Tag: cleanse

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Chilled Spinach Detox Soup for your Meatless Monday

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, conflicted omnivore or ardent carnivore, it doesn’t hurt to give yourself at least one day each week where you focus on a plant-based diet. I love the Meatless Monday movement for this very reason. It’s approachable, non-preachy and good common sense. I’m completely inconsistent with my posts to this end and am way overdue in offering a new recipe for you all.

As some of you know, I am a big believer in whole foods, home cooking-focused detoxes. I’ve guided over 100 different folks from all over the country through my seasonal detoxes over the course of the last two years and really enjoy coming up with meals that are simple, tasty and clean. My latest 4-day detox includes the following recipe. If you want to buy the self-guided version it’s now available through my online store.

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I love picking up ingredients for this and all detox recipes from my local farmers market. Food is always better – both in taste and nutrient density – when locally grown with less transport and shelf time.

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Chilled Spinach Detox Soup

{makes 4 side portions or 2 mains}

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 Tbs organic unsalted butter
  • 2 small sweet onions (the size of baseballs)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp muchi curry powder
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 5 oz baby spinach
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Top with a couple tablespoons of low-fat, plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

  1. Sauté onions in butter and oil over medium heat until soft, adding a generous pinch of salt as you stir.
  2. Add curry powder and garlic. Sauté another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Add spinach and thyme and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  5. Blend until smooth.
  6. Served hot or chilled and garnish with yogurt and ground black pepper. Stir well and enjoy!
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Seasonal 10 Day Detox

Summer’s now in full swing and so is my seasonal 10-Day Detox with 10 brave and awesome Wellness Warriors! My guided system reset isn’t a starve yourself detox that makes food the enemy, it’s a program to help people redefine their relationship with food. Over the course of 10 days participants learn to listen to their body, strip away the junk and walk away revitalized and more in control of their cravings. It’s a healthy dose of empowerment!

Blueberry Beet Detox Smoothie

Interested in a future detox? Whether you live nearby in D.C. or across the ocean, shoot me an email at [email protected] for more information.

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My Top 5 Green Smoothie Recipes

It’s officially Cherry Blossom season here in the District, which means spring (real spring, not teaser spring) is just around the corner! To honor the onset of my favorite time of year in DC, I thought I’d share 5 of my favorite “Greenie”recipes. My Greenies are healthy vegan  smoothies that bring together fruit, dark leafy greens, plant-based protein and nutritional superfoods in one tasty and satisfying blend. At under 400 calories for 16oz of smoothie (that’s two full glasses!), all of these recipes are are great way to start your day. They’re also packed with dietary fiber (thanks to the flaxseed and chia seeds in there) and protein to keep you full and focused. Best of all, they have anywhere from 3 to 5 servings of fruits and veggies so by the end of breakfast you’ll have either met or surpassed your recommended daily intake. Now, that’s no excuse to eat junk for the rest of the day, but it is mighty nice to know that you’re giving your body much of what it needs for optimal function from the get-go. Also, studies show that if you start your day with a healthy breakfast you’re less likely to be obese, more likely to have good/stable blood glucose levels (and consequently more energy and less moodiness), and less likely to be hungry later in the day.

If you’re not a fan of almond milk substitute your favorite unsweetened rice, hemp, soy, coconut or skim milk, or try fat-free plain Greek, soy or coconut yogurt in lieu of almond milk yogurt. Coconut water is another good liquid to swap, just beware of its sugar content. Several brands really jack that up. My favorites are Blue Monkey, C2O, and–la crème de la crème–100% Raw Coconut Water.

 

 

(1) Banana-Berry Breakfast Greenie:

  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen whole strawberries
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 tbs almond butter
  • 2 tbs ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

287 calories, 14g of dietary fiber, and 10g protein per serving.

(2) Blueberry-Kale Protein Greenie:

312 calories, 22g of dietary fiber, and 27g of protein per serving.

(3) Blueberry-Beet Power Greenie:

  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 medium beets (boiled)
  • 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 tbs grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbs hemp protein powder
  • 2 tbs ground flaxseed

319 calories, 21g of dietary fiber, and 25g of protein per serving.

(4) Pineapple-Mango Vitamin-C Greenie:

  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
  • 2 handfuls of kale
  • 1 tbs chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

341 calories, 13g of dietary fiber, and 10g of protein per serving.

(5) Dark Cherry Goji Greenie:

381 calories, 21g of dietary fiber, and 25g of protein per serving.

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10-Day Cleanse: The Recap

For those of you that did this cleanse, kudos. It’s not easy to follow such a strict diet for 1 day let alone 10–not to mention all of the advance planning, grocery shopping and cooking involved!

I designed this cleanse as a way to strip down what you put into your body and re-start your daily nutritional intake with a clean slate. As you gradually add back in various foods, you gain a better awareness of what energizes your body and makes you feel your best. Some of you may have noticed that your body functions better on less caffeine, less gluten, and/or less meat. Or perhaps you realized the opposite–that your energy levels were far better with coffee, bread and/or animal proteins. Whatever the outcome, doing this helps us tune into our bodies and better understand how to strike the balance between what we crave and what truly nourishes us.

I did not design this cleanse for weight loss, and while you may drop a few LBS if you follow through with it, it’s not about that. If you want to slim down, I’m a firm believer in combining regular exercise and healthy eating as part of your lifestyle. Any cleanse is a temporary intervention, and in this case a reset for your body’s daily dietary intake. In other words, it’s not a panacea. By removing the processed foods, added sugars and salts, and copious quantities of meat with which we so often inundate our bodies, you can begin to understand exactly what your body needs versus what boredom, sadness, and many other emotional drivers tell us it wants.

I’m a big believer that food should be enjoyable but hopefully those of you who try this cleanse will attest that these recipes are pretty darn tasty. I’m not saying you have to eat a vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free diet to be healthy–because let’s face it, you’d miss out on a lot of amazing eats that way–but hopefully this will empower you to make better choices for you and your body long term.

One last thing I wanted to share based on my experience with this cleanse, pay attention to my initial warning and do not work out during the first 2 days of this cleanse as there is little to no protein to help you rebuild your muscles. I don’t want you doing damage to your body by improperly preparing it for exercise and recovery. If you feel the need to work out days 1-2, do some restorative yoga, stretching, or take a long walk.

If you did try out this cleanse I’d love to hear from you. What was your experience like? What changes did you notice in your body? Would you recommend this to a friend?

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10-Day Cleanse: Recipes (8-10)

Kale Citrus Salad with Chickpeas

Ingredients:

  • 1 orange, squeezed (4 tbs)
  • 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbs sesame oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • black pepper (and salt for the non-cleanse version)
  • 2 cups of curly kale or dinosaur kale
  • 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 tangerines, peeled and separated into sections
  • 2 tbs sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbs sesame seeds
  • 1 cup chickpeas

How to make it:

  1. In a large bowl, squeeze fresh juice of one orange and add apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper and 1 clove minced garlic. Whisk to combine.
  2. In same the bowl, add kale and cabbage. Massage the dressing made in step 1 into the leaves of the kale and shreds of cabbage for at least 2 minutes. Let the kale to sit and marinate for 30 min or more.
  3. Add shallots, red pepper, tangerine sections, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and chickpeas and toss to combine.
  4. Let the whole salad marinate in the fridge overnight, then enjoy!

Warm Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1/2 eggplant, diced
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • black pepper (and salt for the non-cleanse version)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup red kidney beans
  • 1/2 cup chickpeas

How to make it:

  1. In a medium saucepan, toast quinoa over medium-high heat for 1-2 min, being careful not to let it burn. Add water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 min or until all water is absorbed.
  2. While quinoa cooks, heat coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced eggplant and zucchini and cook for 7-8 min, or until veggies are tender. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook for another 2-3 min. Remove from heat.
  3. When quinoa is done, remove from heat. Add sautéed veggies to quinoa, add black pepper and chili powder, and give it a good mix. (Note: when you’re not on the cleanse, add salt–it’ll taste yummier)
  4. Wait 5-10 minutes then add diced red pepper, red kidney beans, and chickpeas to the quinoa mix.
  5. Taste for seasoning, adjust, and enjoy!
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10-Day Cleanse: Recipes (5-7)

Here are the recipes you’ll need for days 5-7 of my moderate cleanse. The hummus is super yummy (and pink!) and the Lentil salad is super hearty–especially compared to the rabbit food of days 1-4. Enjoy! (Oh, and pictures to come!)

 

Two-Bean Garlic Hummus

  • 1 ½ cups pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ tbs coconut oil
  • 2-3 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper flakes
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup water (or more if needed to blend)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. This will keep well in the fridge for up to a week. You may need to add a dash more lemon juice right before serving to brighten it up a bit and bring out all the flavors.

Lentil Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Dressing

  • 1/2 lb dried lentils
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • sun dried tomato dressing (see below)
  • 1 small container grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup shredded basil

How to make it:

  1. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add lentils. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender but not falling apart.
  2. While the lentils are cooking, prepare your Sun Dried Tomato Dressing but combining all ingredients (below) in a food processor and blending until smooth.
  3. Remove lentils from heat and strain.
  4. In a large bowl, pour dressing over lentils and coat evenly. Mix in your diced cucumber, red bell pepper, and shallot.
  5. When ready to serve, mix in your grape tomatoes and shredded basil (I like to keep this separate until I plate so they stay fresh and don’t make the salad mushy).

Sun Dried Tomato Dressing:

  • 10-12 sun dried tomato halves
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
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10-Day (Moderate) Cleanse

I’ve wanted to try a detoxifying cleanse for some time now, but just couldn’t wrap my head around trying to function while only consuming some purportedly magical concoction of water, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper in an attempt at pursuing the so-called  Master Cleanse. If you’re like me and lead an active and busy lifestyle, it would be nearly impossible to follow most detox programs without feeling drained or hangry the entire time.

Moderation and feasibility in mind, I’ve devised a cleanse that keeps it real and keeps you functional.  I am not a nutritionist (yet!) or doctor, but I have done my fair share of research. The first two days of this cleanse are 100% raw–intended to scrub out your digestive track the natural way–and all but the final day are in keeping with a vegan diet.

This is a great way to give your system a reset as the seasons change. That being said, while following this please listen to your body. It’s normal to feel hungry at times (especially during days 1-4), but do not starve yourself. If your body is telling you to increase portion sizes, do it. Also, WARNING: do not work out during the first two days of this cleanse as there is little to no protein. I don’t want you doing damage to your muscles. If you desperately need to exercise days 1-2, do some restorative yoga, stretching, or take a long walk. Mainly, avoid any high-impact activities, weight training, or isometric training.

THE PROGRAM:

(The meals below are guidelines. Feel free to use the fruits, veggies, nuts, and whole grains you like best. For example, if you can’t find kale, use any other dark leafy green.)

Day
            Allowed Suggested Meals
1 whole fruits &veggies
  • Breakfast: blueberry beet smoothie w/ grated ginger and lemon
  • Snack: apple w/ cinnamon
  • Lunch: baby arugula w/ mushrooms, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow bell peppers, carrots
  • Snack: ½ avocado w/ apple cider vinegar
  • Dinner: ½ roasted squash w/ diced onions & cayenne inside; steamed broccoli
  • Dessert: 5-6 figs (or any sweet, whole fruit)
2  whole fruits &veggies
  • Breakfast: blueberry beet smoothie w/ grated ginger and lemon
  • Snack: apple w/ cinnamon
  • Lunch: baby arugula w/ mushrooms, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow bell peppers, carrots
  • Snack: ½ avocado w/ apple cider vinegar
  • Dinner: ½ roasted squash w/ diced onions & cayenne inside; steamed broccoli
  • Dessert: 5-6 figs (or any sweet, whole fruit)
3 whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts
  • Breakfast: pineapple banana kale smoothie w/ ground flaxseed
  • Snack: orange slices
  • Lunch: baby spinach, 2 tbs walnuts, 1 tbs pumpkin seeds, strawberries, mushrooms
  • Snack: ¼ cup raw almonds (unsalted)
  • Dinner: grilled eggplant, portobella mushroom, and red pepper skewers; side spinach salad w/ sunflower & pomegranate seeds (apple cider vinegar for dressing)
  • Dessert: raspberries (or any sweet, whole fruit)
4  whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts
  • Breakfast: pineapple banana kale smoothie w/ ground flaxseed
  • Snack: orange slices
  • Lunch: baby spinach, 2 tbs walnuts, 1 tbs pumpkin seeds, strawberries, mushrooms
  • Snack: ¼ cup raw almonds (unsalted)
  • Dinner: grilled eggplant, portobella mushroom, and red pepper skewers; side spinach salad w/ sunflower & pomegranate seeds (apple cider vinegar for dressing)
  • Dessert: raspberries (or any sweet, whole fruit)
5 whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts; and beans
  • Breakfast: mixed berries w/ 2 tbs soaked chia seeds, slivered raw almonds, and almond milk (substitutes: coconut, soy or hemp milk )
  • Snack: apple w/ cinnamon
  • Lunch: arugula w/ roasted root veggies (roasted w/ only coconut oil)—carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, red onion
  • Snack: baby carrots & homemade white-bean hummus
  • Dinner: warm lentil salad w/ chickpeas
  • Dessert: ½ mango w/ cayenne (optional)
6  whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts; and beans
  • Breakfast: mixed berries w/ 2 tbs soaked chia seeds, slivered raw almonds, and almond milk (substitutes: coconut, soy or hemp milk )
  • Snack: apple w/ cinnamon
  • Lunch: baby arugula w/ roasted root veggies (roasted w/ only coconut oil)—carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, red onion
  • Snack: baby carrots & homemade white-bean hummus
  • Dinner: warm lentil salad w/ chickpeas
  • Dessert: ½ mango w/ cayenne (optional)
7  whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts; and beans
  • Breakfast: mixed berries w/ 2 tbs soaked chia seeds, slivered raw almonds, and almond milk (substitutes: coconut, soy or hemp milk )
  • Snack: apple w/ cinnamon
  • Lunch: baby arugula w/ roasted root veggies (roasted w/ only coconut oil)—carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, red onion
  • Snack: baby carrots & homemade white-bean hummus
  • Dinner: warm lentil salad w/ chickpeas
  • Dessert: ½ mango w/ cayenne (optional)
8  whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts; and beans; and whole grains
  • Breakfast: oatmeal (or quinoa) w/ fresh blueberries, cinnamon, 2 tbs chia seeds (or ground flaxseed) and 1 tsp maple syrup
  • Snack: orange slices
  • Lunch: kale salad w/ chickpeas
  • Snack: ½ avocado w/ apple cider vinegar
  • Dinner: warm quinoa salad w/ grilled eggplant
  • Dessert: ½ mango w/ cayenne (optional)
9  whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts; and beans; and whole grains
  • Breakfast: oatmeal (or quinoa) w/ fresh blueberries, cinnamon, 2 tbs chia seeds (or ground flaxseed) and 1 tsp maple syrup
  • Snack: orange slices
  • Lunch: kale salad w/ chickpeas
  • Snack: ½ avocado w/ apple cider vinegar
  • Dinner: warm quinoa salad w/ grilled eggplant
  • Dessert: pear slices (or any sweet, whole fruit)
10  whole fruits &veggies; and seeds & nuts; and beans; and whole grains; and eggs
  • Breakfast: egg-white omelette with spinach, tomato, mushroom & spices; ½ avocado sliced
  • Snack: ½ cup mixed berries
  • Lunch: kale salad w/ chickpeas
  • Snack: ¼ cup raw almonds (unsalted)
  • Dinner: warm quinoa salad w/ 1 poached egg
  • Dessert: pear slices (or any sweet, whole fruit)

Suggested Shopping List:

  • Salad greens: baby arugula and spinach
  • Salad fixings: mushrooms, (grape) tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers (any color), carrots, avocados, and any other raw veggies you like
  • Meaty veggies: eggplant, portobello mushrooms
  • Fruits: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, apples, oranges, mangoes, pineapple, pears, peaches, plums, figs, etc
  • Hearty greens: kale (mustard greens, collard greens and swiss chard work too)
  • Root vegetables: parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots
  • Squash: butternut and acorn
  • Nuts (all unsalted, raw): almonds and walnuts preferrably
  • Seeds (all unsalted, raw): pumpkin, sunflower, chia (whole or ground), flax (ground)
  • Whole grains: quinoa and oatmeal (other good ones include faro & barley)
  • Proteins: pinto, kidney, black, or butter beans; lentils; chickpeas; eggs
  • Flavoring: onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and any other spices you like
  • Acids: lemons, apple cider vinegar
  • Oils: coconut oil (or cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil if you can’t find that)
  • Sweeteners: maple syrup (or raw honey)
  • Beverages: unsweetened green, white, and herbal teas; water!
  • Liquids: almond, hemp, coconut or soy milk

The No-Nos:

  • Salt
  • Coffee and black tea
  • Sugar (except small quantities of maple syrup or raw honey)
  • Oils (except small quantities of coconut oil or cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil)
  • Refined Starches (a.k.a. “empty calories” like white bread)
  • Booze (sorry kids–if you need a little sauce before going out, try kombucha)

I’ll be sharing recipes and insights over the course of the next 10 days, so stay tuned!