed

·        6 potatoes, peeled and chopped

·        8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

·        4 stalks celery, sliced

·        2 onions, chopped

·        2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

·        1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

·        1/4 teaspoon salt

·        4 garlic cloves, minced

·        2 bay leaves

·        2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes

Directions:
In a 6 quart soup pot, bring tomato puree and carrot juice to a boil. Add all ingredients, cover and cook on low-heat setting for 2-3 hours, adding liquid if needed. Remove bay leaves from stew and serve.

Dinner

• Stuffed Peppers
• Hawaiian Sweet Potato Pudding

Stuffed Peppers

 Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium red bell peppers
• Wild rice (For 4 servings)
• 1 pound ground sirloin (or any 93% fat free ground beef)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups tomato puree, divided
• 2 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese (Low-Fat if possible)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• Cooking spray

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Set aside.
• While rice cooks, cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and the next 5 ingredients (beef through allspice); cook 5 minutes or until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat and drain fat as much as possible.
• Add rice, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine.
• While beef cooks, combine the other 1-1/2 cups pasta sauce and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Spoon 1/4 cup of the beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; add wine-tomato sauce to pan and cover with foil.
• Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.

Sweet Potato Pudding

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon natural brown sugar (optional)
• Dash cinnamon
• 1/4 cup Almonds or walnuts, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake for 1 hour or until soft. Let cool and peel off skin.
3. Mash sweet potatoes in a food processor or high powered blender with orange juice and sugar, if desired.
4. Spread mixture into a 9X9 inch glass baking dish. Cover with crushed nuts and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.