Tomorrow is May 1st!!! I'm very excited for everyone that is going to jump in and do this challenge!  Hopefully you were able to get some prep work done, or maybe you will be doing some prepping today.  The more you can get ready, the easier this challenge will be.

If for some reason you just can't get these recipes together, you can always just put a potato in the microwave, open up a bag of frozen veggies and cook in a skillet with some kind of Teryaki sauce or Hoisen sauce and pour over the baked potato--or rice, whichever your preference is.  Easy peasy!!

This does not have to be difficult.  It's all about getting loads of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes on your plate, and nudging the processed foods, meat and dairy off.  The more your eat from the New Four Food Groups, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Fruits and Legumes, the more you will return to a much HEALTHIER state, and, the more WEIGHT will drop!

Again, this is not about perfection but about progression.  This is a journey that really doesn't end.  

Get on board, try some new recipes, ask me questions and start your journey to a HEALTHIER YOU!

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The 30 Day Challenge starts in a few days!! I hope everyone that wants to get their health back and LOSE WEIGHT will give this a try--I've never seen this fail!

Most people, including doctors, have no idea how POWERFUL a Whole Food Plant Based diet can be.  If you are going to jump in and take this challenge and are on blood pressure medication or diabetes medication, you MUST monitor your blood pressure and or blood sugar very closely.  Once you begin to eat foods from the plant kingdom, your blood pressure, (IF you have high blood pressure) may drop drastically in a very short amount of time--days!  Once you stop eating foods that primarily keep blood pressure up and replace those foods with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, your pressure will come down to normal.  If you are taking a blood pressure medication and your pressure is normal, you may start to feel a little light headed and dizzy.  Your physician needs to check your pressure and will most likely reduce the dose or stop the medication all together--I've witnessed this over and over again!  No more blood pressure medication!

The same goes for diabetics taking medications--whether it's oral medications or insulin. Of course, Type 1 diabetics will always need insulin, (BUT, I've seen the amount of insulin needed decrease dramatically), but Type 2 diabetics have come off oral medications AS WELL AS insulin!  People have no idea what the POWER of nutrition can do for them.  

If you take medications for other chronic diseases such as heart burn, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, arthritis, etc., you will most likely be able to eliminate these medications as well.  However, unlike the blood pressure and diabetic medications,  you will not have "symptoms".  Most people give this way of eating a try, realize they have no symptoms of heartburn and try going a few days without their medication only to realize the symptoms are gone!  No more anti-acids or prescription medication for heartburn.  Should you have high cholesterol and or triglycerides, the only way to reduce or eliminate those medications is to have your blood tested.  Once the numbers come back, you and your physician can discuss the need for any further medication.

Most people just do not realize their options when it comes to taking medication vs nutrition for chronic diseases, i.e., high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, etc.  Unfortunately, doctors are just not educated in nutrition--statistics show that doctors only receive about 4 hours of nutritional training the entire time they are in medical school--4 HOURS, not 4 days, 4 weeks or 4 months, 4 HOURS!  Doctors are trained to diagnose a disease and write a medication to "take care" of it.  Medication (for chronic disease) will NEVER CURE anything!  Medication does not "cure" blood pressure--if it did you would be able to take the medication for a prescribed amount of time and then stop it--but, what happens when you stop blood pressure medication and you haven't changed anything else--your blood pressure goes right back up--nothing was cured.  Change your diet to a whole food plant based diet, follow the guidelines, and what happens?  Blood pressure comes down to normal, no more pills needed.  The same applies to any chronic disease.

When you give your body what it needs, your body will heal itself.  It really is that simple.  Of course, you have to eliminate the foods that are causing the "problem" too--you can't just eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, and continue eating processed foods, meat, dairy, and eggs--you will NOT get the results you are looking for--as science as repeatedly shown, those are the foods that cause the problems. 

Again, if you are taking blood pressure or diabetes medications, please have your blood pressure and or blood sugar monitored closely, your physician may need to reduce/eliminate these medications relatively soon after you start eating your way to HEALTH!

In the Week One Menu Plan there is a recipe for black bean soup which can be eaten with any meal, anytime.  However, not everyone may like black bean soup, so here are some other recipes that you can substitute for that.  

Soup is a great way to get more vegetables into your diet and my soup recipes are very LOW in calories, so you can have a bowl whenever you are hungry!  Also, I like to encourage people to start their meals with a big green salad or a bowl of soup.  You can fill up on the vegetables which are very low in calories and remember, vegetables give ammunition to your immune system keeping you healthy.

So, here are a few recipes for different soups you can try.  Make a big pot full so when hunger strikes, there's a healthy bowl of delicious goodness waiting for you!

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Let me know if you try one of these soups, or, if you have a favorite soup recipe that meets our guidelines for this challenge, (no meat, dairy or processed foods), please share the recipe!  Drop me an email, ([email protected]), and I will pass it along.

Also, I have included some dressing and sauce recipes to have on hand--trying different dressings on your salads adds a whole different flavor giving you variety.  With sauces ready to go, you can make all kinds of different meals--pour them over cooked vegetables, mix it in with rice or pour over potatoes. 

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Again, let me know if you try any of these recipes....I love feed back!

To make life easier, meal prep is a MUST especially if you are going to school, work, and have a family to cook for.  If you really don't want to prep and have time to cook all your meals fresh, please go right ahead!

STAPLES TO HAVE ON HAND:
Frozen bananas (peel very ripe bananas, wrap in cellophane and freeze)
Frozen fruits
Frozen vegetables--blends, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
Frozen Hashbrowns (No oil in the ingredient list!)
Almond Milk
Lots of vegetables (peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic, cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, any veggie                              you like)
Greens for salad
Any fruits you like
Silken Tofu
Oatmeal
Brown Rice/Basmati Rice/Wild Rice
Potatoes--White and Sweet
Beans--kidney, black, white, garbanzo (any bean you like)
Quinoa
Spices (Garlic powder, onion power, paprika, cumin, oregano, etc.)
Salsa and other condiments
Whole Wheat Pasta/Rice Noodles
Corn Tortillas

Just a few foods you may not be familiar with, but you do not have to go to a health food store to buy--you can purchase these in Hannaford, Price Chopper and even Walmart:

Nutritional yeast (not the same as baking yeast--this yeast will make your foods taste "cheezy"
Tahini--this is pureed sesame seeds--this is used to make homemade dressings and sauces

This, of course, is not an exhaustive list, the above foods are the most common used in the recipes below.  Remember, only buy what YOU LIKE, if there is something you don't like, substitute it for something else--this is very flexible!  If there is a meal you don't like at all, substitute with a meal you do like.

Should you get hungry inbetween meals, grab a piece of fruit or hummus and vegetables.  

Foods you can prep for the week:

Roasted vegetables
Baked Potatoes
Big batch of rice
Big batch of quinoa
Prepare a large green salad with lots of chopped vegetables in a tupperware container to eat with meals
Prepare soup of the week (Recipe at the end of Meal Plan)
Prepare dressings for the week(Recipes at the end of the Meal Plan)
Any other foods you want to prep for the week to make life easier!



DAY 1 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST:  Berry Oatmeal

• 1 cup oats
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries
• Cinnamon

Combine oats and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and let cook about 5 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Place oats in a bowl, sprinkle with cinnamon and top with berries.

LUNCH:  Fiesta Mexican Salad

• 2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed (or kidney beans, pinto beans, etc.)
• 1 cup frozen, thawed corn kernels
• 1 tomato, chopped (or grape tomatoes cut up)
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup homemade "mayonnaise" or Veganaise Mayo

Gently stir the rice, beans, corn, tomatoes and scallons in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, mix the salsa and "mayo" until well combined.  Pour over the rice and bean mixture--stir to coat everything well.

DINNER:  Slow-Cooked Pizza Potatoes

• 4 cups jarred or homemade marinara or spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups thinly slice potatoes
• 2-3 cups toppings--any combination:  onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, artichoke hearts, spinach, etc.

Put half the sauce in a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup water.  Set aside.  Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Layer the toppings over the potatoes.  Pour half of the sauce over the toppings.  Top with the remaining potatoes and then the remaining sauce.  Cook on the lowest setting for 6-8 hours.  Serve.

DAY 2 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST: Hash Brown Potatoes

• 4-5 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• Chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms (optional)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.  Add the vegetables, if using, and saute with 2 tablespoons of water, stirring constantly, adding tiny bits of water until softened. Add potatoes to the skillet, flattening them with a spatula.  Cover the pan with a lid and cook until they begin to brown, 5-8 minutes.  Use a spatula to turn the potatoes--cook until heated through and evenly browned--7-10 minutes, turning as needed.

LUNCH:  Soup and Salad

• Black bean soup--recipe below
• Garden salad:  Mixture of greens, bell peppers, mushrooms, celery, tomatoes, onions, scallions, chopped broccoli, cauliflower, shredded carrots (any raw vegetables you like!)

​DINNER:  Veggie Stir-fry

• Cooked Brown Rice or Quinoa
• Frozen Vegetable Mix (any variety you like:  broccoli, cauliflower, or any blends)
• Sauce of choice

Heat a non-stick skillet and add your frozen vegetables.  Add a small amount of water to the skillet to prevent vegetables from sticking--cook about 2-3 minutes.  Add sauce of choice and heat through.  Serve over hot rice.

DAY 3 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST:  Over-night Oats

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup of plant based milk:  Almond, Soy, etc.
• 1 tablespoon of raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Sliced bananas, fresh berries or other fruit

Stir together the oats, milk, raisins and cinnamon in a bowl or mason jar until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, enjoy the oatmeal cold or heat it up in the microwave until hot.  Top with fresh fruit.  

LUNCH:  Taco Salad

• 3 cups of greens
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup corn (frozen, thawed)
• 1 cup cooked rice (brown, basmati or wild rice)
• Salsa
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Place greens in 1/2 of a large bowl and rice in the other half.  Add beans and corn--top with salsa.

DINNER:  Pizza Fries and Black Bean Soup

• 4 medium potatoes, cut lengthwise into strips
• 1 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder and paprika
• Ketchup
• Add-ons:  Nutritional yeast, fresh chopped basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place fries n a large bowl and toss with spices.  Arrange fries on a cookie sheet with parchment paper or on a baking rack.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove from oven and top with Nutritional yeast and basil if using.  Enjoy!

DAY 4 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST:  Green Smoothie Bowl​

• 2 Frozen bananas
• 1 chopped fresh banana
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1/2 cup fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup spinach

Blend frozen bananas, spinach, water and half the mango.  Pour into a bowl and top with chopped banana and the berries.

LUNCH:  Mediterranean Salad

• 2 cups of greens
• 1 cup of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• 2 tbsp tzatziki dressing (recipe below)
• Diced onion or chives, sun dried tomatoes (optional)

Rinse the beans.  Put the greens, beans and quinoa in a bowl.  Chop cucumber and tomato into bite sized pieces and toss.  Top with tzatziki dressing and serve.
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DINNER:  Thai Stir-Fry
Sauce ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp peanut butter (PB2 powdered peanut butter 85% less fat)
• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp:  garlic powder, red pepper, ginger powder
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

 

• 8 oz Rice noodles
• 1/4 c carrots, shredded
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
• 2 scallions, diced
• 1/4 bean sprouts (optional)
• 1 lime wedge

Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop rice noodles in and cook according to directions.  Rinse under cool water and set aside.  Saute your broccoli, red bell pepper and carrots in a bit of water until tender.  Place all your sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.  Combine your noodles and sauce in a bowl and add in your sauteed vegetables, cilantro and scallions.  Top with bean sprouts and a squeeze of lime.

DAY 5 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST:  Sweet Potato Pudding

• 1/3 cup rolled oats (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup Almond milk
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  

LUNCH:  Black Bean Soup and Salad

• Greens and lots of veggies, left over quinoa or rice, beans
• Bowl of soup

DINNER:  Falafels and Salad

• 1 cup garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1 Medjool date
• 1/2 tsp each:  garlic powder, cumin and paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro

Salad:

• 4 cups greens
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• Tzatziki dressing

Preheat oven to 374.  Process all the falafel ingredients in a food processor until a dough forms.  Take 1/4 of the mixture and roll into a ball and then press into a patty.  Repeat until you have 4 falafels.  Place on a non-stick pan and bake for 20 minutes.  Flip them over and cook another 15 minutes.  Arrange your salad and chop up your tomato and cucumber.  Serve the falafels on top of the salad with tzatziki dressing.  

DAY 6 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST:  Potato scramble

• 1 1/2 cup of red onion
• 3 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 lbs potatoes, cut into cubes
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• Salt to taste (optional)

In a skillet, combine the onion, mustard, allspice, jalapeno, and 1 cup water.  Sitr to combine and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cover the pan and cook until the onions are translucent, 5-10 minutes.  Add the potatoes, salt and additional 1 cup of water.  Raise the heat to high, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and continue to cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender.  Stir in the tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice.  Serve.

LUNCH:  Black Bean Salad

• 2 15 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1 large tomato, or several grape tomatoes halved
• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 can water chestnuts, sliced, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 lime, juiced and zested
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or more to taste
• 1/2 vadalia onion, chopped

Add beans, tomatoes, corn, onion and water chestnuts to a bowl and mix.  Rinsing the beans well keeps the salad from looking gray.  Add cilantro, lime and balsamic vinegar and mix again.  

DINNER:  Pesto Pasta with White Beans

• 12 oz whole grain pasta, 1/2 cup of cooking liquid reserved
• 1 cup basil pesto (recipe below)
• 1 15 oz cannelini beans

Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl and add the pesto.  Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid toi acheve a creamy sauce.  Add the beans and toss well.  

DAY 7 MEAL PLAN:
BREAKFAST:  Chocolate oatmeal

• 1 cup dry oats
• 2 cups water
• 1 frozen banana, chopped
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp walnuts, optional

Combine oats, frozen banana, and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Stir occasionally.  Add cocoa powder and mix well.  Top with walnuts if using.

LUNCH:  Bean Tacos

• 4 corn tortillas (ingredients:  corn and water)
• 1 cup refried beans
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 cup brown rice
• Lettuce
• Salsa

Mix together refried beans, corn and cooked brown rice.  Spread mixture on each tortilla and top with lettuce and salsa.

DINNER:  Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 3 medium potatoes
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup of cooking water
• Dash of garlic powder and onion powder
• Scallions

Add-ons:  Corn, steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc., nutritional yeast and black pepper

Peel and chop zucchini and potatoes.  Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add potatoes and zucchini and cover, lower heat and cook 15-20 minutes or until soft.  When done, drain the majority of water reserving about 1/4 cup in the pot.  Add your spices and mash potatoes until smooth.  Place potatoes in a serving dish and top with corn, steamed vegetables and nutritional yeast.  Add fresh black pepper to taste.

And that's it for Week One--Week 2 coming up!!

This 30 Day Challenge can be as simple as layering food in a mason jar and grab it as you walk out the door!  So many people think they just do not have time for preparing food, they have to grab and go--well, mason jar meals are grab and go meals.  

All you have to do is decide what you would like to put in the jar--breakfast foods, lunch or dinner.  There are so many different foods to choose from--Beans, lentils, greens, tomatoes, carrots, onions, avocados, rice, quinoa, oatmeal, fruits, soy yogurts...the list is endless!!  If you would like to make a salad, always put your dressing on the bottom, beans next or more "dense" vegetables like cucumbers or zucchini so the dressing isn't absorbed, and then a whole grain like brown rice or quinoa, more vegetable like tomatoes, etc., and end with the greens on top.  So easy!

For our 30 Day Challenge, we will be eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.  We will be mixing and matching with lots of raw vegetables as well as cooked, some sort of whole grain and or potatoes,  so there is some prep work.  The more prep work you can get done on the weekend, (or whenever your schedule allows), the easier it will be for your weekday meals.  You will have to do the prep work in order to have meals on the table in 15-20 minutes--it doesn't get any easier than that.

You will be eating HEALTHY, DELICIOUS meals, and because of your food choices, you will be building an extremely strong immune system, lowering cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and BEST of all, the side effect from eating this way, you drop WEIGHT!  No weighing food, counting calories, or measuring anything--eat the foods on this plan when you are hungry, eat until satisfied, and watch the MAGIC happen!!

I've listed below a few easy recipes to make in mason jars--these are only suggestions--you can layer any foods you like as long as you are choosing from our 4 Food Groups:  Vegetables, Fruits, Whole Grains and Legumes. Remember, we will not be using any DAIRY or other ANIMAL PRODUCTS for 30 days.  Do not panic!  If you think you need some sort of milk for oatmeal or cold cereal, (I will allow PLAIN shredded wheat, no frosting!), there are plenty of plant based milks to choose from such as Almond, Cashew, or Soy to name a few.  Most people prefer Almond, but if you are trying it for the first time, don't think it will taste like Cow's milk, it won't--it's a plant based milk.  However, once people give it a try, (sometimes it takes a few tries), they come back to tell me they prefer it! 

Now, there is a food in the above picture that is not allowed on this plan--can you spot it?  If so, email me at:  [email protected] and tell me.  Also, if you try a Mason Jar Meal, please let me know your layers and  how you liked it!


MASON JAR MEALS

BREAKFAST OATS
1 cup steelcut oats (or rolled oats)
Blueberries
Apples
Bananas
Cinnamon

Layer ingredients in mason jar in order given.  Mix with 1 cup of hot water, add chopped nuts on top and eat!

MEXICAN POTATOES
Dry potatoes (Yes, the dehydrated potatoes in a box)
Nutritional yeast
Frozen corn
Black beans

Layer ingredients in mason jar in order given.  Add 1 cup of hot water when ready to eat, and mix well.  Add salasa and scallions on top and eat!

YOGURT PARFAIT
Grapes
Yogurt (So Delicious)
Banana
Museli (Bob's Red Mill)
Blueberries

Layer ingredients in a mason jar in order given.  Mix well

​Don’t let these challenges get the best of your good intentions.

Busy schedules, lack of recipes, unstocked pantries, no plan, and probably most of all, working with the unfamiliar all contribute to these feelings.

But, we don’t have a SECOND to waste fixing and eating meals that AREN’T directly linked to optimum health.

Let’s power up your meal planning on a plant-based diet today by looking at 6 myths you may have about this task and replace them with effective ways to make easy meal planning a part of your life. You’ll be armed with new enthusiasm and skills to plan and eat plant-based meals throughout the week and for many weeks to come.

Meal Planning Myths

Myth #1: I just need to eat a lot of vegetables.
This won’t work because chances are, you WILL get hungry. People often think that a plant-based diet is just about the fruits and veggies, but it’s really inclusive of whole grains, legumes like kidney beans, chickpeas and soy, starchy veggies like potatoes and yams and some nuts and seeds.

While a meal made with a pile of vegetables can make your stomach feel fuller, if you include a source of protein such as tofu or lentils it will take a little longer to digest and keep you full longer. Add beans to your salad or a ¼ cup of brown rice. Eat a salsa topped yam alongside your steamed veggies.

TAKEAWAY: Plant-based eating does not mean only veggies.

Myth #2: You have to think about protein
Protein has been big in the news over the past few years, and as a consequence, people are confused. We do indeed need protein along with carbohydrates and fats. Whole foods provided from nature offer the ideal amount of protein. But if we take a look at what nature provides, we see that the amount of protein we need to survive is less than most think.

According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Recommended Daily Allowance, our protein needs are about 10% of our daily diet.

It’s easy to forget that grains and veggies also contain protein. You don’t need to worry about getting enough protein on a plant-based diet.

However, if you’re someone who finds yourself hungry after a meal, you may consider adding more plant sources of protein as described in Myth #1.

And, if you’ve ever heard that you need to worry about getting a complete protein since only animal sources are “complete,” that has been debunked. If you eat a variety of whole plant foods, any mixture of amino acids (which is what protein is) will provide everything you need with our body’s infinite wisdom for combining and using what’s needed.

TAKEAWAY: Don’t worry about getting enough protein in your weekly meal plan.

Myth #3: Plan a lot of variety
Don’t make it harder on yourself than you need to. Eating the same meals on a regular basis is something that most of us do naturally. Think about what YOU usually eat in a week. One solution is to create a weekly dinner theme. Within those themes, you can mix it up easily. For example, try Taco Tuesday, Pizza Friday, or Pasta Thursday every week. Then try pesto pizza one week and mushroom artichoke the next.

Making a soup every week is a good way to stretch meals so you can have leftovers for lunch or a snack. Make a pot of beans weekly and turn them into your favorites like Black Bean Tacos, or throw them on salads. Oh, and salads are the bomb. Cut up lots of veggies and use them in large salads that you eat EVERY day, EVERY week.

What you want is success and making it too difficult on yourself is a bad idea. 

TAKEAWAY: Put variety in the fruits and veggies you eat, not necessarily in the meals you plan.

Myth #4: Raw foods are better than cooked
You may think that raw foods have more nutrition than cooked, but actually, it depends on which ones you’re using. Some have more nutrition when they’re cooked and some when they’re raw. Carotenoid-containing foods such as tomatoes, carrots, and corn are better for you when they’re cooked because their thick cell walls are partially broken down, making the nutrients bound to the cell walls more accessible for assimilation.

Additionally, mushrooms are better when cooked because their toxic compounds are destroyed.

If you only eat raw, you’ll limit nutrient diversity. While you do want to stay away from foods that are fried, BBQed at high temps, or overcooked, eating a diet diverse in both cooked and raw provides the greatest benefit. As recommended by Dr. Fuhrman, eating soup is a great way to hold on to nutrients because they’re distributed in the soup’s liquid.

TAKEAWAY: Plan your meals with a combination of raw and cooked veggies.

Myth #5: Fresh is always better.
It seems logical, if it’s straight from nature, it must be better. However, in today’s world, fruits and vegetables don’t usually come from our, or our neighbor’s, backyard. Instead, they can come from miles away and sit on the shelf or worse, are treated with chemicals (unless it’s organic) that keep them “young” longer. They are not picked at their peak of nutrition.

While organic fruits and vegetables are good, ones that are frozen can be better because they retain their full nutrient value.

Pick fresh fruits and vegetables when they’re in season and don’t be afraid to use frozen.

TAKEAWAY: Pick fresh fruits and vegetables when they’re in season and don’t be afraid to use frozen.

Myth #6: Meal planning is difficult and time consuming
OK, I won’t lie to you, starting something new is usually more difficult than doing something you’re familiar with. It’s just the way our brains work. Until you’ve created a habit by setting down neurological pathways with repeated use, you’ll be thinking more. But, just like anything, you will get better at plant-based meal planning, shopping, and preparing the more you do it. It WILL take less time and effort. And, importantly, learning a new skill is very good for your brain!

But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to support this new skill and make it easier. One way is to start with a plan that’s already out there. Many websites offer meal plans, so try your luck with a Google search.

TAKEAWAY: You'll quickly learn how to plan meals on a plant-based diet and be healthier than ever!

How important is this new skill?
Isn’t it worth the learning curve to fit plant-based eating into your lifestyle? In the long run, you’ll have less worry and more time to concentrate on the things you love if you plan weekly meals.

My wish for you is to sidestep any traps that make most meal plans fail, and instead learn how to easily create your weekly plant-based masterpieces.

The quality of the food you eat will affect the quality of your body.  Poor quality food is responsible for most of the chronic diseases we suffer from.  The unnatural food we eat causes our bodies to fight for balance and the result is weight gain, fatigue and disease.  Following a Whole Food  Plant Based diet will give us natural weigh control as well as a long list of health improvements:  blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, arthritis, allergies, and more.

​A Whole Food Plant Based diet gives our body all the vitamins and nutrients we need to build a really strong immune system, prevent chronic disease from starting, stop the progression of disease and many times REVERSE disease.  Show me any other diet that has been SCIENTIFICALLY proven to do just that....believe me, to date,  there isn't one.  

Here are a few more guidelines we will be following for our 30 Day Challenge which begins May 1st:

1. If you want to shed pounds, STOP cooking with OIL!  Oil is not a "health" food like most companies would like us to believe (olive oil companies).  Oil is stored easily in our body--it is an extremely processed food that is loaded with calories and very little nutrition.  
2. Learn to reduce the amount of salt in your diet.  Excessive amounts of salt is linked to high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis and stomach cancers.  I will teach you how to use herbs, vinegars and spices to flavor your food.  In a short period of time, your taste buds will adjust and you will NOT miss the salt!
3. Don't let meat and cheese hold you back.  Most of the fat in the SAD (Standard American Diet), comes from cheese, butter and meat--all which contain dangerous trans fats.  As studies continually show, animal products, including meat, fish and dairy, are rich in substances associated with cancer and heart disease.  On top of that, they increase the body's production of IGF-1, a hormone that accelerates the aging process and produces inflammation.  We are going to focus on eating more of what helps our bodies aggressively lose weight.  By eliminating the animal products for the next 30 days, we will be cleaning our body from the inside out.
4. Let your body have daily digestion breaks.  In between snacking robs your body of a powerful function called the 'catabolic state'.  After digestion is complete, your body heals, repairs and rejuvenates tissue (catabolic state).  You want your body to be free throughout the day to repair, fight free radicals, and burn stored energy you may have accumulated as fat.  
5. Your habits dictate results.  Success starts with planning.  Your weekly food prepping habit will get you the health and weight loss goals you are looking for.  Remember....fail to plan, plan to fail.  
6. The right prescription.  Loading up on raw and cooked vegetables, 1 pound each daily--impossible?? It really is easy--you will see!!
7. Your taste will change.  It will take some effort, but your taste buds will change.  In the beginning things may taste a little "off", but give it time--you have been eating foods that have "hyper-flavors" that do not exist in nature thanks to the food companies.  However, stay consistent with this plan and your taste buds will heal.
8. Balancing your time.  I know how busy most people are, BUT, it is impossible to find ready-made food that will meet these requirements I am talking about.  Be prepared--you will be prepping and cooking more, BUT, the result will be a more healthy, energetic and disease-free YOU!

May 1st is going to be here before we know it.  Will you be ready for the 30 Day Challenge?  Anyone can do anything for 30 days.....it's not hard!  I will give you step by step instructions from grocery lists to recipes, to the menus. To start getting prepared for this challenge you will need to:

1.  Clean your cupboards
2.  Clean out your refrigerator

Your home environment can make or break you.  We want to get rid of processed foods such as candy, cookies, chips, donuts, pastries--any foods that have an ingredient list a paragraph long.  These foods are going to keep the extra pounds on us, make us feel tired and bogged down.  Believe me, when we eliminate these foods from our diet, we begin to FEEL so much better, lighter and energetic.  

We will be stocking our cupboards and refrigerator with all kinds of WHOLE FOODS--potatoes, rice, beans, vegetables, fruits, oats, quinoa and other whole grains.  Your grocery bill will absolutely go down as we will not be buying meat for 30 days--the MOST EXPENSIVE item in the grocery store is MEAT--it will not be on our menu.  

So, I will give you a peak at the GUIDELINES we will be following for this challenge:

EAT UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF :

• Raw vegetables (1 pound per day)
• Cooked green and non-green nutrient rich vegetables--eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and cauliflower just to name a few--(1 lb per day)
• Beans, legumes, bean sprouts and tofu
• Fresh fruits (up to four per day)

EAT LIMITED AMOUNTS OF:

• Cooked, starchy vegetables or whole grains--butternut squash, corn, potatoes, rice, cereal (limit to 1 cup per day)
• Avocados (2 oz maximum daily)
• Ground flaxseeds (1 tablespoon maximum)

OFF LIMITS:

• Dairy
• All animal products 
• Fruit juice
• Oil

These are the guideline for MAXIMUM WEIGHT LOSS.  If your goal is to get off medications and be healthier and weight is not an issue for you, then you can also eat unlimited amounts of the starchy vegetables, avocados, nuts and seeds.  There are many people that just want to eat healthier and do not want to lose any weight, such as athletes--in that case, again, eat unlimited amounts of the starches, nuts and seeds.  

So there it is--the BASIC guidelines we will be following for our 30 Day Challenge.  Please don't think that we will just be eating salads--we will be making wraps, burritos, buddha bowls, burgers, loaded potatoes, etc.  

The food will be amazing--but just remember, we will be preparing all the food ourselves.  With a little planning in the beginning of every week, this will be a breeze.  

However, the SECRET to eating this way is PLANNING.  

IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, PLAN TO FAIL!!  With a plan in place, you can only SUCCEED--I promise!

Words to Live By:  A Healthy Diet is More Effective than Medicine.

The Key to losing weight like you NEVER have before, is by eating more phytonutrients than you ever have before.  What are phytonutrients?  They are nutrients found in the plant kingdom--nutrients that fuel our immune system with everything it needs to keep us HEALTHY.  The only side effect from eating plants--WEIGHT LOSS like never before!

Phytonutrients reduce hormones that promote FAT STORAGE and reduce the amount of fatty tissue on your body by killing off existing FAT CELLS--What?  No one ever gave you this information before, I know.

The above picture is what your plate will look like when we start our 30 Day Challenge.  I really wish I could get rid of Vegan Plate, because this way of eating is not called "Vegan", but it's called a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle.  What's the difference?  A Vegan simply means no meat or dairy.  Period.  That means you can have Coca Cola and french fries--no meat or dairy--a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle means eating Whole Food, minimally processed foods, (like Almond Milk or tofu, bread), that come from the Plant Kingdom.  Yes it eliminates meat and dairy, but the goal is to eat REAL WHOLE FOOD as it is found in nature.  Coke and chips are not whole foods.  Remember, if the food comes from nature eat it, if it's made by man in a laboratory, DON'T!  Marshmallows, Twinkies, and Little Debbie snacks are not found in nature.

So, when we prepare our plates with food, the above picture is what it should look like.  We need to pile our plates high with all kinds of vegetables, some sort of whole grain, some beans, (chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, white beans, etc.) and fruit.  When we eat this way, we give our body EVERYTHING it needs to keep our immune system running strong, boosts our energy level, helps us to reduce/eliminate medications, and DROPS our WEIGHT.

Get ready.....the next blog will give us the guidelines we will be following for our 30 Day Challenge.  If you are ready to finally get serious about your health and lose weight by doing so, then this 30 Day Challenge is for you.  This is a FREE program....you've go nothing to lose but WEIGHT!!  
​

The best kept secret in medicine is......your body will heal itself given the right conditions.  This is a secret because no one can make money off of healthy people--only SICK people can make doctors and hospitals money.  

There is NOTHING more powerful than nutrition--if the pharmaceutical companies could put into a pill what the right nutrition can do for a body, it would be a multi-billion dollar pill--but guess what, they can't--Big Pharma has already tried.  

When we eat food, take for example and apple, there are 30,000 different substances in that apple, (scientists say there are even more that have not yet been discovered), all working together in harmony.  Our body is designed to know exactly what to do with all those nutrients to keep us running strong.  When scientists try to isolate nutrients from a food, that particular nutrient does not react the same way as it would coming from the whole food--all the other substances are missing.  You can NEVER get from a pill what you will get from eating the whole food--EVER.  

So you want to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, reverse type 2 diabetes, prevent chronic disease from starting--the answer is so simple most people don't believe it--eat a WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED DIET.

Science has repeatedly proven this fact by reversing heart disease, diabetes, dropping blood pressure to normal, dropping cholesterol to normal, and, the best side effect from this--YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT WHETHER YOU EXERCISE OR NOT!  Now I'm not saying don't exercise, of course we should all be exercising at least 30 minutes a day, BUT, if you follow this diet, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. PERIOD.

No counting calories, fats, carbs, portion control, calorie restriction, blah, blah blah--just eat the right food and watch the numbers on the scale drop.  

What have you got to lose?  Weight??  

If you want to IMPROVE your HEALTH and LOSE WEIGHT, join me for a 30 Day Challenge which will begin on MAY 1st.  This upcoming week we will start to prepare for this challenge--I will post all instructions on this site.

Should you decide to join us and DROP WEIGHT, please email me at:  [email protected] so I know you are joining us and I can coach you along on this health promoting journey.

Stay tuned--tomorrow we will start preparing our kitchen.....