28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 23

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

Shop Intelligently! Avoid All Processed Foods!

Let me be direct with you; if the list of ingredients on a label is long and you can’t pronounce the names, then there are most definitely a lot of bullshit chemical additives in the product (probably ‘preservatives’ to make the crap last longer on the shelf) and you're definitely risking your health by eating it. Be sure to read the ingredients even when purchasing foods from a health food store or when the rest of the packaging is trying to convince you that the food is healthy. ESPECIALLY if the packaging says it’s ‘healthy!

If the food you’re buying comes in a box, bag, or jar, it is probably processed and contains a lot of chemicals that you wouldn’t ordinarily eat. If someone offered you a nice spoonful of BHA (Butylated hydroxytoluene, a preservative), would you eat it? Of course not! But you’ll eat it when it’s listed as part of some packaged crap food that you buy in your supermarket and feed to your kids…that just doesn’t make any sense. Hell, jet fuel, rubber and embalming fluid contain BHA! This is something that you definitely don’t want to eat. Think about it. The goal here at the Heart Smart Gourmet is to buy as little food as possible that has a label at all! You want to eat fresh ingredients as much as possible. Instead of buying instant oatmeal with added sugar, salt, cinnamon, raisins, etc., buy the plain old rolled oats and add those individual ingredients yourself…your body will thank you for with longevity!

You want to avoid foods whose first few ingredients contain any type of sugar (corn syrup) and salt (sodium) especially. Ingredients are listed on the label according to quantity, in descending order based on weight (from most to least) so the ingredient listed first is more prevalent than any other in the food you’re buying. Unfortunately the FDA is waaaaay behind schedule when it comes to what is and what isn’t really healthy food and so, when it comes to eating, the only one to take care of you is you. So, if you do buy packaged foods READ THE LABEL! Get ‘edumacated’ people!

Sugar is listed with these alternative names:

·  Corn sweetener

·  Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids

·  Dehydrated Cane Juice

·  Dextrin

·  Dextrose

·  Fructose

·  Fruit juice concentrate

·  Glucose

·  High-fructose corn syrup (one of the most popular sugar alternatives)

·  Honey

·  Invert sugar

·  Lactose

·  Maltodextrin

·  Malt syrup

Salt is listed with these alternative names:

• sodium
• rock salt
• monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• sea salt

Your Action Plan: Become an investigative reporter when you go food shopping. A Quick Guide to Reading Labels:

• Food labels list ingredients in descending order -- what’s first on the ingredient list is present in the highest quantity.
• Do not purchase foods that contain salt or sweeteners in the first four ingredients or that contain any hydrogenated or trans-fats, or chemical additives.
• Avoid foods that have more then 200 mg sodium per serving and then only eat that serving amount! It doesn’t make sense to buy something that only has 50 mgs of sodium per serving just to sit down and eat 10 servings worth!

Breakfast

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

• Greek Chickpea Salad
• Vegetable Stew* (Leftover from Day 22 dinner)
• Mixed Berries

Greek Garbanzo Salad

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas), no or low salt
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 boiled potato, peeled and chopped in chunks
• 1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped brazil nuts or almonds
• 3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• 10 ounces mixed salad greens

Directions
Mix all ingredients, except salad greens. Serve on bed of mixed salad greens.

Vegetable Stew

 (Leftover from Day 22 dinner) 

Dinner

• Indian Mango Salad
• Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry
• Sliced pineapple

Indian Mango Salad

Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled and sliced
• 2 firm tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
• 1 pinch chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Asian Vegetable Stir Fry 

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 45 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash
• 4 tablespoons sesame seeds

Sauce

• 6 tablespoons apricot natural fruit spread or preserves
• 4 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger root
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 teaspoons Mrs. Dash
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Vegetables

• 1/8 cup water
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 4 cups broccoli florets, small
• 2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/3 inch slices
• 4 medium red bell peppers, cut in 1" squares
• 1 cup cooked beans (Optional)
• 1 cup snow peas
• 2 cups Bok Choy, cut in bite-sized pieces
• 3 cups shiitake mushrooms or a mushroom mix, stems removed and sliced
• 16 ounces fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup raw peanut pieces
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, shredded

Directions

1. Cook brown rice according to package directions.
2. SAUCE - Place sauce ingredients, along with rest of red pepper flakes, in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.
3. VEGETABLES - In a large pan, sauté onions, broccoli, carrots, red peppers, and snap peas in water over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Toss while cooking, adding more water as necessary to keep from scorching.
4. After 5 minutes, add Bok Choy, and mushrooms and cover. Simmer until vegetables are just tender. Remove cover and cook off most water.
5. Add spinach and toss until wilted.
6. Add apricot sauce and stir until all vegetables are glazed and sauce is bubbly hot.
7. Mix in cashews
8. Serve over warmed shredded romaine lettuce, and brown rice.

*Lightly toast peanut pieces in a pan over medium heat for three minutes, shaking pan frequently.