cleanse day 13 & 14

I can't believe we are two weeks into the cleanse!  I am wondering how people are doing.  I have been feeling much better- more energy and my skin looks very clear.  I must say though, I have been VERY hungry lately.  Had a moment yesterday where I really munched out on guacamole and rice crackers- it was hard to stop!  This morning I did not finish my whole smoothie, because I am getting a little tired of them.  Time for a new recipe!

  Speaking of recipes, I made a delicious butternut squash puree last night.  I sliced the squash in half, cleaned them and baked them face down at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Then blended it with sauteed onions and garlic, veggie stock and almond milk.  It was very, very tasty.  But then this morning I came across a recipe that also includes coconut milk and leeks instead of onions.  It sounds even better, so I wanted to share it with you all.

Butternut Squash Soup 1 butternut squash 2-3 leeks About 6 cups of chicken stock 1/2 a can or less coconut milk salt olive oil Peel and cut the squash into inch pieces.  Put on a cookie tray and sprinkle olive oil and salt on them.  Bake them at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes (til tender). Wash and cut the leeks and saute them in olive oil in the bottom a the saucepan you plan to make the soup in. When the leeks are soft put the tender squash in the saucepan and pour in enough chicken stock to cover the vegetables.  When the chicken stock is hot use a hand blender (or pour the soup in batches into a regular blender) and puree the vegetables and stock.  When the soup is pureed add the coconut milk (this can be omitted the soup is creamy without). Mix everything together and reheat if needed. You can adjust the liquid to make the soup thicker or thinner. This is a really hearty soup. So, I will write more on Monday!  Since tomorrow is mother's day, I think I will take this one off of my 'to do' list! Enjoy this beautiful weather, Melissa

cleanse day 12- some much needed nurturing!

Hi Everyone!  Doing so much better today....thank goodness, yesterday was kind of nuts!  Today was busy as usual, but much more manageable.  Green smoothie to start the day and I decided to continue with the avacado and coconut milk.  Not going to worry about calories, just going to enjoy eating healthy foods!  This cleanse can be fun and enjoyable, or it can be torture.  I choose the first option!  Then while the babies were taking their morning nap (that's when I do all of this cooking by the way!!), I made a lovely piece of salmon, a fresh green salad and quinoa made simply with added olive oil, lemon and a little salt.  It was such a good, clean and simple lunch.  I was shocked when my son starting eating the salmon and actually liked it!!

Now comes the good part of my day.  Babysitter arrived, and I went to see Laura Nathanson for a chiropractic adjustment.  I was having bad headaches yesterday that felt like they were creeping back in.  15 minutes with Laura and the headaches were gone and my mind felt clear...it was truly amazing.  Then by some stroke of magic, I also got to go see Tammy at In Vogue Spa for some facial microdermabrasion.  I trade treatments with both of them and it was such a treat for me, who never gets to stop working, to lay there for an hour and be nurtured.  Thank you so much Tammy, what an awesome treatment and my skin feels amazing.

So, a good day overall.  Now I am at work but soon to be heading home for hopefully a good nights sleep free from babies waking wanting something from me:)

A fellow cleanser sent me a recipe that looks amazing if you are looking to make a sweet treat for mother's day.  I hope to get time to try this one soon- although I need several of the ingredients.  Here it is:

Almond Butter Chip Cookies

What you'll need:

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Baking-sheet

Ingredients:

• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 ½ cups almond meal/flour
• ½ cup coconut nectar granules
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks (unsweetened and dairy-free, Gnosis would work) OR raw cacao nibs
• ⅔ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup almond butter

Step One:

Dry ingredients: Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut nectar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chunks/chips.

Step Two:

Wet ingredients:In a second bowl, combine the coconut oil, non-dairy milk and vanilla.

Step Three:

Mix it up: Add wet to dry and mix until everything is well incorporated.

Step Four:

Cookies: Roll batter into roughly 16 balls, place on a greased (with coconut oil) baking sheet and push them down into flat discs. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cookies completely cool on the pan. 

Note: Make sure they are completely cool before attempting to move or eat, otherwise they’ll fall apart.

Clean Cleanse: Day 11- feeling heavy

The above is not an actual picture of me weighing myself today, but it is how I felt!  Today is two weeks since I started the elimination diet, and I had the sudden urge to do a weight check, even though I was going to hold off until the end.  I really wish I waited, because the scale told me that I was the exact same weight as when I started...ugh.  I know that we say we are not in it for the weight loss, but it sure would be nice to shed my post-baby pounds.  So, I called the Clean Support team and talked to someone about what I was eating and what I should change etc.  They were really helpful, and I do recommend it.  I am going to schedule another appointment with one of the wellness coaches for a few days from now.  Basically, she said to eat less:)  Well, she thought I should cut down the avacado and coconut in my shakes and a few other suggestions.  I have been trying to eat less, and you know what?  I'M HUNGRY!!   So, now I am just a little confused by it all.  I have been feeling good and think I look a bit lighter, so we will see how things evolve over the next 10 days.  I promise you this, I am not getting on another scale until this cleanse is over...

I had my kitcheri and salad again for lunch which was delicious and I made a yummy simple carrot soup for dinner.  I am starting my 12 hour window now, and I want to eat more.  (yes this post is going to be mostly complaining!).  I am wondering from people that have done the cleanse before, is this how it is in the middle of the cleanse?  The end feels far away and the benefit are starting but not overly obvious yet.

Also, I know that the rain is good for the earth and all, and I don't usually complain about the weather, but I could really use the sun to make an appearance again!  Ahhh, ok, good to let this all off my chest, feeling a little better...off to make some herbal tea, fold laundry and watch some TV that will make me laugh!  Good night!

Clean Cleanse: Day 10- cooking Kitchari and resisting coffee!

Ok, first I will whine and get that part over with.  I really wanted coffee today!  The weather was cold and dreary, I have three kids to take care of and coffee would have been so, so nice!  I had mentally talked myself into it, and was set on going to get some, but I texted Allyson and she talked me down!  So, instead I took a shower and went to starbucks for some Zen Tea (green tea and peppermint).  It was very good, but definitely not the same!  Ok, rant is over:)

Now to the good stuff.  Please do something wonderful for yourself and make some kitchari, it is warming, filling, delicious, healthy and so easy to make.  I absolutely LOVED it, and am so glad that I made a double batch so that I have more for tomorrow.  Here is the recipe below.

Kitchari

Ingredients (Makes 4–6 Serving):

4 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon ground asafetida

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 black cardamom pods

2 cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup split mung beans

1/2 cup long-grain brown rice

Salt to taste

About 5 cups water

Directions:

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottom saucepan casserole over medium heat. Add asafetida and cumin seeds.

As soon as you smell the fragrance of the cumin seeds, add the onion and ginger. Stir-fry until onion begins to turn transparent.

Add cardamom pods, garlic, garam masala, and turmeric. Stir and fry for 1 minute.

Add the mung beans and rice. Sauté for about a minute or two.

Add salt and water, and bring to a boil.

Cover, turn heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring now and then to prevent sticking. Uncover and check to ensure that the rice and mung beans are thoroughly cooked, and serve.

I was really happy to find the split moong dal (yellow) at whole foods and also the whole cumin seed.  I did not have asafetida or turmeric- but will definitely be getting some soon!  Here is the bag of dal you should be looking for (I am sure they have it cheaper at asian markets, but my time is so limited, I was happy it was at Whole Foods)

Oh, and definitely cook it with coconut oil instead of olive oil- that made it so delicious!

Can't believe we are half way through....or to say it glass half empty...WE ARE ONLY HALF WAY THROUGH?!?  Hahahaha....but seriously, I am feeling pretty good, and feeling really good about this process overall- hope you are too!

Cleanse days 8 & 9: Temptation is everywhere!

Wow, just two days and i feel like we haven't connected in so long!  Hope all is going well with you and with the cleanse.  It is great, but definitely not easy!  On sunday we had a 3 year olds birthday party for one of Zach's friends, and man, the temptation was everywhere.  My husband dubbed the sweets table, The Table of Torture!  It was so hard to resist, the cupcakes, pretzels, rice crispy treats!!  Ugh...but you will be proud to know that I did manage to resist. Then my husband gets an ice coffee, just to torture me more!! 

Today has been a good day.  Lots of sunshine and my health has returned.  Also without running the risk of giving TMI, I had a HUGE poop today.  And I mean, lost three pounds big:)  (didn't weigh myself- just guessing!).  I have been pretty regular all along, but this one seemed to be an extra 'detox' poop!

 I was playing restaurant with Zachary today and he said he was making me a smoothie.  I said, "what is in it?"  He said, "avacado, broccoli and salad!"  Guess that's what he thinks are in my morning shakes- pretty funny!  Speaking of smoothies, I have been continuing on with my morning green smoothies, but increasing the green quotient, as you can clearly see.  My smoothie this morning was, local spinach, kale, avacado, apple, frozen mango, chia seed, protein powder, ground flax and coconut milk.  Really delicious!

Yesterday I made a very good rice biryani dish.  I used the brown basmati and wild rice blend from whole foods.  Then I sauteed up green beans, cauliflower, frozen peas, onion, garlic and used the indian 'garam masala' blend and salt.  Mixed the rice and veggies together and it was delicious.  Amazingly, even my three year old ate some.  Todays lunch was kind of boring.  I cooked a whole roasted chicken, had a baked sweet potato (with nothing on it) and steamed broccoli.  My time is so limited, and I also need to cook 'family friendly' clean meals so that the rest of the family can enjoy it.

So, continuing with my little bits of educational information, and since I have been eating so many sweet potatoes, I am going to post some nutritional info about the sweet potato here.  I was glad to see how good it is for us!  Enjoy...

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B6. Pink, yellow and green varieties are high in carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more beta carotene than those with light-colored flesh, and their increased cultivation is being encouraged in Africa, where vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem. Despite the name "sweet", it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.[29]

Cleanse Day 7- seriously, can one eat too much Quinoa?!?

Yes, I seem to have a Quinoa habit!  It is so good though:)  And since I am a nerd, I am going to post info about why quinoa is so good for us...here is what wikipedia has to say:

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Nutritional evaluations of quinoa indicate that it is a source of complete protein.^[14][15] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights.^[16]

Today I made a delicious Quinoa dish- I will call it Pesto Parts Quinoa salad.  Cook one cup of Quinoa.  Then in a bowl mix up finely diced fresh spinach and basil, add chopped up walnuts, finely diced carrots, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.  When the quinoa is all cooked and fluffy, mix it in the bowl with the ingredients and enjoy!  It is delicious and tastes very much like pesto.  I had it with a slice of grilled lamb which was delicious and filling.

My green smoothie was delicious and filling this morning.  Went to work today feeling good and energized.  Not sure what I am going to do about dinner- will be out and about, so I may have to do another shake instead of soup.  We'll see!

Hope you enjoyed the video.  I know it was kind of cheesy, but good info too.  I will post more soon!
Enjoy your weekend!
-Melissa

Clean Cleanse Day 6- feeling better!

Well, I woke up this morning feeling pretty sick, so I decided that I would focus on cleaning my house...and I started scrubbing everything.  Did all the laundry, vacuumed, the whole nine yards, and when I was done, amazingly, my body felt better too!  So, thank goodness, I am on the mend, and ready to really enjoy this cleanse. 

Tried the shake that I posted yesterday, and I must say, I did not love it.  My son would not drink it either...bummer...so it's back to the green smoothies tomorrow!  If anyone has a shake they love please send it to me to try and share with everyone!  For lunch I had oven roasted chicken, sweet potatos and veggies again...very yummy.  But the highlight of the day was the amazing Cauliflower Soup that I made for dinner.  I made a double batch and froze half to have for another 'clean' dinner.  I know that most of you have the recipe, but here it is for those who don't.  Really this is so simple and delicious!

Cauliflower Soup
Drizzle of oil
1 onion diced
1/2 head of cauliflower cut into small florets
1/2 box organic chicken stock
a few pinches of yellow curry powder
pinch of white pepper
pinch salt

• sautee onion in the oil until soft
• add remaining ingredients and cook until the cauliflower is falling apart
• blend
• garnish with a pinch of curry

So, I was looking at you tube for a good video of Dr. Junger to post for any of you needing extra inspiration, or if you wanted to show it to friends or family.  I saw this one of him on the Martha Stewart show that was pretty good.  She was just finishing up her 21 day cleanse.  So here it is!

Thankfully the sun is going to finally come out tomorrow!!  Hope you all make time to enjoy it and soak up that vitamin D. 

Be well,

Melissa

Cleanse Day 5: dreary & tired...

Ok, take a look out your window at the wall of rain clouds.  Now imagine that one of those rain clouds is sitting on your head....now you know how my day has been!  Yuck, I have the toddler/preschool virus from hell!  Today has been hard.  Oh well, another 10 hour sleep like last night and hopefully things will improve.


Had another lovely green smoothie today- but I am ready to try something new.  Here is a recipe that a fellow cleanser emailed me and it sounds awesome.  I am going to use my protein powder instead of spirulina, since I don't have any:)  Just bought some great local spinach from Verrill Farm- go get some!!

1 cup almond milk

1 cup spinach

1Tbls cacao (also very good without)

1Tbls almond butter

1Tbls coconut oil

1 tsp spirulina

1 cup frozen berries

Speaking of Verrill Farm, I went in there today to buy my spinach, and it took all of the will power I had, not to leave with a hot coffee and scone!  Man, that was hard:)  For lunch today I had a delicious piece of salmon, 'homefried' sweet potatoes and sauteed veggies (snap peas, mushrooms and broccoli).  Then I didn't have anytime left to make a soup for dinner, so I went looking in some stores and it is pretty much impossible to buy prepared soups on the cleanse.  Has anyone found any good pre-made soups that use all 'Clean' ingredients?  I would love to know if you have!  I think I'm going to need a gallon of one of our clean soups from our event...

Oh, so I had another request for the Quinoa Salad from our kick-off event.  Yes, it is amazing and it is in the back of the Clean book- but I am going to write it here for anyone wanting it.  Love this recipe!

Quinoa Salad with Chicken and Mixed Greens

2 cups cooked and cooled Quinoa

2 (4 oz) chicken breasts, grilled or steamed and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon parsley

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup scallions, cut thinly diagonally

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup lime

1 teaspoon agave nectar (use honey instead as this is now on the 'no' list)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cups salad greens tossed with 2 tablespoons olive oil)

1. Steam Chicken Breast- at event we used Roast Chicken recipe from page 252- with balsamic glaze.
2. Put all ingredients except chicken and salad greens in a bowl and toss together with the quinoa.  Adjust seasoning to taste.
3. Mound half this quinoa salad on each place
4. Make a bed of salad greens next to quinoa and place sliced chicken on top.
5. Enjoy!!

clean cleanse day 3: i heart lentils...

I think that lentils may be in competition with kale for my most obsessed about healthy food.  They are so delicious!  Here is what wikipedia has to say about the nutrition of lentils:

With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp.^[3] Proteins include the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, and lentils are an essential source of inexpensive protein in many parts of the world, especially in West Asia and the Indian subcontinent, which have large vegetarian populations.^[4] Lentils are deficient in two essential amino acids, methionineand cysteine.^[5] However, sprouted lentils contain sufficient levels of all essential amino acids, including methionine and cysteine.^[6]

Lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B₁, and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%).^[7] Healthmagazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods.^[8] Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish.

Lentils also have antinutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitors and relatively high phytatecontent. Trypsin is an enzyme involved in digestion, and phytates reduce the bioavailability of dietary minerals.^[9] The phytates can be reduced by soaking the lentils in warm water overnight.

Lentils are a good source of iron.^[10

So today I had started the day with another delicious green smoothie.  This one had almond milk instead of coconut, but was equally awesome.  Then my cup of green tea and my belly was very happy.  I am feeling less hungry than I thought I would.  I made an absolutely delicious soup....modified from one I saw on the internet.

It was a red lentil and broccoli soup.  I sauteed 1/2 diced onion with 1 cup of RED lentils, then added salt and finely diced broccoli- covered with water and let cook for about 20 minutes.  I then added cumin, lemon, more salt and pepper, a little almond milk and pureed with my immersion blender.  It came out so delicious.  The full recipe had more indian spices and now I am extremely excited about going to an asian market soon for some good spices- black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, and a great spice mixture called garam masala.  I spent 6 months living in India several years ago, and never once did I get sick of their food...here is a link to the full recipe that inspired me today. 

 www.veggieburgher.blogspot.com/2012/01/creamy-broccoli-dal-sweet-potato-bake.html

So, my headaches have lifted and I am definitely noticing more consistent energy.  Still tired in the morning, but not having an energy crash in the afternoon.  I still have a lingering cold, and I am hoping for that to be gone soon.  Overall I am starting to feel very good, and definitely better overall.  This is such a great way to eat.  I love the smoothies, and I really love shifting my bigger meal to mid-day and eating a soup at night.  It is amazing that with all of these dietary restrictions, I am feeling even more inspired by cooking.  A whole foods diet just feels good.  I am not missing bread, dairy or red meat at all!!

Hope you are all doing well!

More tomorrow...

-Melissa

Cleanse Day 2: Oh Green Smoothie how I love thee...

Seriously, thank you Allyson for the smoothie demo on Sunday...so helpful!  This morning my smoothie was delicious, and my husband and son loved it as well.  It was a huge bunch of chopped kale, one avacado, several scoops of the pea protein powder, chopped apple & pear, and some frozen mango and pinapple, plus the coconut milk beverage.  YUM!!  I felt full for quite awhile after that.  Then I had a nice warm green tea which was delicious.  About mid-morning I took out the pistachios and snacked out for a few minutes- felt good and held me over until lunch. 

For lunch I made a huge batch of quinoa with sauteed veggies and grilled chicken.  I made enough that this will be my lunch for tomorrow as well.  Dinner....well, it was that lentil soup I mentioned yesterday.  So, I spruced it up by putting in some cooked carrots and celery and blending.  It really did taste very good, but the color, oh that color looked somewhere between green and brown- I think puce might be an accurate description.  It looked very much like vomit- oh man- but I ate it anyway- and it did taste good with my eyes closed!  I think red lentils are much better for soups than the french ones...oh well:)

As far as how I felt today, to be honest, not that great.  I felt tired, a little headachy and nauseas all day.  It is very challenging caring for my three children and adjusting to the new ways of cooking and preparing foods.  It is a little time consuming to get used to all of the extra food prep, but I am sure I will adjust.  

Oh, I have had a few requests for the Cream of Asparagus and White Bean Soup, so here it is...enjoy:

12 stalks of trimmed asparagus (4-6 more if they are thin stalks)
1/4 onion cut into wedges or slices
1/2 cup chopped fennel
2 cloves garlic
1 cup rice milk, plus more to thin soup
2/3 can white beans such as cannelini (Eden Organic cans are BPA free)
olive oil
1/4 lemon
black pepper, sea salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper

• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• place asparagus, onion, fennel and garlic on cookie sheet and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper
• bake for 15-20 minutes
• put all above ingredients in blender (or use immersion blender) with rice milk and white beans and blend until desired thickness
• add juice from lemon, sea salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.
• warm on stove if necessary