28 Day Diet Challenge - Day 8

(Sponsored by Whole Foods Market)

Celebrate your Progress!!

In the short span of one week, you have been asked to flood your body with the nutrients it needs to function at its best. If you have been following your action plan since the beginning of your 28-day program, you may notice either some positive or negative changes:

• Some positive changes:  weight loss, more energy, clearer skin, better sleep, etc.
• Some possible negative changes:  fatigue, low energy, etc.

You may be wondering how you could be eating so well but maybe not feeling so great. The best way to explain it is to use the example of a smoker. I smoked for 35 years so I know what withdrawal is…and what it is not, easy.

When a smoker completely stops smoking, he feels ill, experiencing headaches, weakness, and will feel nervous and shaky. Fortunately, these symptoms resolve over four to six days. Discomfort after stopping an addictive substance is called withdrawal, and it is significant because it represents detoxification, or a biochemical healing that is accomplished after the substance is withdrawn.

The truth is that when we start to eat right, we can experience cravings and withdrawal from foods that are addictive and toxic for the body. The good news is that this process is short-lived as you continue to flood your body with nutrients. Over time, the withdrawal symptoms fade and you will truly experience all the positive benefits of eating right.

Whether you are experiencing immediate results or going through a brief detox, these are all signs that your body is responding very well to all the high nutrient foods you are putting into your body.

Below is a recap of what I want you to be doing at the end of week 1:

• You are eating a salad a day – experiment and make it work for you.
• You are eating fruit every morning.
• You are adding (non-starchy) vegetables to your lifestyle, at your own pace – both steamed green vegetables as well as vegetables with healthy dips.
• You are finding easy ways to add beans to your eating.
• You are eating 1-2 ounces of nuts or seeds a day.

Your Action Plan: Take the time to honor exactly where you are in this process. Make every bite count and know that no matter how you feel right now, good or bad, your body is on an incredible journey towards recovery and healing.

Breakfast

• Creamy Fruit and Berry Smoothie
• Orange
• 1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds

Creamy Fruit and Berry Smoothie 

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 6 minutes 

Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or hemp milk
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1 banana
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

Directions
Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender.

Lunch

• Hummus
• Carrot sticks
• Vegetables on sprouted wheat bread with mixed greens, broccoli sprouts and tomato. Add almond butter, cashew butter or avocado
• Pineapple

Hummus

 Serves: 4 — Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

1 cup cooked or canned garbanzo beans (low or no salt), reserving liquid
1/4 cup bean liquid or water
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash or other no salt seasoning
1 teaspoon horseradish (optional)
1 small clove garlic, chopped

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until creamy smooth. This is a great spread or dip for raw and lightly steamed vegetables. Yields: 1 cup

Dinner

• Mixed baby greens salad
• Dijon Date Dressing/Dip
• Quick and Creamy Vegetable Bean Soup (Save leftover for Day Nine lunch.)
• Melon

Dijon Date Dressing/Dip

 Serves: 2 — Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons natural peanut or cashew butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash or other no salt seasoning
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 dates
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

Blend all dressing ingredients in a high powered blender.

Creamy Vegetable Bean Soup

Serves: 8 — Prep Time: 15 minutes 

(There will be leftovers - same it for lunch tomorrow!!)

Ingredients

4 cups prepared tomato soup, no or low sodium
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
2 cups frozen chopped organic spinach
2 cups carrot juice
1 cup onions, chopped
4 cans cannellini beans, no or low salt
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
4 tablespoons Mrs. Dash or other no-salt seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Italian seasoning, to taste
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions

1. In soup pot, combine all ingredients, except cashews and pine nuts.
2. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
3. In high powered blender, blend 1/4 of soup mixture with cashew nuts.
4. Add back to soup pot and stir.

Serve with pine nuts sprinkled on top.