It's been a while! I've really missed posting these past few weeks. A lot's been going on lately which has required a lot of my attention, including the annular solar eclipse this past Sunday. My only excuse for not being present, is that life got in the way. Both sets of parents were in town for a full week, I've been working a lot more and we recently celebrated Steve's 30th birthday! We are still adjusting to the changes of living on the west coast and being thousands of miles away from our family and friends. With all of the celebrating, working, visiting and stressing out that has been going on the past month, so came over eating and for me, emotional eating. Going out to eat is fun especially for me being a foodie but it doesn't usually leave me feeling all that great. And I'm not eating a salad and soup wherever we go, I totally splurge! It's BAD, I know, but I am only human!! When there is food around my animal instincts take over and tell me to eat everything in sight! Our bodies haven't figured out that food is nearly always available and that we don't need to eat until completely stuffed because the next meal is in sight.
I decided that a cleanse was in order after realizing that I wasn't treating my body right and that I need some help to get the yuckies out. I have been completely inspired by my brother-in-law, who a month ago did a 10 day juice cleanse! Incredible! Now, I'm not saying I going on a ten day juice cleanse, I would really love to, but it can be a little expensive. With the way I've been eating lately, jumping right into something that awesome and extreme could make me a little uncomfortable at work...if you know what I mean. Instead, I've got to play it smart and start slow. That's why I'm calling it a Take it Easy Detox because I need to CHILL OUT! The plan is to work my way back to a mostly raw plant-based diet starting RIGHT NOW! (Well, as of Monday May 21st, but who's counting!)
Here's my Take It Easy Detox plan:
7am: Upon waking, after I wash my face and brush my teeth, I drink a tall drink of water. When I mean tall, I mean 24-32oz. It's the best time to fill up on water because your body is dehydrated from all the sleeping and not drinking. Duh! :) It also helps to get things flowing.
8am: Instead of coffee I sip on a cup of hot water with a squeeze of lemon and occasionally a pinch of cayenne pepper. This helps stimulate the digestion tract, liver and kidneys, flushing out toxins. If you were to only do this in the morning, it would be a huge step towards detoxifying chemicals and impurities. If you must have coffee, do this before and wait an hour or so to brew. If you can't handle the cayenne, leave it out. It can help with circulation. I love to add just a pinch on cold mornings. Drinking this hot citrus drink usually keeps me satisfied for an hour or two before I eat breakfast.
10am: (Or whenever I'm ready to break my fast) A green smoothie or juice is the best breakfast I've ever had. Since I've started drinking these elixirs a few years ago, I said goodbye to lackluster days. I'm full of energy and happiness (seriously, my mood has even changed) because it's packed with fresh organic vegetables, some fruit, coconut water, aloe vera juice, chia seeds, fiber, vitamins and minerals. One of these smoothies (I usually drink a 5 cup container for breakfast) is packed with 3-5 servings of vegetables, 1-2 servings of fruit, nearly 30 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein. It's good stuff! But you guys knew all that!
I recently purchased a Breville Juicer and it has already become one of my favorite kitchen tools. Juicing is quite different from blending. It takes out all of the fiber and pulp from the vegetables and fruit but still contains all of the vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and enzymes that are so important for our bodies. It's also extremely alkalizing, meaning it brings the pH level of the body down, important for preventing disease and cancer. Another great thing about drinking a juice over a smoothie is that it's a little easier on your digestion. Once you drink the fresh organic juice (preferably right away) your body takes in all of the good stuff and gets immediate results without having to process it in the stomach and intestines. This leaves time for your body to remove the bad things and to work on fighting free radicals and repairing the damage they cause. We pack a lot of veggies in smoothies just think about how much more there are in juices! Below I've listed a great green juice recipe to follow but feel free to adjust. Just remember to keep the 3-1 ratio of vegetables to fruit. My plan is to eventually switch over to juicing and blending every now and then. Just need to get myself up a little bit earlier everyday. :)
*Buying bottled green juice is not the same as juicing at home. The juice is usually not raw, the pasteurization process kills enzymes and destroys vitamins. There's no point drinking these products. Getting juices from a juice bar is acceptable if you don't have a juicer. Hopefully they use organic produce but if not it's better than not drinking any at all.
H2O: Drink water all day long! And lots of it. This is a detox, what's the point of doing this if I didn't drink tons of water to wash the toxins out? I always carry a Brita filter water bottle to make sure that I have fresh filtered water wherever I go. I try to always keep it full and sip it all day.
1pm: Lunch time! One of my favorite salads is my Toasted Sesame Asian Slaw (recipe below). I crave this salad and what's so great about it is that it's super affordable and makes a huge batch for the week. I know salads can seem boring especially when eating them everyday. That's why it's so important to make it delicious so that lunch is something you look forward to. This slaw has heart loving cruciferous vegetables savoy and purple cabbage and lacinato kale. What makes it so yummy is the toasted sesame seeds and the Asian Slaw Dressing with toasted sesame oil. It has a tangy savory quality that is very satisfying and craveable.
Snack: If I feel hungry enough to where I can't wait until dinner, I'll snack on a handful of walnuts, almonds and or a piece of fruit. I like to drink hot tea as well during the day sticking with green tea or other lovely whole leaf teas usually caffeine free.
5:30pm: Lately, when we've gotten home from work, my husband and I have started to take our dog Zoey out for a long walk, sometimes lasting an hour and a half, before we have dinner. We explore the neighborhoods and parks that are in the area while Zoey sniffs everything in sight. It has been so rewarding to go on these walks because we've found that getting the fresh air and exercise has really helped us de-stress from the day. It gives us time to talk about what's been going on while enjoying each others company. After we get home and have dinner, we are relaxed the rest of the evening and I have even noticed that I've been sleeping better too. It's so easy to put on a pair of comfortable shoes and go for a walk. Detox wise, it's better to do light exercise to help flush out toxins then incorporating a moderate workout schedule the following week.
7pm: Dinner Time! And boy, am I hungry! Since I am doing a mini detox I will stick to a whole foods, plant-based meal. My Lemon Quinoa with Peas and Asparagus is a good example of the types of dinners I love to make. Quinoa is a complete protein and has a good amount of fiber.
After dinner I'll try not to eat anything but if I feel hungry, a cup of hot tea with almond milk usually cures the hunger pangs. It's important not to eat too late because if you have food in your stomach your body will focus all it's energy in processing that food and when we sleep, that's the body's time to heal and repair. If food is in the system then repair will not happen as efficiently.
Our bodies are very complicated machines and in order for them to work properly we need to feed it the best fuel possible and treat it right. Getting regular exercise and rest, eating plenty of plant-based foods and drinking pure water will get you pretty far in life. It's not only the crap in the foods we eat but pollutants, chemicals and other toxins that we come in contact with on a day to day basis that causes damage. So, even if you have an A+ diet, undergoing a detox every so often will help rid your body of the junk and help it to perform even better. You will also look and feel much better as well. Say hello to healthy glowing skin!
We only get one body and one life. Why not try to make it the best it can possibly be? I'm going to start slow with this easy detox, see how I feel and if it all goes well, which I assume it will, then maybe I'll kick it up a notch next week.
I invite you to join me in this simple detox. Try it out and let me know how it worked for you!
Green Power Juice
Please use all organic fruits and vegetables unless the have a peel that have be removed. You will be surprised how sweet this juice is from only one apple!
2 cucumbers (peeled if not organic)
4-5 Leaves of Kale
4-5 Leaves of Chard (depending on size, they can be large this time of year. If they are huge I'd use 2 leaves)
Handful of Spinach
2 Stalks of celery
2 large carrots
1-2 lemons peeled
1 tart apple (I used Granny Smith)
1. Turn on juicer and insert ingredients one at a time.
2. I like to run the pulp though the juicer a second time just to make sure I got all the juice possible.
3. If you're not drinking right away, place in an airtight container with the liquids coming all the way to the tippy top. You don't want air to get inside because the juice will begin to oxygenate and loose it's enzymes. I like to drink it right away.
Toasted Sesame Seed Asian Slaw
Ingredients:
1 head of purple cabbage
1 head of savoy cabbage
1 bunch of kale (I used lacinato kale, aka dinosaur kale)
4 medium carrots
1/3 cup of chopped parsley
1/3 cup of sliced green onions
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup mint (option)
1/4 cup of sesame seeds
8 oz of tofu (as I've said before I absolutely love Trader Joe's Teryaki Baked Organic Tofu) cut into 1/4" cubes
Sliced almonds, walnuts, pistachios or all three!
1. Quarter the purple cabbage and savoy cabbage and slice 1/4" thick long strips.
2. Remove the stems of the kale and slice 1/4" thick.
3. Grate carrots in either a food processor or a handheld grater.
4. Toast the sesame seed over medium heat in a saute pan until they begin to smell toasty or pop. Remove from heat to cool.
5. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, the biggest one you've got. Add the herbs, sliced tofu and almonds.
I used a quarter of all the ingredients this week, sliced it all up and put into containers in lunch size portions and stored in the fridge. Add the dressing before you eat.
Asian Slaw Dressing
Makes about 3/4 cup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of Vegenaise
2 tbsp mirin (or apple cider vinegar)
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp of honey or brown rice syrup
1 tsp of toasted sesame oil
1 clove of garlic microplaned or minced
1 tsp of fresh ginger microplaned
Sea Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients into a jar and shake like crazy! If you would like it thinner add water a tablespoon at a time. This dressing is delicious and can be used on many types of salads.
Lemon Quinoa with Peas and Asparagus
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Quinoa
3 cups of water
1/2 cup peas
5-6 spears of asparagus sliced thinly on a diagonal
2-3 tbsp of sliced green onions
2-3 tbsp of minced parsley
1 tbsp minced mint
2 cloves of garlic minced (or microplaned)
2 tbsp of Earth Balance
3 tbsp of chopped chestnuts
Sea Salt - to taste
Freshly cracked pepper - to taste
Zest of two lemon
Juice of 2 1/2 lemons
3 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp of dijon mustard
Sea Salt - to taste
Freshly cracked pepper - to taste
1. Cook quinoa according to the directions on the package. Make sure to check it every now and then so that it doesn't over cook. Quinoa should have a little bite to it, not mushy. WE DON'T WANT IT MUSHY. If there's left over water in the pan, drain it using a mesh strainer.
2. While the quinoa is cooking melt the Earth Balance buttery spread in a saute pan on medium heat, add garlic to cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add sliced asparagus and peas until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Make the dressing by adding all of the ingredients into a jar then place the lid on the jar and shake until creamy.
5. Add the perfectly cooked quinoa until the saute pan and stir to combine ingredients. Add dressing to pan and heat through (only a minute or so) then remove from heat.
6. Add minced parsley and sliced green onions mix, and top with chopped chestnuts.
You can eat this warm, room temperature or cold out of fridge.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Next post, I will have some big news that I'm very excited to share!! Stay tuned my friends.
Lots of love,
K
