Quick, delicious, and easy-to-prepare recipes: That’s how we are going to roll for now! I want you to know that cooking at home is not only awesome for your budget, but the best way to take charge of your weight.
BREAKFASTS
Makes 1 serving
½ ripe pear
1 cup blueberries
¼ avocado
¼ cup chia seeds
2 cups Rice Dream or Silk Coconut Milk
Optional: 1 tsp honey or agave
Optional: Vanilla extract and/or cinnamon, to taste
Put all ingredients except milk into a blender. Then add Rice Dream or Silk Coconut Milk. Add honey, vanilla, and/or cinnamon, if desired.
Blend until smooth.
Makes 4 servings
2 cups blueberries
2 cups Silk Coconut Milk or Rice Dream
1 cup chia seeds
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp cardamom
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the chia from congealing. Let sit for 5 minutes to make a soft compote, or 10 minutes for a firmer one. Serve warm. Refrigerate or freeze unused portions.
Makes 4 servings
For our folks who have passed almonds and want a delicious breakfast that tastes like dessert!
Streusel Topping
1½ cups almond flour
⅛ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup butter at room temperature
Apple Filling
3 apples, cored and chopped into ½-inch pieces
⅛ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp cloves
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the streusel topping by hand or using a hand mixer. In a medium bowl, combine all the apple filling ingredients and mix them well. Divide the apple mixture into four 8-ounce baking ramekins and pack them down with ½ inch of streusel topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until streusel topping is lightly browned. Serve warm or refrigerate.
Makes 3 to 4 servings
Spelt is similar to wheat but easier for many people to digest. Bob’s Red Mill makes great spelt flakes to use in this recipe. For even greater savings, you can also find spelt flakes in bulk sections of health food stores.
4 cups spelt flakes
Optional: 3 cups water for soaking
3 cups water
1 cup chopped mango, fresh or frozen
½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
¼ cup water or coconut milk
Optional: Soak the spelt flakes in water in a large bowl overnight in the refrigerator. Soaking makes them even more digestible.
In a small saucepan combine the 3 cups water, mango, blueberries, honey or agave, lemon juice, and ginger. Bring the fruit mixture to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer until the fruit is softened and the liquid thickened—about 15 minutes.
Take the spelt (soaked or unsoaked) and put in a small saucepan for 3 to 4 minutes with ¼ cup water or coconut milk. Serve warm, with the warm fruit mixture.
Makes 4 servings
1 cup water
2 cups flaxseeds
1 tbsp agave nectar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup raisins
If you can soak the flaxseeds overnight, great—they will produce more mucilage and be even better for digestion. But if you’re in a rush, you can simply combine water and flaxseeds in a medium bowl, mix well, let sit for 30 minutes, and mix again.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 275 °F. Add agave, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and raisins to flaxseeds and mix thoroughly.
Spread the granola in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 °F as you remove the baking sheet. Chop up the sheet of granola into clusters, flip them over, and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes, until all moisture is gone and granola is crispy.
SOUPS
All of The Metabolism Plan soups keep beautifully for the week! You can portion out what you need for the week and freeze whatever is left over.
Makes 10 to 16 servings
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp allspice
7 quarts water
⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 lb carrots, chopped
2 large red onions, chopped
3 large zucchini, chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled
5–6 inches ginger, peeled
Optional: 1 can full-fat coconut milk
Optional: 5 or 6 Vietnamese chili peppers
Put the cinnamon, cumin, pepper, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, and allspice into a dry skillet and sauté over medium heat for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Put the water into a large soup pot. Add the olive oil, carrots, onions, zucchini, garlic, and ginger to the water, and then add the toasted spices. Bring the water to a boil and let it simmer for 45 minutes, until the carrots are soft. Reserve 4 quarts of the water (called Carrot Essence, here) for future soup stocks in freezer. Blend the rest of the soup in batches, according to the size of your blender or food processor. If you like a creamier soup, add the coconut milk. For a spicier soup, add the peppers.
Makes 3 to 4 servings
I have cut out all store-bought chicken stock from soup recipes because almost all of them contain MSG or hidden MSG in, for example, yeast extract and chicken flavor. If you have time to make your own, nothing works better than throwing a chicken in a Crock-Pot with 3 to 4 quarts of water, an onion, some sage, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and some white pepper.
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp dried sage
½ tsp dried celery seed
1 quart Carrot Essence (see here), or homemade chicken stock, or hot water
2 cups water
1 can full-fat coconut milk
8 cups broccoli, chopped—about 4 heads of broccoli
4 cups zucchini, chopped—about 2 medium zucchini
1 small cayenne pepper or 1 tbsp Sriracha
1 medium avocado, peeled and pit removed
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, cumin, sage, and celery seed, and sauté until the onion is tender. To a medium soup pot, add the Carrot Essence or stock, water, coconut milk, broccoli, zucchini, cayenne pepper, avocado, and finally the sautéed onion mixture. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Blend the soup. This recipe freezes well, so it’s great to double the recipe to last for two weeks!
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 large white onion, diced fine
½ tsp dried sage
⅛ cup dried basil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 quart Carrot Essence (here) or homemade chicken stock
1 quart water
1 tsp agave or honey
2 lb carrots, chopped
8 cups zucchini pasta or 8 cups zucchini chopped into small chunks
2 heads escarole, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon or lemon juice to taste
In a large soup pot, sauté the onion, sage, and basil in extra virgin olive oil. Add the Himalayan salt and black pepper, Carrot Essence or stock, water, sweetener, carrots, and zucchini, and let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes. Add chopped escarole and let everything simmer an additional 10 minutes. Top with lemon juice.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This should last you one week. Make a double batch and freeze the rest if you want to save time in the kitchen next week!
1 large white onion, chopped
¼ tsp dried sage
⅛ cup dried basil
½ tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 quart Carrot Essence (here) or homemade chicken stock
2 quarts water
2 lb carrots, chopped
8 cups packed kale, chopped
2 chicken thighs with their bones
Add all the ingredients to a soup pot, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 45 minutes. Take out the chicken. Remove the meat from the bone, shred it, and return the meat to the soup. For each 16 ounces of soup, you’ll consume about one ounce of chicken. This is low-reactive and will not count as a second animal protein.
Makes 8 servings
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks
1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried sage
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
4 quarts broth from the Carrot Ginger Soup (here)
⅛ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
In a large skillet, put the olive oil, leeks, onion, garlic, sage, pepper, and salt. Sauté everything over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until the onions become translucent. Meanwhile, to a medium-large soup pot, add the broth from the Carrot Ginger Soup, parsley, and bay leaf, and bring it all to a boil. Then add the sautéed onion mixture. Let everything simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the broth by pouring it through a colander into another pot. Use immediately or freeze into batches.
SIDES
Makes 4 to 8 servings
There are many ways to make zucchini “pasta.” You can carve up the zucchini with a mandolin or a vegetable peeler. But my easy, lazy way is to use the Paderno Vegetable Spiralizer, which runs $30 to $40. As an added bonus, the spiralizer is easy for older kids to operate. If you want to eat this type of pasta two or three times in a week, you can: It lasts up to seven days. I love to add any leftovers into my stir-fries toward the end of the week. Of course, you always cook the zucchini before eating it, so it counts as a cooked vegetable. Raw zucchini is very hard on digestion, so cook it until it’s tender! In the meal plans, I suggest eating it with kale or basil and Sunflower Pesto (here), or with scallions and Manchego, but feel free to get creative with your own friendly pasta sauces!
4 large zucchini, carved into pasta
1 to 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
Sauté 3 to 4 cups zucchini pasta in a large hot skillet with 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Immediately remove the pasta from the heat and put it in a large mixing bowl. Toss with toppings of choice.
Makes 4 servings
These go great with any dinnertime protein, and the leftovers are fabulous on a bed of lettuce plus whatever other vegetable proteins you like for lunch. The roasting tends to bring out the natural sugars in the vegetables, though, so if you have some intestinal yeast or any type of sugar craving, you could find yourself craving these. I suggest limiting them to twice a week.
3 large carrots
1 large zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 head broccoli
4 to 5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Italian herbs, fresh or dried, to taste
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Chop the vegetables and toss them with the olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper. If you have time, let the mixture stand for 30 minutes before baking for 30 minutes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
I like to make up a big batch of this—it keeps for a week. It’s fabulous with lunch and a great option for your “raw vegetable” choice for dinner, since these high-fiber vegetables are terrific for your digestion, your gut bacteria, and your supply of antioxidants. They’re also a nice way to enjoy raw vegetables in winter.
4 large carrots, coarsely grated
1 beet, coarsely grated
Put the carrots and beet in a large bowl separately so colors don’t bleed into each other. Dress with your choice from the recipes beginning here, or just go with our old favorites—lemon juice, olive oil, and some dill—which are especially nice with both beets and carrots.
Makes 8 servings
I love this timbale as a warm, filling, and satisfying way to eat a wide variety of vegetables, with just a touch of cheesy goodness. You can enjoy it as one of your cooked vegetables at dinner or reheat it for lunch and serve on a bed of lettuce. It keeps for about a week, so you get to cook it once and eat it three times!
2 heads of kale, deveined
1 large zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 yellow onion
2 large carrots
4 to 6 ounces goat cheese
2 ounces grated Manchego
6 shiitake mushrooms
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Use a mandolin or knife to slice the vegetables as thinly as you can. Then layer them like a lasagna in a 9 × 11-inch pan: alternate kale, yellow squash, onions, goat cheese, kale again, then carrots, shiitakes, yellow squash, carrots again, and zucchini. Top with grated Manchego. Cook for 40 minutes or until the top layer of cheese is slightly golden.
SAUCES AND SEASONINGS
Makes 8 to 14 servings
This zingy spice rub will taste delicious on your Day 15 chicken at dinnertime, but you can use it on other proteins and even with your sautéed vegetables or curries once you start creating your own menus. Make up a big batch and put what you don’t use in the fridge—it’ll keep for six months.
3 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cardamom
Combine the coriander, cumin, turmeric, brown sugar, and sea salt. Add the remaining spices, adjusting to taste. Store in your fridge in an airtight container for up to six months.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
When you start creating your own menus, this is going to be a wonderful addition to your vegetables. As I suggest here, you might make up three days’ worth of vegetables and eat them with a different sauce each night—including this one. It’s also good on raw vegetables for a snack.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated fine
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp cumin
½ cup water
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce, or to taste
1 tsp brown sugar
¾ cup almond butter
In a medium saucepan, warm up the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and spices, keeping the heat low for 2 minutes until garlic is lightly browned. Add water, Sriracha, and brown sugar, then stir for 1 minute. Add in the almond butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Use what you like and store the rest in a closed container in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 1 week.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This is one of your mainstays for serving with kale beginning with your three-day cleanse. But don’t stop there—it’s delicious on just about any vegetable you can think of, and it’s great with rice or other grains. It keeps for about a week, so make up a big batch and use it to jazz up your lunches. Just remember, the combination of coconut milk and animal proteins is a test.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (about 1 tbsp)
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp allspice
1 tsp brown sugar
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp Sriracha sauce; for extra spice, add more Sriracha or 1 to 2 hot chilies, chopped
Optional: 1 lemongrass stalk chopped into 1-inch pieces
In a large saucepan, heat the oil. After 30 seconds, sauté the onion and garlic for 1 minute, stirring frequently until they start to brown. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice, and sauté for 1 minute on low heat, until the spices start to smell fragrant. Then add the brown sugar, coconut milk, Sriracha, and lemongrass, if desired, stirring for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove lemongrass before serving.
Makes 3 pints
24 ounces low-sodium bottled tomato sauce
20 ounces Carrot Ginger Soup (here)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp agave or honey
2 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp oregano
½ tsp rosemary
Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and let simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool and pour into individual containers for freezing.
Makes 4–6 servings
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 cup water
3 tbsp peeled, chopped ginger
1 tsp packed light-brown sugar
2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
⅛ tsp sea salt
Optional: 1 tsp sesame oil*
Combine the carrots and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Transfer the carrots and reserved cooking liquid to a food processor. Add the ginger, brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and sesame oil if you are using it. Pulse until smooth. This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for five to seven days.
Makes 10 to 12 servings
This high-protein sauce is one of my favorite ways to enjoy Zucchini Pasta (here)—it’s one of my bestsellers with LG Kitchen (see Resources), and we make it in big batches and freeze what we don’t immediately need. It’s also terrific on any type of steamed or sautéed vegetable, or, in a pinch, with raw vegetables as a protein-packed snack. Store it in your fridge in an airtight container, and it will keep for about two weeks.
¾ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup water
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, or 1 cup fresh parsley and 1 cup fresh mint
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Optional: Balsamic vinegar for thinning the pesto
Soak the sunflower seeds in water overnight and strain them the next day. Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S blade. Purée until smooth. To thin the pesto, add more water or 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
Makes 4 servings
Mangos are such a special treat, and with this zingy salsa, you can enjoy them all week long. When you start making your own menus, prepare a big batch of veggies and eat them three nights running, each time with a different sauce—including this one! You can also enjoy this salsa on pork or chicken. If you want a cooking break, have your local Chinese restaurant deliver some plain steamed veggies and proteins—no soy sauce, no MSG, no salt—and enjoy them with some mango salsa. If you use paper plates, you won’t even have to do the dishes! By the way, if you keep some frozen mango in your freezer, you can make this anytime.
1 whole mango, chopped, or 1 cup frozen mango, thawed
Juice of 1 lime (2 tbsp)
½ small red onion, chopped (¼ cup)
1 small dried red chili pepper, cut into strips
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
Combine all ingredients in small mixing bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to five days.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
This is a fabulous choice for your roast chicken—but, honestly, it’s just as good on pork, duck, and fish. I like it so much, I look for excuses to work it into my meal plans! You can make up a batch that lasts in your fridge for two weeks or maybe even longer if you’ve got an airtight container. Just spread it on your pork or chicken and let the sweet-and-sour tang seep into the meat… mmmm!
½ cup apricot jam
¼ to ½ cup water
1 tbsp Sriracha
2 tsp smoked chipotle powder
Mix ingredients vigorously together. Store leftovers in your fridge in an airtight container.
This versatile sauce is delicious on vegetables, fish, and chicken. Remember when I told you to make up a big batch of vegetables and serve it over three days with three different sauces? This is one of them! Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one week.
2 cloves garlic, peeled
⅛ tsp sea salt
¼ cup fresh dill
1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 to 3 tbsp juice)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Add the garlic, salt, dill, pepper, lemon zest, and juice to a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, and then, on a low setting, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
This sauce is amazing on chicken, lamb, and duck breast. It’s also great with cheese for a fancy cheese course with bread or crackers. You should be able to keep it stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Keep some frozen cranberries in your freezer so you can make this anytime.
1 lb fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped apple
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
½ tsp cardamom
½ tsp allspice
¼ cup almond slivers
½ tsp orange zest
Combine all ingredients except almond slivers and orange zest in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until cranberries start to pop. Add almonds and orange zest, then stir frequently for 2 minutes to break down the cranberries into a chunky puree.
SALAD DRESSINGS
Makes 6 servings
This is the perfect salad dressing for people wishing to avoid vinegar or who have yeast issues. I love it pretty much all the time. There are many organic bottled lemon and lime juices, so feel free to substitute those!
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅛ cup water
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 crushed garlic clove
Optional: 1 tsp dried dill
Combine all ingredients, stirring thoroughly. Use on top of any salad of your choosing. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Hands down, this is my personal favorite. Make up a big batch and enjoy it all week long.
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup fresh basil
½ cup fresh mint
Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1 minute. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one week.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
The classic Caesar is made with hearts of romaine lettuce, but this tastes amazing on any friendly lettuce. I love it on radicchio with apple!
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
4 ounces goat cheese
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp fresh black pepper
Optional: 2 tbsp fresh dill or basil
Add all ingredients to a food processor with an S blade and blend until smooth. For a lighter dressing, add water as needed. Use on top of any salad of your choosing. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.
SNACKS
Makes 10 servings
1 cup almond slivers
¼ cup almond butter
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp flaxseeds
2 tbsp rice milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 °F.
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes to release the mucilage that is so very good for your digestion! Form into 2-inch balls. If the dough isn’t sticky enough to do this easily, add a dash more rice milk.
Bake for 12 minutes. If the top is a golden brown, they are done. If not, give them another 3 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool.
Makes 4 to 8 servings
1 cup sunflower seeds
⅓ cup dried cranberries (sweetened is okay)
Mix the seeds and cranberries together. I suggest dividing them into 4 to 8 servings and storing them in bags so that you can easily take a snack to work or grab one for when you need a snack at home.
Makes 8 servings
1 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp cayenne pepper or 1 tsp white pepper for a milder spice
1 tsp onion powder
Preheat oven to 250 °F.
Pour the pumpkin seeds into a medium bowl. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Add spices, then mix thoroughly. Spread pumpkin seeds onto a large baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir the seeds and bake for another 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
2 cups low-sodium canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
2 tbsp water 2 cloves garlic, peeled
⅛ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp ground cumin, to taste, plus a sprinkling for garnish
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp—or more if desired)
Optional garnish: Chopped fresh parsley
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend for 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning (you may want to add more lemon juice). To serve, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with a bit more cumin and some parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to five days.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Here’s a great, quick, easy-to-make dip. I love this one because I am reactive to chickpeas, but love a hummus-style dip!
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp cumin
Dash sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Optional: Add chipotle powder if you like it spicy
In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and then add the pumpkin seeds, garlic, cumin, and sea salt. Stir for 5 to 7 minutes until the seeds are lightly toasted. Add all the ingredients to a food processor. Process until it is a thick, chunky consistency. Serve immediately or store and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Makes 8 servings
1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 250 °F.
Spread the almonds onto a large baking sheet in a thin layer and drizzle them with the oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake for another 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.
Makes 4 servings
2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash of sea salt
Preheat oven to 200 °F.
Slice the apples on a mandolin or in a food processor. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the apple slices next to each other. Combine the cumin, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, and sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the apple slices. Bake the apple chips for 60 minutes, then flip them to the other side and cook for an additional 40 to 50 minutes. You can eat them warm or let them cool. Store in airtight container for up to five days.
Makes 16 to 20 servings
I came up with this snack because I loved the idea of baba ghanoush, but I react badly to eggplant. You can enjoy this with raw vegetables, low-sodium potato chips, Apple Chips (this page)—or get creative!
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, finely chopped (approximately 2 cups)
¼ cup cumin
1 tbsp pink Himalayan salt
⅛ cup water
5 large zucchini, chopped (approximately 10 cups)
Oil for the baking sheet
Optional: 1 cup sunflower tahini
Add the ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat and add onion, cumin, and Himalayan salt. Stir until the spices are thoroughly mixed, then stir in the water. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.
Preheat oven to 325 °F.
Add the zucchini to the skillet with the onion and spices and stir well. Spread the mixture on a well-oiled baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and mix it well in a medium mixing bowl. The zucchini will break down to a chunky texture, but if you prefer a creamier snack, you can add 1 cup sunflower tahini. Store it in an airtight container in your fridge, where it will keep for about two weeks.
Makes 12 servings
Here’s a great snack that you can enjoy with raw vegetables, zucchini pasta, or low-sodium potato chips. You can also use it on cooked vegetables as part of a lunch or side dish.
1 bunch of kale
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sunflower tahini
Add the kale, garlic, and coconut milk to a medium sauce pan, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in sunflower tahini. Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix until smooth.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
½ red onion, minced
Juice of half a lime
⅛ cup water
⅛ tsp sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Optional: ½ tsp chipotle powder, test
Place avocados in a medium bowl. If you aren’t serving immediately, reserve the pits. Using a fork, mash the avocados. Add the onion, lime juice, water, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder, if using, continue to blend. Serve immediately or place the pits back into the guacamole to keep it from turning brown.
MAIN COURSES
Makes 4 servings
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
4 to 5 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander
1 head of kale, washed, deveined, and chopped (about 5 to 6 cups)
2 large zucchini, chopped
2 heads broccoli, chopped
1 lb carrots, chopped
4 shiitake mushrooms, diced
1 cup Carrot Essence (here) or water
Spicy Coco Sauce (here)
Put the oil into an 8-quart soup pot with heat on medium. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and coriander, and sauté for 1 minute. Then add the vegetables and stir for 1 or 2 minutes, so that the spice and onion mix is well integrated, and cover the pot. Turn heat to its lowest setting and add the Carrot Essence or water, and let everything simmer for 20 minutes. Finally, add the Spicy Coco Sauce and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently to integrate the flavors.
I know that the first 30 days are work, so I am keeping these recipes as simple and flavorful as possible. Whenever you see chicken called for, just roast a chicken or cook up a big batch of chicken thighs, drumsticks, or breasts any way you like. Personally I like to bake them at 375 °F for about 50 to 60 minutes with some basic herbs like basil, white pepper, and a little sea salt. Then you can add your sauces at the end. Voilà—you are a chef! A Crock-Pot version is included below.
Whole Chicken in a Crock-Pot
Makes 8 servings
A busy person’s delight, this chicken is so moist and tender you won’t believe it!
2 tsp sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp tarragon
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 whole cleaned chicken
1 lemon, cut into slices
6 cloves garlic
2 large Spanish onions, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Combine the spices in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken. Place the lemon slices and garlic inside the chicken cavity. Place the onions on the bottom of a Crock-Pot and drizzle oil on top. Place the seasoned chicken on top of onions. Cook for 4 to 5 hours on high.
Makes 4 servings
Ah, my famous lamb burgers. These are real crowd pleasers, so expect everyone to gobble them up!
1 lb ground lamb
1 zucchini, grated
¼ cup chopped red onion
Optional: Herbs of choice, such as basil, parsley, and rosemary, or use a blend, such as herbes de Provence or a salt-free Italian herb blend
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, form into four patties, and pan-sear in a dry skillet for 6 to 8 minutes, until medium rare.
Serves 3 to 4
1 leek
1 large carrot
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 whole fish, about 1 pound
⅛ tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into very thin slices
¼ cup white wine
Slice the leek and carrot into thin strips on the diagonal. The thinner you slice the carrot, the sweeter it will be.
Cover the bottom of a large roasting pan with parchment paper and 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Rub the fish inside and out with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Add the leek and carrot to the cavity.
Center the fish and place it on half of the lemons. Drizzle it with another tablespoon oil and then top the fish with the rest of the lemons. Pour the wine around the fish and roast for 20 to 25 minutes. You can test the fish by inserting a fork—when the fish has no resistance, it’s done. Let rest for 10 minutes, then serve.
Serves 2
Lavash—an Armenian flatbread that you can get in many Middle Eastern stores—is a great choice for making Plan-friendly pizza, as it often contains no yeast or starter! If you can’t find lavash, you can always use pita bread.
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
9 × 12-inch lavash
¼ cup Low-Reactive Tomato Sauce (here)
⅓ cup grated goat’s milk Cheddar
Optional toppings: Chopped fresh basil, rosemary, or oregano
Preheat broiler. Brush pizza pan or baking pan with olive oil and place lavash on pan. Spread tomato sauce on lavash and top with Cheddar. Place under broiler for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Top with fresh herbs if you like. Cut into slices and serve warm.