Yogert Paint

Looks like Isaiah is enjoying his yogurt right? Most parents would be thrilled to find their 4 year old devouring his plain Greek yogurt and I was. Unfortunately his older brother did not appreciate it as much. Instead of eating it, they combined their toddler brains and decided to "paint" with it instead...all over the van! They painted the front and back seat that Isaiah is sitting on, his arm rests, the windows, themselves, and best of all, their baby sister!! Where was I, you might be asking yourself? It's hard to believe, but I was actually in the van the whole time and had no clue it was going on!
Here is a quote to help you understand:
"I once asked a woman what it was like to have four kids. She said, 'Imagine you are drowning and a someone hands you a baby.'"

Shrimp Lo Mein

In continuing "Good Daniel Fast Recipes" from the January 21 blog entry:

Shrimp Lo Mein

Serves 4

4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped

2 medium carrots, cut into slices

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz lo mein noodles

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 oz shitake mushrooms

2 tbsp oyster sauce

3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat.

When the oil is lightly smoking, add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until lightly golden.

Add the mushrooms, carrots, and bell pepper, and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, using a metal spatula to keep the vegetables in near-constant motion (If using a wok, use a wooden spoon so you don't' scratch it).

Toss the shrimp and cook until just pink and slightly firm. You would skip this step on the Daniel Fast.

Add the cooked noodles, oyster sauce, and soy sauce to the pan.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the sauce is thickened and covers the noodles in a light sheen.

Divide the mixture among 4 plates and garnish with the scallion greens.

Caprese Tomato Towers

In continuing "Good Daniel Fast Recipes" from the January 21 blog entry:

Caprese Tomato Towers

Serves 4

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 medium tomatoes (preferably different color heirloom tomatoes)

1 tbsp olive oil

16 large fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

6 oz fresh mozzarella

Slice the tomatoes into thick slices (each tomato should yield 4 or 5 slices). Slice the cheese into slightly thinner disks. There should be an equal number of tomato and cheese slices.

Place a tomato in the center of a small salad plate. Top with a mozzarella slice and a single basil leaf. Repeat until you've used up a quarter of the tomatoes, cheese, and basil. If you really want to nail this, salt and pepper each individual layer. If using different color tomatoes, alternate the slices throughout. Repeat with the rest of the tomatoes, cheese, and basil, making 4 towers in all. Drizzle each tower with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season again with salt and pepper.

Of course if you are on the Daniel Fast you will do all but the cheese slices. It's beautiful and a great snack or side dish, especially if you are a tomato lover!

Yummy For My Tummy Oatmeal

In continuing "Good Daniel Fast Recipes" from the January 21 blog entry:

Oatmeal is a great option if you are craving something sweet for breakfast. It also really fills you up. The instant flavored oatmeal is filled with sugar, so I bought the round container of plain Quaker Oats. They have a "quick 1 - minute microwave" option. Follow the directions on the container and add a few things to spice it up. Their suggested serving amount for one person was too much for me to eat, especially after adding fresh fruit to it, so I cut it in half and added what I wanted.

Here are a few options:

Add 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces (I put the apple in my oatmeal before I heated it up in the microwave. After cooking, the texture softens. I personally enjoyed it more this way)

1/3 cup of raisins (Nature's Harvest has a gourmet raisin blend of crimson, dark, and golden raisins)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pure almond extract

Fresh strawberries, chopped in small pieces

Cranberries (Nature's Harvest has a bag of cranberries mixed with pomegranate and infused with cherries and blueberries)

You can also add a little soy milk or drink it cold on the side.

I wouldn't do all of the options at the same time, but you can experiment and find what you like.