What to Eat: A Day in Phase 1
Not sure what to eat on Phase 1? Here’s a day in Phase 1, complete with your breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner. In this phase, we focus on targeting the adrenals and soothing psychological stress. We really want to flood the body with nutrients that stimulate digestion and the metabolism. I suggest planning out your meals like this for the week, making your 28 days on the Fast Metabolism Diet a breeze!
Breakfast – (Grain, Fruit)
Cinnamon-Apple Pancakes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fast Metabolism Baking Mix
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup peeled, finely diced apple
Directions
- In a bowl, stir together the baking mix and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients, then fold in the diced apple.
- In a hot non-stick skillet, drop about 1/3 cup of the batter, and smooth out to make eight 3-inch pancakes. Cook until small bubbles appear and the underside of the pancake is a light golden brown.
- Flip and cook for a minute more. Serve with Quick Apple Compote.
Quick Apple Compote
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 15 drops cinnamon stevia, or to taste
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap (leave a small vent). Microwave on high 2 minutes or until the apples are tender.
Portion: 4 pancakes plus 1 serving of apple compote equals a Phase 1 grain and a Phase 1 fruit portion.
Snack – (Fruit)
Grilled Stone Fruits with Balsamic and Black Pepper Syrup
Serves 6 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 pieces stone fruit (apricots or peaches), cut around the pit and separate in half
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 small, peeled chunk ginger root, 1/2-inch
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- Stevia (20 to 25 drops, or to taste)
Directions
- Heat a grill or grill pan to high.
- Grill the fruit cut side down for about 3 to 5 minutes, until warmed through and evenly marked.
- Heat the remaining ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat (or on the grill next to the fruit).
- When the sauce reduces, it will become syrup-like in no time — less than a minute. If you burn food often or get distracted easily, cook it over lower heat. Otherwise, let it rip.
- When the balsamic sauce coats the back of a spoon and reduces by half, remove the pan from the heat and discard the ginger chunk.
- Sweeten with stevia to taste.
- Arrange the fruit on a platter and drizzle liberally with the glaze.
Lunch – (Grain, Protein, Fruit, Veggie)
White Bean Wrap
Serves 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained
- 2 small tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 brown rice, spelt or sprouted grain tortillas
Directions
- Place half of the beans in a medium bowl; mash gently with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Stir in the remaining whole beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture on the tortillas and roll up. Serve with additional veggies and your favorite Phase 1 fruit.
Snack – (Fruit)
Frozen Fruit Kebabs
Serves 4 | Prep Time: 2 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, pineapple, kiwi
Directions
- Thread fruit onto wooden skewers. Place on a plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve (the fruit will be completely frozen in about 3 hours).
Dinner – (Grain, Protein, Veggie)
Chicken Sausage with Brown Rice Fusilli
Serves 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups brown rice fusilli
- 16 ounces chicken sausage
- 2 cups cubed zucchini
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions, being careful to not overcook the pasta. When the pasta is done, strain and rinse it. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken sausage into 1-inch pieces.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of water and stir in the sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook on medium heat until lightly browned.
- Incorporate the zucchini, broccoli, salt, and pepper, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and toss until warmed through. Serve immediately. Enjoy this with a small dinner salad.
Not sure what to eat on Phase 1? Here’s a day in Phase 1, complete with your breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner. In this phase, we focus on targeting the adrenals and soothing psychological stress. We really want to flood the body with nutrients that stimulate digestion and the metabolism. I suggest planning out your meals like this for the week, making your 28 days on the Fast Metabolism Diet a breeze!
Breakfast – (Grain, Fruit)
Cinnamon-Apple Pancakes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fast Metabolism Baking Mix
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup peeled, finely diced apple
Directions
- In a bowl, stir together the baking mix and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients, then fold in the diced apple.
- In a hot non-stick skillet, drop about 1/3 cup of the batter, and smooth out to make eight 3-inch pancakes. Cook until small bubbles appear and the underside of the pancake is a light golden brown.
- Flip and cook for a minute more. Serve with Quick Apple Compote.
Quick Apple Compote
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 15 drops cinnamon stevia, or to taste
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap (leave a small vent). Microwave on high 2 minutes or until the apples are tender.
Portion: 4 pancakes plus 1 serving of apple compote equals a Phase 1 grain and a Phase 1 fruit portion.
Snack – (Fruit)
Grilled Stone Fruits with Balsamic and Black Pepper Syrup
Serves 6 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 pieces stone fruit (apricots or peaches), cut around the pit and separate in half
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 small, peeled chunk ginger root, 1/2-inch
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- Stevia (20 to 25 drops, or to taste)
Directions
- Heat a grill or grill pan to high.
- Grill the fruit cut side down for about 3 to 5 minutes, until warmed through and evenly marked.
- Heat the remaining ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat (or on the grill next to the fruit).
- When the sauce reduces, it will become syrup-like in no time — less than a minute. If you burn food often or get distracted easily, cook it over lower heat. Otherwise, let it rip.
- When the balsamic sauce coats the back of a spoon and reduces by half, remove the pan from the heat and discard the ginger chunk.
- Sweeten with stevia to taste.
- Arrange the fruit on a platter and drizzle liberally with the glaze.
Lunch – (Grain, Protein, Fruit, Veggie)
White Bean Wrap
Serves 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained
- 2 small tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 brown rice, spelt or sprouted grain tortillas
Directions
- Place half of the beans in a medium bowl; mash gently with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Stir in the remaining whole beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture on the tortillas and roll up. Serve with additional veggies and your favorite Phase 1 fruit.
Snack – (Fruit)
Frozen Fruit Kebabs
Serves 4 | Prep Time: 2 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, pineapple, kiwi
Directions
- Thread fruit onto wooden skewers. Place on a plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve (the fruit will be completely frozen in about 3 hours).
Dinner – (Grain, Protein, Veggie)
Chicken Sausage with Brown Rice Fusilli
Serves 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups brown rice fusilli
- 16 ounces chicken sausage
- 2 cups cubed zucchini
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions, being careful to not overcook the pasta. When the pasta is done, strain and rinse it. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken sausage into 1-inch pieces.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of water and stir in the sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook on medium heat until lightly browned.
- Incorporate the zucchini, broccoli, salt, and pepper, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and toss until warmed through. Serve immediately. Enjoy this with a small dinner salad.