Tonight marks night nine in a ten-day fast. Throughout its course, people have asked me time and again "why?" And not without reason - I come across as a fit, well-centered person (in my dreams, I swear) who eats relatively healthy day-to-day (also not true, not even in my dreams, which feature cheeseburgers and Tim Tams). My answer shocked more than a few people: Gwyneth does it. I've followed Goop magazine for years now, but alas, having been born a poor peasant to two good folks in flyover territory, it's a lifestyle that's slow in coming. Only recently, with raw determination and a little disposable income, have I decided that instead of becoming Goop, I will become Poop - Poor Goop. And of course, it starts with a fast for cleansing.
My ten-day fast was based on the Daniel Fast. Most do it for twenty-one days. Since this is my first, and since it's stated in the scripture upon which the fast is based, I did ten. But just because it's biblical does not mean you need to be religious to enjoy the benefits of this wonderful program.
The plan is to eat only fruits, vegetables and whole grains - no yeast, sugars, alcohol, meat or fried foods, and to drink only water or 100% unsweetened fruit juice. And I did it for less than my normal grocery budget. Over ten days, I spent about $40 on food, and without a kitchen, I managed to cook some pretty delicious and nutritious little meals.
With only one day left, I can say that I definitely feel better, and I can see more muscle definition. My mind and body feel more in-tune, and I can be smug knowing I did it for less than 1/10th of Goopy's New Year Cleanse. Yes, Poopers (and poop you will with all this fiber!), you, too, can enjoy the benefits of cleansing!
Peace and pennies, Sam!
Shopping List
Fruits - Bananas bananas bananas! Apples, Cuties, dried cherries and cranberries, blueberries, etc.
Vegetables - Avocados (for me these were important because I wasn't setting out to lose weight, just to re-calibrate my body), cucumbers, onions, red, orange and yellow peppers, spinach, kale (I hate kale, but more on that in a moment), broccoli, carrots.
When shopping for fruits and veggies, make sure you have one of every color of the rainbow. It's an easy way to ensure you're getting the proper amount of nutrients.
Grains - Quinoa, brown rice (not white!), and oatmeal. Whole wheat flour is nice if you have an oven, which I don't, so good for you.
Miscellaneous - Firm or extra firm tofu, cinnamon, dill, cilantro, black pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, organic mustard, organic peanut butter, coconut or almond milk, Red Rooster or Tabasco sauce (make sure you can read and identify every ingredient in the label or it's not worth your time)
For good ideas for recipes, go to http://www.daniel-fast.com/recipes.html. It's a great starting point!
Some simple recipes I used, sans any real kitchen:
Stir Fry
-Brown Rice
-Firm tofu
-Chopped veggies (I used red and yellow peppers, Persian cucumbers and green onions)
-Extra virgin olive oil
Sauce:
-Balsamic vinegar
-Organic mustard
-Celery seeds
Put the rice in a rice cooker. This is a really handy piece of equipment for poor life because grains are cheap and stove tops are a commodity. While the rice is cooking, chop your veggies. When that's done, mix your sauce. Combine balsamic vinegar, organic mustard and celery seeds to taste. You don't need a lot - I used a tea cup as a mixing bowl. Once your rice is finished, put a small amount of olive oil (or spray some olive oil spray) in a skillet, either electric, or, if you're fancy, stove top. Stir in rice, veggies and tofu. When the veggies are just starting to soften - after about 2 minutes - add the sauce. Stir for another minute or two. Viola! A Daniel-fast ready dinner!
Kale Chips
This recipe comes from a college friend, Ali. I hate kale, and I tried to make it into a juice, but the juicer broke because it was a cheap-o. She posted this on my Facebook wall like a rotting-veggie savior.
-Kale
-Olive oil
-Sea salt
Cut up the kale if you didn't buy it in a handy, already-cut bag from Trader Joe's like I did (only $1.99!) Spread the pieces on the little pan that sits inside your toaster oven, or on a cookie sheet if you have a real oven. Lightly coat them in olive oil and sea salt and cook them for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Delicious - way more delicious than plain kale!
Oatmeal with Blueberries
-Plain steel-cut oatmeal
-Blueberries
-Cinnamon
Put the oatmeal in a rice cooker. When it's done, put it into a bowl and add blueberries and cinnamon. Sure, this could have been self-explanatory, but I chose to spell it out anyway. And I felt bad having only two recipes, since I otherwise ate mostly salad and raw fruits and veggies.
Good luck!
