Daniel wrote: For three weeks I was in sorrow. I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair. Daniel 10:2-3.

Vegan “Meatloaf”

Giving up meat and dairy for a few weeks is definitely a sacrifice for many of us, plus cooking meals “from scratch” is not always easy. So I put this site together to give you some recipes and ideas that could help you out. The purpose of this partial fast is to recenter our lives on God, especially as we transition into a new year. Let’s embrace it with joy, anticipation, and an understanding of the importance of fasting in our spiritual walk with the Lord. Please browse the website and feel free to improvise these recipes and come up with your own concoctions. Be creative and experiment with new ingredients. — Eugenia George

Daniel Fast Guidelines

Disclaimer: I came across a few variations of the Daniel Fast while searching through various sources. Some people include grains and legumes, while others follow a more strict regimen of just vegetables. Due to medical reasons, some folks may not be able to do this kind of fast. Regardless of how you choose to do the Daniel Fast, you are going to make a sacrifice by practically becoming a vegan for 21 days. The Daniel Fast is, in fact, more strict than a vegan diet because you try to avoid refined sugar, coffee, refined grains, fried foods and dairy products. However, this is your own personal journey. The Bible does not give us a prescription or detailed guidelines for this fast. The important thing is to be mindful of not judging others on their fast but rather to look inside ourselves and focus on God.

What you can eat:

Organic Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Oats, Barley, Spelt, Whole Wheat, Buckwheat, Corn, Millet, Farro, Bulgur, etc.

What are whole grains?

Whole grains are basically grains that have not been refined and, therefore, still contain bran and germ. For instance, brown rice, pop corn, and oats are whole grains. On the other hand, white rice is not a whole grain because it is milled so the bran and germ is actually removed. Refined grains do not sprout but whole grains do. Whole grains contain almost 4 times more dietary fiber than refined grains. (Source: Wikipedia).

Bread: Ezequiel, Genesis 1:29, and Mana breads which are all made with sprouted whole grains and some types are made without yeast. There are also some generic brands out there that you can try. You can eat other unleaved breads (no yeast) like whole-wheat or corn tortillas, pita, plus other types of whole-grain flat breads. Avoid multi-grain bread which only contains some whole grains but it’s not 100% whole grain and probably fluffier. We have to avoid such delicacies.

Organic Legumes: Beans (all kinds), lentils, peas, chickpeas. *Legumes are an excellent source of protein.

Organic Fruits: All kinds of fresh or frozen, organic fruit. Avoid canned and dried fruit which are both packed with added sugar. Dried fruit with no added sugar is OK if you are not diabetic. Bananas and other fruits with a high glycemic index may not be OK if you are diabetic. Check with your doctor or nutritionist.

Organic Vegetables and Plant Based Products: All kinds of fresh or frozen, organic vegetables. You can also try organic veggie burgers. Make sure they are vegan because some types of veggie burgers contain eggs. If you are allergic to soy, then veggie burgers and meat substitutes are not recommended. Beware of preservatives, high sodium, and mystery ingredients.

Organic Seeds, Nuts, Nut Butters, Sprouts, Flax: *Note that if you count calories, nut butters are fairly high in calories, but very filling.

Soy Products, Vinegar, Herbs, Natural Spices (cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, etc) , Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Brown Rice Milk, Oat Milk, Tofu, Tempeh

Quality Oils: Grape seed Oil, Sesame Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Canola Oil, etc. Limit the use of these oils for salad dressings and light sauteing. Avoid fried foods.

Liquids: Water, 100% All-Natural Fruit Juices, 100% All Natural Vegetable Juices (preferably homemade). It’s time to take out your juicer or high power blender from the cupboard if you have one.