Day 6

Uh-oh...
I think I am just about ready for re-introducing protein foods...
It may have had to do something with my rearranging large (and heavy) furniture yesterday or it might just be  a normal response but today I felt that need.

What did I eat?
Well, I did not have time to prepare extra meals for me so it was odds and ends... which might be another possible explanation.

This morning I made a smoothie that turned into a wonderful pudding...
(Avocado, Banana, Almond Milk and Flaxseed)
Later, I had the last of the Red Pepper Soup, some trail mix,  a tiny bit of sauteed cabbage, a taste (literally) of wild rice, another smoothie with Papaya and Banana - equally delicious - a half sweet potato, some tiny roasted beets
a little trail mix, some roasted cabbage, a carob drink,  lots of herbal tea. At one point this afternoon, I was pretty shaky so I got myself a banana with almond butter.:)

I made Roasted beet and garlic Soup for tomorrow, and a Chickpea Salad. (NO, I did not taste the latter! although wanted to...)

Day 5

A good article.

It also makes me think of how much BETTER I feel while doing this detox. No need for naps.
Energy that lasts through most of the day - of course, with frequent snacks:)
My new favourite snack:

Take a banana, cut in half, slice in half length-wise and spread with Almond Butter.
The best:)

I don't miss sugar. But then again, how could I? I am eating SO much fruit. :)

Day 4 - Already?

It's going so smoothly, I barely noticed.
Amazingly enough, I don't miss bread! Without bread even the lack of cheese is not a problem.
Today:
Banana, Almond butter, Hemp Hearts Smoothie,
Mini Arugula - just by itself -b/c I love it.
Red Pepper /Cabbage Soup - so delicious
Sweet pot. mashed with almond milk, Chia and Cinnamon - cold.
Power balls:
(like Larabars)
Cashews, Dates, Tart Cherries, Hemp hears, Cocoa - processed and made into balls.
(They keep well in the fridge - although that was never put to test:) )
Dinner was Beet leaves with Wild rice. Very pleasant. For dessert I had a banana with almond butter.
For Late snack I had an orange, ok, so I took some power balls, too...

Day 3

Pretty good.
I had a prolonged outing that I did not anticipate, had no snack, just a tea mug with me...
but it worked out OK in the end.
Foodwise:
Smoothie breakfast - banana, carob, chia, cocoa nibs, almond butter,
Leftover potato soup, Spinach Salad with Hemp Hearts, Lemon Tahini Dressing.
I have cooked a pot of Red pepper, Coconut, Cabbage Soup, baked a sweet potato, and cooked some wild rice.
I'm off to enjoy some:)

I AM STILL HERE

and it's Day 2.

Today was a much better day.
More energy.  I felt slightly hungry all day. Somehow, that seems to work for me.
I also participated in a Yin Yoga class which was wonderful both for mind and body:)

Food-wise:
Smoothies are great.
They are not my usual breakfast food but they work well. Magic Bullet is easily rinsed and is ready for another round if needed.
This morning:
Avocado/Mango/ Flaxseed/ Banana/ Almond butter/ Coconut milk Smoothie.  Very pleasant.
(I thought I would not like avocado in there.  It works - gives it a good texture)
Lunch:
Potato and Leek Soup
Mixed greens salad with hemp hearts
I had Tea this morning- no time for morning snack.

After workshop:
my trailmix
Followed by herbal tea.
Smoothie: Banana/Carob
Dinner:
Mixed greens salad with black sesame and Lemon Tahini dressing.
A wonderful Leek/Spinach/Arugula/Sundried Tomato/Quinoa  Pilaf.

I suspect, I'll be having some more fruit.

P.S.
I did:
I had some banana slices with almond butter. It was delicious. Who said I needed to feel deprived?

Day 1

Today, my friend and I officially started the Whole Living Detox.

I wish I could say that it all went well, I feel like a "million dollars".... (I was always puzzled when I heard that expression -I never knew those had feelings)
But: I woke up with a headache which progressed to "near-migraine" level.
I drank lots, did not help. I followed the detox instructions, told myself that all the fresh stuff will make it go away. It did not. Finally, I took an Advil. Not my choice product for a detox:). I took a nap.
Woke up with the same pain. Made myself a cup of black tea. (!) It's  a bit better.
I decided that I will continue drinking tea. I know from the last detox that I can go without coffee as long as I have my tea.

On more positive note:
Breakfast was a smoothie  (Banana, Carob, Coconut milk, Almond butter)
Snack:
Vegan herb crackers
Lunch:
Mushroom saute with Quinoa (as quinoa is not a a grain, therefore permissible)
Mixed Greens Salad with Homemade Lemon Tahini Dressing and Hemp Hearts.
Snack: dates
(several)
another smoothie (avocado, lemon, mango, flaxseed, coconut milk)
Dinner:
Potato-Leek  Soup, Green Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Sundried Tomatoes, and Lemon Tahini Dressing.
Orange

Lots of herbal tea...

Discovery:
I LOVE hemp hearts.  I must incorporate them into food more often.

Simplify

One of my objectives is to simplify our meals. It's always beneficial but more so as I try to deal with Detox and separate meals for the rest of the family.
Currently, I 'm searching for meals with few ingredients. I will post links as I find them.

A New Dish

Supper in a hurry:)

I'm trying to use up my current supplies before grocery shopping, so dishes are created around what I have on hand, not the other way around.

Tonight's Chickpea dish :

2 TBS Sunflower oil
2 small onions, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
small amount of veg. broth (or water)
1 heaped tsp paprika
1 hot pepper chopped
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 large sweet potato, peeled, diced
1 potato, peeled, diced
Salt and Pepper

Heat oil, add onions, add a little salt, cook until  they soften.
Add garlic, stir.
When onions are golden, add a little broth as needed. Add sweet potato, potato, paprika, stir well, lower heat and cover dish. Cook until nearly done, then add chickpeas. Stir - heat until chickpeas are hot.
Season w. Salt and Pepper and enjoy.

Counting Down

My day to start will be February 24th. This way, all our birthday, anniversary, etc. celebrations are done and I can give Detox some focus.
The Whole Living Detox is the foundation for it. However, as much as I am willing to and interested in trying recipes, I still want to include my own TNT dishes as much as it is possible.
In order to make the detox successful
- I need a plan for the week (a menu plan)
- a shopping list for the same
- supplies

I need to make sure there is food on hand at all times so I don't go hungry. Getting hungry without appropriate supplies is the fastest way for getting off Detox.

Progress

Busy preparing for next week's Detox...

I am so much more aware of our need for dark green leafy veggies. I am so much more inclined to include them in my regular recipes. I no longer search for "spinach" or "kale" recipes but simply add some baby spinach to my white bean casserole dish or include some frozen ones.
Kale might go into my soup or I might make some kale chips. The latest discovery was, of course, that it is good in a salad, too.
This way, I think, the rest of my family is also more inclined to embrace those oh-so-beneficial greens.

I'd love to hear your ideas on the matter.

The Salad That Keeps On Giving

Well, my (huge) bowl of salad was a hit with my family. By tonight there was only a small amount left which was turned into a Pasta Salad with the addition of some lovely Amaranth Penne.

It reminded me of a beautifully illustrated children's book Something From Nothing :)

(What am I going to do without my grains on the Detox???)

A New Salad Recipe is Born

BI've been playing with recipes for a (near) future detox.
I was going to make the Kale Salad on the Whole Living Detox site (Ingredients below) - but I did not have red cabbage or carrots. I had a bag of Coleslaw - which proved to be perfect.
Dijon Mustard was MIA - I substituted with a fancy Tarragon Mustard which gave the salad a unique taste. I had to increase the dressing b/c I made a large amount.
We had a lot of it for lunch - leftovers were turned into a chickpea salad: I added a can of chickpeas:)

Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and CarrotServes 4 

• Kale, 1 bunch
• Red cabbage, 1 small head
• Carrot, 1
• Fresh parsley, 1/4 cup leaves
• Red onion, 1/4
• Sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds, 6 Tbsp 
• Mixed Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp
• Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp
• Apple-cider vinegar, 1 tsp
• Coarse salt and pepper

Soup Recipes

I've decided to list my soups I tend to make in rotation.
I will include links whenever appropriate.
If interested - check the sidebar.

I never cared for soups. While growing up, the only soups I'd eat were Chicken Noodle (minus chicken)-
Pea Soup and Romano Bean Soup.
Once married, I added Potato and Leek Soup to my repertoire.
In the past 4-5 years I have tried many and learned to appreciate a variety of them. If I have a pot of soup on the stove (or in the fridge, or freezer) - the thought of making dinner does not send my heart racing:).

It's Time

It's time to start posting again...
It's time to focus on getting in shape again.
It's time to share new ideas, challenges...

So I'm here.

It is always tough at this time of the year. Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year are followed by two birthdays and a wedding anniversary... I can't even get serious until the end of February.
This year with the mild winter we've had, I can already see green branches on the Forsythia (!) and little buds on our Magnolia. Both remind me that spring is around the corner!

Normally, at this time, I get slightly antsy, anxious to start outdoor exercise. Well,  running is out for a while: I've been struggling with my ITB. (Spinning is impossible:( as are many yoga poses along with a number of exercises in my sculpting class) I'm not the happiest camper about this but...
I'm focusing on what I CAN do:
walking, sculpting classes (minus squats, lunges etc.) , self-directed yoga, ab exercises.

Food-wise we are still in "winter-mode". I've been experimenting a bit with some new recipes.
The latest is a cookie. Impressive. (just don't tell anyone you've made it out of beans:) )

Challenges:
I've been fairly low-key so far. This book has been my guide for weekly small changes. None of them have been drastic changes so far - just little tweaks.

I will try to post regularly - it keeps me on track.:)