The Jesus Diet: Week 6 - The Last Supper

 

 

 

Well, it finally arrived. The final week of my first of 8 installments of diets this year. Granted, this last one was slightly longer (by about two weeks) than the rest will be, but it was so far, a great success. I have to admit though, by the end of the week I was ready to get started with my next diet - which you will have to stay tuned for the next post to read all about!

But let's get to all the great creations I came up with during the week.

Sunday, as per usual, I spent my entire afternoon cooking and prepping for the week. Below are the incredible recipes I came up with, and would say that I really knocked it out of the park in my final week of "The Jesus Diet"!

"If Jesus were Hungarian: Husleves - Meat Soup"

Not much was altered in the making of this classic Hungarian dish, and I was so excited that it came out perfectly. The only ingredient I did not add were noodles. Traditionally the soup has them, and if you're not following this specific diet, knock your socks off. With or without the noodles it's still an incredibly healthy soup, and the noodles are quite literally the only thing unnatural and "bad" for you.

Ingredients:

A whole 100% grass-fed, no hormones or antibiotics chicken cut up, or I just used 3 whole legs

2-3 stalks celery 

3 shallots

1 clove garlic, peeled 

5-6 organic carrots, shaved and tips and ends cut off 

fresh parsley chopped (handful)

salt to taste 

enough water to fill a pot 

1 turnip, shaved and ends chopped off 

1 leek, chopped and cleaned thoroughly 

Instructions:

1. In a small pan heat up halved shallots, skin still on

2. place them face down on the pan so as to grill them 

3. Once they are fully grilled, remove pan from burner 

4. In a large pot, fill to the top with cold water; boil 

5. Add chicken thighs/legs, other parts you would like

6. Boil chicken for 2 minutes exactly; remove the chicken

7. Add any more water needed to fill the pot 

8. Add leeks, garlic, parsley, celery, shallots, salt to taste, turnip, carrots and finally chicken parts 

9. Bring to a boil

10. Bring heat down to medium temperature so that it's slightly bubbling

11. Cook for 4-5 hours until chicken has begun falling off bones, and vegetables are soft to a fork

12. Serve hot!

 "Baked chicken with carrot puree"

Ingredients:

10 carrots, washed, peeled, chopped 

half a bag of organic baby carrot chips 

3 whole chicken legs (100% grass fed, no antibiotics or hormones given) 

3 heads garlic 

generous amount of olive oil 

salt to taste 

2 white onions

2 zucchinis

Fresh basil 

Fresh parsley


Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F

2. Line baking sheet with tin foil 

3. Place chicken on foil, add salt

4. add basil and parsley 

5. place carrot chips on the side, and 2 heads of garlic, unpeeled 

6. Wash zucchinis; slice them down the center 

7. Place zucchinis on pan; slice onions down the center, leaving skin and add to pan

8. Add a generous amount of olive oil on top of chicken, zucchini, onion, carrot chips and 2 heads garlic

9. Bake for 40 minutes, a little longer if the chicken is still not cooked 

10. In a pot, boil water, add chopped carrots

11. Once cooked and soft, drain water

12. In a separate pot, heat 1 cup olive oil 

13. Remove skin from head of garlic, heat garlic in olive oil for several minutes until golden 

14. Turn off burner, remove garlic, but leave olive oil in pot 

15. Place carrots in food processor, add garlic and salt to taste

16. Place food processor to low and gradually add the heated olive oil 

 17. Serve chicken with carrot puree on top, and fresh parsley for garnish

"Mint-Dill Lamb Balls"

 

Okay, let me just start out by saying, these were amazing. Like truly delicious and I was super impressed with myself that I came up with them. It took a little time to make, but they were so worth it. Truly amazing.



Ingredients:

1/2 lb 100% grass-fed ground lamb 

2 tsp fresh dill

2 tsp fresh mint 

olive oil 

salt to taste 

1/2 onion 

1 egg (cage-free)

6 cloves garlic, minced 

2 cups dry white wine 

1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions: 

1. In a bowl, by hand, mix together lamb, egg, mint, dill onion and salt and 3 cloves garlic

2. Roll into small ball-shapes 

3. In a pan, heat olive oil, adding garlic, white wine and parsley 

4. Once the garlic is sauteed properly, add the lamb bites to the pan 

5. keeping the heat to medium, let each side cook for at least 6-7 minutes (if you're still not sure if they are done, feel free to bake them for a few minutes afterward)

6. Serve with fresh chopped parsley on top 

"Mint-lemonade"

Need a refreshing drink on a hot day, but can't have sugar? This is perfect. Normally I just squeeze lemon into my distilled water - and bam! I've got myself a very healthy lemonade. But I wanted to try something a little bit different this time.

Ingredients:

2-3 leaves of fresh mint 

juice of 1 lemon 

ice 

distilled water 

 

Instructions: 

 

In a blender, mix together all ingredients, and chop until ice is crushed slightly. You can also take a strainer, and remove the mint leaves, but I didn't.

Serve immediately while fresh and cool. 

I might also suggest, this went absolutely perfect with the "Mint-dill lamb balls" 

"If Jesus Wanted Apple Pie"

This could be a great dessert after dinner on those colder winter evenings. But I chose to make this for my breakfast one day. Simple, easy, and absolutely delicious - I had every one of my colleagues try it, and they all loved it!


Ingredients:

chopped walnuts, about 2 handfuls

2 Granny Smith apples, chopped 

5 TBSP organic raisins 

1 tsp organic cinnamon 

juice of 1/2 lemon 

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F

2. In a bowl mix together chopped apples, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice

3. chop up walnuts and set aside 

4. add raisins to the bowl and stir 

5. In a brownie-like glass baking dish, add apple mixture and cover on top with walnuts

6. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until crispy (apples should be very soft)

7. Take a bite and pretend it's apple pie - it honestly won't be hard to do!


Every other Friday the doctor takes out for lunch, and I made an exception that day. Even though I said I was only going to do one cheat meal a month, so far I've taken 2 in one month and last Friday ended up being kind of an all day thing.

I got a blueberry muffin from Starbuck's on my way to work that day and it's really good I only do this once in a blue moon, because who knew little muffins were as expensive as gas these days?

I then went out to lunch with the staff and we had the most delicious Mexican food...and surprise, surprise, I could not finish my portion. There was a time, not so long ago in fact, when I was able to devour pretty much everything in front of me without any effort, but this time I struggled. I ordered a cocktail, guacamole and a small steak Quesadilla. Oh, and I did have one of the appetizer  - an Empanada.

Nope. I literally got full after the first piece and only  a few chips with guac. It tasted so good though I couldn't possibly throw the food out. So I took it home for dinner. Afterwards I treated myself to a chocolate brownie with some vanilla ice cream. And I think I felt wonderful after that. Full, but wonderful. And that once a month or once every two weeks treat really, really hits the spot. 

"If Jesus Were American, Part III: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich"

I wanted my "last supper" as it were to be one that I went out with a bang. I was craving meat for sure on my last day of the diet, and I also knew with the start of the new one, it would be a while before I had steak again... a long time. I decided to make this super easy and super delicious version of a "Philly Cheese steak Sandwich" that, if you've been following this diet already, should be a sinch for you to make.

Ingredients:

1/3 lb. 100% grass-fed rib-eye steak, cut into strips 

diced up "lamb chopper" hard sheep cheese 

1 onion

olive oil 

salt to taste 

left over wheat flat bread 

1 small bottle of beer (I used Coors' Banquet)

 

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F

1. In a skillet, heat up olive oil; add cut up onion 

2. Sautee for several minutes until soft and crispy 

3. Remove onions from pan; set aside; add steak 

4. Gradually add beer and turn heat down, as to not allow meat to stick to pan; add salt to taste 

5. Chop up the cheese

6. When steak is finished, place atop flatbread, adding onions and cheese 

7. Bake in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted

Couples nicely with beer.

Since I had this for lunch and was basically out of food by the day's end, I invited my friend over for some Macedonian wine, and we shared the bottle with some grapes, raisins, walnuts and almonds. Just nibbling on these things was enough for me, and I was super excited to start the next day with my new diet of the month...