Some foods and recipe suggestions

Some foods and recipe suggestions

This is going to be long, so don't lose patience.  I had made a diet sheet for a Daniel fast last January which is completely vegan.  However, for this challenge, I did add a little meat/cheese, etc. Feel free to adjust for yourself keeping in mind the calorie content.  A piece of cake for dessert could add 350-400 calories to a low calorie day.  Why not just one bite?  Anyway, here goes and I hope the information works for you.  Enjoy!

DANIEL FAST SUGGESTIONS

Here are some suggestions (not full recipes) to start you on your Daniel Fast (Daniel 1:12 – vegetables, fruit – something sown and water).  These may spur you on to find your own solutions.  Not all the foods are fancy, but works for the duration of the fast.  It’s important to remember that the fast does not include: All meats and animal products (cheese, butter, cream, fish, eggs, dairy of all kinds), processed foods, white flour, white rice, sugars & sweeteners of every kind (including honey), preservatives, chemicals, artificial flavorings, food additives, desserts, no other drink than water (filtered is best) and all fried foods.  All leavened breads, including Ezekiel 4:9 – it has leavening and sugar - unless you find one and baked goods. 

Although this is a fast, you will eat sometimes and this guide will help you realize that there are a lot of foods that you can eat.  Food may not be as “tasty” as you are used to, but do taste good.  Remember in Proverbs 27:7 it says, “The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”

Fortunately it does include wonderful foods that we enjoy all of the time just maybe not as often.  Many of your regular recipes will work if you adjust to leave out the above and add some extra ingredients that you hadn’t thought of before. 

You can use natural sweeteners for flavorings:  unsweetened dried fruit, frozen apple juice concentrate, canned fruit with no sugar (pineapple), naturally sweet apples, bananas, raisins.  In all “store bought” foods, check for sugar, chemicals or preservatives.  Many sugars are hidden in foods that you wouldn’t think about (maltose, dextrose, cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.).  Nuts, tofu, and beans provide protein (also protein powder if it meets the above requirements).

I’m a lover of cold (first) pressed olive oil and use lots of it.  It fills in for butter on vegetables, cooking oil and to make simple oil and vinegar dressing.

If you have access to the internet, you can go on www.daniel-fast.com for a more complete list as well as some recipes.  You can also use other websites to get ingredients and amounts to guide you as you make up your own recipes (www.recipezaar.com, www.recipes.com – check Google).  You can order the Daniel Fast Cookbook from Amazon.com which also includes meal plans and other great ideas.

BREAKFASTS

Cooked oatmeal, apple pieces, walnuts, raisins – some of all listed.

Unsweetened Soy milk or Unsweetened Almond Breeze milk (all the rest have sugar of some sort)

Peanut butter on apple slices (I shop HEB and they have roasted peanuts or almonds in the bulk foods section that you grind yourself.  They taste great and have no sugar or additives.)

Ezekiel 4:9 breakfast cereal with above “milk”.  This is expensive, but is great for a change.

Cream of Wheat

Cornmeal porridge (Cook cornmeal and water – the usual mix is 2 water and 1 cornmeal.)

Sliced fruit – alone or with above items

Unsweetened store bought Applesauce, pineapple, etc.

Dried fruit – there are a few that do not have sugar added 

Cooked rice with raisins

LUNCH AND DINNERS – Soups and stews will be the mainstays

Potato soup: Potatoes, carrots, onion, water, salt pepper, garlic powder.  Instead of milk, puree’ ½ package of soft tofu. 

Broccoli soup: Use broccoli instead of carrots.  The potatoes will give it thickener – puree’ all of the soup.

Carrot soup:  carrots, onion, celery, garlic, Italian herbs, basil, vegetable broth. 

Tomato basil soup:  Diced tomatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and basil.  Puree’ ½ c. tofu to act as cream.

Split pea soup, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, potatoes and carrots are good in it also

Baked potato:  Cook in microwave 8 minutes(?) then put on olive oil and green onion.

Baked Sweet potato: Cook as above and put on olive oil.

Mashed potato with olive oil

French fries (oven baked with olive oil)  Make your own ketchup – no sugar

(Daniel Fast ketchup: 1 c. tomato paste, 2 c. tomato sauce, 2 T. apple juice,1 tsp. kosher salt, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 1/8 tsp ground allspice.  Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and cook until thick – about 20 minutes.)

Sweet Potato fries (oven baked with olive oil)

Make vegetarian chili

Make gumbo using roux, water, onions, okra, tomatoes and lots of seasonings (even sausage seasonings)

Vegetable soup

Minestrone

Beans and Rice: Beans:  Wash and soak 1 package dried pinto beans overnight.  Rinse and put in pot with water 2 “ to cover, 1 chopped onion, 1 c. chopped celery, 1 T. cumin, ½ c. chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, 1 T. garlic powder and cook for 3-4 hours or until soft.  Add 1 can diced tomatoes.  Add water to cover while cooking and stir often.

Whole wheat tortillas and bean quesadillas with salsa or guacamole.                                   Page 3

Easy pizza:  Large tortilla, spread on pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese.  Pre cook as necessary  so that the vegs are not raw.  Might include: chopped tomatoes (drained), green pepper, broccoli, onions, shredded deli ham or turkey, pineapple chunks, red pepper.  Layer ingredients, sprinkle on Italian seasoning and top with a little more cheese.  Spray cookie sheet with Pam and bake about 10 minutes at 450 oven or as you like it.

Whole wheat penne pasta:  (Mix in bowl a combination of what you like: onion, red pepper, squash, broccoli, etc.  Add ¼ c. olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and spread on cookie sheet in oven.  Roast vegetables in oven for 30 minutes.  In fry pan, put 1/3 c. olive oil.  Add minced garlic and ½ c. sliced Spanish olives, 4 T. olive juice and stir together for 3 minutes.  Mix penne, roasted vegetables and olive mixture together.  It’s great.  You really can’t taste the olives, but it gives great flavor.  Great to add sun dried tomatoes and chili seeds.

Chinese Stir Fry:  Use your favorite vegetables.   Precook carrots, celery, etc as they take longer to cook.  Heat olive oil and then add all the vegetables you like: Bok choy, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, broccoli,  yellow squash, cauliflower, olive oil, pepper, chili seeds, ginger, etc.  Mix  up garlic powder and Kikkoman soy sauce and add to vegetables.  You can also cook some spaghetti and add.  Check Chinese recipe for right amounts.

Basic oil and vinegar dressing:  ½ c. olive oil, 1/3 c. vinegars (mixed) or lemon juice, ½ c. water, 1 T. garlic powder, salt, pepper.  (After the fast, you can add 2 T. brown sugar for a great “go-to” dressing).

Daniel Fast Mayonnaise (Soyonnaise): 1 c. cubed soft tofu, 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. frozen apple juice concentrate, ¼ tsp. salt.  Blend together and then add 4 T. olive oil.  Blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

Condiments on ok list: Adobo sauce, cilantro, parsley, all herbs, mustard, salt, seasonings, soyonnaise (soy mayonnaise), spices, vanilla, vegetable broth, frozen apple juice concentrate-no sugar (just for flavoring), Kikkoman soy sauce.

Salads:

Lettuce, red onion, unsweetened dried fruit, (or sliced oranges, apples, grapes, etc.) toasted nuts and dressing.  Paul Newman’s oil & vinegar is ok.

Lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, kalamata olives, dressing above (it’s an aim at Greek salad but without the feta cheese.)

            Make potato salad (no egg or mayo) and above dressing (soyonnaise)

            Pasta salad like potato salad.  Also add kalamata olives or black olives, red pepper slices

Carrot (grated), crushed pineapple (in its own juice) and raisin salad.  Use pineapple juice for dressing

            Three Bean Salad:  1 can drained kidney beans, 1 can drained green beans, 1 can drained
             yellow wax beans, 1 can butter beans (only drain half of juice) 1 T. garlic powder, ½ sliced red
            onion, 1 sliced red pepper, (chopped celery if you like), oil & vinegar dressing above.

Whole wheat spaghetti and Marinara Sauce (vegetable spaghetti sauce): Diced tomatoes, tomato paste, finely chopped celery, (possibly grated carrots), onion, basil, oregano and regular seasonings (I add fennel seed also).

Daniel Fast book says you can use TVP or veggie burgers.  Check ingredients

Matzo crackers (the onion/poppy are very good)

Apricot-Nut Flatbread:  2-1/4 c. whole wheat flour, ½ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. apple pie spice, 3 T. olive oil, 6 T. frozen apple juice concentrate, ½ c. chopped nuts, ½ to 1 c. chopped dried apricots, 1 c. water.  Mix flour, nuts, apricots, and apple pie spice and salt together.  Make a well in the middle of the flour and add olive oil, juice concentrate and water.  Mix well (it is sticky).  Spray a cookie sheet with PAM, sprinkle flour or cornmeal on the sheet, and spread dough out to 1” thick. (Sprinkle top with flour or cornmeal and place a sheet of waxed paper over to spread). Bake for 22 min. at 375.  Also enjoy as a morning Breakfast Bar.

Italian Flat Bread:   2 c. whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. salt, 3 T. Italian seasoning, ½ tsp. pepper, 3 T. olive oil, 1 c. water.  Mix well (it is sticky).  Spray a cookie sheet with PAM, sprinkle cornmeal on the sheet, and spread dough out to 1” thick. (Sprinkle top with cornmeal and place a sheet of waxed paper over to spread). Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle Italian seasoning on.  Could also mix olive oil and chopped tomatoes and spread on top.  Bake for 22 minutes at 375.  Can be used for bread/crackers with soup or crust for no-cheese pizza.  You can purchase awesome dry Italian spices (they use for dipping sauce) from Zio’s Restaurant in Humble – it does have a little parmesan in it – pick it out?

Hummus - another kind of bean dip – is great.  In a food processor, put 1 can garbonza beans (drained), 1 tsp of salt, 1 T. Tahini (sesame paste) or Almond or Peanut butter, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 T. ground cumin, and 1 T. powdered garlic (0r 2 cloves minced), ½ tsp. red pepper, ½ tsp black pepper, sundried tomatoes in olive oil (I couldn’t find it in WalMart – try another store).  Blend well and then add 4 T. (or more for right consistence) olive oil and finish blending.  (Some add a few drops of Tabasco sauce).   Use as a dip for raw vegetables.

Guacamole – In food processor:  Avocado, onion, garlic, lemon, tomato, salt, pepper, cilantro.
Dip with raw vegetables or Matzo crackers

Fried Rice:  cooked rice, onion, peas, 2 T. olive oil, soy sauce

Spanish rice:  cooked rice, onion, green pepper, red pepper, 2 T. chopped cilantro, cumin (comino), salsa.  Saute vegs then add rice and salsa.  Could serve with roasted vegetables, vegetarian charro (or refried) beans.