Ani Phyo 15 Day Fat Blast Review: Day 5

Day 5

Due to limitations set by the publishing company, I am not able to post the recipes from the book. If you are unable to support Ani in purchasing her book, please utilize your public library!

At 1:30 this morning, I had to get something to eat. Thankfully I had picked up a raw bar at the store yesterday afternoon. So I had that with some grapes and all was well with the world again!

Breakfast

Ginger Mango Shake
5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating


*I added 4 ice cubes and waited to add the coconut oil when it was blending to prevent it sinking to the bottom.

Overall this shake is very good! I didn't use as much ginger as it seems to overpower usually but I can't really taste it- so either the mango tones it down or I didn't add enough! Either way I am definitely making this again!

Morning Snack

Grapefruit Salad
5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I cut this recipe in half because it took two grapefruits (the only 2 I had on hand :) to get one cup.

I ended up eating this for a post dinner snack instead of a morning snack as I had a late breakfast.  I was surprised and delighted with how the flavors of the cinnamon, grapefruit, and ginger blended together. Again the ginger was not an overpowering force but a light warmer! I will be making this again! It helps that I happen to love grapefruit!

Rocket Fuel #3

MCFA (Medium Chain Fatty Acids) and other EFA (Essential): Also referred to as MCTs, which stands for medium chain triglycerides. This type of fat fights fat by "keeping body fat from accumulating and suppressing weight gain. Our bodies seem to "burn" these foods in such a way that we tend not to store their calories as fat." Rather than being stored they are used for energy instead and they inhibit the depositing of fat throughout the body. "MCFA seem to have better thermogenic qualities than other fatty acids; they increase "heat" in the body and energy expenditure (calorie burn)."

Other fatty acids that are ultilized in this plan are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and Omega 3s for their weight loss benefits. MUFAs improve insulin levels and blood sugar, and Omega 3s while great for brain health also stimulate the production of leptin, "a hormone that helps regulate metabolism and weight".
pgs 39-40 of Ani's Fat Blast

MCFAs:

     Coconut milk

     Coconut oil

     Palm kernel oil

MUFAs:

     Avocados

     Nuts

     Olive oil

     Seeds

Omega 3s:

     Flaxseed or flaxmeal

     Soybeans (cooked or sprouted, never raw)

     Walnuts

Lunch

Spring Sauerkraut Salad with Thermo Dressing
5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

This salad is excellent! I was rather surprised with the combinations but it balances out beautifully! I didn't have enough olive oil on hand to make a full batch of the dressing so I cut it down for one person.

Afternoon Snack

Pineapple Protein Shake
5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating



*I added 4 ice cubes.

This shake was very pleasant to consume, another winner!

Dinner

Kreamy Dill Delight
3 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

I have tried a raw broccoli soup in the past and haven't cared for the texture that it lends, but I tried this soup and had about the same experience. I found it edible but not something that I would make again. It was a little bit of a let down after having such wonderful meals earlier. I had a late night snack of the grapefruit salad as I mentioned before, and that was excellent and more than made up for the soup :)

I noticed today that my urination levels are back to normal and the breakouts I was having due to detox have subsided. My skin is now mostly clear and I am feeling light and fit, even though I haven't exercised as much as I would have liked so far!

I would like to thank those who have taken the time to follow my journey, I really appreciate your interest and support. 

Ani Phyo 15 Day Fat Blast Review: Day 4

Day 4

Due to limitations set by the publishing company, I am not able to post the recipes from the book.
If you are unable to support Ani in purchasing her book, please utilize your public library!

Begin Phase 2!

Solid food ahoy!! Phase 2 incorporates additional fermented foods like sauerkraut, nutritional yeast, miso, apple cider vinegar, and capers.

As I mentioned yesterday I had to change the menu for today. Originally I was supposed to have the following:

B: Ginger Mango Shake

S: Grapefruit Salad

L: Easy Being Green Salad

S: Strawberry Mint Shake

D: Red Pepper Soup

So despite the permissal of solid food, I am still doing a liquid diet today. I am substituting in Day 5's breakfast- Banana Shake, skipping the salad snack- I didn't have time to make it, same with the Easy Being Green Salad, I am having the Strawberry Mint Shake instead, and I am subbing in Day 7's Coconut Tomato Soup- which has me a little worried. Overall I may end up eating a couple raw food bars today- we'll see!

More good news! I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 3 lbs!! I am feeling slimmer and I still have 12 days to go! (including today) I really think that I will be able to fit into my jeans by the time this is over! Yay!

Breakfast

Banana Shake

5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I was in a hurry and forgot the tea that I had my husband make for me on the counter and used water. Being out of matcha I used spirulina. It tastes great! Don't worry, I had a cup of green tea with my shake :)  

Btw-- it's better fresh! (yeah, I sneaked a sip yesterday after I made it ;)

Lunch

Strawberry Mint Shake
4 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I used fresh strawberries and frozen kale from my garden and only a pinch of cayenne.

Yes, I was still at Starbucks when I had lunch. I managed to finish my article on exotic fruit though! It's a book review called The Fruit Hunters- Check it out! Anyway, about the shake, it's good, I like the mint and kale in it. I only added a pinch of cayenne but boy did it wake me up! I think to fill it out a bit more, I would double the strawberries and reduce the water. I used fresh this time since I was in a rush yesterday to make it.

Rocket Fuel #2

Prebiots: "Prebiotics are substances in foods, often fibers or shugars, which promote the growth of good bacteria in our bodies. They also improve the bioavailability of the nutrients in your foods. This bacteria is thoght to create more SCFA (short chain fatty acids) which have been linked to positive health benefits for those suffering from Chron's disease and high blood pressure, and possibly even preventing early stage colon cancer."

Prebiotics most commonly in foods that have soluble fiber. "Oligofructose and inulin are two types of frutoolifosaccarides (FOS) that have been well studied for their prebiotic effects."

Prebiotic Foods:

Asparagus

Bananas

Berries

Burdock

Chicory Root

Flaxseed

Garlic, onion, leeks

Greens: spinach, collards, chard, kale, mustard, dandelion

Honey

Jerusalen Artichokes

Jicama

Tomatoes

Fun Fact: Jerusalem artichokes are different that regular artichokes. They are root vegatables that come from a aspecies of sunflower native to eastern North America.
(I didn't know this either- it's in the book!)

Dinner

Coconut Tomato Soup

blank of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I used 1.5 tsp miso and 1/2 tsp garlic

I realised today that in my rush making this soup yesterday, I only blended one cup of tomatoes, so to remedy this mishap, not having access to a blender at work, I diced and added a second tomato. The overall flavor of this soup was excellent and I imagine that it would be even better if I had blended the the 2 C of tomatoes properly.

Overall a good day of raw eats and having walked to the store this afternoon, I am back on track!

The Fruit Hunters

"Writing this story meant getting to know fruit nuts, fruit smuggles, fruit explorers, fruit fetishists, fruit inventors, fruit cops, fruit robbers, fruitarians, and even a fruit massager. These characters offer a glimpse into our planet's diversity- both botanical and human."
(The Fruit Hunters, p.8)

The quote above by Adam Leith Gollner is a great idea of what all is included in his book, The Fruit Hunters; A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce, and Obsession, that explores worlds that most of us will never see.

This book has inspired me to step outside the box of contemporary fruit and has encouraged me to try new and different fruits and their many varieties. I hope this article inspires you to not only read his book, but to be willing to explore the many different fruits that God has created for our delight. While I do not agree with everything that Adam writes, as he openly believes in evolution, the information in this book is not to be ignored.


Adam shares his experiences meeting some of the worlds most famous fruit hunters on his journey to discover for himself some of the most exotic fruits in the world. Classified as ultra exotics 

A Tomato is a Fruit but a Strawberry Isn't? What!

That's right folks! A common error as the difference between fruits and vegetables is largely glossed over in schools along with how the fruit becomes a fruit from the flowers that were once on the plant. 

    "In human terms, think of a pregnant woman: a fruit is the plant version of the amniotic bubble that contains the fetus. The baby is the seed (or seeds, as with quintuplets); the entire spherical container in shich the baby floats is the fruit. A fruit is how a plant gives birth. 

     Fruits are seed envelopes that contain within them the genetic coding that will further the entire plant. Their role is twofold: to protect and nourish the seeds, and also to facilitate the dispersal of the seeds."

Some plants (especially fruit plants) reproduce by flowers. These plants are classified as Angiosperms: plants whose seed is enclosed by an ovary.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/angiosperm?s=t

Parts of the flower consist of the Petals, Sepal, Carpels, and Stamens.

The Pistil is the collective term for the Carpel(s). Each Carpel consists of  the stigma, style, and ovary.

Stamens are the male reproductive parts: they consist of the anther (which makes pollen) and the filament. Pollen consists of male reproductive cells that fertilize ovules.

Fertilization: Pollen must fertilize an ovule to produce a viable seed. This process is called pollonization, and is often aided by small animals such as bees, which fly from flower to flower collecting sweet nectar. As they visit flowers, they spread pollen around, depositing it on some stigmas. After a male's pollen grains have landed on the stigma during fertilization, pollen tubes develop within the style, burrowing down to the ovary, where the sperm fertilizes an ovum (an egg cell), in the ovule. After fertilization, the ovule develops into a seed in the ovary.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/printouts/floweranatomy.shtml

Fruit by definition from Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fruit?s=t

1.any product of plant growth useful to humans or animals.

2.the developed ovary of a seed plant with its contents and accessory parts, as the pea pod, nut, tomato, or pineapple.

3.the edible part of a plant developed from a flower, with any accessory tissues, as the peach, mulberry, or banana.

4.the spores and accessory organs of ferns, mosses, fungi,algae, or lichen.

Therefore, any plant part containing a seed is a fruit.  "Fruits are seed envelopes that contain within them the genetic coding that will further the entire plant." The true result of this is that many vegetables that we consume are actually fruits. This includes green bell peppers, avacados, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, eggplants, corn, and olives. "Sesame seeds come from sesame fruits. Those luffa sponges we use in the shower are fruits of the Luffa cylindrica tree. Vanilla is the fruit of an orchid. ...Poppy seeds come from fruit pods whose sap is full of morphine. ... The top six crops in the world are all technically fruits: wheat, corn, rice, barley, sorghum and soy. Even though grains are small, they too contain seeds. " (p.22) 

That's not all folks!  Nuts are considered a fruit as well as most are actually seeds of a fruit!
So, to answer the strawberry question- the fleshy part of the berry is the carrier for the seeds, which are the true fruit!

What are Super Exotics? What Aisle are They In at the Store?

Papya, bananas, pinapple, kiwi, coconuts,  are all considered exotic fruits. So what are super exotic fruits? These are fruits that are only (mostly-there are a few exceptions) available in their native land.

As I said before there are exceptions as the import regulations have allowed different fruits to become available in the U.S., the dragon fruit being one of them.

In addition to import regulations that are generally concerned with maintaining the flora and fauna that exist here naturally- they don't want to introduce something that could be detrimental to our ecosystem, the ability for the general populace to get these fruits in a public store is next to impossible because of the mass production that is involved. 

Most fruits that we get in the store today have been picked green, refrigerated, shipped, ripened with gases, and placed on our store shelves. Most fruit is not up to the task of this harsh handling.

Some fruits have to be tree ripened, and for these fruits, their mass availability is even smaller- they are ripe for only a few days, so the chance of getting a really good one is considerably smaller than if you picked it off the tree yourself.

Hawaii- an Ed-venture in Taste!

"Hawaii is at the crossroads of the East and West, and every wave of immigrant always arrived with seeds in their pant cuffs, in their pockets and sen into their shirts".

Because of it's wonderful location and climate, Hawaii is home to some of the more exotic fruits of this world thanks to humans, birds, air and ocean currents bringing seeds from all over. So for those of you who have been reading this and drooling, like I was over the book (which is way better and has many more descriptions), there is hope! We don't have to travel halfway around the world (for those of us in US/North America) and risk giant spiders etc., just for a taste of these fruits, now we can just go on an Ed-venture!

Educational Adventures are becoming more popular for families, and those who just love to learn! Hawaii has a great agriculture that is full of small farms specializing in ultra exotics. If you look in the right places here are some of the fruits you are liable to find:

"The thing about fruit tourism is that wherever you go it's always different," Jiatt says.
"Nature is amazing all over the world. There are tens of thousands of different types of fruit that we know of so far. How many are in your supermarket? Maybe twenty-five different types?"
The following websites have different seeds available for purchase of these wonderful ultra-exotics:http://www.seedman.com/fruit.htm

http://www.fruitlovers.com/seedlistUSA.html

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/

http://www.tradewindsfruitstore.com/servlet/StoreFront

Miracle Fruit

Yes that's it's name! But it has other names too. It is also known as sweeter in Pidgin, assarbah by the Fante, and it's scientific name is Synsepalum dulcificum. It is now commercially sold as Dulci fruit.

The berry's first mention in literature was in the diary of Chevalier des Marchais in 1725. It was again reported by Archibald Dalzel an adventurer and slave trader in 1793 in his History of Dahomey. The first thorough description was given by W.F. Daniell in the Pharmaceutical Journal in 1852. David Fairchild came across this fruit in 1927 at the Mount Cameroon Biodiversity Conservation Center in Cameroon, Africa.

So what is the miracle about this fruit? Well it turns anything that tastes sour, sweet! "I greedily ate up the whole lemon, detecting hints of crystillized grapes and berries."The juice of the berry coats the tongue creating this wonderful effect. "...there are little sugars attached to the miraculin protein. These sugars position themselves right next to - but just out of reach of- the sweet-sensitive sites on your tongue. The seet receptors keep trying to get a hold or those sugars, almost like a donkey keeps trying to bite a carrot. But only when you eat a sour food, like a lemon, can the donkey suddenly grab the carrot. ... The sourness isn't being converted into sweet; its taste is being overwhelmed by the sugars attached to the protein. You don't swallow the sugars attached to the miraculin. They linger on your tongue for hte next hour, waiting to be reactivated by more sourness. And then the effect dissipates."

In 1964, the American Chemical Society declared it an "unexcelled" sweetener, however, it was later determined to be to expensive to synthesize. 

This is where the story of Bob Harvey comes in. "Harvey devised a way to make miraculin available in pill form. After biology professors at Florida State University managed to isolate the active protein in 1968, Harvey developed a method of growing the extract ina netrient-rich culture yeilding a hunred-thousand-fold increase.  This concentrate was then freeze dried, crushed into powder and pressed into tablets. The pills were easily stored, distributed and sold, unlike the fresh berries, which bruise easily and have a shelf life of only two days after being picked." In the late 1960 he developed a company called Miralin Corporation, raised funds, and worked on developing products based on the commercial fruit.

Harvey had everything in line to produce his products until a few weeks before the FDA approval went through when some weird things started happening. He was followed by mysterious cars, cars would drive slowly by with people taking pictures of his office, and finally his office was broken into. Up until this point he had been on good terms with the FDA and everything was set to be approved in the catergory as "generally recognized as safe" when they were suddenly banned.

"I was in shock," says Harvey. "We were on very good terms with the FDA and enjoyed their full support. There was no sign of any problem. Without any opportunity to know what the concern was and who raised it, and to respond to it - they just banned the product."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7367548.stm The Miracle Berry by Adam Fowler, BBC News Magazine, April 28th, 2008.

Because the products were aimed for the diabetic community with major companies on board-- Life Savors, Dentyne, Chiclets, and Trident, the sugar companies were looking at a major loss of income. The article The Miracle Berry published by the BBC News Magazine, went a step above and beyond and called Big Sugar, the FDA, and the Calorie Control Council (they represent artificial sweetener manufacturers in the US) and all refused to comment.

Some claimes have been made that the destruction of the Miralin company was due to the sugar industry, others say it was just competition from other competitors who were developing other fruit based sweeteners from African fruit. One was Monellin an extract from the Serendipity berry which is currently banned in the US and Europe but is used in Japan. The other was Thaumatin, from the katemfe fruit. Thaumatin is approved as a sweetener in Europe, Isreal, and Japan. It has a GRAS (generall recognized as safe) status in the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monellin    http://www.sweetenerbook.com/thaumatin.html   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaumatin

The good news is that Miriculin now known as Dulci has overcome the odds and is now on the market. There aren't any companies using it, as far as I know, but there is hope for the future. For now, one can purchase the berries, powder, gum, or lollies that will distribute the fruit's sweetener property on one's tongue. Check it out! http://www.miraclefruitman.com/index.php

Natural Fruit Sweeteners

The most recent fruit sweetener on the market is Monk fruit. It is being marketed as Nectresse by the makers of Splenda- it comes in an orange box and is available at Walmart. (Side note: Splenda is in no way a natural sweetener and the health problems associated with it's use are prolific. I highly recommend those who use it to do some serious research before continuing to do so.) Monk fruit also goes by the name Lo Han Sweetener.

The main product that I have found that uses monk fruit as it's sweetener of choice is the company Arctic Zero which produces ice cream. I was so happy upon this discovery and the news that many Kroger stores now carry their product. There are 150 calories in an entire pint of their ice cream.  http://www.myarcticzero.com/

Conclusion

For those of you reading this article and are now drooling, dying to go to Hawaii, or ordering a greenhouse to grow your own peanut butter fruit, believe me I understand, and I recommend reading the book for more detailed descriptions of drool worthy delights! 

Resourced Articles for Further Reading:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/angiosperm?s=t
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fruit?s=t
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/printouts/floweranatomy.shtml
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2009/kravic_jele/Reproduction.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadfruit
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62834/#b
http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/plant/Peanut-Butter-Fruit.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manilkara_zapota
http://toptropicals.com/html/toptropicals/plant_wk/randia.htm
http://food-nutrition.knoji.com/the-tropical-fruit-bignay-or-wild-cherry-culinary-uses-and-nutrition/
http://www.capetrib.com.au/rollinia.htm
http://www.montosogardens.com/lansium_domesticum.htm
http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/cacao-pulp
http://www.coffeeberry.org/taste.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7367548.stm The Miracle Berry by Adam Fowler, BBC News Magazine, April 28th, 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monellin
http://www.sweetenerbook.com/thaumatin.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaumatin
http://www.miraclefruitman.com/index.php
http://www.myarcticzero.com/

Ani Phyo 15 Day Fat Blast Review: Day 3

Day 3

Due to limitations set by the publishing company, I am not able to post the recipes from the book. If you are unable to support Ani in purchasing her book, please utilize your public library!

Okay, so last night, about midnight, I was SO hungry. So I improvised one of my regular shakes to fit the phase one diet-- skipping the banana :(

Cranberry Midnight Shake

1 C Frozen Cranberries

1 C Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 tsp Spirulina powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder
Stevia to taste

1/2 C water for blending

6 ice cubes (one cup?)

Thermo: Dash of cinnamon (yeah I didn't measure)

Place all ingredients in blender and mix until all ice cubes are dissolved. It's kind of thick so it won't really be smooth. Add more water or almond milk if you desire a thinner consistency.

Breakfast

"Pineapple has a powerful proteolytic enzyme called bromelain that digests proteins, and it's used as a debriding agent to slough dead tissue from burns and wounds. It's also known to decrease inflamation, which is why it's a main ingredient during days 1, 2, and 3." [quoted from book. I'm not that smart, I only knew the bit about inflammation :)]

Pina Colada

5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

* Place the pineapple first to ensure that the almonds or powders don't get left behind at the bottom. I also waited to add the coconut oil when it was blending for the same reason. I also added 4 ice cubes and that worked out well. I also added stevia to taste.

I rated the Pina Colada a 5 of 5 because it is delightfully light and sweet and I would happily make it again. In fact I may make it for a snack later today...

Over the past couple days I have noticed that my skin is breaking out increasingly as I detoxify. Unfortunately I have yet to do any significant exercise as I normally would as life has gotten in the way. I hope to remedy that today to increase my results. Ani says that exercise isn't necessary for the plan to work however, she does suggest strength training and light exercise. However, be prepared to be hungry sooner as exercising increases metabolism- especially on  a raw diet! I personally have to work out to stay motivated and active. When I don't I feel sluggish overall. Thankfully the past couple days have kept me fairly busy with house work and errands. 

Rocket Fuel #1

Over the next couple days I am going to go over the rocket fuels that Ani uses as the core basis for this program.

Probiotics:

Our guts are filled with good and bad bacteria and keeping them in balance is key to our health- and our weight. About "70 percent of our immune system is localized, or established, in our intestinal tract".  So keeping a strong digestive tract helps us stay healthy as well as break down and direct nutrients properly, ensuring that we get the most out of the food we consume and maintain a healthy metabolism.

"A healthy gut also means waste is eliminated properly, rather than being stored in our belly and colon. Many of us hold onto 5 to 25 pounds of fecal matter in our bellies, depending on our diet and weight. Nasty!"

What are good sources of probiotics:

fermented foods-- miso, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce

fermented foods-- kombucha and kefir

pickled vegetables-- pickles, sauerkraut, kimchee, and capers

Snack 

Pear Power Shake
5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I used a bit more ice and spirulina powder. I also added stevia to taste and it was great! I will definately make this shake again.

Okay, so have you ever had one of those days where things take longer than you think they will and then you forget something important- like allowing enough time to make your meals for the next day? Yeah, that's what I did!

I picked up my bike from the repair shop after having gone to the BMV and biked home. So the good news is that I got my exercise in! Bad news? Rushing to make my meals and my meals taking much longer to make than normal because I realised that those few ingredients that I was going to get later, well, I needed those today. So I am making a list and running around like a chicken with it's head cut off because I have to leave for work in 15 minutes. Oh, did I mention that I needed to shower to? LOL!! Anyway, with my loving husbands helping hands I got it all done, with some adjustments to the menu for tomorrow. I did manage to finish off today's menu though with some good results.

Lunch

 Spicy Avocado Soup
3.5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating 

*I used 1.5 tsp miso instead of 1 tbsp and I waited to add the coconut oil till it was blending. I added one packet of stevia and that helped balance it out.

Overall this soup was good. Much better that the previous soups. Because of the lime juice it reminded me of a raw key lime pie I made last year. But it's not as good as the pie!

Dinner

Curry Coconut Soup
4 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I used 1/2 tsp curry and I increased the garlic to 1/2 tsp. I like garlic :)

This soup is the best so far, scouring a whopping 4 of 5 stars. I would like to take a moment to emphasize that these scours are my opinion. Some people may hate curry, and that is okay. Find one of the soups that you like! I am glad that I am somewhat forced to trying different recipes, now I know a bit better of what I like, and what I don't!! This soup does have a bit of a bite to it, if I were to make it again, I think I would try less cilantro.

Due to my work schedule this post and tomorrow's (day 4) will be posted the following morning.

Ani Phyo 15 Day Fat Blast Review: Day 2

Day 2

Due to limitations set by the publishing company, I am not able to post the recipes from the book. If you are unable to support Ani in purchasing her book, please utilize your public library!

Today has been a better day overall, despite it's raining like cats and dogs. The first meal of the day was the Simple Strawberry Shake.

Breakfast

Simple Strawberry Shake

4 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*Note: I waited and added the coconut oil while it was blending to prevent it from sinking to the bottom. What would make it 5 stars would be more strawberries to fill out the flavor a bit more and thicken it a bit. I also used a bit more ice.

Lunch

Ginger Soup

2.5 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I used 1/2 tsp curry and 1/2 tsp ginger. I also added a little stevia, which balanced it out a little bit.

Based on my dinner experience yesterday, I was very concerned about this recipe as it is almost exactly the same. I used the curry instead of the turmeric and that worked out well. I am thinking that in large doses turmeric and I don't agree when it comes to taste. Yesterday was also the first time that I had ever used miso and so I slowly added that in one tsp at a time, testing the flavor. I personally think that it would have been better with only 2 tsp miso instead of 1 tbsp. Overall the flavor was okay but not great.

Snack

Apple Green Mar-tea-ni

4 of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*I followed the directions but didn't add any additional water and discovered that you will need it as the shake settles over time and as you drink not all of the greens will have enough water. You basically end up sucking a salad up your straw! So, add the extra water! (see pic)

While I enjoyed the Apple Green Mar-tea-ni, I think the one change that would make it 5 stars would be to use apple juice instead of water.

Dinner

Marvelous Minestrone

3  of 5 stars-- my personal rating

* I did not use the oil as it is the only recipe in the 15 days that uses it. I had to purchase several items and needed to cut costs in a couple recipes.

Dinner turned out to be much hotter than I thought it would be- go figure right! Who says lets add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper and thinks it's not going to be hot? Me, apparently.

I also only used 2 tsp of the miso and that worked out well. Compared to Lunch, the Minestrone is better but still not fantastic- as in something I would make on a regular basis, therefore I have given it a 3 stars.

Over the course of the day I have noticed that I have been urinating more than usual and I am sure that it is part of the detoxing process. I have been craving chew-able food like grapes and a banana. Crackers also sound really good. I am glad that the three days of liquid food is almost over. My stomach has been a bit unsettled due to the heat- normally the hottest I go is a mild curry! Looking over the menus, things cool down a bit (less cayenne-yay!) in phases 2 and 3.

Ani Phyo 15 Day Fat Blast Review: Day 1

Day 1

Due to limitations set by the publishing company, I am not able to post the recipes from the book.
If you are unable to support Ani in purchasing her book, please utilize your public library!

Today I started the 15 Day Fat Blast created by Ani Phyo. Ani is a well published chef in the raw food world and to help people who want to loose those last few pounds, she has created her 15 day Fat Blast book. Whether you have eaten raw before, currently, or never this is a great way to boost your overall health and shed a few pounds.

I personally have gone back and forth with being raw for the past few years. I tend to go raw for a while and get board or tired of some of the more labor intensive aspects of raw food- like making raw bread. Life gets busy and I tend loose focus.

So to get re-inspired and loose those last 10ish pounds, so I can fit into my jeans come October, I have set out to do the raw food fat blast!

The program is laid out in three phases:

1) Shake it up: The first three days are all raw shakes and soups designed to detox and begin to clear away fat. By only consuming liquids more of our body's energy can go to burning fat.

2) Melt down: Days 4-7 add in more probiotic, prebiotic, and healthy fats. We also start incorporating salads.

3) Blast Off: Days 8-15 We go back to two solid meals- lunch and dinner but keep the breakfast shake and add in a raw snack and dessert. Each meal will contain all four "rocket fuels" to "blast off" the remaining pounds.

In preparation for the 15 day journey, I started increasing my raw food content in my diet- mostly shakes but a few salads too, and I have already noticed a difference. The biggest factor I think is that I started using Spirulina- a blue-green algae that helps boost metabolism as it is high in protein and B12.

Unfortunately today wasn't the best of days to start the program but oh well! It ended up that I didn't eat all the meals as directed by the book but it will be okay!

Breakfast 

Blueberry Blast             

4 out of 5 stars-- my personal rating

*Note: add nuts on top of blueberries or they will get stuck and not blend well.

I also used more ice and added stevia to taste.

Lunch

Pineapple Green Shake

3 out of 5 stars-- my personal rating
* I used one tsp ginger and a pinch of cayenne- whoo does it wake you up! I also added stevia  to taste. It got three stars because of the heat and lack of awesomeness. It was good and it wasn't bad so, three stars.

Now at this point is where I diverged from the plan. And I hope that those of you who read this can avoid what I did. According to the plan my lunch the pineapple green shake was supposed to be a snack and the Spicy Bok Choy Soup was to be lunch. Well, the soup ended up as my pre-dinner and I strayed from the plan by having a cookie-- okay, two cookies-- after I held my nose to get the soup down. I am going to provide the recipe as a guide so everyone knows to NEVER make this.  If you have ever had some of the veggie baby food dinners like vegetable stew- taste what you are feeding your kids before you expect them to eat it! Once I had a baby food and I can't remember what it was but it tasted like this does and oh, it was so bad. Sorry Ani, this is just bad!

Spicy Bok Choy Soup

1 of 5 stars-- my personal rating
*I used bok choy, red miso, 1 C water and the turmeric. If anyone has an idea that they have tried that resulted in a better tasting soup, please let us all know. Using spinach might be better.

For dinner/evening snack I ended up making the Blue Moon 2.0 Smoothie created by Peni from rawfoodrehab.com :  http://rawfoodrehab.ning.com/forum/topics/foodie-friday-the-blue-moon-episode?xg_source=msg_mes_network

The book's meal plan called for me to make Tomato Busque, which I may make later.

Blue Moon 2.0

5 of 5 stars

1 C frozen blueberries

1 banana

1 1/2 C orange or apple juice (I used orange)

1 tsp grated ginger root

1/4 tsp cinnamon

stevia to taste

Blend and serve.

*I substituted 1/2 C of the orange juice for almond milk to lower the sugar content and my banana was frozen. Great consistency and great flavor! In this recipe the Thermo or Squeaky Cleaner would be the ginger and cinnamon.

So hopefully tomorrow will be better food wise.  Activity wise I hope to get the laundry done!

I will also endeavor to take pictures as I forgot to today :)

Sourced articles for further reading:

Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast by Ani Phyo. ISBN: 978-0-7382-1522-8

http://rawfoodrehab.ning.com/forum/topics/foodie-friday-the-blue-moon-episode?xg_source=msg_mes_network