21-Day Purification: Days 2-4

The Process is going well.  After the Day 1 smoothie snafu, we now have that process down to a science.  And along the way, we have learned lots of different ways to season and serve fruits, vegetables, and condiments.  It turns out that with a good mix of fruit and veggies at each meal, the cravings for meats and sweets are WAY diminished.

Our day 2 dinner is a case in point.  Tom went to the local Half Price Books bookstore and found a large hard-bound vegetarian cookbook marked down to $9.98.  In it, he found a recipe for Sesame Eggplant.  The problem with that recipe, though, is that seeds are forbidden on The Process.  No problem, though; there are enough other flavors in this that omitting them was a no-brainer.

The broccoli is simple and delicious.  You can spice it up as much or as little as you want (with allowable spices, of course).  When roasting it, just be sure to check it regularly to make sure it's not over-cooked.  Nobody like soggy droopy broccoli spears.

The salad dressing is rich in flavor and versatile, with the Tamari giving it a nice Asian tint.


Sesame Eggplant Sans Sesame

large skillet
flat-bottom dish or zipper bag for marinating

1 standard eggplant or 4 Japanese ones
2 tablespoons Tamari (soy sauce made without wheat)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice


Garlic-Chili Roasted Broccoli

large mixing bowl
sheet pan

1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Spike seasoning
1 large head broccoli, cut into thing long spears

Prehead oven to 425F.
Place the oil, garlic, chili powder, and Spike in the mixing bowl.  Add the broccoli and coat evenly.  Place broccoli on the sheet pan.
Roast until the ends are crisp and brown and the stalks are just tender, abut 15 minutes.

Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Marinate in Tamari for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in the skillet.  Add the ginger and brown the eggplant, turning it several time adding water (not more oil) as needed to keep it moist until tender.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and parsley.


Ginger Dressing

blender

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Tamari

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until the oil is emulsified and the mixture looks creamy, 1-2 minutes.


We've had this dressing with cucumber and tomato salad (pictured), spinach and mushroom salad, and as a dip for crudites.  Store left over dressing in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.  Note that after a few hours it will go "flat" and separate; you can reconstitute it (make it thick again) in the blender, or if you don't mind it being a little runny, just shake or whisk it to mix.

The only thing I really miss now is sashimi.  But we can have that starting next week (with wheat-free soy sauce, of course), so we'll see you then, Fai and Rex!