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“Parmesan Cheese”

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"Parmesan Cheese"

"Parmesan Cheese"

Did you know when you finely chop certain nuts - particularly Brazil nuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts - that they resemble and taste a lot like Parmesan cheese? Although devoted vegans have known this trick for years, this information may be new to you. However, once you sprinkle this "Parmesan Cheese" on your favorite Daniel Fast dishes, you will be pleasantly surprised at how good it tastes.
3.91 from 11 votes
Print Recipe
Course Snack
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup lightly-salted cashew halves and pieces

Instructions
 

  • Add cashews to food processor and blender. Process about 15 seconds or until cashews resemble the texture of Parmesan cheese.
  • Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 tab

Video

Notes

 

Fruit and Nut Salad

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Fruit and Nut Salad

Fruit and Nut Salad

This salad tastes best when the fruit is fresh and flavorful. Adding nuts gives it a good amount of protein and healthy fat as well.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Place lettuce in a large bowl, and top with kiwifruit, blackberries, raspberries, and pecans. Toss lightly, and serve with Orange-Poppy Seed Salad Dressing.
  • Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 ½ cups)

Notes

  • Experiment with a variety of fruit and nut combinations.
  • Use sliced almonds or walnuts instead of pecans.
  • Substitute blackberries and raspberries with blueberries and strawberries.

 

Banana Cream Pie

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Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie

This recipe was created exactly one year after my first blog post as a way of celebrating the momentous occasion. If you have a little extra time on your hands, this pie is a recipe you'll want to make.
4.50 from 6 votes
Print Recipe
Course Dessert, Snack
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Crust

Filling

  • 6 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup Date Honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

  • 1 ripe banana, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions
 

  • Prepare Date-Walnut Spread according to recipe directions.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Using a spatula, press Date-Walnut Spread into pie plate, pressing dough ¾ of the way up sides (spread will be gooey). Bake 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack.
  • While crust is baking, add filling ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process about 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust. Refrigerate at least four hours or until chilled (overnight is best).
  • To serve, place banana slices in a bowl, and pour in lemon juice. Coat bananas well, and drain (keeps them from turning brown). Spread banana slices on top of pie in a circular pattern, and sprinkle with walnuts and coconut flakes.
  • Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Video

Notes

  • Add another banana and place slices on top of cooked, cooled crust. Pour pie filling over slices.
  • Place in freezer for about 2 hours to make a frozen treat.
  • Save reserved date soaking water from Date-Walnut Spread recipe and substitute it for the almond milk.

Date-Walnut Spread

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date-walnut spread

Date-Walnut Spread

2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
1 1/2 cups walnuts

Put dates in a glass bowl, and cover with water. Soak uncovered at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Drain. Use your hands to press out any excess liquid remaining in dates. Place walnuts in a food processor or blender for about 15 seconds. Add dates, and process another 15 seconds or until smooth (less time if you prefer a nutty texture). Serve at room temperature or place in refrigerator until chilled.

Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Recipe Notes

  • Serve with apples, bananas, and/or pears.
  • Stir into oatmeal.
  • Spread on top of Sesame Seed Rice Crackers.
  • Mix in unsweetened coconut flakes.

Snickerdoodle Smoothie

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snickerdoodle smoothie

Snickerdoodle Smoothie

When you hear the word "snickerdoodle," what comes to mind? I immediately think back to my days at Butler Elementary. I remember one particular item always being on the school lunch menu (besides the mixed vegetables and fruit cocktail) - the snickerdoodle cookie. Snickerdoodle Smoothie has the same cinnamon flavor as the classic cookie, but it's a nutritious choice. Enjoy this creamy concoction for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack.
4.41 from 10 votes
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Drinks, Snack
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 6 ounces silken tofu
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond or rice milk
  • ¼ cup Date Honey
  • 2 frozen bananas, peeled, sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Place tofu, almond milk, Date Honey, banana slices, cinnamon, and nutmeg in blender. Mix until smooth.
  • Yield: 2 servings (serving size: about 1 ½ cups)

Video

Notes

  • Remove peels before placing bananas in freezer. Put in a plastic zip-top bag until completely frozen.
  • Substitute tofu with avocado.
  • Instead of using Date Honey, soak 3-4 Medjool dates in warm water at room temperature for an hour before adding to blender.
  • You can also use firm tofu, but you may need to add water or almond milk so that the consistency is not too thick.

 

My Story

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Our church held a corporate Daniel Fast in September 2009 in preparation for the launch of our second campus. I started a blog on day one of the fast, thinking it would just be fun to write about what God showed me. I never planned for it to be anything more than a journal. While cooking Marinated Zucchini for dinner that night, I thought, “This would be a great recipe for people at James River who are doing the Daniel Fast.”I began posting recipes and devotions daily. Before I knew it, not only people from our church were benefitting from the blog but also people all across the United States and around the world. It was an amazing, humbling realization of Ephesians 3:20, which says:

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” – The Message

The Lord definitely showed me that He can do anything. This blog, the book…both are indeed far more than my mind could ever have even conceived. Throughout this whole journey, God has led me every step of the way.

Well, that’s the short and sweet version of how the blog began. I’m still in awe that God has allowed me to be a part of something so creative and unique. He has taken two things that I love to do – cook and write – and combined them into one unbelievable blessing! Of course, there is much more to the story, but you’ll have to buy my book, The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast, to find out the rest! 🙂

 

Baked Rice with Butternut Squash and Asparagus

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baked rice with butternut squash and asparagus

 

Baked Rice with Butternut Squash and Asparagus

This casserole-style dish is simple to make and requires minimal ingredients. Use a combination of brown and wild rice (per recipe instructions), or just use one or the other if that's all you have on hand. It's a win either way.
3.81 from 36 votes
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups water
  • ½ cup brown rice
  • ½ cup wild rice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground sage
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
  • ½ pound asparagus spears, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup sliced onion, sliced pole to pole (see Recipe Notes)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub a little olive oil along the sides and bottom of a 3-quart baking dish. Add water, rice, garlic, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
  • Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Mix in squash, asparagus, and onions. Cook 30 minutes, stir, and then bake another 15 minutes, or until water is nearly all absorbed and rice is softened.
  • Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Notes

  • To slice an onion pole to pole, or into half rings, think of the onion as a globe. Trim root end (South Pole) and stem end (North Pole). Peel off outer layers. Cut onion in half from North Pole to South Pole, making a series of slices perpendicular to the equator of the onion.
  • Use 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary in place of the thyme and sage.

 

Marinated Vegetable Salad

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Marinated Vegetable Salad

Marinated Vegetable Salad

When it comes to cooking, I find that the simplest recipes often result in the most flavorful dishes. This simple salad is a wonderful complement to any me
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Course Salad
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Marinated Zucchini recipe
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare Marinated Zucchini as directed and place in a large bowl.
  • Steam or boil broccoli and carrots until crisp tender. Add broccoli and carrots (drain first, if boiled) to zucchini and stir well. Add parsley, if desired. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

 

Cool as a Cucumber Salad

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Cool as a Cucumber Salad

Cool as a Cucumber Salad

The best way to enjoy this refreshing summer salad is to use vegetables straight out of your garden or from your local Farmers Market. The salad tastes great as soon as you make it, but the flavors will be enhanced after letting it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours. Serve Cool as a Cucumber Salad as a side dish for lunch or dinner.
4.25 from 4 votes
Print Recipe
Course Salad
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups sliced cucumber, peeled peeled
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced red onion, sliced pole-to-pole see Recipe Notes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Place cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions in a 1-quart ceramic dish. Pour olive oil over all, and stir well to combine. Add dill and salt, and stir again.
  • Cover, and marinate 2 hours in refrigerator. Serve cold.
  • Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Notes

  • To slice an onion pole to pole, or into half rings, think of the onion as a globe. Trim root end (South Pole) and stem end (North Pole). Peel off outer layers. Cut onion in half from North Pole to South Pole, making a series of slices perpendicular to the equator of the onion.

 

Apricot-Nut Breakfast Bars

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Apricot-Nut Breakfast Bars

Apricot-Nut Breakfast Bars

Jump start your morning with a healthy breakfast, one that will fuel your body and give you energy for the day. Apricot-Nut Breakfast Bars can be made the night before so all you have to do is grab one for a quick, convenient breakfast. Enjoy your breakfast bar at room temperature or warm it for a few minutes in a toaster oven. Delish!
4 from 28 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
  • ½ cup unsweetened apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup almond butter, peanut butter, or other nut butter
  • ¼ cup Date Honey
  • ½ cup diced dried apricots
  • ¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts
  • 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast oats in a large skillet over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until oats are golden, stirring frequently. Transfer to a large bowl, and add flaxseed meal, apple juice, olive oil, almond butter, and Date Honey. Mix until well combined. Stir in apricots, macadamia nuts, and sunflower seeds.
  • Press into an 8 by 8-inch square pan that has been lightly rubbed with olive oil. Bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Cut into 2 x 2 ½-inch bars and serve.
  • Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 bar)

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container 3-4 days.
  • Substitute your favorite dried fruit for the apricots: blueberries, cherries, dates, figs, or raisins. Make sure, though, that the fruit doesn’t contain any added sugar (as cranberries sometimes do).

Taco Seasoning

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Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning

Taco Seasoning should be a staple on your Daniel Fast. It's featured in many of the recipes on my website. Having a batch on hand before you begin your fast will be a tremendous help, although it doesn't take long to make more when you run out.
4.34 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 48

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
  • Yield: 48 servings (serving size: ¼ teaspoon)

Notes

taco

Mediterranean Black Bean Salad

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Mediterranean Black Bean Salad

Mediterranean Black Bean Salad

This salad is one of my favorite recipes on the website. I love the combination of black beans, vegetables, and diced avocado, tossed in a light lime-flavored dressing. The flavors really blend nicely after it sits for a couple of hours, but will reach its peak after about 24 hours (the longer it sits, the better it gets). Serve as a side dish or a topping for a green lettuce salad. Any way is tasty!
4.34 from 6 votes
Print Recipe
Course Salad
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes, unpeeled, unseeded
  • 1 cup chopped avocado, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 medium avocado)
  • ½ cup diced onions
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Put beans, peppers, tomatoes, avocado, onions, and parsley in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Whisk until combined and pour over salad.Toss well to coat.
  • Refrigerate for 2-4 hours to allow flavors to blend, and serve.
  • Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)