Day 24

Lost our wagon years ago! About to do a cookie post to make your mission harder:) Sorry!

-Crispy Tarts

Darn you, you Crispy Tarts with your delectable blog filled with treats so scrumptious it makes even the most civil person want to lick their computer screen!

Or is that just me?

Ok, fine!

You can have your post where you make Ina Garten's Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookie using (wimper) ONE AND A HALF POUNDS(!) OF WHITE CHOCOLATE.

That's just fine.

I will be here drinking my green juice and NOT licking my computer screen.

And for any of you reading...

ARE any of you still reading or have you just jumped directly to Danielle and Erin's blog???

Oh...I see how it is.

FINE.

Tell your wagon to go take a spin around the block.

Kick up your heels and cookie it up.

When the madness is over, know that I (and the juice) will still be here for you.

Tomorrow some tips to help get back in balance after veering off track.

Now wipes those crumbs off your face...

photo courtesy of the cookie temptresses over at Crispy Tarts

Day 21

In the interest of full disclosure, I would like to state that the following smoothie is strange.

Even for me.

My impartial taste-tester made a scrunchy face and then declared it:

 "kind of chunky."

However, if you are looking for extra credit points on your road to wellness then this smoothie may be for you.

Strange Chunky Smoothie

1-2 Fuji apples

2 cups spinach

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup purified water

blend everything in a blender on high

I got the idea because I wanted Natalia Rose's Green Lemonade but didn't have the spare week and a half it takes to clean the juicer.

So I said to myself, "Self, wouldn't putting all of the same ingredients in a blender taste pretty much the same?"

The answer to that is: 

No. 

No, it would not.

It was chunky.

Not necessarily bad...

Just chunky.

But that might have been my fault.  

I added 1 tablespoon of chia seeds at the end.  Chia seeds have a tendency to thicken things.  In many recipes that effect is quite delightful.  

In this case it turned my smoothie into applesauce.

But chunky or not, this un-smoothie made for a healthy, inexpensive breakfast which, due to its high fiber content, kept me full for hours.

Just needed a spoon to finish it.

Day 10

The Cost of Living

I've been thinking a lot about the cost of healthy eating.

Mostly due to the cries of protest from my friends and family whom I've bullied into eating this way.

"Those beets you told me to get were $2.99!  I put them right back!"

So in an effort to be helpful, (and to get people to stop yelling at me...Mom, Traci) I am going to feature some wallet and belly friendly meals.

First up:

Tomato and Basil Frit-Omelette

with Salad

(recipe serves two)

8 organic free range eggs 

4 organic roma tomatoes chopped

8 basil leaves chopped

1 head of organic romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon grapseed oil

garlic and lemon pepper (and sea salt, Erin) to taste

This started off as an omelette.

I wanted a frittata.

I don't have a skillet and/or pan that handily goes from range to oven.

(sigh)

I whisked the eggs in a bowl.

Meanwhile, I coated my non-oventransferable, can't make a frittata skillet with the grapeseed oil and spices.

I poured the eggs into the skillet and waited for them to magically turn into a frittata.

That didn't happen.

So I topped the eggs with the tomatoes and basil.

I waited.  

Still no frittata.

My eggs were starting to burn.

I folded the eggs in half.

And then it came to me.

When the eggs had set, I transferred them from my frittata-less pan to a baking sheet.

I baked the eggs for ten minutes at 450 degrees.

And so the Frit-Omelette was borne!

(The eggs did not taste as burned as they look in this picture...)

I served it with chopped romaine tossed with dijon vinegarette and sliced avocado.

mmmm....Frit-Omelette...

Day 9

This sounds terrible....

But it is awesome!!!

It is a smoothie recipe called "Merry Monkey- Supercharged!"

I have no idea why it is called that.

I copied and pasted the recipe off the web a while back.

But now I can't remember from where...maybe Kristen's Raw...

Anyway, it is a terrific, filling, raw, vegan treat.

Don't let it's weird, greenness fool you.  

It tastes like a banana shake!

Merry Monkey—Supercharged!


1 Organic Banana

1 Tbsp Raw Almond Butter 


1 Cup Raw Nut Milk (Or Apple Juice)


1 Cup Kale or Spinach


1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds or Maca Root


1 Tbsp Raw Agave Nectar


1 Cup Ice (Optional)


Blend all ingredients well and enjoy!

I used hemp milk and skipped the seeds, but I think next time I will add some chia seeds.

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 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 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.