I made it through Day One of the Project Growth Diet with flying colors. It's amazing how many different ways one can enjoy fresh produce!
As you can see, it's actually Day Two as I write this post...this week I'm promoting Bethesda School of Ministry at the World Ministry Fellowship Jubilee Convocation. While Convo is an awesome time of worship and fellowship, it messes up my cooking, eating and blogging schedule. For Day One, I'll share with you with the day's menu, an easy preparation tip and a simple, refreshing recipe.
DAY ONE'S MENU
BREAKFAST: Huevos Rancheros with Colby Jack cheese (PG items used -- jalapeños, bell peppers, grape tomatoes)
LUNCH: Texas Caviar with fresh veggies and cheese (PG items used -- jalapeños, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, basil, cucumber)
SUPPER: Texas Caviar, cold pickles, fresh veggies and cheese (PG items used -- jalapeños, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, basil, cucumber)
SNACKS: Re-Fresh-Mint Iced Tea (recipe below), almonds & cashews, popcorn (PG items used -- fresh mint)
PREPARATION TIP
DRIED BEANS -- since I'm fasting meat, one of my diet challenges is how to get enough protein. I'm using legumes (or, beans and peas) as a primary protein source. The problem with beans is that if you're going to cook them, you either have to 1) plan way ahead of time to prepare dried beans, or 2) buy canned beans, which are laced with salt, sugar, preservatives, and other unwanted stuff. How can you make the process quicker and easier? I have a couple of favorite tricks.
The first is particularly helpful if you're front-loading for your weekly menu preparation, but not sure what dish or dishes you want to prepare. The night before your prep day, get out some bowls and pre-soak several different varieties of beans. By the morning, the beans will be rehydrated. Drain and rinse the beans, cook them with no seasoning and store them in the fridge. They'll be ready to be used in a variety of recipes (both hot and cold) throughout the next week or so. Beans store well in the fridge.
The other trick is use a lot is the pressure cooker. With this technique, you can take beans from dry to table-ready in about an hour. Put your dried beans in the pressure cooker and add hot tap water. Secure the lid and set the vent to fully sealed. Put the beans on the stove on medium-high heat, just long enough to fully pressurize. Once pressurized, move off the heat and let sit until the pressure gradually dissipates and you can safely remove the lid. At that point, you can add whatever other ingredients and seasonings you'd like. Also, make sure you have sufficient liquid in the pot. Secure the lid and place the pressure cooker back on medium-high heat. Once the cooker fully pressurizes, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes (depends on the variety and size of the bean).
The only down side to this rapid-cook method is that you will have more bean splitting, so if the aesthetic of the dish is important, you might not want to use this technique.
RECIPE
RE-FRESH-MINT ICED TEA
Fresh-brewed tea
3-4 fresh mint leaves (from Project Growth)
light brown sugar to taste
Ice
Brew some fresh tea. Load up a tall tea glass with ice. Stack the mint leaves together, grab the stems in one hand and the leaf tips in the other, and give the leaves a little twist like you're wringing out a towel. You don't want to tear the leaves, just bruise them a bit so they'll release their essential oils. Separate the leaves and place them on top of the ice. Slowly pour the tea over the mint. Add a little light brown sugar to taste -- it doesn't have to be too sweet, let the tea and mint carry the flavor profile. I like using brown sugar instead of white because it adds a little deeper "character." Kick back and sip away on a drink that cools you from the inside out. Enjoy the food!
As you can see, it's actually Day Two as I write this post...this week I'm promoting Bethesda School of Ministry at the World Ministry Fellowship Jubilee Convocation. While Convo is an awesome time of worship and fellowship, it messes up my cooking, eating and blogging schedule. For Day One, I'll share with you with the day's menu, an easy preparation tip and a simple, refreshing recipe.
DAY ONE'S MENU
BREAKFAST: Huevos Rancheros with Colby Jack cheese (PG items used -- jalapeños, bell peppers, grape tomatoes)
LUNCH: Texas Caviar with fresh veggies and cheese (PG items used -- jalapeños, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, basil, cucumber)
SUPPER: Texas Caviar, cold pickles, fresh veggies and cheese (PG items used -- jalapeños, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, basil, cucumber)
SNACKS: Re-Fresh-Mint Iced Tea (recipe below), almonds & cashews, popcorn (PG items used -- fresh mint)
PREPARATION TIP
DRIED BEANS -- since I'm fasting meat, one of my diet challenges is how to get enough protein. I'm using legumes (or, beans and peas) as a primary protein source. The problem with beans is that if you're going to cook them, you either have to 1) plan way ahead of time to prepare dried beans, or 2) buy canned beans, which are laced with salt, sugar, preservatives, and other unwanted stuff. How can you make the process quicker and easier? I have a couple of favorite tricks.
The first is particularly helpful if you're front-loading for your weekly menu preparation, but not sure what dish or dishes you want to prepare. The night before your prep day, get out some bowls and pre-soak several different varieties of beans. By the morning, the beans will be rehydrated. Drain and rinse the beans, cook them with no seasoning and store them in the fridge. They'll be ready to be used in a variety of recipes (both hot and cold) throughout the next week or so. Beans store well in the fridge.
The other trick is use a lot is the pressure cooker. With this technique, you can take beans from dry to table-ready in about an hour. Put your dried beans in the pressure cooker and add hot tap water. Secure the lid and set the vent to fully sealed. Put the beans on the stove on medium-high heat, just long enough to fully pressurize. Once pressurized, move off the heat and let sit until the pressure gradually dissipates and you can safely remove the lid. At that point, you can add whatever other ingredients and seasonings you'd like. Also, make sure you have sufficient liquid in the pot. Secure the lid and place the pressure cooker back on medium-high heat. Once the cooker fully pressurizes, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes (depends on the variety and size of the bean).
The only down side to this rapid-cook method is that you will have more bean splitting, so if the aesthetic of the dish is important, you might not want to use this technique.
RECIPE
RE-FRESH-MINT ICED TEA
Fresh-brewed tea
3-4 fresh mint leaves (from Project Growth)
light brown sugar to taste
Ice
Brew some fresh tea. Load up a tall tea glass with ice. Stack the mint leaves together, grab the stems in one hand and the leaf tips in the other, and give the leaves a little twist like you're wringing out a towel. You don't want to tear the leaves, just bruise them a bit so they'll release their essential oils. Separate the leaves and place them on top of the ice. Slowly pour the tea over the mint. Add a little light brown sugar to taste -- it doesn't have to be too sweet, let the tea and mint carry the flavor profile. I like using brown sugar instead of white because it adds a little deeper "character." Kick back and sip away on a drink that cools you from the inside out. Enjoy the food!
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