Not every day is a typical day, and I may never make this exact combination again.
I created it from the ingredients I happened to have in my refrigerator. I generally work with whatever I have on hand, so every day can be a different experience.
How I Started My Morning
I started my morning by hydrating:
💧 1 liter of water
🌱 1 tablespoon Zen Basil seeds
🧂 ¼ teaspoon mineral salt
Throughout the day, I drink a total of 2 to 3 liters of water.
My first meal became both breakfast and lunch. It was so filling and satisfying that I served more of it as a side with a 10-ounce steak for dinner, and I still had some left for the next day.
THE 51-GRAM FIBER PLATTER
ZEN BASIL YOGURT BASE
🌱 2 tablespoons Zen Basil seeds
💧 ½ cup water
🥣 ½ cup plain yogurt
🧄 3 garlic cloves, chopped or mashed
🍋 Half of the lemon juice, plus the zest
🧂 Salt and pepper
First, hydrate the Zen Basil seeds in the water. Once fully hydrated, mix them with the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture across the plate.
TOPPINGS
🥬 1 whole bunch of celery, chopped
🥬 5 ounces arugula
💜 5 fresh figs, sliced
🤎 3 dates, chopped
🥜 1 large handful of pistachios, almonds, and pine nuts
🧀 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE
❤️ 1 cup raspberries
🫒 Extra virgin olive oil
🍎 Apple cider vinegar
🍋 Remaining lemon juice
🧂 Salt and pepper
Smash the raspberries, then mix them with the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, remaining lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the entire platter.
APPROXIMATE NUTRITION, ROUNDED
The Full Platter
✅ 51 grams of fiber
✅ 40 grams of protein
Morning Zen Basil Water
✅ 8 grams of fiber
✅ 3 grams of protein
10-Ounce Steak
✅ 80 grams of protein
✅ Zero fiber
TOTAL FOOD PREPARED
✅ Approximately 60 grams of fiber
✅ Approximately 120 grams of protein
Because I still had part of the platter left for the next day, this is the total amount prepared, not the exact amount I consumed that day.
At this point in my life, I do not count calories. I am at my normal, healthy size.
What I do count is fiber, protein, plant diversity, and micronutrients from real whole foods.
My bare minimum is 30 grams of fiber and at least 60 grams of protein, from real whole foods, with no powders and no supplements.
KNOW YOUR FOOD
I shop at farmers markets. I know my suppliers, I know my farmers, and I know where my dairy comes from and who owns the farm.
That is the big difference.
The value of nutrient-rich food is undermined when it is exposed to glyphosate or drenched in pesticides.
We pay premium prices for foods and supplements, but are those companies publishing the evidence?
Not just a logo.
Not a marketing claim.
Not the opinion of a famous person.
Demand the actual Certificate of Analysis from an independent food science laboratory, including pesticide and glyphosate testing.
Food companies should already publish these reports on their websites. If they do not publish the COA, you have your answer.