T20 BP Day 1

 Day one of Dr. Furman's Transformation 20

Breakfast

Banana Walnut Breakfast

1serving

1 banana
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup walnut pieces
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Slice banana into a cereal bowl. Stir in flax seeds, blueberries, walnut pieces, and non-dairy milk.

Thoughts:

This was good! The frozen blueberries made the almond milk turn a beautiful color of purple. It was tasty and filling.

5/5

Dinner

Creamy zucchini and corn soup

3 servings

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic,
2 lb zucchini (about five medium), chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups no salt added vegetable broth
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons unhulled hemp seeds
4 cups spinach
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/4 tsp. Black pepper or to taste

Add onion, garlic, zucchini, basil, time, oregano and vegetable broth to a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Pour into a high powered blender (in batches, if necessary), add the cashews and hemp seeds and blend until smooth and creamy.

Return soup to the pot, add corn and spinach, bring to a simmer and cook until spinach is wilted. Add water if needed to adjust consistency. Season with black pepper.

Thoughts:

I made this wrong. First, I sauteed the onion and garlic with about a Tbsp of avocado oil. I used fresh basil. I misread the recipe, and blended about half of the zucchini mixture with the cashews... Oh, and I used homemade chicken stock I had on hand. Also forgot the hemp seeds!

It was alright. Not the worst Dr fuhrman soup I've had. My alterations probably improved it a bit :)

3.75/5

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Steel-Cut Oats with Bananas, Strawberries and Brown Sugar

Steel-Cut Banana and Strawberry Oats with Brown Sugar

I love oatmeal for breakfast. This morning we were out of rolled oats, which left the steel-cut ones I leave in the refrigerator and usually use for overnight oats. After a quick online search, I came across a recipe on Food Network's website for banana and strawberry steal cut oats. They were really good.

My mom is in town for a visit and this made way too much for the two of us so we put the rest in the fridge for breakfast tomorrow. I guess steel-cut oats reheat well. We'll try it out and let you know. This recipe could be used with any kind of fruit, so it will be fun to try it again with different combinations. In the comments someone mentioned using lemon curd and raspberries in place of the the strawberries... now that sounds divine!

Here's the recipe:

Steel-Cut Oats with Bananas and Strawberries

Recipe courtesy of Jamie Deen. Total Time: 50 min, Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ripe banana, sliced
2 cups strawberries

Directions:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and toast, while stirring, until they smell nice and nutty, about 3 minutes.

Add 3 cups water, the milk, brown sugar and salt. Turn up the heat, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the oats from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Remove the lid and stir in the banana. Cover again and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring on occasion, until the oats are soft and creamy. Stir in the berries right before serving.

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Day 12 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Antioxidant-Rich Breakfast Bars, Mexican Salad, Easy Vegetable Pizza Margherita Style

Antioxidant-Rich Breakfast Bars Close Up

Antioxidant-Rich Breakfast Bars

Breakfast: Antioxidant-Rich Breakfast Bars

6 servings

1 medium ripe banana
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
¼ cup raisins
1∕8 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped dates
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons ground flax seed

Mash banana in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan that has been lightly wiped with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool on wire rack and cut into bars.

Refrigerate or freeze leftover bars and use them as an alternate breakfast. Limit -1 per day

Score: 8/10

Okay, so I actually just had some fruit for breakfast, but I tried the breakfast bars when I was visiting my mom. Since they are technically on day 12 I put the picture and recipe up. These bars were alright. They didn't stay together in a bar shape even after letting them cool for a while. The flavor, however was good. The serving size is also very small. Not a super filling breakfast. Definitely felt the need to supplement with some extra fruit. We also had them after coming home from the gym, so we were extra hungry :)

Mexican Salad (this time with the Avocado)

Lunch: Mexican Salad

Repeat from Day 1 (click here to see day 1 with recipe)

I really like this salad. Something about the salsa as a dressing just makes it. I actually had a ripe avocado this time (last time I had to use nuts instead). The avocado added some creaminess. Very good.

Score: 9.5/10

Easy Vegetable Pizza Margherita Style

First, I would like to apologize for the picture. It turned out blurry, so I tried to sharpen it up a bit and it looks terrible! Just know that the actual pizza was very pretty and very tasty.

Dinner: Easy Vegetable Pizza 

Repeat from Day 1 (click here to see day 1 with recipe). I also made this pizza on Day 6 instead of a salad. That time I added leftover artichoke hearts (click here for a link to that). This time I made it using a whole wheat pita a jar of marinara sauce from the pantry, sliced beefsteak tomato, fresh mozzarella, red onion and fresh basil.   

Ingredients all laid out, ready to go on pizza

Pizza before it went in the oven

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Day 11 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Berry Bowl, Sweet Kale Salad, Easy Vegetable Pizza

Fresh Berry Bowl with Flax, Walnuts, and  Almond Milk

Back home from my trip to Oregon, and back on plan :)

Breakfast: Berry Bowl

1 ½ cups blueberries, strawberries, blackberries  and/or raspberries
1 banana, sliced
¼ cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla soy, hemp or almond milk
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds

Top berries and banana with non-dairy milk and sprinkle with the walnuts and flax or chia seeds.

Score: 9.5/10

This is a repeat from Day 2 (click here to see it). This time I made it slightly different. I had chopped walnuts, so I used those instead of substituting pecans (like last time).  I had fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries... so good! Last time I had fresh strawberries and frozen blueberries. Both ways were tasty. I know I've said this before, but I'm saying it again. I love fruit.

Yum!

Here's the salad unmixed with most of the ingredients off to the side. The apple got cropped out, just know that it was there in all its pink lady glory ;)

Lunch: Sweet Kale
5 cups chopped kale, tough stems and center ribs removed 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 small apple, cored and sliced 

1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds 

1 tablespoon raisins 

½ avocado, peeled and chopped 

Balsamic or fig-flavored vinegar 

Toss together all ingredients except vinegar. Finish with a splash  of vinegar.  Salad

Score: 6.5/10

This salad was alright. Good, but not great. I am not a huge fan of straight up kale salads anyway. The Sweet Kale Salad Mix by Eat Smart (we usually get it at Costco) is an exception. That salad does have a creamy poppy seed dressing going for it. This salad had a nice mix of sweet and sour. The acid from the lemon and vinegar balanced out the sweet apple and raisins. It could've used some more avocado. I didn't even know it was there most of the time. Also, 5 cups is a lot of kale. I got a bit burned out and wasn't able to finish the last bit of salad.

Another Veggie Pizza with Multigrain Flatbread Crust

Dinner: Easy Vegetable Pizza  (supposed to be Lazy Lentils)

1 large (100% whole grain) tortilla or pita 

½ cup low sodium pasta sauce 

¼ cup chopped mushrooms 

¼ cup chopped red onion 

½ of a medium tomato, chopped 

1-2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese, cubed 

1 Tablespoon dried basil

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place tortilla on a baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes.

Score: 9/10

So, I keep making different variations of this pizza, because I keep craving pizza! This time I used Flatout brand flatbread (the Multigrain with Flax). It's only 100 calories, has 9 g of protien, 8 g of fiber and only 1 g of sugar. Not too shabby. It was crispy everywhere except the middle when I took it out of the oven. I put a lot of sauce and fresh tomatoes on top. I think that's what made it soggy. The sauce I used, Classico Riserva Roasted Garlic, had big chunks of delicious roasted garlic in it. The ingredient list on the sauce is pretty short. There's no added sugar, just tomatoes, roasted garlic, extra virgin olive oil, spices and sea salt. 

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Day 10 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler,

Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler after it's mixed

Breakfast: Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler

½ banana, sliced
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon raisins or currants
2 tablespoons chopped raw almonds
1 tablespoon unsweetened, shredded coconut
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Combine banana, berries, oats and raisins in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 2 minutes. Top with almonds, cinnamon and coconut and microwave for 1 minute. Serve warm.

Score: 9.5/10

Blueberry Breakfast Cobbler right out of the microwave

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Day 9 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Chocolate Cherry Smoothie, Salad Stuffed Pita with Russian Dressing, and Buenas Noches Black Bean Soup

Breakfast: Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

3 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed
1∕3 cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla soy, hemp or  almond milk
1∕3 cup pomegranate juice or ½ cup pomegranate kernels
1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder
1 cup frozen cherries
½ ripe banana

Blend ingredients in a high-powered blender.

Score: 8/10

First things first, the color isn't very appealing. The cocoa powder was an interesting flavor, but I wish there was some honey or something to make it a little less bitter. Overall, a good green smoothie. I do love dark cherries :)

Lunch: Salad Stuffed Pita

1 (100% whole grain) pita
4 avocado slices
2 tomato slices
1 cup shredded lettuce or spinach
2 onion slices
Russian Dressing (see other recipe)

Lightly toast the pita*. Cut pita in half to form a pocket. Stuff with Russian Dressing and other ingredients.

*I chose not to toast my pita because last time I did, it turned into a cracker.

Score: 8.5/10

Eh. It was good. Tasted like a pita and veggies. The Russian dressing was a nice change of pace, but very strong on the balsamic flavor. Not sure I'd want it on a salad.

A serving size of the Russian Dressing

Russian Dressing

2 servings

4 tablespoons low sodium pasta sauce
3 tablespoons raw almond butter or 1∕3 cup raw almonds
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Blend together with a fork or whisk if using almond butter. If using raw almonds, blend in a high-powered blender.

Dinner: Buenas Noches Black Bean Soup

4 servings

1 small onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 cups water
2 (15 ounce) cans low sodium black beans, drained, divided
1 cup low sodium salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup diced tomatoes

In a large soup pot, combine onion, celery, carrots, garlic, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, water, and 2 cups of the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Place remaining black beans and the salsa in a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until smooth. Stir into soup mixture along with the corn and tomatoes. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Score: 7/10

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Day 8 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Tofu Scramble

Egg and Veggie Scramble

Breakfast: Tofu Scramble (with optional egg)
2 scallions, diced
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 small tomato, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
7 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled (reduce to 3½  ounces if using an egg)
1 egg, beaten, optional
½ teaspoon no-salt seasoning blend such as Mrs. Dash
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
3 cups coarsely chopped spinach

Sauté scallions, red pepper, tomato, and garlic in ¼ cup water for 5 minutes. Add tofu, egg if desired, no-salt seasoning blend, nutritional yeast and spinach and cook for another 2 minutes. May be served with low sodium ketchup or salsa. For some heat, add some hot pepper flakes.

Score: 6.5/10

Not sure why I missed the Tofu on the shopping list. Since I didn't have tofu, I just used the egg. The dish really needed salt. Also, I should've added the egg last. I added it in with the spinach and the spinach didn't wilt enough.

I had some leftovers for lunch and went off plan for Dinner. A friend invited us out to dinner and I just went a bit crazy.

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Day 7 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Banana Cashew Lettuce Wraps and Cheesy Kale Soup

Romaine Lettuce, Homemade Almond-Cashew Butter, and Sliced Bananas

Breakfast: Banana Cashew Lettuce Wraps

2 tablespoons raw cashew butter
6 Boston lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves
1 banana, thinly sliced

Spread about 1 teaspoon cashew butter on each lettuce leaf. Lay a few banana slices on the butter and roll up like a burrito.

Score: 9/10

I was actually surprised that I enjoyed this breakfast. When I imagined fruit and nut butter with lettuce, it didn't sound appetizing at all! Not bad. I would try these again

Lunch: Leftover Chickpea Curry... Not very exciting. Also, I keep skipping the salads, which is not good. Dr. Fuhrman stresses that you should have at least one big salad a day and that should be the main dish when you do have it. Gotta work on that

Cheesy Kale Soup

Dinner: Cheesy Kale Soup 

4 servings 

½ cup dry yellow split peas 

1 onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced 

2 cups carrot juice or low sodium vegetable broth 

1 ½ cups low sodium tomato sauce 

5 cups chopped kale 

1∕3 cup raw cashew butter or 2∕3 cup raw cashews 

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add the split peas and simmer until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Add onion, mushrooms, carrot juice or broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then add kale. Cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, adding a little water if you want to adjust the consistency. Stir in cashew butter and nutritional yeast. If using whole cashews, place in a blender and blend with ½ cup of the soup liquid, then return to the pot. 

Score: 9.5/10

The texture was slightly grainy. Probably due to my use of cashews instead of cashew butter (or because I didn't blend it long enough). It didn't affect the taste. When I started chopping the veggies for the soup I started thinking about how much I've disliked Dr. Fuhrman's soups in the past. Anticancer soup, anyone? I eventually had to toss all my frozen portions of that soup. Blech. This one was good. The split peas could've been cooked a bit more and the cashews blended better, but that was all on me.

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Day 5 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Apple Pie Oatmeal, Creamy Kale and Mushroom Casserole

Breakfast: Apple Pie Oatmeal

¼ cup old fashioned or steel cut oats 

½ cup water 

1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced 

dash cinnamon 

1-2 tablespoons raisins or currants 

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts 

Combine oats and water in a small pot, bring to a boil, then  reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. 

Note: If using steel cut oats, double the amount of water and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. 

Score: 9.5/10

Well, since I love to cheat a bit, I used almond milk in place of the water. This was very satisfying. Liked it a lot.

Lunch was supposed to be black bean lettuce bundles, but I missed it. I ate breakfast, dropped Avery off at preschool, and hiked up near the Y in Provo with my exercise buddies. It was beautiful. On the way there I drank a protein shake. By the time I got home with Avery it was 2:45 pm. Our friends came over and stayed until 5 pm. So, I just ate dinner.

Dinner: Creamy Kale and Mushroom Casserole 

4 servings 

½ cup raw cashews or ¼ cup raw cashew butter 

1 cup unsweetened, unflavored soy, hemp or almond milk 

2 cups small fresh or frozen broccoli florets 

1 cup chopped mushrooms 

1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped (see note)

2 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed 

1 teaspoon no-salt seasoning blend such as Mrs. Dash 

1 teaspoon onion powder 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend the cashews and non-dairy milk until creamy. Add to a 9x13 inch oven-proof baking dish along with broccoli, mushrooms, artichokes, kale, and seasonings. Bake for 40 minutes. 

Note: Frozen Brussels sprouts may be substituted for the  artichoke hearts

Score: 9/10

This was better than I thought it would be. The cashew cream stuff added a lot to the casserole. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast might be good on this. The only complaint I had was the serving size. As you can see in the photo above, there's not a ton in my bowl. This is probably due to the cashew and almond milk mixture. I should've had a salad in addition. Instead, I just ate some strawberries and called it a night.

Casserole before it went into the oven

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Day 4 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Chia Breakfast Pudding and Chickpea Curry in a Hurry

Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding( after sitting 15 minutes for the chia seeds to congeal the almond milk)

 Breakfast: Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding

½ cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla soy, hemp or  almond milk
2 tablespoons whole chia seeds
2 tablespoons uncooked old fashioned or steel cut oats
½ banana, sliced
½ cup fresh blueberries or frozen, thawed

In a bowl, mix together non-dairy milk, chia seeds and oats. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes or for an on-the-run breakfast, make the night before and refrigerate. Stir in banana and blueberries.

This was good. I've really liked all the breakfasts so far on the 10 in 20 program. It reminded me of the chia pudding mom and I made about 5 years ago... wow, has it been that long?

Score: 8/10

Hummus Wrap with Avocado

Luch: Hummus Wrap (repeat from yesterday, should've been a portobello salad with walnut vinaigrette)

I was short on time, so I just repeated yesterdays lunch and added some avocado. The avocado made this even better. The creaminess seemed to cut the onions. I didn't add the vinegar, but didn't really miss it.

Chickpea Curry in a Hurry

Dinner: Chickpea Curry in a Hurry

2 servings

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (15 ounce) can low sodium chickpeas, drained
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
1∕3 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1 10-ounce box or bag frozen chopped spinach*

Combine all ingredients except spinach in a large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add spinach. Cover and continue cooking until spinach is thawed and curry is warm, about 5 more minutes.

Score: 8.5/10

*Instead of frozen spinach, I used fresh. A 10 oz package of frozen spinach is about 1 1/2 cups. After cooking down fresh spinach with a bit of water, that's how much you should be left with.  (many places online say to saute spinach with a tablespoon of oil, but I used a few tablespoons of water and it worked out fine. So, 1 lb fresh spinach = 1.5 cups cooked and drained = 10 ounce frozen package.

Right before we started the 10 in 20 program I made a vegan Indian chickpea dish called Chana Masala. The flavor was awesome. The naan might have also helped with how much I enjoyed it ;) This was a bit different. The sweet coconut (I did't have unsweetened in my pantry, so the stuff i used had too much sweet flavor) was okay, but I found it a bit distracting. The texture may have been the culprit there, really. The smell and flavor of this dish was pretty good.

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Day 3 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Orange and Kale Smoothie, Hummus Wrap, Tailgate Chili

Orange and Kale Smoothie in a bottle, ready to take to the gym :)

Breakfast: Orange and Kale Smoothie

1 ½ cups kale

1 apple, cored and sliced 

1 navel orange, peeled (I use 3 clementines)

½ lemon 

1 tablespoon flax seeds 

2-3 ice cubes 

Water as needed for desired consistency

Blend ingredients in a high-powered blender

I had to take this to the gym with me since I was running late this morning. The bottle I pulled out didn't fit all of the smoothie, so I drank some before I left. Avery thought the little glass was for her and got excited, but as she got closer to it, she decided not to drink it. Probably a good thing, she likes green smoothies, but I put in a little extra kale you could taste it! Overall, this was very good. Tasted very green and fresh. Without the extra kale I put in and a bit more orange, this would've been even better.

Score: 9/10

Here's the leftover smoothie that didn't fit in my bottle. Check out that color!

Hummus Wrap

Lunch: Hummus Wrap

1 large (100% whole grain) tortilla

3 tablespoons hummus  

½ cup chopped romaine

½ cup sliced tomatoes

2 slices  red onion 

Splash balsamic vinegar 

Spread hummus on the wrap, top with chopped romaine, diced tomatoes, sliced red onion and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

So, I used the whole wheat pitas that I already have instead of a tortillas and switched out the romaine with spinach. The raw red onion was strong. I might have used too much. The balsamic vinegar was also strong. Not bad. On the plus side, it was simple and quick.

Score: 7.5/10

Tailgate Chili

Dinner: Tailgate Chili

5 servings 

½ cup uncooked bulgur or quinoa 

1 cup water 

3 cups chopped onions 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

2 green bell peppers, chopped 

26 ounces low sodium diced tomatoes 

3 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, no salt added or  low sodium, rinsed and drained 

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 

2 tablespoons chili powder 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

Combine bulgur or quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, heat 1∕8 cup water in a large saucepan and water sauté onions and garlic until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in green peppers and sauté an additional 3 minutes, adding more water  as needed. Stir in diced tomatoes, beans, corn, chili powder  and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for  20 minutes. Add bulgur or quinoa and simmer for an additional  5 minutes.

This chili was good. Very filling. Definitely tasted healthier and more bland than regular chili. The recipe made quite a bit. I replaced one of the cans of kidney beans with black beans and added some smoked paprika. I'll probably need to freeze some of this. Not sure how many days in a row I want to eat it. 

Score: 8/10

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Day 2 of Dr. Fuhrman 10 in 20: Berry Bowl...

Berry Bowl with strawberries, blueberries, banana, pecans, flax and chia seed (added the chia later)

Breakfast: Berry Bowl

1 ½ cups fresh (or thawed frozen) blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and/or raspberries
1 banana, sliced
¼ cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla soy, hemp or  almond milk
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds

Top berries and sliced banana with non-dairy milk and sprinkle with walnuts and the flax or chia seeds.

Okay, I really thought just fruit, almond milk, some nuts and some seeds wouldn't be enough for me. This breakfast actually stuck with me for a long while. I ate it at about 11:30 am, almost lunch time! It was so easy, not sure why it took me so long to eat breakfast. This ended up being a good thing because I didn't end up eating breakfast or dinner.

I liked this a lot. I'd definitely have this again. Of course, I love having fruit for breakfast and that's basically all this is.

Score: 9.5/10 

After adding the fruit, nuts, flax and chia

After adding the almond milk

Another pic of the berry bowl, because why not :)

Alright, I think I put off breakfast partly because I didn't have almond milk on hand. Luckily, I'd soaked almonds overnight, so all I had to do was throw them in my Soyajoy with some water. Thank you mom for giving this to me years ago. If I had to make it in my vitamix with a nutbag, it probably wouldn't happen. I tried to figure out if homemade almond milk is cost effective. Actually after trying to remember how much I spent for my almonds, I just googled it. According to a website called Dont Waste the Crumbs, a quart of homemade almond milk costs $1.41 if you buy almonds at $4.23/lb (link to article here). Since it's just a cup to a cup and a half of almonds, some water, salt and sweetener (if you add that), not too complicated.

I made almond okara (pulp) cookies with coconut. The intent was to mitigate waste and provide a healthy-ish post-workout treat for my workout group. I had to make sure they weren't disgusting so I tasted one... which turned into 3! Totally off plan.

My Soyajoy! Thanks Mom for blessing my life with homemade almond milk

It was a beautiful day outside, so after getting Avery to and from preschool, the gym, grocery shopping, etc, we spent some time outside. I did this knowing that Avery needed it (and I promised her that we would, so gotta follow through). I also did this knowing I'd not fixed my lunch yet. After Andrew got home we went over to costco and didn't get back until about 8:15 pm. I wasn't about to try to fix either the kale salad or the zucchini pasta!

Blossoms on our apple tree

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Day 1 of Dr. Fuhman 10 in 20: Soaked Oats, Mexican Salad, and Easy Vegetable Pizza

Soaked Oats and Peaches (Overnight Oats)

Breakfast: Soaked Oats and Blueberries (or peaches?)

½ cup uncooked old fashioned or steel cut oats
½ cup unsweetened, unflavored or vanilla soy, hemp or  almond milk
½ cup blueberries
1 small apple, chopped
½ tablespoon ground flax seeds

Combine oats and non-dairy milk. Soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Mix in remaining ingredients.

I didn't go shopping last night, so I  used peaches in my overnight oats instead of blueberries. I happened to have a ton of peaches from our peach tree in our freezer. They added a much needed sweetness to the oats. 

After eating breakfast I looked at the Day 1 recipes and realized I forgot the apple, so I just ate it afterward.

When I've had overnight oats in the past, I've added a pinch of salt, cinnamon or vanilla, and honey to them. Along with frozen fruit I usually have a banana, nuts and chia seeds. This 10 in 20 recipe wasn't bad. I just missed the stuff I usually put in. Especially the salt and honey!

Score: 9/10

Soaked oats (overnight Oats) with peaches instead of berries

Mexican Salad before I mixed it up

Lunch: Mexican Salad

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
½ cup cooked black beans
1∕3 cup frozen, thawed corn kernels
¼ cup low sodium salsa
½ avocado, peeled and chopped

Toss lettuce with beans, corn and salsa. Top your salad with the chopped avocado.

 So, this was a very simple salad. I didn't have an avocado, so I used some chopped almonds.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed salsa as a salad dressing! So, after getting this salad ready, I didn't have time to eat it before I had to rush my child to preschool and make it to the gym to meet my workout partners. I'm not sure if having a 6 hour gap between breakfast and lunch made it taste better or not (9:30 am to 3:30 pm). Surprisingly I wasn't very hungry until about 30 minutes before I had my salad. I also ate a clementine and a few strawberries. Needed to get the berry portion of my GBOMBS in :)

Score: 9/10

Salsa did a decent job coating lettuce and acting as a dressing

Dinner: Easy Vegetable Pizza

1 large (100% whole grain) tortilla or pita
½ cup low sodium pasta sauce
¼ cup chopped mushrooms
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 cup frozen broccoli, thawed and chopped
1 tablespoon shredded non-dairy mozzarella-type cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place tortilla on a baking sheet and warm for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes.

After watching a vlog about day 1 of this plan by Cheri over at the watering mouth (video link here) I expected not to like this pizza. So, confession time - I was a cheater cheater, pumpkin eater. Instead of buying vegan cheese, which is usually just oils and chemicals (who needs artificial chemical flavor in any of their food), I opted for regular dairy. I know! Not even CLOSE to being on plan. Now If I'd had the time I'd break out the nut milk and agar powder to make my own. As a side note, Kite Hill's vegan ricotta and Parma's vegan Parmesan actually look pretty good if I ever need to buy vegan cheese.

Okay, the whole wheat pitta was pretty much cardboard when compared to regular pizza crust, but overall I liked it. Okay, My tomato sauce wasn't no or low-sodium or oil free, and having real mozzarella really upped the flavor too. Also, I didn't have dinner until 9 pm, so I was pretty hungry.

Score: 8.5 (if this were really Dr. Fuhrman approved, I probably wouldn't have liked it so much)

Yes, I used dairy cheese and the Organic Kirkland tomato sauce I had on hand

My pizza topping station! 

 I decided to have the broccoli on the side, steamed with some Ms. Dash 

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