One more day of planning before I begin my challenge on Sunday, April 1.  I am working on the menu for Sunday and Monday, and the shopping lists to buy proteins and fresh greens tomorrow.  Breakfasts are simple, always a 16 oz glass of water with a squeeze of fresh lemon, coffee (black), sometimes I treat myself to real cream and a half teaspoon of dark brown sugar or molasses, but not every day.   Coffee with fresh ground cinnamon is nice.  I follow that with a small portion of protein and a starchy carbohydrate, peanut butter on one slice of toasted whole grain bread is my favorite.  I will alternate the peanut butter with some other protein like an egg, but the single slice of whole grain bread remains the same.  Mid morning is a snack of fruit either fresh or dry. My favorites are dried apricots and dried figs.  Apples are great as well.  Oranges are very high in sugar so I stay away from them, but grapefruit slices are refreshing especially on a hot day. And it has been very hot in SC lately!

Lunch is generally leftover protein from the evening before with lots of fresh, raw vegetables, a variety, not just lettuce and tomato.  I vary that with hard boiled eggs, egg salad, tuna salad and chicken salad.  I seldom have a starchy carb with lunch, because I find if I have a small portion at dinner, it keeps me from foraging later in the evening.  So having one at lunch as well is too many grains which are all on the acid side.    Mid afternoon snack is again a fruit, tomato, or some other veggie.  Sometimes I’ll have a handful of seeds or nuts. 

Dinner will be the most interesting and fulfilling including a small amount of starchy carbs such as brown rice, basmati rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, or legumes  (all on the acid side) and root vegetables with skin on, such as carrots, potato, sweet potato.  Avoiding dairy except goat cheese, I have a separate fresh raw vegetable salad.  My entrée plate is covered with at least 50% side vegetable, 25% protein and carbs and 25% a blank canvas.  That gets me to the desired minimum 60% alkaline with the separate salad included.  All sauces, condiments, salad dressings are prepared by me, nothing from a bottle!

Throughout the day I will drink at least 6 16 oz glasses of water with lemon, before or with meals and in between.  If I snack it will be on dried, fresh fruit or nuts so I am not going to include snacks in the daily menus.  Wine (mildly acidic) with dinner will include a fresh squeeze of lemon (highly alkaline) as well.  And, no snack at night!    If I can consume all the foods before 7pm and retire at 10pm, I have no craving or hunger.  If I have to stay up past 10pm, it may be necessary to have a snack.  I will limit it to a 100 calorie snack, avoiding highly acidic foods such as chips, crackers, etc.  Popcorn is not bad, but best to retire at 10pm and avoid the dilemma all together.

Here is the first day menu.

Day 1 Sunday

Breakfast:   water with lemon, one slice of toasted whole wheat bread with peanut butter and some grapefruit wedges

Lunch:  water with lemon, chicken salad (boiled chicken breast, celery, spices, canola oil, cider vinegar and a dollop of Duke's mayonnaise) on mixed green salad of field greens, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, and clover sprouts,

Dinner:  water with lemon, one glass of red wine with lemon, 4 oz of thin sliced London Broil steak (seasoned with black pepper and garlic granules and either chargrilled or roasted rare), caramelized onions, peppery raisin cinnamon sauce, steamed broccoli with lemon,  half cup of brown rice with scallions, tomato, basil and goat cheese salad with balsamic vinegar and canola oil

Just a note about beef.  It is the most acid forming of all the proteins and should be avoided.  However, I happen to love steak so when I have it, it is no more than 4 oz and I will eat extra alkaline producing foods as well as limit the number of beef servings to two per week.  So, I chose beef to celebrate!

Buon Appetito,  Angela B.