ROASTED VEGETABLES

This is one of the easiest dishes that you can make when you are fasting. It is simple, it is all vegetables, and it is deliciously satisfying! This recipe works for just about any combination of vegetables. If you'd like to add some fresh herbs to it to give it a boost in the flavor department, you can... If you'd like to spice it up with some Chili Powder or Cheyenne, that's delicious too! There are multiple possibilities, change it up and have fun with it!

ROASTED VEGETABLES

Serves : 4-6 Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 40 min.

Ingredients:

1/2 head of Cauliflower

1 small head of Broccoli 

1 medium Onion

3 medium Red Potatoes

3 medium Carrots

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Big pinch of Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Wash all vegetables throughly.
2. Break or cut Cauliflower into large florets similar in size.
3. Break or cut Broccoli into florets. 
4. Cut Onion into quarters.
5. Cut Carrots into 1 inch pieces.
6. Cut Red Potatoes into 1 inch pieces.
7. Cover the bottom of a baking pan with t Tbsp. of the Olive Oil.
8. Transfer all cut vegetables to baking pan and pour remaining Olive Oil over vegetables.
9. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper (about 1-1 1/2 Tsp. of each).
10. Toss all vegetables together to coat with Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper evenly.
11. Bake in Preheated oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

PUMPKIN AND LEEK RISOTO

If you are looking for a filling meal on the fast, then try this savory pumpkin Risotto with leek, onion garlic and fresh thyme. The aroma of the pumpkin, onion and garlic cooking is so mouth watering that it draws the family to the kitchen without even needing to call them to dinner!

PUMPKIN AND LEEK RISOTTO

Prep time: 20 min. Cook Time: 30 min.   Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 baking pumpkin

1 leek

4 cups vegetable broth

1/2 c. onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 cup Aborrio rice

1 Tbsp. fresh Thyme

2 Tbsp olive oil

pinch of salt and pepper

1 green onion (chopped for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Throughly clean leeks as they tend to have sand in between their layers. Cut in half and slice whites and light green leaves into 1/4 inch slices. Discard the dark green leaves.
2. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and pulp. Remove skin and cut into 1 inch pieces.
3. Place the Vegetable broth in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
4. Add pumpkin pieces into pot and reduce heat to a slow boil. When the pumpkin is fork tender, remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set aside. Reduce heat to very low under broth.
5. In a large saute pan, heat oil. Add onion and saute until soft and clear.
6. Add garlic, leeks, thyme, salt and pepper, saute for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add rice and stir into other ingredients. 
8. Add Broth to rice one ladle full at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed into rice.
9. Once you add the last ladle of broth, add pumpkin into the rice mixture and stir until well incorporated.
10. Transfer to serving dish and top with chopped green onions and serve.

SALSA (Pico de Gallo)

My family loves this salsa so much, they beg for it year round! I learned how to make this fresh Pico de Gallo at a cooking class on a trip to Mexico. It doesn't get any ore authentic than that!

SALSA (Pico de Gallo)

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 0 min. Servings: 6

Ingredients:

2 Tomatoes (diced)

1/4 Onion (chopped)

2 Jalapenos (chopped)

2 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro leaves (chopped)

2 Tbsp. Lime Juice

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl mix all ingredients.
2. Transfer to serving dish if desired.
3. Enjoy.

GUACAMOLE WITH TOMATILLOS

This is a refreshing recipe that has wonderful spices and that creamy, nutty goodness of avocados! I serve it with corn tortillas or tortilla chips!

GUACAMOLE WITH TOMATILLOS 

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 5-8 min. Servings: 6

Ingredients:

4 Avocados

5 Tomatillos

1/4 Onion (chopped)

2 Jalapenos (chopped)

2 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro leaves (chopped)

2 Tbsp. Lime Juice

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Boil a pot of water on the stove top and add Tomatillos to boil for 5-8 minutes to

    loosen skin.

1. Remove skin from Tomatillos (It is almost see through and very thin.)
2. chop Tomatillos in food processor.
3. In a medium bowl place chopped Onion and Jalapenos. Add Tomatillos, Cilantro, andLime juice.
4. Cut Avocados in half, remove seeds and discard two, but reserve two seeds. Remove Avocados from skin and discard skin.
5. Cut Avocados into pieces and then rough mash pieces with a fork. 
6. Add Avocado mash into other ingredients and add salt and pepper. Mix together well.
7. Add the two reserved Avocado seeds on top (this helps prevent browning of Avocado for a longer period of time.)
8. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Cilantro.

What can I eat on the Daniel fast?

 I am going to try to shed a little more light here on Fasting for anyone who’s looking for some help.

First of all there are a LOT of fasts in the Bible.  There are individual fasts and there are group or corporate fasts that usually involve a whole community. I will try to get to them all this year, but I am going to start with the Daniel Fast as it seems to have gained popularity in recent years. (Yay!)

The Daniel Fast refers to eating as Daniel did in the book of Daniel in the Bible. There are two specific fasts noted in the book of Daniel. In the first, Daniel refused to eat the meat at the kings table that had been sacrificed to the pagan gods, as this was an abomination to God. Daniel further told the king's man that they would make a contest of it and that they would be more fit and have better energy then the kings men after ten days of eating only vegetables and drinking water. So the king agreed and Daniel and his friends proved correct. 

The popular Daniel Fast is primarily a 21 day fast which is the second fast mentioned in the Bible where Daniel states that he ate no choice food, no meat and no wine.

Here’s my quick breakdown of how I gage what to eat and what not to eat for the Daniel Fast:  

NO MEAT

NO SWEETS

NO WHEAT

NO DAIRY

NO ALCOHOL

No sweets does include any sweetener, including honey and stevia in my house. Others will use stevia in their fast, I personally think of that as one of the "choice foods" for me. (I have a great sweet tooth and giving up all things sweet is important to me for my fast.)

No Wheat means all breads of any kind. Some say that it is any breads that have yeast in them. I personally give up all breads, even unleavened breads and all pastas.

What I do eat:

ALL VEGETABLES

ALL FRUITS

ALL NUTS

ALL SEEDS

RICE

OATS

CORN MEAL

Be careful of dried fruits, as many of the brands package them with sugar! I love to shop the bulk barrels for these because they will separate those with and without sugar!

I do include almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, etc. I just make sure that I get them made fresh at a whole foods or farmer's market, or find a natural brand that does not use sugar in their peanut butter.

Rice does not include rice cereal, or puffed rice (too processed) but every other kind is okay by me.

Corn meal can be made into tortillas with just water, maybe a touch of oil, and salt. These can then be made into chips. There are some great brands out there in your whole or natural food stores that will have these available already made. I love the Ezekiel brand's corn tortillas!

That pretty much covers what we follow. I use the gage of if it grows in the ground and can be eaten without a processing then it’s okay. 

There are other references out there on fasting and on the Daniel Fast. I recommend that you look into as many as you can find and do what fits for you. 

A fast is something personal. It is your personal sacrifice that you are offering to draw closer to God. I therefore believe that you need to be the one choosing what you will and will not include in your fast foods.  If you have decided that it is okay for you to eat a particular food on your fast then don’t let anyone else make you feel bad because you are eating it! Especially if they themselves are not on a fast! 

As I said, it’s your fast. It’s between you and God so there’s really not a wrong choice. 

Why Fast in this day and age?

If you look back into your Bibles there are many desperate outreaches from the men of God whom declare a fast and cry out to God for help. Typically in the Old Testament, it's when they feel backed into a corner and are desperate for God's help or they will perish. The examples in the New Testament are of a time to draw closer to God or to seek direction.

Usually a fast is done for a specific reason.

Pick what you want to bring before God. Then when you are feeling the pains of hunger go into a time of prayer and bring your needs before God. This is the best way to draw closer to God.

Remember as our Heavenly Father, He wants to bless us... even more than we can believe!

It is written,"You have not, because you ask not."

Do you not think that God can do all things?
Do you not believe that God is the same today as he was back in the Old Testament days?
Do you not think that if one of His children cry out for help, He will help them?
Do you doubt Him?
Doubt is not of God...therefor it must be understood to be the seed of the devil. So, do not doubt God! He is good all the time! Believe that, get it into your heart and soul!

And when you are in a desperate situation, come before God in prayer and fasting and believe that He wants to help you.
It is also written that it glorifies God to answer. The only conditions given to this is that you must believe in your heart and mind and speak the words of faith, as if you are getting it...even before you see it.
Remember even Daniel had to wait 21 days before the angel appeared to him and said that God had already answered, but there was a war waging in the spirit realm for the whole 21 days!

So do not give up, and do not let go of God! He will never let go of you!

RATATOUILLE

Ratatouille is a traditional peasant's meal, because it was made with the fresh vegetables that any home garden might have. The rich beautiful colors and wonderful aroma will have your mouth watering before you have finished cooking it! I have come to love this dish for it's rich flavors and how well it fits into the Daniel Fast! It can be served alone or  over rice to complete the meal.

RATATOUILLE

Prep time: 10 min. Cook Time: 30 min.   Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

3 Japanese Eggplants

3 Zucchini (of the same size as the eggplants)

1 medium Onion

2 Cloves Garlic

12 grape or cherry Tomatoes 

1 Tbsp fresh Thyme

1Tbsp fresh Basil

1Tbsp fresh Rosemary

1/4 cup Olive Oil (divided)

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

pinch of salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice and quarter the Eggplants and toss with salt. Set aside to allow salt to take bitterness out of the eggplants.
2. Slice and quarter the Zucchini. Set aside.
3. In a large cast iron skillet or pan, heat 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil over medium heat.
4. Add cut and salted Eggplant to the pan with a pinch of pepper and cook, stirring frequently for about 8 minutes, or until Eggplants are getting a little transparent.
5. Remove Eggplants onto a paper towel lined plate.
6. Add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil to hot pan and add Zucchini. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until a little transparent.
7. Remove Zucchini onto a paper towel lined plate.
8. Turn down heat to medium low.
9. Chop Onion and Garlic.
10. Add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil to the hot pan and add Onion and Garlic.
11. Stir immediately and constantly until Onion is transparent.
12. Add Eggplant and Zucchini back into pan. Stirring frequently.
13. Chop fresh Thyme, Basil and Rosemary and add them to the pan. Mix all ingredients well together.
14. Add Tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently until they burst open.
15. Add Balsamic Vinegar and stir until all ingredients are well combined.
16. Can be served warm or cold.