Heading Home (and on a Detox diet!)

After 2 years away, my kids and I are heading to Maine and Prince Edward Island to spend some time with our family for THREE WEEKS!!  



Adeline with Papa Allen (my dad)



The last time I was there my baby girl was not even 3 months old yet and now she is over 2 and talking up a storm.  I can't wait for my family to see all three of the kids and for my kids to have time to spend with the people that I grew up with - my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandparents.  My mother and stepfather, my dad and one of my grammie's usually come to visit us once a year.  Other than that we don't get to see everyone else!  Indiana is a LOOOONG way from Maine.




We don't have beaches like THIS in Indiana.



The smell of salt air...



Freshly caught lobsters...



...and super large boots to take pictures with :)

Emma is looking forward to seeing her mommy.  She looks so little in this pic from two years ago!!



View of Bucksport, Maine from Fort Knox



 I know that alot of you have been following my posts on my experience with the detox "diet".  I like to use the term diet loosely since it has such a negative connotation.  Today marks day 40.  I committed to 30 days and as you may have read in a previous post I decided to run with it longer.  Now that I am going away from my own home in Indiana, I have had to prepare myself mentally for what challenges I may face.  To date, my husband and I have not experienced going out to dinner since the second day of my detox, let alone staying with family who only want to feed you and make you happy.  I am excited for this challenge since the decisions I make in how to handle myself and the willpower and determination I have will allow me to prove to myself that doing this for the long haul is quite possible.  I plan to keep a similar regimen for myself there as what I am on here, that being: to take nuts and dried fruit with me to curb hunger, stay well-hydrated throughout my day, take along salads or make a shake to go when we can't be at home for a meal.  If all of the above are impossible, I know what things to avoid and will do my utmost to stay away from those things.  Thank goodness LOBSTER isn't on the list of DON'TS! (although I won't be dipping it in butter this time around.)

So, if you don't 'hear' from me alot over the next few weeks, it's probably because I am sniffing ocean air and tasting salt water on my lips.  I will post some more yummy recipes for you to try when I return (possibly some before I leave if I can spare a few moments).  I hope those of you who have been inspired to make healthier choices, even if you are removing one inflammatory food at a time, or doing a 7 or 10 day detox, have all the success as I have had so far.  Please feel free to contact me at daphne.thomas80@gmail.com if you have any questions or need some extra encouragement.  I would love to help even while I am away.  Remember, this is your life.  How do you choose to live it??? 



Berry Chia Porridge - Gluten/Dairy/Soy Free

Berry Chia Porridge

My husband told me yesterday that after 36 days on our "30 day detox"  he was getting tired of having berries everyday for breakfast.  I love berries and don't tire of them so I hadn't even thought of mixing it up. Plus, they were an easy, quick fix for me to have ready for him to take out of the fridge when he gets up at 4am to go to work. 

Since I am at home the majority of the time, I have eggs with my berries once or twice a week and sometimes I have a shake.  Once, as a treat I made some delectable gluten/dairy free pancakes which I will have a recipe on here for soon, but Bob usually just gets berries.  Anyway, I found a chia porridge recipe and altered it a bit so it would work better for us on our detox diet.  It's surprisingly very good and I hope you try it.

This works best if you make it the night before and refrigerate.

Ingredients

1/4 C. Chia Seeds

1/4 C. Shredded unsweetened coconut

1 C. Unsweetened milk alternative of your choice (almond, hemp, sunflower, coconut, rice)

1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/8 tsp. Ground Ginger

1/8 tsp. Cinnamon

1-2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup (honey or stevia would also work)

Instructions

Mix chia seeds, coconut and milk in a bowl.  In a separate smaller dish, whisk or stir together the vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, and maple syrup.  Add the latter ingredients to the chia seed/milk mixture.  Cover and refrigerate.  Serve cold or room temperature topped with fresh fruit (berries are best on your detox since they have a lower glycemic index) and enjoy.

*Tips*

I found Chia Seeds at my local Costco for 7.99 for a 2 lb. bag.  If you don't live near a Costco, check your grocery stores or amazon.com.  The health food stores have them but when I priced them they were about $10/lb.  

You can make your chia seed porridge in the morning.  Let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes to soften, but the seeds won't fully absorb the liquid and will be crunchy, but still enjoyable :)

Roasted Root Veggies - Gluten/Dairy/Soy Free

 Roasted Root Vegetables

While on my quest to find satisfying, filling, and detox friendly recipes, I came across this one.  I would have thought that all these starchy veggies would be discouraged on a detox/cleanse but I was wrong.  (shh!!)

I do want to encourage you to check out the original recipe posted here.  The site has a plethora of delicious detox recipes and I still have so many that I want to make for my family.  BUT, what I like is that it breaks down how each ingredient is cleansing to our diet.  AND, that it's guilt-free, comfort food!  I like that part.

Ingredients:(use organic whenever possible)

Use any or all of the following root vegetables:  Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Carrots, Potatoes, (I only used sweet potatoes since white aren't recommended in my cleanse) Daikon Radish, Yams, Winter Squash, Turnips, Parsnips, Beets

Use one of the following spice suggestions: Basil & Oregano, Curry, Garam Masala, Thyme & Sage, Cumin & Garlic Powder, Rosemary & Parsley, Spike, Old Bay or Chinese 5 Spice.

I have made this a couple of times because it's something that my whole family will eat.  It's SO FILLING and makes a great Main Course or Side Dish.  The first time I made it I used Rosemary and Thyme.  I know that wasn't one of the spice combinations suggested but Sage isn't recommended for nursing mothers and I am one.  The next time I made it I used the Rosemary and Parsley.  Both were very delicious.

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Chop root veggies into fairly uniform bite sized pieces
3. Toss with Olive Oil and herbs/spices of your choice and salt to taste.
4. Bake in a large casserole dish for about 45 minutes or until veggies are tender to a fork and browned a bit.  Check after 30 minutes and toss. (I used my large roasting pan because there are SO MANY VEGGIES!!)

*If you are using beets and you don't want them to dye everything red, keep them off to the side of the pan instead of mixing them in with everything else.

And Voila!  A delicious and nutritious dish that will warm your tummy and curb those sugar cravings!! Of course, we had to top it with the Lemon Tahini Sauce 'cos it's just that good.



Cumin Quinoa and Black Rice Salad-Gluten/Dairy/Soy Free

I really LOOOVE to cook and lately have been finding loads of pleasure in cooking delicious but healthy/detox friendly recipes for my family.  The internet is such a wonderful tool for discovering new recipes, although I know it can be time consuming when you are looking for very specific dietary requirements.  I wanted to round up some recipes I have found (and cooked and enjoyed!) so you will have something to start with if you embark on a "clean eating" diet.

Here's a recipe that I found and made for my family the other night.  It was SO good and it made an abundance.  We had it as a side dish for dinner and then ate it cold over salad the next day.  YUM!

Cumin-Scented Quinoa and Black RiceYou can substitute any color rice or quinoa to make this salad.

See the original recipe here: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2011/11/cumin-scented-quinoa-and-black-rice#ixzz1v5sIWo00

Ingredients:

1/2 cup short-grain black rice
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed well
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced (I used more since I loooove garlic!)
2 tsp cumin seeds (I only had ground cumin and this worked fine also)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp 1" pieces chives
Freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 lemon , cut into wedges

Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender.  25-30 minutes (Mine took about 40)

Meanwhile, combine quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain; (the water in mine absorbed completely) return quinoa to hot saucepan.  Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.  Discard bay leaf, fluff quinoa with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8 minutes ( mine was ready in about 5).  Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.  Add to quinoa.  Add rice; mix well.  Stir in remaining 2 tbsp oil, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley and chives.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cut avocado into wedges.  Serve salad with avocado and lemon wedges.

I served this with Turkey Breast Tenderloin that my husband smoked on the grill and grilled peppers and onions.  It was SO GOOD!  Make it and let me know what you think!

30 Day Detox Wellness Cleanse - What Comes Next?

Here I am- looking at the last few days of my 30 day detox.  I feel better/healthier than I have in my entire life!  My headaches (that have been forever present since I was a child) are G.O.N.E.  The last one I had was mild and on Day 3 of my detox.  Body aches/pains - other than the muscle or something that I pulled in my back at the gym - GONE.  (Oh and ladies, I had my first symptom-free menstrual cycle! Seriously, no cramping, no back pain, no bloating, no migraine headache, no nausea.  I had no forewarning of the onset other than I knew it was coming soon from looking at my calendar!!)  I have people commenting that my skin looks great - "Are you wearing make-up?" (No) and my hair looks shinier/healthier/growing faster.   My face looks thinner, I'm fitting into clothes I haven't worn in FOUR years. I have lost 16 pounds!!  

Bob and I personally can't believe how incredible CLEAN food tastes!  I made our first "dessert" that we've had since going on this detox and it was fat/sugar free - (recipe coming soon) and we couldn't eat much of it because it was "too sweet".  Yes, those dates are reeaally sweet when you haven't had sugar in almost 4 weeks!! 

I started this detox because I was having some health concerns and my doctors (I had been to several, and each more than once) couldn't figure out what this pain was that I had in my lower abdomen.  After many visits and examinations, x-rays, ultrasounds etc, my general practitioner told me to go see a Gastroenterologist for a (colonoscopy!) YIKES!!  I'm going on 32....I couldn't believe I would need this at my age!! So, three days later - yep - you got it- I decided to rid my body of all this STUFF to see just what would happen if I put CLEAN food into it. 

The result?

NO MORE PAIN IN MY LOWER ABDOMEN!

After all these amazing results that I have experienced in such a short period of time, what's the logical thing to do next?  Do I:  a) congratulate myself for a job well done this past month and reward myself by going back to my former way of eating/living or b) celebrate my accomplishments and reward myself by continuing to eat clean so I can continue to feel this amazing???

I choose B. 

How can I not?  It's just not worth it.  The slice of bread or whole wheat pasta, the sugary snacks, the crackers and cheese.  I wasn't a poor eater prior to going on this detox.  Not by the standard anyway, but I have learned SO MUCH in the past month and I know now how much the food I thought was good for me was doing more harm than good.

So what's my next goal?  I have 2 days left of my 30 day detox and am extending it to the end of May.  At that point, I am considering testing myself to see which foods will give me a reaction so I know which foods to permanently remove from my diet.  Then, after I have carefully done this I may occasionally allow myself to have things like sugar or caffeine (I love black teas!) and limit myself to a "cheat day" to pick one of these items to have.  I am saying this to all of my readers because it gives me the motivation to follow through.  And maybe, it will inspire someone else out there to do the same. 

Roasted Cauliflower in Lemon-Tahini Sauce

This is super easy and SO YUMMY with Tahini Sauce!! 

Roasted Cauliflower - Detox Friendly/Gluten Free/Dairy Free/Vegan

1 large head of cauliflower cut into 1 inch florets
2 t. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)

Place oven rack in top position.  Preheat oven to 425F.
Toss cauliflower with oil and season with salt.  Spread on cookie sheet, bake 12-15 minutes until fork tender and slightly browned.  Drizzle with tahini sauce.

Tahini Sauce Recipe - Detox Friendly

I am in LOOOVE with this Tahini Sauce! My husband and I are pretty sure that it makes EVERYTHING taste better :)  We have found so many uses for it!  You can make it as thick or thin as you like.  It's a great veggie dip, it's delicious drizzled over Roasted Cauliflower and Roasted Root Vegetables, it's good as a salad dressing if you thin it out a little and I even like it mixed in with the Goat Cheese Pasta and Veggies.

Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 c. tahini (be sure that you read your labels and that it's JUST ground toasted sesame seeds.  Some jars contain soybean oil)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 t. salt (I like Himalayan Pink)

2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/4 c. lemon juice

finely chopped parsley

In food processor, combine garlic and tahini.  Add salt.  Remove from food processor.  Add oil and lemon juice.  The texture will look grainy at this point because the oil and lemon juice don't want to blend.  I found that it's better to use a spatula than a wooden spoon.  Add warm water 1 T. at a time until desired consistency. 

Mix until well blended.  Tahini Sauce should appear creamy and smooth.  Stir in chopped parsley.

Pairs well with cooked or raw veggies.

The Circle of Life - Healthy Living and Composting

Today I was cutting up my veggies for our Asparagus Cream Soup that I made for dinner and I couldn't get over the massive amounts of FRESH FOOD that I have been going through lately!!  I LOVE it!  It's such a beautiful experience to open up my refrigerator and see so many vibrant colors and LIFE.  And then to get to "play" with the bounty of fresh fruits and veggies by peeling, chopping, slicing and creating healthy - and super yummy - dishes.  My kids are even getting on board with all this healthy eating.  We haven't gone so far as to put them on the "detox" (although I would once we get them use to all the changes) but they are picking out fresh foods to eat since that's all we have to choose from anymore! 

Anyway, back to my point of this post.

So, I was peeling carrots and chopping the ends off the celery and asparagus stalks and peeling the paper off the onions and garlic and throwing these "scraps" in my little kitchen compost/trash can and thinking "How could anyone EAT this way and not compost all of these usable, organic scraps?"  We have literally been taking our compost can out every day and tossing it in the outside compost pile.  TONS and TONS of food scraps (that I paid for) is now breaking down in my backyard to produce rich, organic soil for us to reuse in our vegetable garden!!  How awesome is that?? 

So, here's literally how simple it is to compost your food waste, grass clipping, leaves, weeds from your garden or flower bed, etc.  My husband made this last year which is when these two pictures were taken.  Four posts in the ground and chicken wire and it sits in the corner of our garden.  I bought a little step-can from Wal-Mart for about 12 bucks that has a removable insert that I use in the house.  When it's full, it's my sons' job to take it out and dump it in the compost pile.  Every couple days or so my husband goes out and turns the soil.

See the steam coming off the compost pile?  It literally heats up as it breaking down into soil!  So after doing this ALL YEAR we had a TON of rich soil to dump on our garden this year.  And now that I am doing this detox/lifestyle change, I have been buying more expensive "organic" foods and it's been easier to justify the expense not only since the food is less toxic, but because I am also paying for organic soil in it's raw-est form! HA!

 

Everything can be justified.  No excuses.  Come on people, jump on the band wagon.  Live healthy, eat healthy - what are you waiting for?  It's your life, you only get one and you are in control of it.  (Stepping off my soapbox for now.)

Pad Thai Chicken (or Shrimp or Veggie) Curry - Detox Friendly/Gluten Free/Dairy Free

If you are trying to detox or just trying to eat/live a gluten free/dairy free lifestyle you may be struggling with what to cook.  Here is another recipe that we love.  It's detox friendly and tastes almost sinful it's so delicious.  Courtesy of my cousin with a few alterations by myself.

*This recipe is Gluten Free, Dairy Free AND Vegan (if you leave out the chicken or fish)*

Pad Thai

Ingredients:

8 ozs Pad Thai Rice Noodles (can also be served over brown rice if you prefer)

1 can low fat coconut milk

1-2 T. red curry paste (depending on how spicy you want it)

Cilantro

2 Chicken Breasts sliced or chopped

2 T. grapeseed or coconut oil

OR

1/2-1 pound shrimp

OR

leave out the meat/fish and add your veggies

Here are some veggie ideas:

4 green onions, chopped

2 C. Fresh Bean Sprouts

1 C. fresh pea pods

water chestnuts

1 large head of broccoli

red/yellow or orange peppers, sliced

Yellow squash, sliced

Add all of the above veggies, or pick a few or choose your own! Go for color for a vibrant and nutritious meal.

Soak Pad Thai Noodles in hot water for 25-30 minutes (or according to instructions on package)

Meanwhile, cook chicken or shrimp in oil. Add coconut milk and stir in red curry paste.  Add veggies, cover to let steam.  When veggies are mostly cooked drain and add your Pad Thai noodles.  Cook for 2-3 minutes longer until noodles are al dente.  Do not overcook.

Remove from heat.  Sprinkle with fresh, chopped cilantro and serve with chopsticks.  Have fun and enjoy!!

 

Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta 'n' Veggies - Detox Friendly

Yes, you CAN have dairy on your detox!! Goat's milk and cheese are MUCH easier for your body to digest.  This pasta dish is DELISH!  I got the recipe from my friend Jeannine that sells the Arbonne products I told you about on my detox post Days 3-5.


CREAMY GOAT CHEESE PASTA 'n' VEGGIES - Gluten Free

Ingredients list:

Brown Rice Pasta
Grape Seed or Coconut Oil
Garlic
Red Pepper Flakes
Broccoli
Red or Yellow Peppers (or both!)
Parsley
4-6 ozs. Goat Cheese (you can add as much or as little as you'd like.  I am just guesstimating)

If you like fish or meat:

2-3 Chicken Breasts

1 lb. Raw Shrimp (you can use cooked shrimp, just add toward the end when you are adding your reserved liquid.)

Cook 1 pound of BROWN RICE PASTA. (reserve 1 cup of the liquid used to cook the pasta before you drain it.

Meanwhile, heat oil in pan and saute garlic and red pepper flakes with the chopped chicken breast OR shrimp until cooked through.  (If you are cooking vegetarian, add the broccoli and peppers to the garlic and red pepper flakes now.) Add the veggies and saute until slightly soft (I like mine a little crunchy).  When your veggies are the way you like them, add the RESERVED LIQUID from the pasta in small amounts so it's not too runny.    Add the goat cheese and toss until the cheese is melted and everything is mixed well.  Top with a little chopped parsley.

You can add just about any meats/veggies that you like.  Think LOTS OF COLOR for the most nutrition and eye appeal.  The addition of the reserved liquid from cooking the pasta makes the dish taste creamy.