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.

30 Day Detox Wellness Cleanse - Coping With Challenges

It's the end of day 11 of my 30 day detox.  I have to say that I am feeling pretty great this past week!  I haven't had a headache since about day 3 and that was only minor.  I am not use to having NO HEADACHES!  My face looks so healthy - a good glow to it and even all the normal body aches from inflammation are gone.  I haven't had to take any ibuprofen like I am use to doing and this is AWESOME because I really don't like putting that stuff into my body.  It confirms to me that the food we put into our mouths directly affects how our bodies react!

Processed, fatty, sugary foods = headaches, cramping, inflammation in joints, skin flaws, even temperament.  Oh, and don't forget WEIGHT GAIN.

Fresh, vibrant, nutrition-packed foods = healthy looking skin, energy, joy, youthfulness, and so on!

So what are some of the challenges I have had to face??

Well, for starters, the first 6 days I had no idea what to eat. 

I knew there were options out there for me, but it's so baffling when you are use to cooking "healthy meals" and suddenly realize that the majority of what you thought was ok is not.  Again, no soy, corn products, whey/dairy, gluten, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.  Even vinegar can't be used since it breeds yeast.  So suddenly even simple things like a salad become a challenge.  "What do I put ON my salad???"  (BTW, salads topped with fruit and a few nuts are great and a squeeze of lemon - you won't miss the dressing it's so juicy.  Veggie salads are good with a drizzle of EVOO and squeeze of lemon.)

This second week in, I got down to business and started really playing with my food.  I bought TONS of nutrition packed fruits and veggies and nuts, seeds, dried fruits, almond milk and a few gluten/dairy/soy free breads.  I have been having fun sauteeing veggies with lots of onions and garlic and throwing in small  amounts of meat.  I have a super delicious wild rice pilaf from Costco that has barley, red rice, lentils, wild rice and dehydrated veggies in it.  Yum.  Costco has TONS of organic healthy choices like fresh veggies, fruits and even meats.  We buy our beef from a farm in Michigan and it's all organic and grass fed.  I also found out I CAN HAVE CHEESE! YAY! Goat cheese is allowed when detoxing because it's so much easier for your body to digest.  That just opened up a whole bunch of doors for me to create healthy delicious recipes!

Here's a few things I had for dinner this past week:

This particular night I was starving!  I had a TINY bit of beef left and chopped it up, sauteed it with a very small amount of grape seed oil and tons of onions, garlic and green beans.  Half a "naked" sweet potato and a poached egg - had too...my body wanted more protein!

Another sauteed dinner: Wild rice pilaf (from Costco) a little bit of turkey breast chopped and sauteed with red, yellow and orange bell pepper, onions and yellow squash.  A few cukes on the side.

And my PIZZA!! Udi's makes a ready to go pizza crust and I topped it with a small amount of sauce, a sprinkle of goat cheese, steamed broccoli, cherry tomatoes and yellow squash.  Totally wish I remembered the spinach!

Of course these are all dinners.  Breakfast and lunch are all raw foods. 

Which brings me to the second challenge: Can I do this detox and LEAVE my house??

Answer: YES!!  I have just had to be prepared ahead of time!  When I get my husband ready for the next days meals (he leaves VERY early in the morning for work) I cut up a big bowl full of fruit for him for breakfast and sometimes he makes some eggs to go with it.  I make him a salad and top it with TONS of veggies or fruits and nuts to take for his lunch and I pack up some dried fruits and nuts for him to snack on.  A couple of times he has gotten salmon filet (cooked the night ahead) and chopped turkey breast with his salad. 

For me, if I know I am leaving for a few hours with the kids, I pack some sandwiches for them, drink my shake for breakfast and take a salad to go for myself.  Like I said, a little extra effort but the rewards are great. 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this: I have to pat myself on the back for this one.  I made the kids cupcakes the other day.  It's a rare treat but their dad is out of town for a few days for work and I was trying to make this fun for them and keep their minds off it.  I did NOT eat one! I did not eat ANY, I should say!  And guess what (pinch - ouch) Yup.  Still alive. AND, I have lost NINE pounds in 11 days.