28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 20

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

Good health comes from the food that you eat, not from a bottle of supplements!

Natural foods are highly complex -- so complex that the exact structure and the majority of compounds they contain are not precisely known. A tomato, for example, contains over 10,000 different phytochemicals which are essential for human health and well-being.

Scientists cannot formulate into pills nutrients that have not yet been discovered. If the pills did contain sufficient amounts of all the phyto-nutrients and other essential substances, we would have to consume a soup bowl full of pills and powders. To date, researchers have discovered over 10,000 phytochemicals. No supplements can contain the magnitude and diversity of substances in sufficient amounts. Thankfully, you can get all these nutrients today by eating a wide variety of plant-based foods.

CAUTION: Phytochemicals in freshly harvested plant foods may be destroyed or removed by modern processing techniques, possibly including cooking, so eat as many raw veggies as possible.

Your Action Plan: Don’t rely on pills and supplements to get your primary nutrition. Instead, eat properly and follow the advice on the pages of this blog,  fruits, veggies, nuts, some grains, fish, chicken and fresh, uncooked greens are the healthiest foods that you can consume, with the bulk being from fruits and vegetables.

Breakfast

• Creamy Green Smoothie
• 1⁄4 cup almonds

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

• Southern-Style Mixed Greens
• Brussels Sprouts Polonaise
• Pear

Southern-Style Mixed Greens

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Dash of black pepper
• 1 15-ounce can black eyed peas or white beans (no or low salt), drained
• 1 cup chopped yellow peppers
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/8 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing
• 10 ounces (about 7 cups) mixed salad greens

Directions

1. Combine water, garlic, and black pepper in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add black eyed peas; cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Drain.
2. In a bowl, combine black eyed peas with yellow peppers and next four ingredients. Cover and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
3. Serve over salad greens.

*If you can't find low or no salt black eyed peas, use low or no salt small white beans instead.

Brussels Sprouts Polonaise 

 Serves: 3 — Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

• 6 cups Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons natural brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash or other no-salt seasoning
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk or fat-free milk

Directions

1. Cut large sprouts in half. Steam for 8 minutes or until tender.
2. Blend lemon juice, sugar, garlic, Mrs. Dash, 1/4 cup parsley, and milk in blender and pour over sprouts.
3. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Dinner

• Tossed green salad with avocado slices and Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Black Forest Cream of Mushroom Soup (Save leftover for Day 21 lunch.)
• Banana Date Ice Cream

Black Forest Cream of Mushroom Soup

 Serves: 8 — Prep Time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms (button, shiitake, cremini), sliced 1/4" thick
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 teaspoons herb de Provence (Blend of savory, fennel, basil, thyme)
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery, chopped
• 3 leeks, cut into 1⁄2inch rounds
• 4 tablespoons Mrs. Dash
• 5 cups carrot juice
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 cans white beans, northern, navy, or cannellini (no salt)
• 5-oz bag spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat 1/8 cup water in large sauté pan. Water sauté the fresh mushrooms, garlic and dried herbs until tender and fragrant. Set aside.
2. In large soup pot, bring carrot juice, water, carrots, celery, leeks and Mrs. Dash to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Puree 1/2 vegetable soup in high powered blender; add cashews, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Add pureed soup back to soup pot along with mushrooms, beans, and spinach.
6. Heat until spinach is wilted.
7. Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Banana-Date Ice Cream 

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 6 minutes 

Ingredients

• 12 dates
• 4 ripe bananas, frozen*
• 5 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 teaspoons natural brown sugar (Optional)

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until creamy.

*Freeze ripe bananas 24 hrs in advance. To freeze bananas, peel, cut in thirds and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.