Day 1: Say What?

SAY WHAT? This section of the blog will help you understand important nutritional facts and the "WHY" of the health world, as well as other suggestions when cooking.  Today's "Say What?" involves cooking oils.  I personally adore extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and grapeseed oil the most, sometimes sesame oil with Asian dishes.  Rule of thumb, EVOO is great for salads and other recipes that require low heat.  However, EVOO actually turns into bad fat above medium heat (anything above 200-250 degrees, which isn't all that hot when it comes to cooking).  So, to actually cook, please go with coconut oil, grapeseed oil or seasame oil.  You will see this selection for tonight's stir fry dinner.


Please keep in mind that the program that I am doing helps PURGE out the toxins in my body with the supplements/pills/powder that I have, but since you might not be doing the Standard Process program with me, this blog will be more about developing a health consciousness and, hmmm shall we say, healthy appetite. :)  Also, at the end of the 8 days, I will keep posting for the next few days with what regular meals would be like for me, STILL being health conscious (but more options when off the Purification Program). 


So, what shall we make for breakfast?  Well, I almost always go the shake route for breakfast during the program.  So, take a few deep breaths, the ingredients in this shake might give a shock to the system, in the best way possible. 


BREAKFAST SHAKE:
5-8 large strawberries
10-15 raspberries
1 TBSP of flaxseed
Generous handful of baby spinach (yes, I'm serious)
Wee squeeze of lemon
3-4 oz of water

• Mix in blender. Enjoy.
• Don't like the flavor?  Try different fruit.

Mornings are the hardest for me. I have the largest appetite known to mankind, so I usually am hungry after this.  I usually have to make 2-3 shakes before lunch time comes around.  I get the munchies pretty bad the first few days.  ANOTHER OPTION besides the shakes: I usually chop up some raw veggies (peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, celery..etc) and then dip them in some homemade guacamole:


GUACAMOLE DIP:
2 avocados
Tomatoes
Onions 
FRESH cilantro
Lots of lime squeezed over the top
Sea salt to taste

• Keep in mind that both tomatoes and avocados are considered fruits -- be sure to compensate with your intake of those raw veggies. Don't forget that 2:1 ratio!

LUNCH TIME!  Okay, so you've made it through the morning.  Breathe a sigh of relief.  Ready to have a blast with a salad?  Yeah, I thought so.


SALAD #1 >  CHOP EVERYTHING VERY FINE. Mixing up textures for some reason helps. Ingredients on my salad today: Massive amounts of baby spinach & romaine lettuce (should have a heap), red peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini.  Dressings are dangerous -- no, really.  So, you have two options today.  My personal favorite is to drizzle (not drench) extra virgin olive oil and then squeeze some lemon on top to offer the zest.  Your other option would be a vinaigrette dressing: (2/3 cup olive oil, 1 TBSP Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, 1 garlic clove minced, 1/4 cup water, herbs to taste).  Either way, don't forget to add sea salt for the final flavor.  If you are still hungry after you eat the salad, you didn't make it big enough -- and that's coming from a big eater.  My salads sometimes are too big for a plate, let's just put it that way.


For dessert, have a SMALL bowl of fruit (orange, apple & peach is what I had).  Drizzle a very small amount of RAW honey on top (when I am not on the program, I use organic Greek yogurt and granola sometimes as well).  Voila! :)  So, if you get hungry between now and dinner, you could make some more shakes with all sorts of different ingredients AND/OR num-num on that guacamole and raw veggies mix.  More munching recipes to come tomorrow, don't worry!  Eat dinner early if you feel like you're dying......


Wait, did someone say dinner?  Go ahead and start the brown rice (it takes a while -- approx 45 min).  In the meantime, start chopping up the veggies for our stir fry.


STIR FRY #1
Sweet snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots (you decide the quantity -- the more the better!)
Minced garlic (start with a little if not sure how strong you'd like it, I go crazy)

• Pour a small amount of grapeseed oil & the garlic into the frying pan. Stir fry these veggies for 4-8 minutes.
• Add crushed red pepper for a bit of a sting. I like sting.  (Opt: if you don't like spicy, maybe add some fresh basil or oregano. Also yummy)
• After you believe it's the right texture (crunchy or soft enough), pour the veggies onto a small bed of your brown rice.  Add sea salt to taste. Also, feel free to squeeze a little bit of LIME on top.  Lime does wonders for stir frys. For reals.

How much water have you had today?  I'm on my 10th one right now.  Hint: Drink 8oz immediately when you get up (before breakfast/shower).  Get in that water!!  


You can do this!  Remember, it's only eight days out of 365.  Your body will thank you, and my sincere hope is that you will be inspired to extend this care to the other 357 days. :) Keep pressing onward.  Keep yelling at that chocolate to go take a hike!!  You show those Doritos who's the boss!!  Resist.  Get plenty of sleep tonight.  


How are you doing?  Surviving?  
Day 1 & 2 are always the hardest,
but you got this. Ya hear me?