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.)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
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.
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.
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, April 16, 2009
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.)
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.)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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 ;-)
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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