The Determined Chef Chronicles

Daniel Fast Meal Plan: Days 19‐21 Note: Many of the foods you’ve tasted have been combined in different ways that you may not have had before, and this time will be no different. You may realize that you’ve got little bits of this and that left over in your fridge, freezer and pantry and now is the time to pull those things together and create some new meals. There shouldn’t be much that you’ll have to spend this time. The words God gave me as I prepared this meal plan were “nothing wasted” and that this was to be a completion and final celebration of what is remaining. Often times as God works with us, we find that there has been some pain as He’s removed some things from us, pruning in order to shape our character and cause it to flourish. Well, this meal plan is a symbol of that experience, that even when God removes things, He doesn’t waste our experiences and He makes great things out of what is left over. So, as you use your leftovers, celebrate what God has done in this fast, th...

 Daniel Fast Meal Plan: Days 16‐18 Note: This set of meals is a celebration of the healing you’ve experienced thus far and as a sign of greater healing to come. As you prepare these meals and enjoy the vibrancy of flavors, let that encourage what is awakening inside of you. God has incredible things in store for His bride and He’s preparing her to be a bride without spot or blemish, much in the same way that Esther was prepared to be chosen by the King. The words I can use to describe this set of meals are light richness! As you enjoy these meals you will discover a light richness in the food that is a small reflection of the richness we experience with God as we commune with Him and that comes with a light burden. May you enjoy continual communion with Him as you allow the Messiah to become fully integrated into every facet of your being. AMEN and Happy Fasting! Breakfast for Days 16‐18: Cranberry, Nut and Dried Fruit Puree (3/4 cup) and 1 Banana Cranberry, Nut and Dried Fruit Pur...

 Breakfast for Days 13‐15: Fruit Medley (~1 cup) & Almonds (½ cup) Fruit Medley  1 Nectarine  1 Pear  ½ cup Cherries (~10) Instructions: Remove the pit of the nectarine and chop into smaller chunks. Remove the core of the pear and cut into smaller chunks as well. Remove pits from the cherries and cut in half. Combine and allow to sit for 15 minutes before eating. Lunch for Days 13‐15: Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Hummus (½ cup) with Avocado and Vegetables (1 ½ cups), Matzo (½ sheet), Pineapple and Citrus Fruit Mix (1 cup) Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Hummus  4 Garlic Cloves  ½ Red Pepper (large chunks)  1 can Garbanzo Beans (no salt added)  ½ cup hot Water (2 Tbsp for sesame paste, remaining for beans)  Juice of ½ Lemon  ¼ cup Sesame Seeds (make into paste – see instructions)  3 Tbsp Olive Oil (1 Tbsp for roasting, 2 Tbsp for blending in hummus)  1/8 tsp Black Pepper  1 tsp Fresh Parsley Instructions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1 tbsp olive oil with garli...

 Breakfast for Days 10‐12: Peach & Banana Fruit Smoothie (14 ounces), Walnut, Dates and Figs mix (1/2 cup) Peach & Banana Fruit Smoothie  1 Peach (pit removed, quartered)  1 Banana (large chunks)  ½ Avocado (chopped)  ½ cup Red Grapes (halved)  ½ cup Water Instructions: Combine fruits in blender with water and puree. Add additional water for desired consistency. Walnuts, Dates and Figs Mix (makes 1 cup):  ½ cup Walnuts (chopped)  4 Figs  1/3 cup Dates (pre‐chopped) Instructions: Chop figs into small pieces; add in with walnuts and dates. Eat 1/3 cup. Days 10‐12: Lemon & Herb Vegetarian Pasta (2 ½ cups), Blackberry Cashew Salad (2 ½ cups) Lemon & Herb Vegetarian Pasta (makes 2 servings)  3 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil  4 Garlic Cloves (minced)  ¼ Red Onion (julienned)  ½ Red Pepper (sliced)  2 Portabella Mushrooms (sliced)  1 cup Asparagus (cut into 1 inch pieces)  Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon  ¼ cup Water  1/3 lb Whole Wheat Pasta (see instructions)  2 tsp fre...

 So, as many of you know I moved to Chicago a few weeks ago to take a job at the Live-in Relief Parent for SOS Children's Village Illinois, where I provide relief for foster parents in the villages. It is exciting, tiring, frustrating at times, but completely worth it. I get to make a difference in the lives of kids going through trauma and I get to witness their resilience. I'm excited to be living in Chicago, which was a dream of mine since the time I was 15 and visited the city for the first time.  Spring is coming and with that some pretty good moments to be had, which leads me to my post for today. I am the DETERMINED Chef. Two years ago I started blogging about my desire to lose 100 lbs and create 100 healthy recipes in one year; then it became two years. And now here I am at the end of year two and I actually weigh ten pounds more than I did two years ago. I have reached 320 pounds and it breaks my heart a bit. In 8 years I've managed to put on the weight of an entir...

Daniel Fast for Days 7-9 (Feb 23-25)  Breakfast Days 7-9: Melon Medley & Seed Mix Melon Medley (Makes 3 cups)  1 cup Seedless Watermelon  1 cup Cantaloupe  1 cup Honey Dew Melon Instructions: Remove skin from each melon and cut into small chunks. Combine and eat 2 cups. (cut up more fruit as  necessary to carry you through the three days.) Seed Mix (makes ~ 2/3 cups)  1/3 cup raw Pepita Seeds  1/3 cup raw Sunflower Seeds  1 Tbsp Flax Seed meal Instructions: Combine ingredients; mix well, so that the flax seed meal lightly coats the other seeds. It is best to each the seeds in raw form, and you will discover the texture is more chewy. Your body will appreciate it! Lunch for Days 7‐9: Warm Couscous Salad (1 ½ cups), Fruit Salad (1 cup) Warm Couscous Salad (makes 8‐10 cups)  1 cup Couscous  2 cups Water  ¼ Red Onion (split between couscous and beans – see below)  ¼ cup Olive Oil (2T each, separately – see below)  ½ cup Lima Beans (frozen)  ½ cup Peas (frozen)  ½...

Daniel Fast Meal Plan: Days 4‐6 (Feb 20-22) Note: The recipes for the first few days of the fast focused more on detoxifying the body and thus it was necessary to allow the smoothie and the soup to do just that in the body. The next three days focus more on enjoying the complexity and vibrancy of some of the foods that God intended for us to enjoy. As you prepare the meals, allow your heart and mind to enjoy the discovery of creating something new. You will discover that there is a complex unity that emerges as you taste, what may be, new combinations for you and new textures. Even if it is unfamiliar to you, I encourage you to think of each meal as a culinary adventure and be willing to take the risks. My hope is that you will find a new joy in preparing and eating the range of healthy, colorfully vibrant and completely nutritious meals from God’s garden. Breakfast for Days 4‐6: Fig & Banana Smoothie, Pecans (1/2 cup) Fig & Banana Smoothie (Serves 1)  1 Banana (chopped)  4 ...

 Hello my friends! Lent is quickly approaching February 17-April 1 and I got a great idea from my mom to go through my book, Confessions for the Narrow Road and do the Daniel Fast. My book is a 40 day devotional, so it works out perfectly to go through the book for Lent. I usually do the live, online book study every Saturday at 9 am CST, however I'm taking a break from that in order to go through the book within the 40 days. It is my hope that you will join me. Instead of using Facebook Live, I will set up the sessions on Zoom, so we can have a discussion "face to face". So please email me at confessionsandbeyond@gmail.com if you want to join in. It will more than likely be at 8 am CST every day from February 17-April 1. I will let you know for sure by 2/12. So, I created recipes for a Daniel Fast in 2012 and I will post them here, we will go through the set of 21 days of recipes twice. I created recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that would repeat for 3 days and th...

Ok so we made these beans today that turned out so good, it’s worth including it in the cookbook. 1 bag frozen Cajun mirepoix (diced celery, onion, peppers) 3tbsp Olive oil 2 can black beans 2 cans white beans 2 can diced tomatoes with green chiles 1tsp Chili powder 1tsp Garlic powder Sauté mirepoix in olive oil, about 5 minutes. Rinse beans together in a colander. Add to mirepoix. Add tomatoes with juices. Add seasonings and cook about 45 minutes, stirring occassionally. So good! It would be good with quesadilla or tacos.

So today it dawned on me while I was reading “Girl, Stop Apologizing” by Rachel Hollis; I’m finally ready to start doing the green smoothies. My sister lost 100lbs drinking those green smoothies and changing her diet a bit, but I know the smoothies made a huge difference. Now that my schedule is about to change, I’ll be able to start my morning right, with water, Qi Gong, morning devotional and green smoothie! I know I can do it. I won’t have to work until 11am and only 3 days a week, so I can focus on doing more of the things I need to do in this season, like starting an online cooking class and promoting my book Confessions for the Narrow Road through an online book study. You may be wondering what that is. Well, this online book study will be live on Facebook, will last 40 consecutive days, probably in the morning, and I will go through the devotion for the day and then Ill will answer the study guide questions that correspond with that day. Since the study is live, you can ask qu...

Sausage, Egg and cheese casserole and cheesy hash browns 30 eggs 10 sausage patties  2 cups shredded cheese Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups Milk 1 small onion, small diced Make 2 pans  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes Makes 24 pieces Note:  This will feed 12. Cheesy hash browns 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese 8 potatoes, skinned and grated 1/2 stick butter, melted 2 eggs, whisked 1tsp garlic powder Shape small patties, pan fry. It’s best to use a nonstick pan. I used vegetable oil to fry the hash browns, about 3-4tbsp with each set. It made 11 hash browns.

Chocolate banana peanut butter smoothie 2 frozen bananas 2 tbsp peanut butter 3 tbsp chocolate protein powder 1tbsp sugar 1 cup milk 1/4cup heavy cream Blend until smooth. Serves about 16-20 ounces. So good! Note: I used skim milk, because that’s what I had. Because of that I added some heavy cream, because I prefer whole milk for smoothies and that at least got me closer to what I wanted. 

Chicken tortellini soup Three large chicken breast  Water, enough to cover chicken 5 medium size carrots Two small onions  5 stalks of celery 3T garlic, minced 2T Olive oil 32 ounces V8 juice 2 quarts chicken broth  1 1/2 bags cheese tortellini 1 pkg frozen spinach 1/2c Parmesan cheese 1t Italian seasoning Salt and pepper to taste Cover chicken with water, Bring to a simmer, let simmer 30 minutes. Remove chicken, dice it and strain the broth. Hold chicken and broth aside. In a large pot sauté vegetables and garlic in olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes. Add diced chicken, frozen spinach, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and V8 juice. Cover and bring to a simmer. Let simmer 1 hour. Add cheese tortellini and simmer 15 minutes. 

Salmon Burger Caramelized onions Avocado slices Chipotle mayo On whole wheat bun Caramelized onions: 1 red onion (halved and sliced) 2 tablespoons Olive oil 2 tablespoons brown sugar Sauté onions in a pan over medium heat. Cook about 7 minutes, add brown sugar and continue cooking, reducing heat to medium low. Hold over low heat until ready to serve. Salmon burger: First, Marinate: ~16 oz Salmon (cubed) 1 Orange (juice of) 2t garlic (minced) 1/2t Chili powder 1/4t black pepper In food processor: Marinated Salmon with the juice 2 oz cream cheese (cubed) Pulse in quick spurts In a bowl mix: salmon 2/3 cup bread crumbs 1 egg Form four patties by rolling each in a ball and press gently. Cook patties in a sauté pan with ~3-4 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook about 5-7 minutes on each side over medium heat. Alternatively, you can brown each side and the put the burgers in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking. You can also toast y...

Buffalo Sauce: 23 oz Frank's Red Hot 1 stick Butter 2t Garlic Powder 1t Black Pepper 1t salt 1T Chili Powder 1t Cayenne Pepper 1 1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes Melt butter, add Franks, add seasonings and let simmer 1 hour. Add wings, toss and serve. Hot BBQ Sauce: 18 oz Sweet Baby Rays 3/4 c Buffalo Sauce Simmer together for 30 minutes. Add wings, toss and serve. Parmesan Garlic Wings: 1 stick Butter 4T Garlic (pre-minced) 1/2 c Grated Parmesan Cheese 1/2t Parsley flakes Melt butter, add garlic and saute until lightly golden (about 5 min on medium heat), add wings, cover with Parmesan cheese. Toss and sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve. Wings: Preheat oven to 400 degrees 1/2 c Olive Oil (for about 100 wings after cut) 2t Garlic Powder 1t Black Pepper 1t Salt Cut wings to separate flat from drummette. Rinse and drain. Coat with olive oil and seasonings. Roast on sprayed baking sheet for 25 minutes. Potato Salad: 8 medium sized Red Potatoes (cut...

Garlic Mushroom Chicken 1 package Chicken Breast (cut in half horizontally, and into 3 sections on each half) 2 cups flour 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (mix together with flour and coat chicken evenly - see photo) 3/4 stick butter 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup V8 juice 2 small cans sliced Mushrooms with liquid 2T of minced Garlic Preheat oven to 375. Heat oil and butter, cook chicken in 2 batches and place in baking dish. In the same pan, add garlic and mushrooms and after 2 minutes add V8 juice. Let simmer for a few minutes, then pour over chicken. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. French Onion Rice 3 cups Brown Rice 1 packet French Onion 1 can Tomato with Green Chiles 2 cans of water using tomato can Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 min.

Hey guys, Here's the recipe for the spaghetti sauce and the breaded chicken: Sauce 3T  olive oil 1/2 Red Onion, diced 4 cloves Garlic, chopped 1 small can Tomato Paste 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar 2 large cans Crushed Tomatoes 1 large can Diced Tomatoes 1 small can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles 3-4 cups V8 juice 2 Bay leaves 1 1/2 t Chili Powder 1t Basil leaves 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan (you can also use shredded parm) 1/2 cup sugar Salt and Pepper to taste instructions: Saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 4 min, over medium heat. Add tomato paste, stir in completely. Add balsamic vinegar, stir in completely. Once liquid is absorbed, add in diced and crushed tomatoes and V8 juice; stir together til completed mixed. Add bay leaves, seasoning, Parmesan cheese and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let simmer for one hour. Parmesan Breaded Chicken  3 Large Chicken Breasts, cut in half horizontally 1 1/2 cups flour 2 eggs (and 1/4 cup w...

Hey everyone, I haven't posted much about my weight because honestly I wasn't seeing much activity, but I decided to weigh myself today and to my surprise I had lost 25 lbs. I weighed myself a few times, at two different occasions in disbelief, but it looks like it's the real deal. I have noticed that my clothes fit a little better around my hips and thighs, which is where I carry most of my weight. Anyway, I attribute the weight loss  to my diet over the last month. Money is tight, so I'm eating less. I've  also decided that once I get my own place again, which should be happening over the next month, I will start the green smoothie cleanse that my sister is doing. She has lost a substantial amount of weight and it has encouraged and inspired me. I'll let you know my progress, but for now I'm excited about the weight that has come off so far. I just did a cooking class for a friend's daughter's birthday, so I'll be posting the recipe next......

Okay, I know it's been several months since I've posted anything, and I'm sorry about that. I admit I've been experiencing some depression and frustration about not losing much weight. So far I've lost 14 lbs. I lost my motivation to exercise, which isn't good, but I hope to get it back soon. Anyway, I did create a new recipe and I wanted to share it with you. I've been wanting to make Tuna Steaks on the grill for a while and my friend and I finally got a chance to get together and make it. Here's the basic recipe: Pineapple Mango Salsa 1 1/2 cups Pineapple (small diced) 1 Mango (ripe but somewhat firm - small diced) 1 Jalapeno (remove seeds and small diced) 1/2 Red Pepper  (small diced) Juice of 1 Lime 1/3 Red Onion (small diced) Combine ingredients and let sit for 1 hour. Tuna Steaks 4 Tuna Steaks (rinse) 2 Navel Oranges (juice of both, zest of one) 4 cloves Garlic (minced) 1T Parsley (finely chopped) 2T Chives (finely chopped) 1/...

So, I've just finished a book I've been reading entitled Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani, and I have to tell you that I was sad to have reached the last page. I was sad that my journey with this book was ending. I felt so empowered every time I sat down to read the next chapter. She had such great ideas, my two favorite were to find gratitude after you've fallen, because it's hard to be depressed when you are looking at the things that make you grateful. The second is that no matter what, we should not look at our sisters out there as opponents, but instead to be each others' cheerleaders. I like this because it gets us out of the caddishness mindset and into one of seeing each other as part of a sisterhood, where we share our successes as well as that of our sisters'. I love the idea of supporting each other and doing our best to all succeed. I'm thinking about this a lot and how it relates to progress, not perfection, a term I have learned from Alco...