Day 8

For anyone who may be feeling a little...shall we say...full after all the Thanksgiving revelry, here's an easy detox menu to get things back in balance.

I wrote this out last night for my friend who requested a gluten-free detox, but this menu also works great for anyone interested in giving their digestive system a bit of a rest.***

The No's:

No Gluten

No Sugar

No Dairy

No Soy

No starches (rice, potato, pasta) eaten with protein (eggs, fish, meats)

Fruit eaten only with other fruit and, preferably, only in the morning.

No alcohol.  (Just for 1 week.)   

Breakfast:

-1 cup berries, 1apple, 1 banana (all organic) eaten throughout the morning

or

-Smoothie made with (again...all organic) blueberries, banana, unsweetened hemp milk and chia seeds.  (You can use 1 tblsp. raw organic agave to sweeten if you like.)

Lunch:

-Salad with unlimited veggies, 1 whole avocado and 2 organic hardboiled eggs

or

-Salad with unlimited veggies, 1 whole avocado and a handful of walnuts

 To make salad dressing whisk together:  

 1 tablespoon olive oil

 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, 

 1 tablespoon dijon mustard.

Dinner:

-Sauteed vegetables with organic sweet potato

or

-Vegan soup with organic sweet potato

or

-Wild salmon with sauteed vegetables

or

-Gluten free pasta with vegetables (The "I'm friggin' starving and all I want is pasta" Pasta is great option)

Snacks:

-organic baby carrots and/or organic celery with salsa and/or guacamole

-organic popcorn

-organic nuts (Walnuts are great!  Trader Joe's makes an Omega 3 cranberry/walnut trail mix that come in individual packets.  They are great for taking on the go.)

-Lara Bars (all kinds except those with peanuts)

-organic vegetable juice

-celery with almond butter

-veggies and hummus

-organic tortilla chips with salsa and/or guacamole

Dessert:

-Living Harvest Tempt Brand Hempt ice cream (sold at Whole Foods)

-1 square Dark chocolate

Everyday:

-3 liters of water

-1 cup of green tea

-1 GT's Organic Raw Kombucha Tea

-1 GoodBelly pro-biotic before bed (sold at Whole Foods.  I like the blueberry one.)

-1/2 hour cardio  (if you feel like strength training, also, great, but at least try to get the cardio in.)

***We all know that I am simply an amateur nutritionist.  All of my nutritional advice is just my little ole opinion.  ALWAYS consult your doctor before undertaking any new program.

Day 7

I do believe I mentioned something about feng shui-ing my apartment as part of this detox.

Here's a little organized closet inspiration courtesy of the blog The Style Files.

 

This pictures makes me want to get cleaning!

Well, it makes me want to get cleaning...tomorrow.

photo by Annie Schlechter

Day 6

I gave up gluten a while ago.

I don't remember why or who told me to, but I did and I felt so great that I stuck with it.

But I LOVE pasta.

This pasta recipe is a staple around my house and the best part about it (besides the fact that the whole dish is under 5 dolllars) is that it works best with brown rice pasta.

Delicious, nutritious and sans-gluten, brown rice pasta has all of the

belly-filling yumminess of pasta with none of the puffy-faced exhaustion.

This pasta is perfect for the cleanse because it is light and healthy and contains none of Dr. Junger's no- no's.

The recipe serves two and, since it is so tasty, you might actually find someone to eat it with you.

My manfriend, the most finicky of diners, loves it and requests it often.

Here it is:

The "I'm friggin' starving and all I want is pasta" Pasta

-1 pound organic brown rice pasta

-1/4 cup olive oil

-juice of 2 lemons

-1 bag frozen, organic chopped spinach

-lemon pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes and turmeric to taste

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  

Brown rice pasta tends toward the gummy side so be sure not to overcook it.  I usually cook the pasta a minute or two under what the package recommends.

While the pasta is cooking be sure to reserve a quarter cup of the pasta water for later use.

Coat frying pan with grapeseed oil and sautee frozen spinach with desired spices.

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil and spices in a separate bowl.

After draining pasta, LIGHTLY coat with pasta water.  You want to use just enough water so that the pasta doesn't stick together, but not so much that water pools in the bottom of the bowl.

Add spinach and lemon juice mixture to pasta and toss.

Extra lemon and spices can be added as desired.

What's nice about using chopped spinach, rather than another vegetable, is that, when mixed with the brown rice pasta, it forms a kind of green pesto-y texture.

Enjoy!

Day 5

So, apparently, I am a fan of creamy beans.

And mashed potatoes.

And a variety of pies decorated with whipped topping.

But yesterday was Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving, as it is well recognized, is a day of amnesty for all things diet related.

Pies notwithstanding, I did wind up eating mostly healthy foods.

As a non-turkey eater, I am quite used to bringing my own snacks to Thanksgiving dinner.  This year I was in charge of bringing the salad and the vegetable platter.

I made two dishes based on recipes from Marilu Henner's book:

Wear Your Life Well.

Bruschetta Salad

-8 organic plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded

-8 basil leaves, chopped

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-3 teaspoons olive oil

-juice of 1 lemon

-lemon pepper to taste

Mix all of the above ingredients in separate bowl.  

When ready to serve, toss the bruschetta mixture with organic mixed greens.  

Top with shredded Alta Dena raw cheddar-style goat cheese.

Sweet Pea Guacamole

-1 pound bag organic frozen peas

-3 organic avocados

-juice of 1 lemon

-lemon pepper, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper all to taste

Steam peas and set aside.  

Cut avocado into chunks. 

Once cooled, place the cooked peas into a food processor and blend until smooth.  

Be sure to reserve some whole peas for later.  

Add the avocado and process until smooth.  

Add lemon, spices and whole peas to mixture. 

Can be chilled for up to 2 hours before serving.  

We ate this with raw vegetables, but tortilla chips would be great, too.

For my main course (in addition to the mashed potatoes and creamy beans), I had a raw vegan spinach quiche from Good Mood Food.

And for dessert I brought a gluten-free apple pie from Fabe's Bakery with my favorite vanilla Tempt hemp ice cream.

Everything was so delicious!  A big thanks to Charli and Steve who, once again, hosted a heart-warming, belly-filling evening of laughter, good times and top-notch Thanksgiving culinary chops.  Their mouthwatering and exquisite Thanksgiving dinner would make the strongest amongst us happily cheat on a detox.

I think he would agree. 

;)

*I did not forget about The "I'm friggin' starving and all I want is pasta" Pasta recipe.

I'll be sure to post that tomorrow.

Day 4

"I can't believe you started a detox over Thanksgiving!!!  Why would you do that???"

"It's not such a big deal.  I don't eat the turkey anyway.  I'll have salad, maybe some side dishes."

"What about the green bean casserole?"

"Yeah, I'm not into creamy beans.  I bought a raw, vegan quiche to have as my main dish.  And I got a gluten free apple pie for myself."

"That sounds SO awful."

Day 3

I'm fairly certain Hemp Ice Cream does not count as a liquid meal.

But...

It is Gluten and Soy and Dairy Free AND...

if left to it's own devices it does, in fact, become liquid.

So, technically, I don't think I BROKE my cleanse...

but I most certainly sprained it a little.

Lesson learned.

But just FYI...

Living Harvest Tempt Hemp Ice Cream...

Ummm....yes, please.

Yesterday's (Day 2) eating plan:

- Ultimate Meal with Banana and Blueberry

- The "I'm friggin' starving and all I want is pasta" Pasta*

- GT's Organic Raw Kombucha Tea

- Living Harvest Tempt Hemp Ice Cream**

*pasta recipe on Friday

**I know, I know.  But it was SO good.

Day 2

I came home last night and was starving.

Faced with Natalia Rose's Green Lemonade as my "dinner" I became starving and depressed.

Don't get me wrong I love a good green juice, but all that chopping and juicing and juicer washing to be left with nothing to show for it but juice for "dinner" ....

Ugh.

So, I rummaged around for something else l could make liquid so as to fulfill my second liquid meal requirement.

And I accidentally made the BEST THING EVER!!!

Well, I made soup, but it was cheap and fast and filling and yummy!

In my book, that qualifies it as one of the BEST THINGS EVER!!!

Jen's Detox Lentil and Broccoli Puree:

- 2 cups of lentils (I like Trader Joe's Ready to eat Steamed Lentils)

- 1and1/2 cups steamed organic broccoli

- approx 2 cups purified water

Put the lentils and broccoli and water into a blender.

Water can be adjusted to the desired thickness of soup.

I added just enough to cover the amount of lentils.

Blend.

Heat.

Eat.

That's it!

So easy!

I added garlic, red pepper and turmeric, but you can add whatever spice your little heart desires.

Be careful when blending hot ingredients.  Steam can blow the blender's lid off.

I made sure the lentils and water were cool when I added the broccoli which was hot off the stove.

So, there it is.  Necessity is the mother of soup.

Day 1 (!)

Two liquid meals.

One solid meal.

Good Buddha.

It sounds like I'm on the Slim Fast diet.

It is Dr. Junger's belief that by "reducing the workload of digestion", "consuming less solid food and leaving out irritants" there is a "reallocation of energy to the process of detoxification."

He also says that the first 3 to 5 days of the program are focused on "breaking old habits."

You know....like eating.

"By the end of the first week you will experience a surge of vibrant energy and clarity of mind as toxins are released from the cells and tissues, recirculated for neutralization, and ultimately, eliminated from the body."

Alright then.  

While I await this alleged "surge of vibrant energy", I better learn to love soups and smoothies.

Day 1 eating plan:

-Ultimate Meal Plan smoothie with blueberries and strawberries

-apple with almond butter

-Organic mixed greens with brussels sprouts, beets, lentils and avocado

-lentil and broccoli puree

-GT's Organic Raw Kombucha Tea

-1square Trader Joe's Organic Super Dark chocolate

So, when I said:

"No Meat

 No Dairy

 No Sugar

 No Alcohol

 for the next four days"....

I meant the next four days... 

minus yesterday.

My friends got a new couch.

We needed to celebrate with cheese.

And wine.

And chocolate.

It's a new couch.  

That doesn't happen everyday.

It's a really nice couch.

Ok. Two days of countdown left.

Off the couch and back on the wagon.

If at first you don't succeed...

Be sure to start again on Monday.

And so it begins.  Monday will be the launch for the detox.

Well, my detox.

Traci...ahem...I mean "Trixi".... will be starting when she gets back from Thanksgiving vacation at her parents house.  And Sid will be starting as soon as I can get him to commit to starting. 

But I will be starting on Monday.

Until then I will be doing, what Dr. Junger calls, "an elimination diet."

For the next four days the following is off limits:

No Meat

No Dairy

No Sugar

No Alcohol

Weaning yourself off of these offending foods is supposed to ease detox symptoms, i.e. breakouts, headaches, general misery and contempt.

So here we go.  

Four days of clean eating and then I begin eating according to Dr. Junger's book Clean.  Which, honestly, doesn't seem to entail much eating, but I guess I'll worry about that on Monday.

As the Chinese Proverb goes: "Talk doesn't cook rice."

It's time to stop talking and get cooking!

Er... I mean...get peeling and blending and drinking.

Yikes.  Whose idea was this???

Traci wants a pseudonym.

"You're going to give me a fake name, right?"

"What?  No. Why?  What do you think I'm going to say about you???"

"I don't want you telling everyone about my gas!"

"Traci,  I'm going to write about what you are eating.  I'm not going to write 

about your gas."

"Still...."

"Want me to call you 'Trixi'?"