28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 3

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

Eat More Veggies!

While leafy greens should be the foundation of your eating, colorful vegetables offer great protection against cancer. Some of the best vegetables are: eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic.

Vegetables are also an important addition to achieve optimal health. Certain nutrients are better absorbed via cooked vegetables, such as carrots and tomatoes. Also, cooking enables us to have more variety and percentage of vegetables in our menus, including benefits found in onions and garlic.

Your Action Plan: Increase the amount of vegetables you eat, in addition to your daily salad:

• Have plenty of raw vegetables with healthy home-made or store-bought salad dressings or dips (e.g. hummus, salsa, etc.), before lunch and dinner.
• Easy way to add vegetables: Add frozen vegetables (e.g. spinach) to any low-sodium store bought soup.
• Have a steamed green vegetable at dinner and add variety with non-green vegetable options: eggplant, peppers, onions and mushrooms.

Breakfast

·  Grapefruit

·  Whole-grain toast with 100% fruit spread and/or nut butter

Lunch

• Orange Sesame Tossed Salad*
• Fast Black Bean Soup*
• Kiwi

Orange Sesame Tossed Salad

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and divided
12 raw almonds 
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2 oranges, peeled and diced (or 1 jar unsweetened mandarin orange slices)
2 heads (12 cups) romaine lettuce, torn in bite-sized pieces

Directions

1. In a high powered blender, blend 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, cashews, orange juice, and vinegar until creamy and smooth. Add additional orange juice to thin if necessary.
2. Combine diced oranges with romaine lettuce and toss with dressing.
3. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on top.

*Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently.

Black Bean Soup

Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans black beans, no or low salt
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli florets
2 cups carrot juice
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped cilantro 
1/8 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped or mashed 
1/2 cup chopped green onions 

Directions

1. Combine black beans, mixed vegetables, corn, broccoli, carrot juice, water, soup, cilantro, and chili powder in a soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and heat through.
2. Serve topped with avocado and green onion.

Dinner

• Hot Pepper Salsa
• Baked Garlic Pita Chips
• Simple Bean Burgers
• Sunshine Slaw
• Very Berry Ice Cream* (Easier Alternative—Sliced watermelon)

Hot Pepper Salsa 

Serves: 10 — Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
3 large plum tomatoes, cut in fourths
1 medium onion, cut in fourths
4 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 14-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes
1 red pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
hot pepper sauce, to taste

Directions

1. Roast tomatoes, red pepper, onions and garlic in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and place in a food processor. Add rest of ingredients and pulse to chop until desired consistency.

Yields: approx. 2 1/2 cups

Baked Garlic Pita Chips 

 

Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients
2 whole wheat pitas
Olive oil cooking spray (optional)
Garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Split each pita in half horizontally. Spray pita halves lightly with cooking spray (spray less than 1 second), if desired, and sprinkle with garlic powder.
3. Cut each half in half and then into four sections to form triangles
4. Place on baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.

Serve with salsa or hummus.

Vegetarian Bean Burgers 

 

Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Olive oil cooking spray
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups canned red or pink beans, low or no salt, drained
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons low-sodium ketchup
1 tablespoon oats
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Chop the sunflower seeds in a food processor or hand chopper.
3. Mash the beans with a potato masher or food processor and mix with sunflower seed meal.
4. Mix in the remaining ingredients and form into six patties.
5. Lightly oil baking sheet with a little cooking spray (less than 1 second) on a paper towel. Place patties on the pan and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool, about 10 minutes, until you can pick up each patty and compress it firmly in your hands to re-form the burger.
7. Turn patties over and bake another 10 minutes.

Sunshine Slaw

Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

4 carrots, grated
1 1/2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds
1/3 cup low salt, olive oil mayonnaise

Directions

1. Toss carrots and apples with lemon juice. Add raisins and almonds.
2. Mix in low salt mayonnais.

Very Berry Sorbet

Serves: 3 — Prep Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 package frozen organic peaches
1/2 package frozen organic mixed berries
1 cup apple juice
1 banana

Directions
Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy.