Vegetable Mixed Grill

Suitable for days 1-10 of Standard Process Purification Programs.

This was a quick and easy meal, and you can use almost any vegetable you have available.  I used portabella mushroom slices, red bell pepper strips, and red onion wedges.  It’s not so much a recipe as an idea for you to take and make your own.

Ingredients:

• vegetables of choice, cut in grillable strips/chunks
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• sea salt
• balsamic vinegar, herbs, or other seasonings of your choice

Combine EVOO and sea salt, along with any seasonings you may choose.  Brush lightly onto vegetables.  Grill on heated George Foreman grill (or regular grill) until crisp-tender.  Serve with brown rice.

 

Homemade Applesauce

Suitable for Days 1-10 of Standard Process Purification Program.

Sharing at Allergy Friendly Friday.

You might be surprised to know that making your own applesauce is the easiest thing in the world!  I know before I was introduced to it, it had never even occurred to me to make it myself, and I virtually never ate applesauce because I don’t particularly love the jarred stuff.

For one serving:

Peel, core, and cube 2 apples into a microwave-safe bowl.  It’s totally up to you as to which apple variety you use, but I think it’s best with a sweet-tart type, like Jonathan.  I used Paula Red this time because I had them in the fridge.  Add about 1 Tbsp of water, cover (vented) and microwave for 2 minutes, or until apples are soft.

Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste, and stevia, if desired.  Mash with a fork or potato masher.  Serve warm or cold.

 

Southwest Salad

I’m not sure why this is called “southwest”, except for maybe the avocado, but it’s good anyway.  Add chicken if you like, or without chicken it’s suitable for SPPP Days 1-10.

Ingredients:

• 3 heads Boston lettuce, or one 5 oz package of greens of your choice (I’ve used spring mix and spinach too)
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced crosswise
• 1 small red onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges, or fresh orange sections

Toss in a large bowl.

Dressing:

• 1/2 tsp grated orange rind
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup oil (EVOO, canola)
• 2 Tbsp sugar (I used 1/8 tsp Sweetleaf stevia powder)
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Mix well, and pour over salad just before serving, or allow individuals to dress their own salad.

 

SPPP Day 10

It’s a new day, and I’m fully committed to the program!

Breakfast:

Pumpkin pie shake

5 Green Food capsules

Lunch:

butternut squash soup

1 cup strawberries

Snack:

mixed berry shake (2 scoops Complete, 1 scoop Fiber)

5 Green Food capsules

Dinner:

eggplant slices, sautéed and topped w/ tomato sauce 

mixed greens with 1/2 sm avocado, grape tomatoes, lime juice, 1 tsp EVOO, sea salt

1 square Boom Choco Boom dark chocolate (antioxidants!)

 

Butternut Squash Soup

I’ve had a 10 oz bag of butternut squash in my freezer for several months.  It needed to be used up, and I decided to make soup.  As is my custom, I looked at several recipes to get ideas, and then threw something together.  It was quite tasty!

• 1/4 cup each, chopped carrots, celery, and onion
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp grape seed oil, or EVOO
• about 2 cups cubed, cooked butternut squash
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• salt and pepper to taste

Sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic in oil until soft.  If needed, you can add a splash of vegetable broth during this process, rather than adding more oil.  Add the squash and the broth; bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in sage, salt, and pepper.  Process until smooth in a blender or food processor.  Makes 1-2 servings, depending on how hungry you are!

**Note: Wolfgang Puck’s Vegetable Stock is not gluten-free, so if gluten is an issue for you, please use a different brand.

 

I’d like to make my own vegetable broth sometime, but in this case I took the easy route and bought a box of it.  Wolfgang Puck was the best combination of price and ingredients available at Walmart.   I am in the process of testing other brands; Trader Joe’s has better (fewer) ingredients, but isn’t as rich or tasty.  Do check the ingredient list, though; some have nasty stuff like MSG.

Sharing at Allergy Friendly Friday.

 

Pumpkin Pie Shake

I originally tried the Pumpkin Pie Shake recipe that’s in the Standard Process Purification Program pamphlet and it wasn’t too great.  However, something with “pumpkin pie” in its name has potential, so I tried my own recipe.

• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup rice milk, preferably vanilla
• 2 scoops SP Complete (I use Dairy Free)
• 1 scoop  SP Whole Food Fiber
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp each, nutmeg and ginger
• a little bit of stevia, if desired
• ice

Give it a whirl in the blender, and enjoy!

While the straight SPPP doesn’t allow rice milk, it does defer to your attending physician.  Mine (who happens to be my chiropractor husband, Craig) said he was okay with it.  I occasionally use it in a shake, but that’s all.

If you make it with water, maybe try adding a few drops of pure vanilla extract (but I haven’t tried this so can’t guarantee the taste).

Even if you are not doing the SP Purification,  the Complete powder is very healthful.  However, barring that, try a vanilla whey protein.  If you are dairy-free, I know there are choices out there but I haven’t tried them so I’m not able to recommend one at this point.  Once I’m done the SPPP, I’ll be looking into it.

 

SPPP Day 9

Breakfast:

mixed berries shake (1 c frozen berries, 2 scoops Complete, 1 scoop Fiber, 1 c organic rice milk)

5 Green Food capsules

cheat: 1 peanut butter cookie Larabar

Lunch, kind of:

large salad of mixed greens, grape tomatoes and cucumbers w/ guacamole

Late snack:

frozen raspberry shake (2 scoops Complete, 1 scoop Fiber)

5 Green Food capsules

Notes:

Larabars are made of only fruit and nuts (some have chocolate).  The ingredients on mine were only dates, peanuts, and salt.  It’s a good, healthful snack.  The reason it was cheating is that SPPP does not allow dried fruit or nuts.  However, I was at Target and starving, and I felt like overall it was a decent choice.

But, I made the mistake of eating that Larabar around lunchtime, which meant I wasn’t hungry enough to eat lunch at a normal time.  Then Craig and I went out to Costco and Aldi for a couple hours in the afternoon, and I did get hungry, which caused me to cheat a couple times (sample of chocolate covered blueberries at Costco, a few Junior Mints that Craig got for the kids for movie night, a few potato chips).  Which is why I’m now eating my salad at 5 pm.  And I do still plan to have a piece of pizza!  Can’t be perfect everyday.

From bad to worse:  well, things just snowballed.  Two small pieces of pizza, one Chips Ahoy, 1 square dark chocolate, 2 Tbsp Nerds candy.  We’ll see if I notice any ill-effects. Back on the wagon tomorrow!

 

SPPP Day 8

Okay, I made it through the first week!  Today I stop taking the Cleanse capsules (7 capsules 3x/day) and start the Green Foods capsules (5, 2x/day). Craig’s protocol, which he gives to his patients, allows lean protein to start today (fish, maybe chicken), while the general guidelines do not start protein until Day 11. I’m actually not missing meat, so I’m not going to change too much, but may occasionally partake.

Breakfast:

chocolate raspberry shake (1 c frozen raspberries, 1 c water, 2 scoops Complete, 1 scoop fiber, 2 T ground flax, 2 tsp cocoa powder)

5 Green Foods capsules

Snacks:

baby carrots, cucumber, grape tomatoes, guacamole

blueberry banana shake (frozen blueberries, 1/2 frozen banana, 8 oz water, 2 scoops Complete, 1 scoop Fiber)

Dinner:

1/2 c mixed brown rice/quinoa

ratatouille

mixed greens and veggies salad w/ vinaigrette

Snack:

strawberry banana shake (1 scoop Complete)

5 Green Food capsules

 

Ratatouille

Suitable for SPPP Days 1-10.

This ratatouille recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens.  I rarely follow a recipe exactly, and this was no exception.  I only loosely followed the given amounts and I used water instead of wine or broth. Also, instead of adding tomatoes, green pepper, and herbs, I used the leftover tomato sauce from the other night, which contained all of those and more.

You really can’t go wrong with this type of recipe.  In my opinion, eggplant is vital for a true ratatouille, but you could add mushrooms, different types of squash, herbs of your choice…whatever you have on hand.  If you aren’t avoiding dairy, parmesan would make a nice topping.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
• 3 cups cubed, peeled eggplant
• 1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 1/2 cups)
• 1  cup chopped, peeled tomatoes (2 medium) or one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 medium)
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or oregano

Directions

In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until onion is tender. Stir in eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet pepper, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Uncover and cook about 5 minutes more or until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Stir in basil just before serving.

Makes 4 servings

 

SPPP Day 7

Breakfast:
pumpkin pie shake (success!)
7 Cleanse capsules

Lunch:
spaghetti squash cucumber salad
baby carrots, cauliflower, celery w/ 1/4 cup guacamole

Snack:
Berry-Citrus shake (3/4 c frozen mixed berries, juice of 2 clementines (1/4 c), 3/4 c water, 2 scoops Complete, a little stevia)
6 Cleanse capsules

Dinner:
ratatouille
1/2 cup brown rice

Snack:
tropical shake (frozen pineapple, 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 c orange juice, 1/2 c water, 2 scoops Complete, 1 scoop Fiber)
6 Cleanse capsules

Notes:
The berry-citrus shake was good, but I couldn’t taste the clementine juice too much. There would need to be more citrus juice to have much effect.

This is the last day of taking Cleanse capsules and I’m short a couple; I think Craig took them in the beginning when he was going to do the program with me.

This tropical shake was really good!  I think the orange juice really helped.  If I was going to put oil in it, I would definitely use coconut oil.