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You have read Dr John’s’ Daily Do List in your Plan Summary; and you know what we Don’t Do as well. You have decided to embark on a momentous journey in a life- affirming quest for better health and energy. You have made a commitment. However, you are concerned about ‘doing the right thing.’

Many people are full of anxiety about getting hungry. Feeling stomach pains and anxiety are common withdrawal symptoms from your previous diet of concentrated sugar, heavy salt, and saturated fat. However, a life without Coca Cola, Fries, Chips, and greasy Burgers seems almost impossible! Let’s look at what we need to do.

The sun is breaching on the horizon:

I’m up, out of bed, and looking at myself in the mirror. What do I do now? Dr. John tells me that I need a high intake of green, red and purple vegetation for a vital physical and healthy transformation. “What should I do first?”

Exercise:

30 minutes, or more, of exercise each day is on the list. Dr John does it first thing in the morning, or it doesn’t seem to happen 😊. I get my work- out clothes on and hit my home Gym, or I drive to the local gym, and get to a morning workout right away. (You may split up home workouts.). This may be put off until later in the day at your discretion. I often precede my work out with a 3-ounce “Power Shot” [see Power Shot in Other Recipes in the Recipe folder]. I always drink a glass of water before exercising.

Breakfast Options: 

1. Dr. John feels compelled to get take in some of those life affirming and sustaining Vibrant Greens as soon as possible in the morning. The 24 Oz ‘blenderized’ drink is in the blender. I can drink this right now or take it in the car to sip on the way to work. My habit is to take my supplements (like Iodine, B12, D3, DHA and Turmeric) with my mourning smoothie or in a Power Shot (see recipe under Other Recipes).

My wife Linda will often have a small bowel of flaked whole grain cereal with berries and a few walnuts after getting up. This is followed by her AM smoothie an hour or two later. Alternatively, she may have an early smoothie and then cereal as mid-morning snack.

• A small amount of flaked Whole Grain cereal is acceptable as a morning starter; but a large bowl of oatmeal is an outstanding breakfast idea! Put a few broken walnuts on it, and add a few berries or other fruit, and your day has brightened considerably! (Avoid packets ‘instant oatmeal’. It has a lot of salt and refined sugar). Take your smoothie with you for the drive to work or have it in an hour or so. * Note: Dr John, as an advocate of green phytochemistry (plant chemistry). He sometimes subs the smoothie for Dr. John’s Power Oatmeal Bowl. See the recipe in the Breakfast folder. You guessed it. It has some greens in it!
• It is my day off. I got up a little later. I don’t feel like a smoothie right now, and oatmeal is not an option for me at this moment. I feel hungry for something substantial I can chew. I take out a sealable 2 ½ cup microwave cup, throw in some cut up Broccoli and Brussels, cut up onion and two sprays of Braggs Aminos (lower salt soy product) from a small spray bottle. I microwave this for 2 or so minutes with a touch of water and maybe a little Cumin spice. I may scoop on some left-over cold beans on this. I may put a little no- oil- added dressing on this concoction. Add piece of toast or Matzo (see Picture Gallery), and I am there! I always drink a glass of water with this😊.

Mid-day Meal Ideas:

1.  A Gigantic Salad with added vegies [see Dr John’s Gigantic Salad recipe!] is always in order. It should fill a large plate. Put on a little no- oil- added salad dressing [see Salad Dressing recipes], balsamic vinegar and/or brown mustard on the salad. Add beans, chili, left-over bean soup, or a piece of bean loaf directly onto the salad for texture and extra vitamins, protein, good carbs, and antioxidants. Toss a handful of Walnuts on for good measure if you like! A half tablespoon of ground flax seed on the salad is also a great idea.
2. Instead, you could have a ‘Sort of “Tuna” Salad sandwich and a large Vibrant Green Salad with lots of Cruciferous Vegies (broccoli, brussels, red cabbage, or asparagus); and then some fruit. Do not forget salad dressing and/ or Balsamic vinegar or mustard for your salad. You will be amazed (so will your office co-workers!) at the amount you are eating! Have an apple, or an Orange too, if so inclined; and drink large glass of water with your meal!

Midafternoon ‘hungries’:

You may drink another smoothie [up to 50 oz+ of these Vibrant Green smoothies each day] as you know from your plan outline. You might bring it to work in a sealable container in the morning and place it in the frig for later. Have a large carrot whenever you just have to chew on something tasty and nutritious at any time during the day. You may always make a quick extra salad in the afternoon (greens, pre-made broccoli from the frig, cherry tomatoes, some kidney beans, a few broken walnuts or roasted Edamame- your call!). This ‘snack’ might be accompanied by a piece of toast with a little peanut butter on it. Drink water. This is getting fun- I know 😊.

Days End Meal:

The Day is ending. There are many, many choices (see Main and Sides folder in Recipes).

1. Consider the simple: Have a ‘Gigantic Salad’ [see Dr John’s Gigantic Salad in Recipes].
2. You might have a cruciferous vegetable (Broccoli, Brussel Sprout, Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper, and/or Red Cabbage) and steamed Parsnips combination with a no-oil-added dressing on top [see Sauces and Salad Dressing folders for ideas]. 
3. A plate full of cruciferous vegetables with a little plant-based ‘Mayo’, and ‘Basic Beans’ [see Linda’s Basic Beans], complemented by a large Sweet Potato (which you just extracted from your Instant Pot pressure cooker) is an extraordinary meal treat!
4. Whole grain pasta with marinara (no sugar added and no added oil if possible) with mixed vegetables or with largesalad with dressing sounds good as well 😊.

Tip: You could place a dollop of Plant- Based Mayo or a little salad dressing on your plate as a ‘vegie dip’ with meals [see Recipes].  

• Linda makes a “Sea Lover’s” [see recipes] salad, which scooped up next to a large Vibrant Green salad makes a fabulous meal!
• See other ideas in Main and Side folder for numerous other choices!   

Have some fruit. Drink a glass of water. You are getting the idea! Have a carrot in an hour. It’s OK to eat good food!!

Go to bed. You have just had a really successful day!!!

A Note on Batch Cooking:

At our house there are a few things always visible when you open the fridge. In the door you will find 1 or 2 Salad Dressings (see recipes). On the shelf there will always be a container of beans (plain cooked beans, a vegetable medley (featuring beans, or bean Chile). We also typically have a couple of pre- cooked sweet potatoes on hand. We also have previous meal ‘leftovers’ in resealable containers in the cooler. This is not an accident. It’s a conspiracy!

Once every week or two the Cook (aka “Linda”), often accompanied by her co- conspiratorial husband, lay siege in a frenzied kitchen cooking conclave. We make such things as an Instant Pot full of Sweet Potatoes, a pot full of beans, or a Plant Based bean and/or Vegie Loaf. We freeze some. These batch cooked foods are then eaten over the next 7 to 14 days. We tend to steam, or microwave cruciferous (Brussels, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage) vegetables on- the- fly as we go along. This is a batch cooking model which makes mealtime, especially dinner or weekend lunch, a snap!