The Virgin Diet (29 page)

Whisk the remaining coconut milk with the xylitol and almond extract. Add to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions. When done, stir in the shredded coconut. Your ice cream will be very soft at this point. Put in a covered container and into your freezer to temper/harden if you can stand it, but it is sooo good right from the ice cream maker!

*This treat is really high-calorie, so don’t overdo it. A ½ cup serving counts as 2 servings of fat.

** If you use light coconut milk or So Delicious from the carton, your ice cream will be softer and will harden in the freezer more like ice milk, not as creamy smooth.

RASPBERRY SAUCE ON FRUIT MEDLEY

INGREDIENTS

1 cup frozen organic raspberries, defrosted

1 tablespoon light coconut milk

1 to 2 teaspoons xylitol

4 cups chopped fruit in season (e.g., nectarines, peaches, melons)

4 teaspoons unsweetened, shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS

Blend raspberries, coconut milk and xylitol until smooth. Put 1 cup chopped fruit in a parfait glass and top with 2 tablespoons of raspberry sauce and 1 teaspoon unsweetened, shredded coconut.

OPTIONS

Top with shaved dark chocolate, toasted almond slices or pecans.

VIRGIN DIET PIE CRUST

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups almond meal/flour (e.g., Bob’s Red Mill)

1 teaspoon xylitol (add more if sweeter crust is desired)

¼ teaspoon sea salt (optional)

3 tablespoons coconut oil

½ teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add coconut oil and vanilla and stir until thoroughly combined. Press into a 9" pie pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until crust begins to lightly brown. Cool completely before filling.

BAKED APPLES

INGREDIENTS

2 washed, large baking apples (e.g., Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious)

¼ cup xylitol

¼ cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon ghee

¾ cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove apple cores to ½" of the bottom of the apples using an apple corer or paring knife. Use a spoon to dig out the seeds. Make the holes about ¾" to 1" wide.

In a small bowl, combine the xylitol, pecans and cinnamon. Place apples in an 8" square baking pan.

Stuff each apple with this mixture. Top with a dot of ghee.

Add boiling water to the baking pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Remove from the oven and baste the apples several times with the pan juices.

WARM “PB & J”

INGREDIENTS

1 cup frozen berries (any type) and/or dark cherries

1 tablespoon coconut milk

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 to 2 tablespoons tree nut butter

DIRECTIONS

Warm berries/cherries and coconut milk over medium heat until fruit is warm. Add cinnamon. Swirl in nut butter.

This dessert is totally decadent.

NUTTY BARS

Serving size is a 1" x 2" rectangle.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup room temperature or slightly warmed nut butter

2 scoops vanilla vegan protein powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups mixed raw nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS

Combine nut butter, vanilla vegan protein powder and cinnamon and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add nuts and coconut and put into baking pan. Cover and refrigerate.

HEALTHY NUTELLA

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons chocolate vegan protein powder

1 tablespoon nut butter

DIRECTIONS

Stir water into chocolate vegan protein powder until it looks like chocolate sauce.

Mix in nut butter.

Enjoy on apple slices.

I created these as single servings. If you want to make these for your family, just increase the ingredients accordingly.

WEEK 1: GLUTEN CHALLENGE MEALS

PASTA PRIMAVERA

INGREDIENTS

1 cup mixed vegetables (mushrooms, red bell pepper, onion, zucchini, asparagus)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped basil

½ to 1 cup cooked whole-wheat pasta

4 to 8 ounces cooked bay shrimp

2 cups spinach salad

Lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Sauté the vegetables in the olive oil and mix in the basil. Toss with the cooked pasta and top with the shrimp. Squeeze some lemon on the spinach salad and serve alongside the pasta.

ROASTED VEGETABLE STUFFED PITA

INGREDIENTS

1 cup diced vegetables (zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant, onion)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ to 1 diced clove garlic

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 whole-wheat pita

4 to 8 ounces roasted chicken breast

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss the vegetables in olive oil, garlic and sea salt and roast for 20 to 40 minutes depending on how thick you cut them. Stuff the pita with the vegetable mixture and chicken breast.

TURKEY ON WHEAT

INGREDIENTS

2 slices whole-grain bread

Mustard

4 to 8 ounces nitrate/hormone-free deli turkey meat or fresh, sliced turkey

¼ avocado

Bibb lettuce

DIRECTIONS

Spread mustard on the bread and arrange the turkey, avocado and lettuce into a sandwich.

Serve with vegetable sticks: carrots, celery and jicama.

ANGEL-HAIR PASTA
WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 large scallops or 6 to 8 medium ones

2 Roma tomatoes

½ clove garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

Fresh, torn basil leaves

½ to 1 cup cooked angel-hair pasta

2 cups mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette

DIRECTIONS

Sauté the scallops and tomatoes in garlic and olive oil until the scallops are cooked through, turning once. Remove from heat and add the basil leaves. Pour over the pasta. Serve with the salad.

WEEK 2: SOY CHALLENGE MEALS

MISO SOUP

INGREDIENTS

Miso soup (buy base at the grocery store; see the Resources section on my website)

1 chopped green onion

4 to 8 ounces cubed tofu

Assorted vegetable sticks

Hummus

DIRECTIONS

Add the onion and the tofu to the soup and serve with the vegetable sticks and hummus.

BOCA BURGER WRAPS

INGREDIENTS

2 BOCA burgers or another soy-based, gluten-free burger

Gluten-free mustard

4 thick slices tomato

Sliced avocado

Large leaves of romaine, butter or Bibb lettuce

DIRECTIONS

Heat the burgers as directed. Spread mustard on the burgers, put a tomato slice on the top and bottom of each, top with avocado and wrap with leaves of lettuce.

LETTUCE WRAPS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup total of sliced mushrooms, bean sprouts, sliced water chestnuts and diced red pepper

4 to 8 ounces tofu

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon tamari or other gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped almonds

Large lettuce leaves (e.g., butter lettuce)

DIRECTIONS

Sauté the vegetables and tofu in the sesame oil and add soy sauce at the end. Top with chopped almonds. Wrap in the lettuce leaves.

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS

2 cups cabbage and romaine mix

4 to 8 ounces chicken strips

½ cup edamame

1 or 2 diced green onions

1 tablespoon slivered almonds

DRESSING

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Stevia to taste

DIRECTIONS

Arrange the first 5 ingredients into a salad. Mix the remaining ingredients together and toss with the salad.

WEEK 3: EGG CHALLENGE MEALS

VEGETABLE FRITTATA

INGREDIENTS

1 cup total of diced asparagus, mushrooms, onions and red pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 eggs

Sliced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

Sauté the vegetables in olive oil and pour in beaten eggs.

Cover and cook on low heat until done. Or scramble the eggs and vegetables in the olive oil. Serve with sliced tomatoes.

MIXED GREENS SALAD

INGREDIENTS

2 cups mixed greens

1 cup assorted sliced cucumber, carrots, scallions and red pepper

4 ounces turkey

2 sliced, boiled eggs

1
/
3
cup garbanzo beans

¼ avocado

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Mix the first 6 ingredients together and toss with the olive oil and lemon juice.

HOT CEREAL

INGREDIENTS

½ cup cooked buckwheat,* steel-cut oatmeal or amaranth

½ cup coconut milk

¼ cup fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 boiled eggs

DIRECTIONS

Mix the cooked cereal with the coconut milk, fruit, nuts and cinnamon. Eat with two boiled eggs.

*Buckwheat is not actually a wheat, and it does not contain gluten.

POACHED EGGS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups greens: spinach, chard or other greens

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sliced heirloom or beefsteak tomato

2 or 3 poached eggs