DAY 2 - Daniel Fast



How did you like the chili?

Anyone with a caffeine withdrawal headache?  Anyone craving sugar?  Hang in there...after the first three days, all those symptoms should be gone and you'll be feeling great!

Ready for breakfast?

Just so you can plan ahead, breakfast is on a 4-day rotation.  Feel free to substitute or change anything you don't like.

Breakfast #1 - ABB sandwich and fruit of your choice  (Did you like the Almond-
                       Butter and Banana on sprouted bread?  I love it!)

Breakfast #2 - Smoothie (recipe below)

Breakfast #3 - Oatmeal or whole-grain hot cereal with cinnamon, nuts and dried fruit

Breakfast #4 - Granola with soy/nut milk and fruit

This is "live" or "raw" granola.
Only 4 ingredients, no sugar.
VERY healthy...full of live enzymes
It's pricey, but you'll be the only one
eating it! : )

This is perfect hot cereal, full of healthy
grains and very tasty.  You can use plain
oats if you prefer, just be sure they aren't
instant or quick oats.

TODAY'S MENU:

BREAKFAST: Smoothie
1 cup of your favorite brand of soy, nut, seed, oat or coconut milk (be sure it is unsweetened and non-GMO), 1 banana, 2 T. ground flax seed, your favorite fruit (i.e., blueberries, raspberries, mango, peaches, etc.), and a handful of spinach.  You can freeze the fruit if you prefer a colder, slushier smoothie texture.

The best soy milk is not the one in this picture,
I made a mistake and got vanilla!  Try Trader
Joe's organic unsweetened soy...good texture
and taste!  Then use ground flax seed, not
whole...one of the few times whole is not
better because the tough outer shell is not
digestible so the best omega-3's and nutrients
are inaccessible and all you get is fiber (not all bad,
just could be a lot better if ground).  Choose
your favorite smoothie fruits.  I used raspberries,
blueberries and cherries...and always add a
banana for thick consistency.

If you want to be really daring, add a scoop of this...
hemp seed.  It's got a chewy texture and a nutty flavor
and it is bursting with good nutrients!  I bought this bag
in Oregon, but I'm thinking with a name like "Manitoba
Harvest," it should be available in Canada!

Milk, banana and fruit go into the blender first, then add
the flax.  It tends to clump if you add it to the liquid
but blends great when the smoothie is already the right consistency.
(Note:  It is very hard to take a picture with your right hand and
pour with your left!  I missed the mark, as you can see!)

Drink it right away because the fruit tends to
turn brown, making your smoothie an
unappetizing gray color!  This recipe made the
glass above plus almost another half, definitely
a filling meal!

LUNCH:  Easy lunch today...left-over chili and a side of guacamole with tortilla chips for dipping!  For the guacamole, don't add any mayo or cream cheese if you normally make yours into more of a dip.  Just smash 1/4 of an avocado and add a little salt and lime, cilantro, diced tomato, onion...whatever you like.  Your tortillas must be whole-grain ground corn and baked, not fried.  Do not buy Doritos.  Try "Corazonas" or "Food Should Taste Good" or another healthy brand.


DINNER:  Soup and tossed salad (your choice of lettuce and your favorite veggies with a simple dressing of 1/4 c. olive or grapeseed oil, 1/4 c. raw apple cider vinegar, 1/8 c. lemon juice, and salt & pepper...if you want to take it up a notch, throw it in a blender with some minced onion and cilantro!)

Leek and Spinach Soup

4 leeks, sliced, only pale parts
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans vegetable broth or water
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
2 t. cumin
1/2 c. whole-grain cous-cous
2 c. fresh spinach, washed and torn
salt and pepper (use sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper for best flavor results)

In a soup pot, saute the leeks in olive oil until wilted, then stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant.  Add the broth/water, beans, bay leaves and cumin and bring to a boil.  Add the couscous and simmer 5 min.  Stir in the spinach.  Simmer until spinach is completely wilted and incorporated into soup.  Add salt and pepper to taste.


This is a super-easy, super-quick soup to make because there is minimal chopping and cook time.  After your Daniel Fast, replace the vegetable broth with a good chicken stock for a richer flavor.

Here are the main ingredients, leeks, beans, couscous and spinach

There are two kinds of couscous.  The one on the right is the more
common kind and has a much finer texture but isn't whole grain.
The one on the left is great for soup because it is sturdier and
bigger and whole-grain.  It is called "Israeli couscous."  I bought
the one on the right at my grocery store (comes bulk or in a bag or
box just like rice or pasta) and the other I bought at Bob's Red Mill
store, but you can also find it at Whole Foods or New Seasons.

Just a little word about snacks...

Here are some ideas, because I know sometimes it's hard to think of the right thing when you're hungry or not at home.  I mentioned popcorn earlier, and of course any fruit or veggie is easy and appropriate, but if you want something a little different, try one of these:

This is one of those raw food bars I mentioned.  This same
company also makes raw "chips" and trail mix.  I hope
you can find it at your store.  If not, you could always
try online!

I love, love, love this!  It's just corn...the end.
But whatever they do to pop it into the super
crunchy snack that it is makes it addicting!
It's not very low-cal, so don't over-indulge!