Thursday 13 - Changes I've seen since starting this fast

For those of you that are new to this blog this thirteen is about a Daniel Fast I started on April the 13Th. I was going to do the fast for 10 days but decided to continue for a full month or for however long God leads me. If you would like to read more about my adventure look back through old posts. These are the changes I've discovered since starting this:

1. There is now less of me. I'm 14 pounds lighter and 11 inches smaller.

2. Confidence in myself. I am learning to trust myself to do the right thing.

3. A new found love for cooking. I love to cook and I love to experiment so making all these new recipes is a blast. I also cook a lot more than I did before I started this.

4. I have more energy than I did two weeks ago.

5. Confidence in the Lord. God led me to this a few months ago. I did not listen then. Now I am learning to trust Him more.

6. My skin is a lot clearer and has a somewhat "healthy" glow.

7. My hair is shinier and thicker.

8. My IBS is virtually non existent now. My stomach is not as distended and bloated as it has been from all of the stress of IBS.

9. I am not as hungry as I used to be and I have to remind myself to eat sometimes. My blood sugar is probably the most stable it has been in years or ever for that matter.

10. I have an excitement for life now and an even stronger desire to be healthy and be here for my family and to be a light for the women of my church.

11. My clothes are all getting looser and a few things probably don't even fit anymore.

12. I've turned into one of those people I used to think were a little crazy. You know the type: A vegetarian, almost vegan, organic and raw foodie lol. *No offense to anyone lol.

13. I have found a new appreciation for God's food and creation. I feel like I know just how much God loves me when I eat a food that He designed specifically for the health of my body. An apple with all it's little seeds, a carrot with it's beautiful orange color, even an onion with it's distinct aroma; these are all tangible signs of God's love and amazing power.

I cheated, I ate the peanut sauce, and I lost 11 inches!

I do not make steak. Scratch that. I do not make steak well so I do not make steak often. Last night at the grocery store I saw that they had some pretty good steaks on sale for around $2.50 a package. I'm no expert on steak or on how to buy the best cut. I just saw that they were cheap and my family could easily have them for supper with some veggies. I've not made steak for my husband in about 2 years (yeah I'm that bad at it lol) so I really wanted to try to make these steaks as tender and tasty as possible. I knew I wouldn't have time to mess with a marinade so I bought a meat tenderizer to give that a try. (I never used one of those before. Wow that is fun! lol. Definitely a good way to vent your frustrations!)

After pounding those steaks to death and throwing them on the foreman grill they looked like they were pretty good. The smell was awesome too so I thought I might have a winner. After cutting up the steak into small pieces for the kids the temptation was too great. I just had to try that steak to see how I did. I had a piece about the size of a nickel stuck to a fork and it was sooooo tempting me to eat it! I tell you I could hear it saying "eat me" lol. My husband gave me the ok and said that it would not hurt anything if I tried that small piece. He assured me that I would not go binge on Twinkies after just one small piece of steak lol. After my husband and kids started chanting "eat it, eat it, eat it" I hurried up and stuck it in my mouth. I felt like I was on fear factor or something putting that steak in my mouth lol.

It was indeed very good. But I was able to walk away from the rest of it and not eat anymore. Victory! I was satisfied with sampling that small piece and I do not feel the least bit guilty for it. As I've said before this is about breaking some chains - not about starving myself or giving up food that I love. For me to be able to walk away without binging on the rest is truly a chain broken for me.

So after the steak incident I went on to make myself some tofu noodles, steamed broccoli and the peanut sauce recipe from Tuesday. Now in theory that sounds like it would be really good. Which it was alright, but I some how messed up the recipe. I've had peanut sauce before in TV dinners but I've never tried to make it myself. The noodles were surprisingly good actually (look for the review tomorrow) and the broccoli of course was delicious but the sauce was only good for maybe 2 or 3 bites. Then the cayenne started heating up my mouth. And then it started burning my esophagus and my stomach and I could not eat anymore! I added way too much cayenne. I accidentally wrote down the recipe as needing 2 tsp. of cayenne when in reality it only needed maybe 1/4 to 1/2 of a teaspoon or even none. I actually sprinkled more into the sauce after it looked like I had not added enough. That cayenne overpowered the sauce so much that I could not taste anything else. I plan to try this again with very little to no cayenne. So I want to apologize to anyone who wrote that recipe down on tuesday with the 1-2 teaspoons of cayenne. It should have been 1/2 tsp. The corrections have been made to the recipe below, but please make sure you check your recipe before you make this stuff.

Now for my exciting news! This is my end of the month progress report. I measured myself at the beginning of this fast and then I measured myself again this morning. I was totally and completely shocked! I've lost 3 inches from my waist and an overall 8 inches everywhere else for a total of 11 inches!!!!!! I knew I had lost a little because my favorite skirt was almost too big for me yesterday. I wasn't expecting to see 3 inches off my waist. I was so stunned I went back and measured it 3 times lol.
And as of this morning I am now down 14 pounds total from the beginning of April. Woot Woot!! Keep me in your prayers as I go through this release of unwanted weight and chains! :-) I will post a new progress report at the end of May.

Tasty Tuesday - Peanut Sauce - includes Daniel Fast approved version

Peanut sauce is traditionally used in asian cuisine. It is used with meat dishes, like chicken skewers, with noodle dishes or even on top of vegetables. Peanut sauce uses a combination of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors to add to it's unique taste. Because this recipe uses peanut butter and coconut milk it is not really a low calorie sauce, but when it is used sparingly over vegetables it can add some life to your otherwise bland veggies and (whole wheat or tofu) noodles. I am planning to make this over some tofu shiratake noodles (I found these in the organic and vegetarian section at Meijer btw! If you decide to use these be sure to rinse them very, very well and pat them with a paper towel until they are super dry.) and some steamed broccoli.


Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup all natural peanut butter - chunky or creamy.
2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1/3 cup coconut milk - this is sometimes hard to find so you can substitute this with vanilla soymilk or just plain water.

Place all ingredients for sauce together in a small saucepan over medium to low heat. Whisk until smooth. Stir gently until sauce begins to thicken. Add water if needed to get desired consistency. Serve immediately.

I am still following the fast but not as strictly as before because I've added a few more ingredients to my diet like tofu and some canned items that have minimal oil or sugar in them. Here is an alternative version to this recipe that I will be using to stick to my fast:

(Daniel Fast Version)

1/4 cup all natural organic peanut butter or almond butter.
2 teaspoons agave nectar (I may make an acception to this and allow honey for this recipe because the agave nectar is very expensive.)
2 tablespoons all natural low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup all natural coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk.

Instructions same as above.

Monday Motivation - Living healthy because it's the right thing to do

How many times have you thought about your diet with dread? How many times have you woke up and thought, I just want to eat whatever I want today? This is what we like to call "stinkin thinkin." We dread the diet and the exercise because we have not made it part of who we are. We have not made the choice to live healthy a part of your everyday life. The diet has become like an extra curricular activity outside of our normal lives and routines.

A friend of mine always likes to say that being on a diet will never work because eventually you have to go off the diet. This is so very true. Many of us have started a new diet only to go off of it at some point. A diet is not truly living. It is no fun to starve yourself one day and then binge the next and then hate yourself the third day because you've gained another 5 pounds.

Living healthy has to come natural to your daily life and it has to be something that you make an important part of your life. You choose to live healthy not because society tells you to, or you are being forced to do so, but because it is the right thing to do! I don't even like to refer to it as dieting but rather choosing to live healthy. You can choose life or you can choose a candy bar - that's your decision to make. But whatever you decide don't do it because you feel defeated, make the choice on what the right thing is for your body and where God is leading you.

Last night the minister spoke on giving something up for God. I have chosen to give over my weight battle to God. I am not choosing to diet but rather to live a healthy lifestyle in the sight of the Lord. He gave me this body and I plan to use it for His purpose. I cannot be used if I can barely get off the couch from my weight and the health issues that keep me burdened down.

There have been many times during this process that I have wanted more than anything to go back to my old way of living. I had a really tough weekend with craving bad foods again. It was mostly mental on my part. Last night my family stopped at a local fast food place - one that has most of my favorites. It was very tempting to give in to my cravings "just this once." I almost caved in until I remembered that if I caved in just this once, and made an exception then I would be going back on everything I believe in right now. If I could make an exception that first time then it would be easier to make exceptions in the future. I am not depriving myself of these bad foods. Actually, I would be depriving myself of victory if I caved in.

I was really feeling sorry for myself and being quite pouty all weekend over being "stuck on this diet." My husband looked at me, after hearing me whine and complain, and said oh it won't hurt if you do it just this once. That's when it hit me that I'm not doing this because I "have to" I am doing this because it's the right thing to do. I am not stuck on this diet. I am not being forced into this. I am doing this because I choose life and health. My life is so much more valuable than any fast food meal. God has shown me the path to health and I cannot stray from that path. Satan tried to tempt Jesus with bread, he tempted Eve with forbidden fruit. How am I any different that he would not tempt me with the very foods I want?

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

It was never God's will for us to be unhealthy from the choices we make. Nor to be burdened down with health problems, poor self esteem and all of the issues that come along with weight problems. It is right to be healthy. It is right to want to live. It is right to lay aside your burdens to be able to work for the Lord. Don't let satan try to tell you otherwise. You are perfect and wonderfully made, after the image of a living God, and you should strive to stay that way.

Heb 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Daniel Fast Final Results

This should have been posted yesterday but I was gone literally all day and did not get home until 10 last night.

From Wednesday (Day 10)

This fast has literally changed my life. I have come out of this with a testimony of healing for my stomach and a new appreciation for the Lord, the ultimate designer. He has designed our bodies to do what they need to do when given the proper fuel. Just as a car cannot run without gasoline neither can our bodies run without the proper nutrients and foods. During the last 10 days I have not only given my body nothing but fruits and vegetables but I have also filled my mind with much knowledge about nutrition and health. I have learned so much. I am feeling a lot better than I was 10 days ago and the best part...drum roll please.... I am now 8 pounds lighter! I have decided that since I am feeling so great and my stomach is not totally 100% better yet (maybe about 90% now) that I will continue the fast for a full month. I will not continue to update or post menus (unless someone requests it) but I will post my final results. I've hit on a good thing here and I don't want to stop and ruin any progress I've made so far. I may continue this all summer long just to totally and completely cleanse my body but for now I am taking it one month at a time. God will show me the way, that I am sure of.

I want to encourage any of you who is wanting to try this for yourself to do so only after much prayer and consideration so that you understand just exactly what it is you will be going into. There were many times that I wanted so badly to eat the other foods I was used to eating, but then in the back of my mind I knew that I wanted healing, health and life more badly than any of that food. If you do decide to do this then know that this is not an easy thing and without the help of God leading me there were meany times I probably would have slipped up.

One bit of advice I can offer is to not balk at the expense. It is far cheaper than a hospital or doctor bill to eat fruits and vegetables and if you want to compare apples to potato chips then $ for $ you will be much better off buying the bag of apples which costs about the same as a bag of chips. It is a large expense at first to buy all of the fruits, vegetables, oils and spices but once you have your pantry built up you will not need to buy the items every week. It does become easier over time to incorporate the foods for the fast into all of your other regular meals. It is all about doing what you feel is best and right for your body. You are worth so much more than a .99 value meal.

Daniel in the bible did not want to defile his body with the foods of the king. In modern times we can liken this to us defiling our own bodies with the foods of the world. God loved you enough to design foods that would take care of your every need, do not disregard His love by filling your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, with the foods of the world.

Day 10 Menu (Final):

Breakfast - Fruit salad made from sliced bananas, strawberries, fresh blueberries and chopped almonds. 1 cup of carrot juice.

Lunch - Split pea soup

Dinner - More split pea soup (this stuff was really good lol)

Snack - 1 small plum

Wordless Wednesday - Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy!

My breakfast looked so pretty this morning I had to snap a pic. Like my snowman mug? Yeah I thought so lol.

Daniel Fast Recap - Days 7, 8, 9

Ok so I didn't get to post the updates last night like I thought I would. Thankfully I am in my very last week of college - minus one final exam in may - and I will be FREE! Hallelujah!
Anyway there wasn't anything major that happened over these last few days anyway. I did have one episode with my stomach on Monday (day 8), after going nearly 7 days with no problems, but it was not at all like it was in times past. I am doing much better today and I feel healthier than I have in a long time. I have had many times this week that I have felt the strong urge to overeat and eat things I shouldn't but I persevered and I fought the temptations. I am feeling so good and energetic now. I have been praying about this and I've decided that I will continue the fast for a full month. I will not be updating daily anymore but I will keep you all up to date on how things are going. I just realized that I am feeling really good, my stomach is the best it's felt in a year, and I'm losing weight so why stop a good thing? After a month I will see how I am feeling and then I will take it one step at a time. God is with me in this and I know that my old habits are dying a little each day I do this. I am breaking chains that have held me down for over 15 years and I am seeing that there is indeed a light at the end of this tunnel. Be sure to tune in tomorrow to see my final, day 10, results!

Day 7 Menu:

Breakfast - Fruit Salad made with blueberries, sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, and chopped almonds. 1 large cup carrot juice.

Lunch - Steamed Red Potatoes and parsley, Green Beans sauteed in garlic and olive oil and topped with toasted almonds.

Dinner - 1 avocado topped with spicy mustard.

Snacks - Seedless grapes

Day 8 Menu:

Breakfast - Did not have breakfast

Lunch - Mushrooms, garlic cloves and sliced bell peppers sauteed in olive oil and topped with toasted almonds.

Dinner - Large bowl of corn with salt and pepper. Warm fruit salad (fried in the skillet) made from sliced bananas, raisins and toasted almonds.

Snacks - no snacks.

Day 9 Menu:

Breakfast - No Breakfast (Now that my blood sugar is more stable I am not as hungry as before)

Lunch - Bean Burritos made with vegetarian refried beans, onions, green onions, tomatoes, green chiles, and wrapped in large lettuce leaves.

Dinner - Split pea soup following this recipe. (This turned out totally delicious btw, and I don't even like split pea soup! My husband and children even ate it without complaint - but of course I had to toss some turkey bacon into theirs lol.)

Snacks - Trail mix made from walnuts, almonds and raisins. 1 cup of carrot juice.

Tasty Tuesday - Easy Hummus Dip

I want to apologize for not posting the Daniel Fast update and menu yesterday. I am in the final week of college and things are pretty hectic here. I will post an update and menus for days 7 and 8 later today.

Last week we had a recipe for roasted chickpeas. I bet you didn't realize this but there are lots of uses for those strange little bean things. Here's a yummy recipe for homemade hummus that uses chickpeas. I could eat this stuff all day long. I am especially liking that I'm allowed to eat it on the fast because it is made with all natural ingredients. Hummus dip is very versatile and can be made / eaten in any number of combinations. It is great with olives, sliced veggies, especially red peppers, or you could have this with chips, crackers, pita bread etc. I've even made sandwiches out of this stuff with whole grain bread and sliced cucumbers on top. That is a very refreshing change from lunch meat! If you don't know what hummus is then you are in for a treat. This recipe is non traditional hummus because it is made without tahini. You will need a blender or food processor for this recipe.

Click here to read more about hummus and tahini.



Hummus

1 can of chick peas (garbanzo beans) drained.
1/4 cup olive oil (I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I prefer the stronger taste and it is more natural - not processed.)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin (add more or less to taste. I always end up adding more.)

In a food processor or blender add all ingredients and blend until creamy. You may need to add a drop or two more of oil or lemon if your dip is too thick. This recipe is really not hard to mess up and you can really play around with this a lot to get it to your own personal liking.

Serve with some fresh sliced veggies and enjoy this good for you "diet" food!

Monday Motivation - Daniel's Diet Cures Cancer

The day that I started this fast I decided to look for some videos of people who have tried this as well. I came across this CBN video and I thought her story was pretty inspirational.

Daniel Fast Day 6 - Sugar has a way of sneaking up on you.

Recap from yesterday:

This fast has always been about so much more than just wanting to get healthy and lose a little weight in the process. It is also about breaking some personal chains of mine and getting closer to the way the Lord has intended for me to live. I believe with all of my heart that I am being called into this just as I was called to lead the women of my church on a mission to become healthy. I am being called out of my old way of living in a way that on many levels resembles how I was set free from depression.

One personal chain of mine that needs to be broken is that of sugar addiction and binge eating. That is a pretty powerful thing for me to admit online but I think if most people look at me they can see that I have food issues to begin with. I did not get overweight eating salads. It came from years of abusing food - yes I used the word abusing as if I am referring to a drug.

You can be addicted to anything, not just drugs or alcohol. Anything that makes you lose control and forces you to live your life by it's rules is an addiction. Sugar, high carb foods, and just plain bad for you foods are the drugs that have chosen me.

I have had issues with food for as long as I could remember. I have overcome bulimia and anorexia just to fall into the hands of compulsive overeating and binging. I was never thin like a "true" anorexic or bulimic. That is one stereo type that I would like to see smashed. A person dealing with anorexia and bulimia is not always skeletal in appearance - especially when they first start out. Someone you know may be stuggling with this and you would never know because it is a somewhat easy thing to hide.Compulsions with food come in many shapes and forms, and often times if you struggle with one issue you will ultimately end up facing the other issues as well. Food issues in my opinion are all the same: They all have one root cause but are called by different titles.

When I was set free from the depression I began to be healed from my food addictions and issues, but I have always said during this whole process that when God set me free He only opened the door. Once that door was opened I just had to walk right through it. I have felt for the past 3 years since my freedom that I am on the road to recovery but I am just merely standing in that doorway.

This fast I believe will be the completion of my healing and I am starting to see an end to my journey out of my former self. Complete healing does not always come with the sick person immediately taking up their bed (John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.) Recovery is sometimes a slow process where the person may have to relearn how to walk and live normal again. That is how I feel. Like I am learning how to walk all over again, but this time as I am walking, I am held up by arms that are much stronger than I am, the arms of Jesus.

When a person is recovering from an illness they are very weak. It is the same for someone who is recovering from addiction. You are weak. Just as the person who is learning to walk again must stumble and fall along the way so does a person recovering from addiction. It is not an easy road. Some days are more of a struggle than others and sometimes you do stumble and fall. I have fallen many times in the last three years. The difference is that I did not stay down. I got up and continued to walk.

Never was I more sure of my addiction to sugar and issues with food than this morning - the morning after day 6. Last night I had an unexplained episode of wanting to eat like I used to and to binge my feelings away. I did not cave in because I knew that there is a higher purpose in what I am doing right now.

I did discover however that it is possible to binge, even on a diet of just fruits and vegetables. I did not binge like in times past but it was as if I wanted something to eat but could find no satisfaction.

After downing a large plate of stir fried mushrooms and olive oil and a whole avocado I felt very full but still unsatisfied. I found myself very confused by this and very disheartened. I could not understand why after 5 days of eating so good, and feeling so good, and really not even wanting a taste of anything sweet that I would be having these old feelings crop up.

I was extremely down this morning and wondering if what I am doing is right. I knew that I would continue with the fast but I felt very saddened by the fact that my food issues could find a way to pop up even when I am starting to feel so clean and free. I know that satan can, and does, try to come between you and a closer walk with God and will use anything in his power to do so. That tool he used on me came in the form of some dried dates. That may sound ridiculous to you but that is exactly what happened.

I have checked the ingredients on every food I have bought that is not in fruit or vegetable form. I have made very sure to not have anything with added sugar, chemicals or vegetable oil in it. I know that sugar is a weakness for me. It causes my hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) to go crazy and causes my binging issues to be worse. This fast was a way for me to rid myself of this sugar addiction.

The other night I purchased a container of dried dates that I double checked the ingredients. I was pretty unsure of them so I checked the container several times. I could not find any ingredients on them at all so I assumed that meant it was just dried dates and nothing else - a lot of "natural" foods do not list the ingredients.

I went out with my children for a few hours yesterday and I wanted a small snack to take with me in case of sudden hunger. I decided to make my own mini trail mix with almonds, raisins, walnuts and these dates. Still in the back of my mind I was having this little nagging thought about those innocent looking little dates. So before putting them in my baggie of trail mix I checked that container again for the 4th or 5th time. I still saw no ingredients. Satisfied with this I went about my day and snacked away on my date infested trail mix.

Fast forward to this morning (day 7). I am still feeling like I want to eat everything sweet in sight, but am determined not to give up. For breakfast I decide to make myself fruit salad with bananas, blueberries, strawberries, almonds and oh why not a few of these dates for added sweetness. That's when I saw it. Right there on the lid of the container in curved writing. Ingredients: dates, dextrose. SUGAR! These things have SUGAR! Dextrose is sugar. Oh NOOOO I've had sugar!..... Ok so I didn't quite panic that much, but what I did feel was an immediate sense of relief.

This was quickly followed by the thought of - did I just ruin my fast? I now feel ok knowing that I'm not going crazy and that the sugar craving was in fact triggered by hidden sugar. But now I also feel a little bit let down by the fact that I unknowingly allowed one of my old foes to come back in during a time that was meant solely for God. I know that I have bad eyes and need glasses most of the time but I do not see how, after looking that container over top to bottom 5 times, I could have missed that. I believe that this was a trick used against me. Satan knows our weakness and if it can be used against us trust me, he will try it. Just look at Job!This brings new meaning to the phrase "being blinded by the devil."

I realize that this mistake was not intentional and I do not plan to end the fast. I do not believe for a second that my time of cleansing has been ruined. This is just another time where I have fallen and must get back up again, rebuke the devil, and continue to walk toward my higher calling.

Those dates were harmless and in all honesty they were far more healthy for me than what I would normally eat. When I go off of the fast I am sure I will enjoy them whole heartedly but for now this time is meant for God and for my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, to be clean and new for His purpose.

Day 6 Menu -

Breakfast: Mock hasbrowns made from apples, potatoes, diced onion, lime juice, olive oil, and fresh ground pepper and sea salt for seasoning. 1 cup of 100% grape juice.

Lunch: 1 avocado with french's spicy horseradish mustard on top (the only condiment I have found so far that is of completely natural ingredients - plus it's really good!)

Dinner: Very large plate of mushrooms sauteed in olive oil with the spicy mustard again.

Snacks: Too much trail mix made from almonds, raisins, walnuts, and the infamous dates.

Daniel Fast Day 5 - Menu, Recap & This can't be a diet!

From Yesterday:

I am amazed at how well I am starting to feel and only 5 days into this new way of living. I am eating some very amazing tasting foods and my body is starting to feel "alive." I feel like I'm starting to come out of this mental fog. I've eaten some pretty fabulous tasting foods over the last few days that leave me mentally wondering "Am I cheating, and if I'm not then this just can't be health food!" From homemade hummus, to fresh fruit salads to wonderful smoothies I just feel like I'm eating gourmet foods all the time lol. I will admit that it does take a little more work and prep time to make all of these foods. At 10:30 the other night I was up chopping veggies and making hummus in the food processor (Thank you Lord for this awesome tool btw!). I don't mind though because I no longer feel as tired and sluggish. Usually I'm already about dead by 10:30 at night but now I am finding I am staying up well past midnight and am very clear headed.
Speaking of the added prep time and work, I realized that this is actually starting to make me appreciate my food more. When I lovingly take the time to make a meal from start to scratch that doesn't come from a box it makes me feel more in tune to the way God intends for me to live. Apples don't come from a jar and potatoes don't come from a box. They come from the earth and were designed by God's own hand for the loving purpose of caring for our bodies. When I actually have to chop the apples, feel them in my hands, and see all of their little seeds inside that have the potential to grow an entire tree it makes me appreciate all that more the beauty God has given to us in life. There is beauty in life and food, be it natural or spiritual, helps to sustain that life. The fruits and vegetables that God designed specifically for us to live by is absolute proof of His love for us - His love for me! Food should be enjoyed and appreciated. God gave it for us to enjoy, to live, and to grow. Food should not be handed to you in a greasy paper bag through a window and then shoveled in your mouth at the speed of lightning leaving you feeling empty and unsatisfied. I am thanking God for this process. It is about so much more than "being on a diet" or getting healthy. It is a new way of living and appreciating life, beauty and the world God created.

Day 5 Menu:

Breakfast - Fruit Salad (again) made from sliced bananas, apple chunks, raisins, almonds and cinnamon. 1 cup of carrot juice.

Lunch - Sliced red and green peppers. Celery Sticks. Home made Hummus.

Dinner - Baked potato with salt, pepper and chives. Large bowl of watermelon chunks.

Snacks - 5 walnut halves, PURE® Raw Chocolate Vegan Brownie Bar (I will be talking about this in a later post.)

Friday Find - Mario Batali Measuring Prep Bowls & Spoons

Today's find is a recent purchase of mine. I ordered these off of Amazon.com this week and I am very pleased with this purchase. It is a set of measuring prep bowls and spoons to match (sold separately).


Let's talk about the bowls first. I have been looking around for a set of bowls and plates (still on the hunt here) that measure portions. I did not find anything I really liked until I found these bowls. It is always a good idea to measure your portions out instead of "eyeballing" because you can easily end up eating twice the amount of calories you think are. These bowls are meant to be prep bowls - aka for portioning ingredients while cooking. I, however, thought they would be perfect for using as regular premeasured bowls for eating. A scale is certainly more accurate for measuring portions, but sometimes you are in a hurry or don't want to hassle with the scale or measuring cups. That's where these bowls would come in handy. These bowls have two measurements each - ex: the 1 cup bowl also has a measuring line inside for 1/2 cup. They range in size from 1/4 & 1/8 size all the way up to a full 2 cup sized bowl. These are perfect for measuring portions of cereal, ice cream, pudding, and what I used mine for this week - applesauce. They come in about three color choices, persimmon (mine), olive green, and cream. The only thing I really do not care for is how the outside of these bowls feel but that is just my own personal preference. The inside is smooth but the outside is a rough somewhat sandpaper like feel. This texture does help to give the bowls a non slip grip but I am just picky that way I guess lol. These are also made of a material (melamine?) that in my opinion, if dropped, could possibly crack. These are really the only two faults I find with them and they are actually made quite well and are surprisingly good quality. At just $9.99 for the set it really is a good find. Other specialty diet plates and bowls that I found were not as good quality and were upwards of $40 or more.

Overall I give these bowls 4 out of 5 ♥♥♥♥ because of the possibility that they could break if dropped.
You can order your own set here.


I did not originally intend to buy the matching spoons to the bowls. I was actually looking for long handled measuring spoons and ran across these. They just happened to be the matching spoons to the bowls. What I love about these is the fact that they are long handled. I always find it to be somewhat annoying to try to use a small and often too wide measuring spoon inside a narrow spice jar or canister. I also wanted some long handled measuring spoons that could double as a serving spoon. These are long and sturdy enough to actually feel comfortable in your hand for using as a serving spoon but not so long that they don't fit into your silverware drawer. The added bonus is that these are magnetized so they nest together and stick to each other. I can't tell you how many times I've had to hunt all over my silverware drawer for the correct size measuring spoon. Why didn't someone think of this before? I also like the fact that these have the measurements molded into the plastic as part of the design. Most measuring spoons I have purchased over the years have the measurements printed onto the spoon, which over time begins to wear away. These range in size from 1/8 teaspoon all the way up to 2 tablespoon. The 2 tablespoon size is probably my favorite. I've never seen this before with a set of measuring spoons. This will be super handy in measuring and portioning things like dressings, mayonnaise and peanut butter. The only fault I could find with these spoons is that the color does not match the bowls. I don't know if this is true with the other colors but the persimmon spoons are a shade or two darker than the bowls. This is not a big deal for me but I know that some people may be particular about this.

These spoons get 5 out of 5 ♥♥♥♥♥ for their great practicality and low price of only $4.99.

Order yours here.

P.S. Amazon.com right now is having a 4 for 3 sale on many home and kitchen items. You buy 3 items and get a fourth one free. I actually got the spoons for free with my order with this special.

Daniel Fast Day 4 - Menu, Recap and a Testimony

This is the recap from yesterday.

Day 4 and still feeling pretty good. I do have a mini testimony to share and I'm not even half way through this process. Yesterday I left the house for the first time in 6 months without having to take tons of medicine for my stomach hours before hand (aka no Imodium or antacids). I was pretty nervous about the whole prospect of leaving the house without having taken anything for preventive measures. That thought in itself made my stomach a little queasy and jittery (welcome to the world of IBS lol) but everything was a lot better than it has been in the last few months. I actually felt almost "normal" again! If my stomach is already feeling this good after only 4 days I can't imagine what it will feel like after 10. I've also not felt the pain in my left side even one time this week - hallelujah! Another side effect I had not counted on was my skin is starting to look better - to me anyway - and my singing voice is a lot clearer. For the last couple of months, anytime I've had to lead the congregational songs at church my voice would crack and become hoarse before the first song was finished. By the end of the second song my voice was totally done in. Last night I got through both songs without so much as a squeak (I think lol) and I felt like I could go on singing all night. God is so good. I will have to tell you all soon about the dream that helped inspire this and I can't thank Him enough for leading me in this new way of living. As I was praying at church last night I just knew that my previous way of living was finished and that I was completely done with that part of my life. God's ways definitely always prosper over the ways of man.

Day 4 Menu:

Breakfast - Fresh fruit salad made with sliced bananas, apple chunks, raisins, sliced almonds and cinnamon sprinkled on top. 1 large cup of 100% carrot juice.

Lunch - 1 avocado. 1 cup of natural unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Dinner - Sliced red and green bell peppers, celery sticks, and home made hummus (look for this recipe on Tuesday!). (Yum Yum Yum!!!!)

Snacks - 1 dried fig, 1 small mandarin orange, 1 cup of 100% carrot juice.

Thursday 13 - New foods I've tried recently or will try soon

I'm following a Daniel Fast (Daniel ch. 1 in the bible.) For more information on the fast reread some of my previous posts!

1. Dried Figs - Discovered that I really love these.

2. 100% Carrot Juice - Bolthouse Farms brand is the best.

3. White Asparagus - Haven't tried yet.

4. Butter crunch lettuce - Pretty good but I think I prefer darker greens.

5. Beets - Tried when I was a kid. Made me gag. Going to attempt to try them again.

6. Eggplant - I've cooked this before but it's never turned out right. It's always too soft and watery. I'm going to try this one again hopefully with success this time.

7. Dried Prunes - Ick!

8. Homemade veggie burgers following this recipe. - Haven't tried this yet but I plan to maybe try this tomorrow night.

9. Tossed salad with olive oil as dressing. - I had never done this before but now that I have I am a complete convert. I think I'm going to buy a cruet and start making my own dressings. Yum!

10. Artichoke hearts - Bought a jar of these but they scare me. How do you eat them anyway?

11. Split pea soup without meat - I usually can't stomach this soup without turkey bacon, turkey ham or some other kind of meat in it. I found a simple looking vegetarian recipe that I want to try.

12. Fresh pineapple - I've only ever tried the canned stuff. Every year for Christmas we get a fresh pineapple in a fruit basket from my husband's boss. The pineapple always goes bad before I get a chance to try it - plus it intimidates me a bit. So I want to tackle this spiked fruit once and for all lol.

13. Roasted Garlic Cloves - Tried this once before. Don't remember how it turned out but it seems like it was bad. I would like to try this again.

Day 3 Menu - Daniel Fast

This is what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: A smoothie made with 2 bananas, 8 strawberries, 4 tablespoons of ground flax (the only grain I'm allowing for the added fiber content), 100% applejuice and ice. 11 whole raw almonds (1/2 ounce) on the side.

Lunch: Baked Zucchini and yellow squash slices coated with olive oil. Seasoned with salt and garlic herb seasoning. (This was super yummy but a word of advice: Be sure not to bake this on a pan with holes on the bottom or you will have oil and seasonings dripping on the bottom of your oven which then will smoke your entire kitchen out, which will make your smoke detector all the way in the other room go crazy, and which will then make your children start jumping and hollering and running around. The house still smells really good like cooking food but all that smoke wasn't fun lol. Yeah, next time I will use parchment paper underneath.)

Dinner: Steamed carrots, broccoli and cauliflower lightly seasoned - I think I am putting this Mrs. Dash stuff on everything lol.

Snacks: 11 Almonds and 1 box raisins. 1 dried fig. A handful of dried prunes (nasty stuff those prunes - don't like these at all but I just thought I'd give them a try.)

Wordless Wednesday - My Grocery Haul

We went to the grocery store on Monday night so that I could stock up on plenty of fruits and veggies for my Daniel fast (Daniel Chapter 1). If you want to know more about why and how I am doing this then read the last 4 posts from this week.
My groceries looked so pretty and still life like laid out on my table that I just had to snap a pic of them. Of course I did help just a teensy bit with the arrangement ;-)

Daniel Fast - What I'm eating

I realized that it might be important to some of you to know what I'm eating so I will be keeping track of that as well on here along with the daily update. Here is the menu for the last 2 days:

Monday April 13, Day 1 (This first day was very small because I had very few veggies in the house. Unfortunately I did not eat enough and became quite dizzy and sick later):

Breakfast - 1 Banana

Mid Morning Snack - 1 can of black olives drained and rinsed well (2 or 3 times) to rinse any salt or preservatives off.

Lunch - 1 can of yellow hominy (corn) again drained and rinsed well.

Afternoon Snack - 1 box of raisins

Dinner - 1 Banana, 3 dried figs (super yummy btw - I never had them before this!), 2 8 ounce cups of pure carrot juice.

Several cups of water.

Tuesday April 14 - Day 2:

Breakfast - 1 Banana, 11 Raw whole Almonds (1/2 ounce)

Mid Morning Snack - 1 apple, handful of sliced mushrooms

Lunch - Large bowl of butter crunch salad greens (about 3 cups), sliced mushrooms, grape tomatoes and about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, ground black pepper, and Mrs. Dash garlic & herb for seasoning and dressing.

Dinner - Baked Yukon Gold Potato (these taste much better than the other potatoes for baking - they have an almost buttery sweet taste), with the skin coated with olive oil to make it crispy. This was then topped with some chopped chives and a little bit of salt.

Evening Snack - 1 box of raisins and 11 more almonds mixed together for a sort of trail mix type snack. (This was very delish btw!) about 1/4 cup of 100% apple juice.

Several cups of water.

Daniel Fast - Day 3

So far so good. I have stuck with this for a full three days. That is unbelievable to me because normally I don't even last an afternoon on a new diet. Well I guess I do know the reason. It's because this isn't a "new diet" or fad. This is a life change. The Lord is leading me and guiding me every step of the way in this and I am stepping out in faith on this one.
I did have some issues with my stomach last night. I can't explain what it was but so far today I haven't felt it. I ate a big salad yesterday afternoon. Then around 5 or 6 I felt intense pain in my stomach that made it feel like it was burning inside. This happened off and on for the rest of the evening and subsided a little after I ate a plain baked potato. It was almost totally gone by the time I went to bed. I am hoping that doesn't come back again.
So far I am starting to feel like I have slightly more energy than normal. I am also feeling like my head is coming out of a fog so to speak. I am not craving any bad foods right now and it is really interesting that I am actually eating less food than before even though I have the ok to eat all of these healthy foods that I want. I just don't feel as hungry and I am feeling satisfied on just enough food to keep my hunger down. I am letting my body control how much I eat and my body is naturally wanting the correct amount of calories. I have been keeping track of what I eat daily and I am eating right around 1200 calories per day. If I eat less than that I feel really hungry and sick but if I eat more I feel too full and bloated. The body is an amazing thing and if given the chance the body knows what to do to keep you running. God is truely the ultimate engineer!

Keep me in prayer as I go through this.

Tasty Tuesday - Roasted Chickpeas

The question I know I will be asked more often than not during this "fast" will be "but what are you eating?" Well trust me, I am not living on salads 24/7. If I were this would be an almost impossible task lol. We went to the grocery store last night and I was just in awe at the number of fruits and vegetables available. It is amazing how much food God has provided for us to truly live by and it is even more amazing that we go everyday not even realizing that such wonderful foods exist. I have some pretty basic guidelines that I am going by for this fast. I am eating only natural fruits and vegetables (aka no frozen entrees with added junk and canned items cannot have added ingredients - just the fruits, vegetables and water). I am allowing 100% fruit and vegetable juices if the ingredients are just the fruit, vegetable and water. Dried fruits and vegetables are ok as long as extra sugar or oil has not been added. And I am allowing natural seasonings and spices for flavoring and olive oil for cooking and dressing but I am not allowing any sugar or honey and I am keeping salt to a minimum. I am also allowing raw nuts like almonds without any salt, seasonings or oils added.
Want to know exactly what I'm eating? Well how does all of this sound: Strawberry, banana, and blueberry smoothies with a touch of vanilla. Zucchini and yellow squash slices tossed with olive oil and toasted in the broiler or cooked on the grill. Fresh green salads with large mushroom slices, tomatoes and tossed with olive oil and garlic and herb spices for dressing (just ate this and that was the most amazing salad I have EVER eaten by far!). Spaghetti squash cooked with mushrooms, onions, garlic and diced tomatoes that were sauteed in olive oil for a mock spaghetti. Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and slow baked in the oven to make apple chips. Baked potatoes sprinkled with a little salt, pepper, and chives and with the skins coated with olive oil to make them crispier. Homemade baked french fries made from sweet potatoes and a little salt and olive oil. Ok am I making you hungry yet? See, there is a limitless amount of combinations you could make with just vegetables and a little seasonings. This way of eating is certainly far more delicious than I had anticipated. I never knew eating healthy could taste sooooo good :-)

Here is a recipe that I used to eat on another diet years ago. This makes for a good crunchy and salty snack and is totally compatible with the fast.

Roasted Chickpeas ( or Garbanzo Beans as they're sometimes called)

1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt (optional)
garlic salt (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Turn the chickpeas halfway into the cooking time - this can be done by just shaking them around the pan a little. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.

Monday Motivation a day late - Daniel's 10 Day Fast

Hello everyone! I apologize for the lack of posts lately but things have been very hectic and busy around here lately. Keep me in your prayers because I need it for sure right now! I know that this is late for the Monday motivation. That is not because I forgot about it yesterday but because I have been debating whether or not to share with you what is on my heart right now. With much thought and prayer I decided that I would in fact share this with you all because I want you to be a part of my day by day testimony. I will try to keep this as short as possible but I make no promises lol.

As some of you may know I have been very sick for almost a year now with stomach issues. I have brushed it off for the most part as being IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), but in the last month or two I have gotten worse and am now experiencing pains in my stomach that are unexplainable to the IBS. I would go to the doctor but since my doctor is not the best (she has misdiagnosed me on more than one occasion and actually indirectly caused me to have an overnight stay in the ER once) and I cannot get into a new doctor at this time I decided to hand this one completely over to the Lord. God has shown me on several occasions just what I need to do to allow myself to be healed. Why I have not followed through yet is a mystery even to myself. Fear maybe? I don't know, but I have decided to finally listen to what I feel the Lord is telling me to do and what my bible has taught me.
A while ago I read in the bible where the prophet Daniel "fasted" for 10 days from the foods of the king (Daniel ch. 1). He and his men ate nothing but fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and water for a full 10 days. At the end of the 10 days they were healthier and stronger than all of the kings men. I had not heard of this story before and knew nothing of this "famous" Daniel diet. When I read it the story spoke directly to me and I knew that someday, somehow, I would follow Daniel's example and try this for myself. Daniel's point in doing this was to prove to the king that God's ways always win over the ways of men! I too want to prove that God's way can win over man's way which includes overcoming my own fleshly desires. I am going to bring my body into subjection (1 corinthians 9:27) to God's way of living. I made the decision to follow in the steps of Daniel and fast from the foods that are harmful to my body until I feel that the Lord is done working with me and until I am ready to claim my healing. If this means following this for the rest of my life then so be it. I had originally wanted to do this for 10 days but now I feel I am being called to do this longer. The plan right now is to eat nothing but fruits, vegetables, nuts, water and a little olive oil for cooking and a few natural spices and seasonings for the next 10 days. After the 10 days is up I will decide if I should continue. I will then add in other foods every 10 days beginning with lean meat like fish and chicken, then grains like oats and brown rice and I will leave dairy, fats and sugar for last. I will also begin to exercise a mile a day on my treadmill beginning on the 4th or 5th day or whenever I feel strong enough. The switch has finally flipped inside of me and I have made up my mind to take control once and for all and I am claiming, in faith, that my life will be changed from this. From this point on in my life I will no longer be the overweight, unhealthy, and low self esteem woman I am today. God is going to move in this. I know because it was He who called me to this place.

I will be using this blog to chronicle everyday of the "fast" and let you all know how it is going. I looked all over the internet to find information on how people's body and health physically changed from this, but I could not find much information pertaining to how it affected someone physically. There is an abundance of information about the fast itself but nothing on how it changes people health wise. So I decided I would share how it is changing me and maybe it will help someone else out there.

I started the fast yesterday. I began by praying first and then weighing myself to have a starting weight. I will not weigh in again until the end of the 10 days - which just happens to fall on a joy meeting, so hopefully I will have some good news to share with the joy women that night lol. We also went to the store last night and I stocked up on all kinds of fresh fruits and veggies, 100% juice, dried fruits like figs and raisins, and canned fruits and vegetables.
I am currently day number 2 into the fast and so far I am starting to feel slightly better. Yesterday I was very dizzy and weak and I felt sick to my stomach but that is because I did not eat enough. I realized that in order for this to work I must eat more often than before because my body is burning these foods a lot faster. I am hypoglycemic so I will need to eat continuously to keep my blood sugar levels in check. I am also feeling a slight energy boost today along with feeling less desire to eat the foods I would normally eat. I still want those foods but the cravings aren't as strong today. The most important part is that my stomach is not hurting today for the first time in a very long time and that is my first sign of faith that God is indeed leading me in this. God will receive all the glory for this when I am healed.