Day 10 and why you should rest during fasting

I have to say, day 10 came a lot faster than the last time around. Maybe it was because I knew what to expect, or maybe it was because I have been insanely busy. Either way, I’m happy to that I am feeling better every day!

The past 4-5 days have been very stressful both personally and professionally. At my school we are administering standardized tests, plus I have a professional portfolio due this week. At home, my family is in the process of moving while also trying to purchase a home — not to mention dealing with a stolen car, stolen identity, police reports, insurance claims, etc. The week really has been chaotic. 

One of the best pieces of advice I can give someone about to embark on a juice fast is do it during a time that you can REST!  This is so incredibly important. Earlier this week I pushed myself too far (running around, staying up late) and I really felt it. The next day my mind was foggy, I was exhausted, and just tired. Since then I have made it a priority to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night, and I’ve felt so much better! 

I’m the type of person who can survive on just 4-5 hours of sleep every night, with minimal impact to my mind/body the next day. While juice fasting, however, that just isn’t possible. Not even for me! Get some rest, take it easy, don’t forget to drink lots of water, and give your body time to heal. That is what this is all about, remember!

On a different note, here are some of my go-to juice recipes. Quantities vary, of course… depending on how juicy your fruit is. 

 

Beet it:

1 beet

1-2 lemons

1 green apple

 

Minty Apple:

1 apple

3-4 sprigs of mint

1 med. cucumber

3-4 handfuls of greens (romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, etc.)

 

Green Energizer:

1 apple

broccoli (about a cup)

1 large bunch of parsley

2-3 sprigs of mint

2-3 stalks of celery

3-4 handfuls of greens (romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, etc.)

 

Spiced Orange:

2-3 oranges

5+ carrots

small sweet potato

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

 

All Veg:

2-3 stalks celery

1 med cucumber

1 small clove of garlic, peeled

1/4 of a small red onion

1 med tomato

broccoli (about a cup)

3-4 handfuls of greens (romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, etc.)

 

Spicy Lemonade:

2 lemons

2 pears

2 tsp cayenne pepper

 

Tropical Green:

Pineapple (even the core can be juiced!)

3-4 handfuls of spinach

1/2 mango

Saving glass jars

Removing wax from old candle jars is surprisingly easy (thanks Pinterest!). Over low heat, warm an inch or so of water in a shallow pan. Place the candle in the middle, weighing it down with a saucepan lid or a cast iron skillet if necessary (depends on the shape of the jar and how much wax there is left). Keep an eye on the water, making sure it doesn’t evaporate before all of the wax melts.

Once all of the wax is melted, quickly (!) pour the wax out. Be careful! I use an oven mitt and a pair of tongs. Wipe out any remaining wax with a paper towel, reheating the jar in the water if necessary. A good scrubbing with soap and a stiff-bristled brush can help to remove any residue.

That’s it! So simple. I also like to reuse pasta sauce jars, pickle jars, etc. Unfortunately these jars tend to trap odors, so for years I’ve assumed they’re useless and sent them to be recycled. No more! Just add a tablespoon or two of baking soda to the clean jar, followed by a splash of vinegar. After the fizzing stops, add enough water to fill the jar to the brim. Shake vigorously and leave overnight. I leave mine sitting by the kitchen sink, so that I can give them a shake occasionally. If the smell isn’t gone overnight, just repeat with more baking soda — or, toss the lid. Often, that’s where the pickle-y odor is lingering.

I’m trying to phase out all plastic storage containers, zip lock bags, and tupperware. Saving glass jars is a great way to slowly (and cheaply!) transition away from plastics.

The First 3 Days

During my last 30-day juice fast, I was constantly asked, “But aren’t you hungry?”

Nope. Well, that isn’t entirely true. I wasn’t hungry for 27 out of the 30 days. For me, the first three days are the toughest.

The last three days have consisted a slight headache, forgetfulness, and an inability to focus on more than one task at a time. Fortunately (for everyone else), I haven’t been grumpy or emotional, but I have felt like I’m walking around in a fog. That being said, I haven’t felt unhappy, just not my normal do-twenty-things-at-once-self.

Before my last 30-day fast, I was eating a vegan diet that included processed foods, coffee, tea, sugar, and soy. Before this fast, however, I was eating mostly raw foods (although I did have some white bread recently — UGH! It made me incredibly sick). The headaches were definitely more intense the first time around.

I’ve had moments of being hungry, but they’ve passed surprisingly quickly. Staying busy is key! That’s why the first three days are the most difficult — when you’re feeling distracted and tired, it’s hard to stay busy. Hang in there! It’s almost like clockwork: I wake up on day four feeling refreshed, focused, and energized.

Juicing (revisited)

Since completing a 30-day juice fast in the fall, I’ve received so many text messages and emails from friends who have questions or want recipes. I’ve been trying to sit down and type up a play-by-play account of my juicing experience, but it just hasn’t happened. There isn’t the time, and the longer I procrastinate the less I remember of the little details anyway.

Here’s my compromise. I’m going to do another long-term juice fast.

The first time around, I was figuring out how my juicer worked, testing recipes, and experimenting with ways to transport/store my juice. By the end of the fast, I had all of these little nuisances figured out. My thinking is that this second juice fast should be even more successful the the first — this time I’ll actually know what I’m doing!

More importantly, I’m going to post frequently on my blog to help keep an accurate account of how the fast goes. My last juice fast turned out to be as spiritual as it was physical, so I’m excited to have a log to look back on this time (Something about not eating really makes you “find yourself”… Seriously!). Plus, I’ll share recipes and suggestions.

Today was day 1.

I woke up early to make my juice this morning, and started the day by chugging water. I do this because I have a bad habit of eating when I first wake up and then feeling like I’ve “ruined” the whole day. I took four pint juices and a coconut water to work with me, but I only drank two juices and the coconut water. I’ll have the other two for dinner later, plus loads more water.

One of the juices I made today is my favorite beet recipe:

Beet Lemonade:
1 medium beet, peeled
2 medium lemons, peeled
3 large apples, cored

Yum! The lemon hides the taste if the beets. I love roasted beets but raw juiced beets taste like dirt to me. This lemonade, however, is delicious!

The Twelve Cookies of Christmas.

Rather than buying small gifts for friends and family this year, we decided to give everyone a take-out box of cookies. Each box held twelve different vegan cookies (each recipe is either a new recipe I created or an old recipe I am still working to perfect.) While there’s still a ways to go, I am very excited about how some of these recipes are coming along.

If you received cookies, please click here to take an anonymous survey. You can complete as little or as much of they survey as you’d like. Your opinions are an important part of narrowing down which recipes deserve the TLC required before we begin mass production.

Each box contained:

1. Snickerdoodle
Light and fluffy cookie covered in spiced sugar.
2. Holiday Oatmeal Cookie
Oatmeal cookie with chewy dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.
3. Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie
Chocolate chip oatmeal cookie topped with fresh grated nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon zest.
4. Gingerbread Man
Traditional gingerbread cookie with molasses and fresh ginger.
5. Maple Walnut Cookie
Maple syrup cookies with toasted walnut and lemon-maple glaze.
6. Triple Chocolate Cookie
Chocolate cookie with semi-sweet chocolate chips, drizzled with chocolate glaze.
7. Stained Glass Cookie
Almond-flavored sugar cookie with hard candy center.
8. Sugar Cookie
Traditional sugar cookie with confectioner’s glaze.
9. Coconut Pecan Cookie
Coconut, oatmeal, and toasted pecan cookie dipped in chocolate glaze.
10. Banana Ginger Snowball
Toasted cashews and almonds, banana, and crystalized ginger cookies dipped in a coconut sugar glaze and rolled in toasted coconut.
11. Almond Banana Crunch Cookie
Banana, peanut, almond cookie rolled in toasted peanuts with an almond on top.
12. Pina Colada Cookie
Rum, pineapple, and mango cookie, rolled in sugar and crushed toasted coconut.

Sustainable Living Goals (In & Out of the Kitchen)

Goals for 2012:

• All dry food (beans, rice, etc) purchased in bulk to eliminate unnecessary packaging. 
• At least 90% of laundry washed and dried at home with homemade detergent.
• Use remaining plastic zip top bags and transition to reusable baggies and/or food storage containers. 
• Transition remaining toiletry products (hair gel, make up, mouth wash) to natural, vegan, and cruelty free alternatives. 
• Completely eliminate plastic shopping bags — no exceptions!
• Start simple recycling system at home (plastic, glass, paper, aluminum)
• Call companies and unsubscribe from all junk mail. 

Goals for 2013:

• Establish “apartment style” composting system.
• Contact HOA about solar alternatives for electricity. 
• New car must be electric or electric hybrid. 
• Either participate in a community garden or find a way to grow herbs/small veggies in window boxes. 
• Switch to toilet paper made of recycled paper and phase out paper towels completely.
• Purchase soymilk and tofu maker to make these items at home. 

Ribs & Slaw Sandwich

This meal was delicious! French rolls with cole slaw and BBQ “ribs” (made with homemade BBQ sauce!) paired perfectly with roasted brussels sprouts.

I started by making vegan “ribs”. The recipe comes from here. The ribs are made from vital wheat gluten, which bakes up into dense and chewy seitan. They didn’t look too pretty to begin with, but after I paired them with BBQ sauce they were amazing.

They have a very meaty texture, and the vegan “beef” bullion I used gave them a nice flavor even before the BBQ sauce.

Mmm! My recipe for the BBQ sauce is below.

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cup ketchup
• 0.25 cup vinegar
• 0.25 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp liquid smoke

1. Combine all ingredients in a covered sauce pan. 
2. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until thick and bubbling. 

Next up was the slaw. I only recently discovered that I LOVE cole slaw. 

Slaw

Ingredients:

• 8 cups shredded cabbage
• 2/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 0.5 tsp salt

1. Combine all ingredients except for the cabbage, mixing well. 
2. Toss in the cabbage, coating evenly. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. 

As you can see, I used a mixture of green and red cabbage. Sometimes I’ll mix in some shredded carrot, too. As a side for my ribs & slaw sandwich, I picked up some fresh brussels sprouts at the farmer’s market. 

Isn’t it neat how they grow on a stalk? I didn’t realize this until recently. I washed them, sliced them in half, and tossed them with oil, salt, and pepper. A few minutes in a 425 degree oven and they were roasted perfectly! This is my favorite way to eat brussels sprouts. 

Everything came together wonderfully, and I’m looking forward to a leftover sandwich tomorrow. The ribs aren’t difficult, and I think they are an easy way to try seitan (much better than boiling, which is easy to mess up — this recipe seems foolproof). 

 

Muffins

I used an adaptation of this recipe as my “go to” muffin recipe for the past year or so. I never bothered to add the crumb topping, partly from laziness and partly because I like for my muffins to remain relatively healthy.

I decided, however, that adding a sugar + butter crunchy topping wouldn’t be so bad if I cut some of the fat and sugar recipe from the muffin itself. The result was fantastic! While the muffin wasn’t overly sugary, the sweet and crunchy topping made up for it. “My” recipe is only a slight adaptation of the one above, but I’ll post it here as well. It’s also doubled, which makes about 18 muffins for me.

Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp “Ener-G” egg replacer + 2 tbsp water (this is the binder, but you could replace it will 2 tbsp apple sauce, or a mashed banana)
• 3 cups flour
• Slightly less than 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp ground flax seed
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup oil 
• about 2/3 cup soy or rice milk (see below)
• 1 cup of berries

(crunchy topping)

• 0.25 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp vegan margarine
• 2 tbsp flour

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease/line the muffin pan.
2. In a measuring cup, wisk together the Ener-G powder and the water. 
3. Add the oil to the measuring cup, then add in enough milk to equal 2 cups. 
4. Mix together the contents of the measuring cup with the sugar, flour, flax seed, baking powder, and salt. 
5. Fold the berries into the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the muffin pan.
7. Mix the crunchy topping ingredients in a small bowl until there are no large lumps. 
8. Sprinkle the crunchy topping on top of the muffins. 
9. Bake 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Garlic Zoom Review

I was graciously given a gift card to Bed Bath & Beyond for Christmas, which I immediately spent. In fact, I already knew what I wanted! After breaking my second garlic press in less than 12 months (granted, one was inexpensive – but the other was really well made), I knew I had to find another way to chop the ridiculous amount of garlic I use.

Enter, the “Garlic Zoom”!

This nifty device rolls along the counter and minces garlic. I wasn’t convinced it would work, but after breaking so many garlic presses in my life, I had to give it a try. Just load the garlic in top…

Roll it across the counter top a few times, and that’s it. I like that you have control over how finely minced the garlic is (unlike a traditional garlic press). It’s fast and kind of fun

Above is the “top” door open, but it’s also hinged in the middle so that the blade can easily pop out to make scraping out all of the garlic-y goodness possible. There is no more waste or mess than with a traditional garlic press (in fact, I think this is easier to clean!)

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Fast
• Easy to clean
• Variable mince size

Cons:

• Possible blade dulling after use?
• Only minces 2-3 cloves at a time

Overall I’m very happy with this little gadget. True, it really only has one purpose in the kitchen. But when you eat as much garlic as we do, that’s something I can live with!

Stained Glass Cookies

These cookies were so delicious, I made them twice this Christmas. The first time I added more flour than in my recipe below, which made the outer sugar cookie more dense. I definitely recommend resisting the temptation to add more flour to the soft dough to make it more sturdy for cutting cookies — while this made it easier for Zoee to help cut out the first batch, the more buttery, tender cookie is definitely worth the extra patience with the soft dough. The tofu acts as a binder, but is light enough to keep the cookies crisp.

After having no trick-or-treaters, I saved all of the red and green jolly ranchers from our candy horde specifically for this recipe. However, I’ve been told that other hard candies — life savers, for example — work just as well. Usually I mix candies together (which looks like stained glass), but since I only had red and green, I decided to stick with just one color.

Stained Glass Cookies

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance margarine, for example)
• 0.5 cup sugar
• 2 heaping tbsp soft/silken tofu
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1.25 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 0.25 tsp salt
• equivalent of 10 “jolly rancher” hard candies

1. Unwrap the candies and place them in a ziplock bag. Wrap the bag in a kitchen towel and use a hammer or meat tenderizer to crush the candy into small pieces. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, tofu, and vanilla together for at least 3 minutes. 
4. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into the butter/sugar mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. 
5. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface, to the desired thickness of your cookie (I prefer a crunchier 0.25 inch).
6. Using different sized cookie cutters, carefully cut out cookies and move to a baking sheet. 
7. Fill the inner part of the cookie with a generous portion of the crushed candies. (When the candy melts and spreads, it can become thin)
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool and the candy harden before you remove from the baking sheet.