Spelt Bagels- Phase 1

Spelt Bagels
Phase 1
Makes 14 standard servings of grain

2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 ¼ cups warm water 110-120F- you may need more
2 ½ cups spelt flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 ½ tsp sea salt

 

Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add1 ¼ cups warm water. Mix well.

If you have a stand mixer, let the mixer knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes. You may need to add more water, but do not add until the machine has been mixing/kneading for at least 5 minutes.

If you are mixing by hand, stir everything together until you get a ball of dough. Knead on floured counter for 15 minutes.

You want a stiff dough.

Cover with damp towel and let rest for15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 7 (for standard servings. For over 20lb goal, divide into 5 equal pieces.)

Roll each piece into a tight ball by rolling in a circle on the counter with a cupped hand, tucking your fingers slightly. I usually do about 20 circles to get a tight smooth ball of dough. Do this with each dough piece.

Dip your finger into flour and poke into the middle of one dough ball. Keeping your fingertip on the counter, move it in small circles to widen the hole. Pick up the dough ball and put both forefingers in through the hole, one from each side and roll your fingers over each other to widen the hole. 

Place the dough ball on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough balls. Cover and let rest 15-20 minutes.

Heat oven to 425F

Bring a large pot or wok ¾ full of water to a boil. Once the bagels have rested, place into the boiling water. Do not crowd them, you may need to work in batches. Boil for 90 seconds on each side. Remove with slotted spoon or spider to baking tray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking at 20. Allow to cool then slice.

Half a bagel is a serving of grain in phase 1, whether you make 7 or 5 bagels.

 

•  You can use sprouted wheat flour, if you prefer. To eat in Phase 3, it would be ¼ of a bagel (slice bagel in half normally then cut the slice in half)

•  If you want to add toppings to your bagels, do this as you take them out of the water and place onto the tray

• If you have only a small pot to boil the bagels and can only do a couple at a time, use smaller baking sheets or multiple baking sheets and put them into the oven as soon as they come out of the water. They can shrink and wrinkle quite a bit if left to cool too long.

Birria- All Phases and Metabolism Revolution

 

Birria is a traditioanal Mexican stew usually prepared from beef, goat or lamb. It can be served as a stew, with fresh chopped onion and cilantro, or in tacos. While the traditional quesobirria tacos are not FMD compliant, the meat is still very tasty in a sprouted wheat or spelt tortilla, or even a lettuce wrap. Be sure to dunk either in the rich consomme as it is SO good!

This dish is relatively easy to make, even with the long ingredient list. There are two steps- start the beef cooking, and make the flavorful broth with the peppers, then cook it all together until the beef is super tender and easy to shread. 

I used a chuck roast from Costco, as it was the best price and relatively lean. 

Birria
All Phases
Makes 20 standard servings of protein5 pound lean chuck roast, cut into 3 inch cubes

8 cups spring water
1/2 large white onion
1 whole head of garlic, cut in half
2T salt
4 bay leaves

Add all to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the top every 30 minutes or so. Simmer for 1 hour.

For the adobo: (dried peppers can be found here: peppers)

12 guajillo peppers
3 ancho peppers
8 chilies de arbol
6 garlic cloves, peeled
8 peppercorns
5 whole cloves
2 roma tomatoes

Add the peppers and tomatoes to a pot and add 2 cups water. Simmer until the peppers and tomatoes are soft. Add to a blender with the peppercorns, garlic, cloves. Add the onion and garlic from the beef pot. Blend on high until smooth.

Strain the peppers mixer into the pot with the beef, using a rubber spatula to push the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. You may have to do this in batches. Discard the pulp.

Add to the pot:

1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp ground cumin
2-3 T beef bouillon (homemade)

Stir and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Shred the meat if you are using for tacos.

Serve as a stew with chopped onion and cilantro, or use for tacos with your favorite toppings. Be sure to dip your tacos in the consomme, as it is very rich and flavorful! You can also make a ramen with this, just add some brown rice ramen noodles to the stew (phase 1 only)

Tips:

On phase 3, brown the beef in 2 T olive oil before adding the other (first) list of ingredients.

Also in phase 3, toast the peppers in 1T olive oil before adding water and spices and simmering until soft

If you have a lot of left over broth, freeze and use to make birria next time- just add to beef and cook until the beef is tender. 

Stuffed Bell Peppers - Phases 1 & 3 (can be made vegan)

Stuffed Bell Peppers
Phases 1 & 3
Makes 4 standard servings of protein and a serving of grain each

If your peppers are large enough, you can cut the top off, core and stand them up in your baking dish. They will need to be big enough to hold 1 cups of rice, plus the protein and veggies in the filling. Dice up the tops, and add to the onion and carrots to cook. 

For Phase 3 breakfast or dinner, use quinoa and use half the amount. Top with compliant vegan cheese, if you want, for a healthy fat. 

For another variation, use half homemade sausage and half ground beef

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey or ground chicken OR 2 cups cooked black beans
Sea salt
4 large red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, cut in half from the stem to the bottom and cored
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (more if you like)

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup finely diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
4 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa

Preheat oven to 425F

Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment (8x8 pan if you are not cutting the peppers). Place the peppers, cut side up, in the baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and some black pepper, if you like. Roast the peppers for about 10 minutes, until slightly browned and starting to get tender-crisp. A bit of liquid will accumulate in the bottom of the peppers; that's okay

Cook onion and carrot in a non stick skillet, adding a splash of water and pinch of salt, until onions are  transluscent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more; do not brown. Add the protein you are using, spices, and a healthy pinch of salt and black pepper. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook, breaking the meat up, until the meat is browned and almost cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. If using black beans, just stir to mix in spices and warm the beans. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and nutritional yeast and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the meat is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked rice. Remove the skillet from the heat. Taste the filling and adjust any seasoning.

Spoon the filling evenly into the peppers. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the filling is hot and the peppers are the softness you want.

Serving is 2 halves or 1 whole pepper. Add more veggies on the side.

Fruit Compote- Phases 1 & 3 (v)

 

Fruit Compote is super easy and quick to make, and a great addition to pancakes, waffles, toast, biscuits, oatmeal. Very versatile.

You can use peaches, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples, raspberries, mango, pear. Keep in mind that apples will take a bit longer to cook to get soft. They key with staying compliant on FMD is not cook the fruit so much that it goes down in volume. For most soft fruits, you only need to heat them enough to release some of their natural juices, and so the arrowroot slurry will take effect and thicken the mixture. 

This does not freeze well, as the arrowroot will not keep it thick, and the fruit will get super mushy.

Fruit Compote

Phases 1 & 3

Makes 1 standard serving of fruit

1 serving of phase appropriate fruit, chopped or pureed, your choice

Splash of spring water

Sweetener to taste, if needed (pure stevia, pure monk fruit or xylitol)

Spices as you desire- cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc (I personally only use these for apples, but use as you like)

Tiny pinch of sea salt

Vanilla extract or paste, optional

Slurry

1 T arrowroot powder

1 T COLD water

Mix together

Place your fruit and water and sweetener and salt in a saucepan or skillet. Heat over high heat until it bubbles. Stir frequently. Add more water if you need- this depends on the fruit, how much juice they release and how much "syrup" you want in the finished product. If you are using water, simmer just until the apples are as soft as you want them. 

Add the spices, if you are using any

Stir in the slurry to the bubbly mixture. Add half, stir and see how thick it gets. Only add more slurry if you want it thicker. Arrowroot does take a minute or so to activate, so gently simmer over medium heat for a minute or two before adding more. 
Once it is where you want it, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla if you are using and serve immediately. 

Chai Spiced Apples- Phase 1 and Maintenance

 

This compote is good on toast, pancakes, biscuits, oats. Or just to eat with a spoon. In maintenance, add a spoon full of my Coconut Cashew Butter under the warm apples on you pancakes and enjoy the best breakfast ever!

Be sure to use a cooking apple and not a snacking apple. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala are good choices, among others, to cook. Red Delicious are not a good cooking/baking apple- save those to eat fresh. 
I like to use 2 kinds of apples- my favorite blend in Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. 

Chai Spiced Apples
Phase 1 and 4

Makes 2 standard servings of fruit

2 cups of diced apples
1-2 tsp Chai Spice Blend (recipe on the blog)
1-2 whole star anise
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
Pinch of sea salt
Stevia or pure monk fruit
2T Vegan Butter (phase 4 only)

Heat a non stick skillet over medium heat until very warm. Add the spice blend and whole star anise. Stir with rubber spatula for 15020 seconds, to toast, then scrape into small bowl. 

Add the diced apples and return the pan to the heat. If you are in maintenance, add the vegan butter. Add the pinch of salt. Let the apples sit for a minute or so- you want the apple to start to caramelize but not burn. Stir or toss the apples in the pan and allow to lighly brown some more. Add the spices, stir to coat. Then add a splash of water. Stir and cook the apples just until soft. Do not cook to reduce the size/amount of apples. Add vanilla and stir. If you want to sweeten the apples, add as much sweetener as you like. Remove star anise before serving. 

Italian Beef Sandwich- All Phases

You can use my Hamburger Bun recipe for P1 or P3 to make delicious sandwiches your whole family will love. In P2, make lettuce wraps, or use thin slices of jicama to make tacos. Or top your salad with this yummy protein!

Italian Beef
All Phases
Makes 12 servings protein

3lb chuck or round roast, trimmed of fat
2 cups beef broth, divided
8 oz pepperoncini pepper slices, plus 1/4 cup juice from the jar
8 oz giardiniera (mild or spicy), chopped variety
1 T Italian seasoning
2 tsp xylitol or stevia equivalent
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper, ground
1/4 tsp dried thyme, ground


Bring meat to room temp for 30 minutes. Season liberally all sides with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in a hot skillet on all sides. While the meat browns, measure out your spices into a bowl and mix together.

Transfer the beef to a crock pot or slow cooker. Add some of the broth to the skillet and scrape up the bits on the bottom. Pour over the meat in the crock pot. Add half of the spice mixture over the beef. Add in the pepperoncini peppers and juice, giardiniera (no juice from this) and remaining broth. Sprinkle the remaining spice blend over everything. Cook on low for 8-10 hours until the meat is soft and shreds easily. Once the meat is shredded, mix with the juices in the crock pot and cook for 30 additional minutes.

Waffles- Phase 1

 

Waffles
Phase 3
Makes 8 standard servings grain

1 1/4 cups sprouted wheat or spelt flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
2 cups unsweetened oat milk or unsweetened brown rice milk
2 egg whites
2 egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy and loose
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp xylitol or stevia/pure monk fruit equivalent


Heat up your waffle iron

In another bowl, whip the 2 lightly beaten egg whites, milk, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sweetener until very well combined. Add flours and stir just until combined. Allow batter to sit for 10-25 minutes. 

While the batter sits, beat the other 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold the stiff egg whites into the batter- you want it to look lumpy and not smooth. Cook in preheated waffle iron, as directed by manufacturer.

Serve with fruit compote and other components of P1 breakfast

Chai - Phase 1 & 3

 

Chai is a hug in a mug. I'm not a fan of tea leaves, so I'm kinda glad they aren't part of FMD. 

This is technically a Masala Chai, since it is spiced. 

This is highly customizable, also. There is no one Chai recipe. Change spices to please your palate. This is my favorite blend at the moment. Some folks like 1 part water to 2 parts milk, others for 1 to 1. You do want a thick and creamy milk. 

I prefer to use whole spices, as the ground spices will not dissolve. 

I think this fall, this will be simmering on my stove all day! 

Chai

Phases 1 & 3

Makes 2 mugs of tea

3-4 slices fresh ginger

10 green cardamom pods, smashed

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp whole cloves

2-3 whole star anise

1-2 cinnamon sticks 

1/2 whole nutmeg, broken

Sweetener to taste

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup unsweetened plant based milk

Optional spices: split vanilla bean, fennel seeds, whole coriander seeds, holy basil leaves, lemongrass.

Place all the spices in a pot. Break the cinnamon sticks if they're too long to fit. Add 1 1/2 cups spring water. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. You need it to reduce to about a cup. 

Add the milk and sweetener. Bring to gentle boil while stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir. You can repeat this process if you like. I think it adds more flavor to cook the milk a bit.

Strain the tea. If you want it thicker, use a milk frother or whisk for a minute or so. 

Fall Spice Creamer and Cold Foam- Phases 1 and 3 (v)

Fall Spice Creamer

Phases 1 and 3 versions

Use your favorite plant based milk for this. Homemade or store bought. I prefer but milks for this creamer but oat and brown rice milks should work just fine

Phase 1- unsweetened oat or brown rice milk

Phase 3- unsweetened almond, coconut, cashew or oat

I do not use ground spices in this as they will not dissolve and leave the creamer with a gritty feel.

2 cups plant based milk 

3-4 cinnamon sticks

1 vanilla bean

3-4 star anise

10 whole cloves

1 whole nutmeg, crushed

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced

sweetener to taste (birch xylitol, pure monk fruit or pure stevia)

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. No need to scrape as most flavor comes from the pod and not the caviar inside. 

Place everything into a pot over medium heat and bring to a very gentle simmer. Do not boil. Reduce heat if there are lots of bubbles. Stir often. Simmer slowly for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool. Strain. 

Keep in fridge

Pro Tip. If the flavor ends up stronger than you prefer, simply add more milk to get to the intensity you prefer. 

To make cold foam:

Place 3-4 tablespoons of the creamer into a tall jar or glass. Use a milk frother (you can get the link to purchase HERE) for 20-30 seconds until foamy. Pour over your iced coffee sub or herbal tea. 

Alternatively you can use a blender or shake in a jar for 1 minute

 

Apple Pie Muffins- Phase 1 and Phase 4

Apple PieMuffins
Phase 1 and Phase 4

For the muffin batter (phase 4 version):
1 1/2 cups sprouted wheat or spelt flour
3/4 cup xylitol- or stevia/pure monk fruit equivalent
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup olive oil 
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/3 cup almond milk
1 large Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, finely diced (I leave the peel on)
1 tablespoon uncooked rolled oats (optional)


For the Apple Pie Filling:

2 apples- one Granny Smith and one Gala or Honeycrisp, peeled and finely diced
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (recipe on my blog)
1/2 cup xylitol or stevia/pure monk fruit equivalent
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp arrowroot mixed with 2 tsp cold water for a slurry

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. (you will turn down later)

Filling:

Add the apples to a non stick pan over medium heat. Add the pinch of salt and cook the apples until just soft. Add a splash of water if they start to stick or start to brown. Once the apples are soft, add the sweetener and spices, and about 1/4 cup water. Bring this to a simmer, then add the slurry. Stir until thick and remove from heat,

Muffins:

Add wet ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. Add half the flour, stir just until combined. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Mix or sift the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Gently combine with the batter. Fold in diced apple. 

Spoon a small amount of batter into muffin tin lined with papers, about a tablespoon of batter. Divide the apple pie filling between each muffin cup evenly. Top with remaining batter until muffin cups are almost full. Sprinkle the raw oats on top of each muffin (optional) 

Place pan in oven, and reduce heat to 400 degrees F. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Makes 12 standard servings of grain and partial fat for Maintenance (p4)

**P1 Modifications

In place of the oil, use pureed raw apple. 

Replace the whole egg with 2 egg whites, lightly beaten until frothy

Use unsweetened oat milk instead of almond milk

Makes 6 standard phase 1 servings of grain and partial fruit, for breakfast or lunch

(if you make 12 muffins, you will eat 2 for under 20lbs. For over 20lb goal you will eat 3)

Tomato Free Pasta Sauce- Phase 1 (Vegan)

Tomato Free Pasta Sauce

Phase 1 (Vegan)

3 medium celery stalks
3 medium carrots, peeled
2 medium zucchinis
1 small beet
1 small-medium turnip, peeled
2 cups of bone or vegetable broth (or more as needed)
7–10 fresh basil leaves
1 tsp each of garlic powder and onion powder (omit if unable to tolerate)
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, or more to your taste
1 tsp of salt to add to sauce, plus a little more to season vegetables while cooking
pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prep vegetables: Peel the carrots and turnip. Cut the leafy tops close to the top of the beet, and trim the ends off of the zucchini, celery, carrots and turnip. Cut vegetables (except beet) into two-inch chunks.  Do not peel the beet before roasting, we will peel it later. 

Spread the cut up zucchini, carrots, celery, turnip and out onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper, then cover using foil.

Wash the beet using a vegetable brush, then pat dry. Place on a square of foil, and pull sides up together at the top, pinching right above the beet. 

Place vegetables in preheated oven and cook until they are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Stir the carrots, zucchini, celery, and turnip occasionally while cooking.

Once the beet is done cooking, let it cool slightly. Submerge it in a bowl of cold water and peel off the outer layer. Cut it in quarters and place into a blender or food processor.

Add the remaining cooked vegetables, broth, and fresh basil to the blender. Process until you have a smooth consistency. Add the blended liquid to a saucepan along with the oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook on medium-low for 4-5 minutes while stirring. Add more broth as needed for a thinner consistency.

Remove from heat and serve with pasta or use as tomato/marinara sauce replacement.

You can freeze leftovers. 

White Bean and Spinach Soup - Phases 1 and 3 (Vegan)

White Bean and Spinach Soup
Phase 1 and Phase 3
Makes 4 standard servings of protein


1 T extra virgin olive oil (phase 3 only)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped or grated
1 cup diced celery
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2T white wine vinegar
32 oz vegetable stock (or beef or chicken)
2 cups cooked white or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups sliced zucchini, cut into half moons
3 c. baby spinach, washed and dried
2 T nutritional yeast




In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil for p3 or a couple tablespoons broth for p1. Cook garlic and onion, stirring, 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes more. Add vinegar and stock, then bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Mix in cannellini beans and zucchini and simmer until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes. If you would like a smoother soup, blend with stick blender or carefully pour half the mixture into a blender, cover and place a folded towel on top of the blender to protect your hand… whiz it up on low speed for a few seconds. Pour back into the pan, carefully.

Just before serving fresh spinach and nutritional yeast, if using. Stir until warmed through and spinach is wilted.

Serve in soup bowls with black pepper.

Summer Minestrone - Phases 1 and 3 (Vegan)

Summer Minestrone
Phase 1 and 3
Makes 4 servings protein

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (phase 3 only)
2 small onions, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 bunch turnip greens, chopped
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium zucchini or yellow squashes, or a combination, diced
2 cups cannellini beans or white beans, cooked and drained
5 cups veggie or chicken stock
Fresh basil leaves, for serving



Heat the oil (if using) in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery; cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add green beans and tomatoes. Season with 2 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until beans and tomatoes start to soften, 5 minutes.

Add zucchini, stock, and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until all vegetables are softened, about 25 minutes, adding turnip greens in last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste- then season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, with fresh basil, or freeze up to 3 months (without basil).

Steak Fajitas- All Phases

Steak Fajitas
All Phases
Makes 4 servings


1lb lean steak, cut into thin strips
4 bell peppers, sliced thin
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 limes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 T olive oil (p3 only)

You can add mushrooms if you like, or zucchini strips on p1 and p3. Simply add them with the veggies

Mix the spices in a small bowl.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil if using. Add steak and half the spices. Stir to cook and coat with spice. It will cook quickly, so stir or flip continuously. Remove to a plate. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the meat.

Add the peppers and peppers to the skillet. Sprinkle on the spices. Squeeze the juice of the other lime over the veggies and add all four halves of the limes to the skillet. Crank the heat to high and sear the veggies- you want to let them sit in the hot skillet without stirring, for about a minute at a time to get a bit of char on them. Then stir and let sit. Repeat until done to your likeness. Add the steak, remove the lime peels. Stir together and add cilantro. Serve immediately.

 

Mushroom Gravy - All Phases (Vegan)

Mushroom Gravy
All Phases
Vegan

1 tablespoon olive oil (phase 3 only)
3 medium shallots, finely minced
1 T fresh thyme leaves, minced
5 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 lbs mushrooms (cremini, Portobello, or your favorite), stems removed
Sea salt and ground black pepper,
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
2 T tamari
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T mellow miso (optional)
3 ½ cups sugar and soy free vegetable stock
2 tsp arrowroot mixed with 2 tsp cold water


Optional for p3: Vegan Butter and Coconut Milk




Slice mushroom caps

Place mushroom stems along with the stock, in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool a bit and strain. Discard stems.

If you are on phase 3, heat the oil in a large wide bottom pan and add shallots. If you are on another phase, use a non stick pan. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the shallots. Cook the shallots, stirring frequently, until translucent and softened, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme and sage to the pot and stir.

Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and let them sit for one minute. Stir the mushrooms up, coating them in the shallots and herbs. Let the mushrooms sit for another full minute. Then, stir the mushrooms and season with pepper. Keep stirring the mushrooms here and there as they cook. Once the mushrooms are glistening, after about 3 minutes, season them with salt. Keep stirring the mushrooms until they are deep brown and slightly soft, about 2 more minutes.

Add the garlic to the pot and stir. Then, add the tamari, balsamic vinegar, and miso to the pot as well. Stir everything and scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add the vegetable stock to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the mushroom mixture up to a boil.

Lower to a simmer and reduce the liquid by about ¼. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

If you want a smooth gravy, carefully puree the mixture with a stick blender. Or allow to cool and puree in a blender until smooth. Add back to the pot and bring back to a simmer, if using right away.

You can make this mixture a couple of days ahead- just reheat and thicken.

Add half of the arrowroot slurry to the simmering gravy and whisk for at least a minute. If you want the gravy thicker, add the other half of the slurry. If it gets too thick, add more stock.

OPTIONAL: For a very rich gravy on phase three, add a tablespoon or two of Vegan Butter to the gravy after it gets thick. You can also add a splash of coconut milk if you like a creamier gravy.

Black Bean Burger- Phase 1 (vegan)

This burger is from my Ultimate Combo cookbook. 

For a vegan version- blend or whisk  1/2 cup aquafaba (juice from a can of chickpeas or white beans) until almost stiff peaks. Add 1/4 cup to recipe in place of every egg white.

Black Bean Burger
Phase 1
Serves 4

2 cups cup black beans, cooked
1 egg white
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
2-3 T shredded purple onion
¼ cup shredded carrot
1-2 minced garlic clove
1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Pinch of cayenne

Sautee the onion, carrot and garlic in non stick pan, over medium heat, until the onion is starting to get soft. Put the black beans in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Add egg white, cooked onion and garlic, quinoa, salt and pepper, cayenne. Mix with hands and form into 4 patties. (These will not shrink). Grill patties or cook in non stick pan, 3-4 minutes per side. Or bake on a rack set in a sheet pan, in oven (375 degrees) for 15-20 minutes. 

Serve on bun with tomato, lettuce, onion. 

Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice

Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice
Phase 1 or 3
Makes 4 servings protein and grain

 

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

3 T lemon juice

2 T minced fresh basil

Lemon wedges, optional

Arrowroot slurry (1 T arrowroot mixed in 2 T cold water)

 

Bring 3 cups of the chicken broth to a boil and cook the wild rice according to package directions. Keep warm.

Cut chicken into 1” pieces. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

In a large non-stick skillet, cook chicken; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add garlic and cook while stirring for 1 min. Add 1 cup chicken broth, pinch of s&p, and tomatoes. Bring broth to a boil and add arrowroot slurry. Stir until thick. Add spinach and stir until wilted, then add chicken, basil, lemon juice to the pan. Stir, then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately over the cooked wild rice.

Tangy White Bean Dressing - Phases 1 and 3

 This tangy dressing will zip up your salads and it counts as protein! Now while you may not need a full protein portion for a salad, having a little extra in your day is just fine. 

Tangy White Bean Dressing

Phases 1 and 3

Makes 6 standard servings of protein

15 ounce can white beans drained & rinsed or 1.5 cups cooked beans
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 T tamari
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp grated fresh garlic
1 tsp dried dill weed

Pinch of sea salt

¼ cup water - or more if you want it thinner

Put everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings. 

Cherry Paletas- Phases 1 and 3

Paletas are super easy to make and super refreshing on a hot day. This is a perfect p1 snack, or can be your fruit and healthy fat for p3 lunch. You can make them sweet or sour, creamy or not. 

Cherry Paletas
Phases 1 and 3
Makes 2 servings

2 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries

1/2 water for p1 or coconut cream for p3

1 T lemon juice

1 tsp (or more if you want) vanilla extract

Xylitol or stevia to taste

Throw everything in the blender and blend until smooth. If you would like to have chunks of cherries in your paletas, then blend 1 1/2 cups of the cherries with the other ingredients until smooth. Add remaining half cup and pulse to chop the cherries.

If you want to add sweetener, add a little, taste then add more if you want. You want the blended mixture to taste sweeter than what you want the end product to taste. 

Place your popsicle mold or paper or plastic cups onto a baking sheet. Pour the mixture into the molds, or paper or plastic cups. The molds I use are listed here in this post, Foods and Tools I Use Frequently. If you are using cups, simply cover them with foil or plastic wrap and poke the wooden or silicone sticks into the cup. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until firm. 

Cucumber Kimchi- All Phases (v)

Add some grilled chicken or steak on the side and this is a perfect and easy p2 meal or snack. You can make this ahead of time to let the flavors come together. I eat this fresh, but you can ferment, if you want. 

Feel free to use radish, or jicama in place of the carrots in p2. Even though they may not be traditional Korean veggies, they are delish in this recipe. 

Cucumber Kimchi

Unlimited portions

All Phases

3-4 small salad cucumbers

1 small carrot, julienned (not for phase 2)
1-2 small spring onion, cut into 1 inch pieces


Sauce:
1T Garlic-minced
1 T tamari
¼ tsp sesame oil (p3 only)
1 T Rice Wine Vinegar (P1) or coconut vinegar (all phases)
1-2 T Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
1 T xylitol or other FMD sweetener in appropriate amount
½ tsp minced ginger

Slice cucumbers on the bias. Sprinkle with 1T sea salt and stir. Set aside for 20-30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. Lay out on clean tea towel or paper towels and dry thoroughly.

Add to large bowl, with green onions and carrots (if using)

Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over cucumber mixture. Stir. Top with raw sesame seeds in p3 if you like.

If you want to ferment this, you can- place into a glass jar with a lid. Let sit on the counter for 2 or3 days.