D&D Breakfast Smoothie
Posted: February 5, 2012 Filed under: Detox, My own recipe creations, Smoothies and Drinks, START HERE | Tags: Apple, Banana, Breakfast, Carrots, ground flaxseed, Pear, red cabbage, Smoothie, Spinach, typical breakfast 6 Comments »Recently I’ve had quite a few people ask me about the smoothie my husband and I drink every morning, so I thought I’d re-post the recipe. It’s changed just a little bit from when I started making it last summer. We both drink 40 ounces for breakfast everyday.
INGREDIENTS
2 handfuls of spinach (Try frozen)
1 handful of celery
1 handful of carrots (I use thawed out frozen baby carrots)
1 apple
1 pear
1 banana
12-16 ounces of distilled or purified water
3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed (optional)
6 ice cubes-optional (We like to drink ours cold)
DIRECTIONS
If you use a high-powered blender, you can just cut up the apple and pear and throw it in the blender with the skin on.
BLEND thoroughly!
Enjoy!
*We’ve found that adding a half a handful of red cabbage on occasion really helps to “clean you out” if you know what I mean.
You will feel much more energized drinking this smoothie for breakfast than you would if you had consumed a typical breakfast. BECAUSE it’s blended, you don’t have to use your energy digesting what you would normally eat in the morning. AND just think of all the fruits and veggies you consume right off the bat! It’s a win-win situation. :)
Picture: epicself.com
Recipe inspired by: Kimberly Snyder
SOUP for BREAKFAST
Posted: February 2, 2012 Filed under: Detox, My own recipe creations, Soup | Tags: Apple, Carrots, Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Nutritional Yeast, Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Soup, Vegetable broth, vita mix Leave a comment »Actually, you could make this soup for lunch, dinner or a healthy snack, but I personally think it should be called “Breakfast of Champions.” My husband and I had it last Sunday morning and we felt quite satisfied (okay, we were full). I made this “sweeter” than my Indian Sweet Potato Soup. http://devitamin.com/2012/01/02/my-indian-sweet-potato-soup/ which makes it perfect for breakfast.
INGREDIENTS
1 medium Sweet Potato
1 medium Apple
Handful of Baby Carrots (I used thawed out frozen baby carrots)
1-2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/8 cup of Maple Syrup (raw organic, if you can find it)
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
2 cups Vegetable Broth (organic, low sodium, if you can find it)
Pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in high-speed blender (Vita-Mix) or a food processor.
If using a Vita-Mix blend for around 6 minutes on 10 and high-speed.
If using a food processor, blend until smooth and then warm soup in a pan.
Sprinkle pecans on top (optional).
Buon Appetito!
*Sweet Potatoes: Oldest vegetable known to man. High in fiber and rich source of antioxidants.
*Cinnamon: Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. Cinnamon is known to have a regulatory effect on blood sugar and it has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
*Nutritional Yeast: http://devitamin.com/2012/01/08/nutritional-yeast/
You’re almost there!
Posted: January 28, 2012 Filed under: Detox | Tags: Detox, month of january 2 Comments »Those of you that started the Fresh Start “detox” (I need to find a new word for detox) on January 2nd will be finishing up on Tuesday January 31st. I know some of you started a week late and I’m sure you have the date marked that you will start adding additional healthy food choices back into your diet.
If you don’t mind, could you e-mail me the total amount of weight you lost and how you felt while following this plan? I won’t post your names but I would like to post (as a whole) how well everyone did. E-mail me at desoave08@hotmail.com. I really appreciate everyone that kept me posted (throughout the month of January) on their weight loss and energy levels. You all did amazing!
As always, I am constantly learning new things and this detox was no different. When I created this plan (for myself) and followed through with it (this past summer), my husband was deployed, so it was pretty easy for me and I ended up following the plan for longer than the suggested 30 days, but it’s a whole different story when you have a hungry man in the house that doesn’t need to lose weight! I was constantly worried that he wasn’t eating enough (and there were a lot of times, he wasn’t). As you know, you HAVE to eat (the required food) constantly to feel energized. Anyway, because he doesn’t need to lose any weight, I pulled him off the plan at the 21-day mark, which fell on his b-day. How convenient for him. :)
After I badgered him over and over again how he (my husband) could be my most difficult “client”, I made some new notes. “Detox” will end after 21 days if no weight loss is needed and/or individual already follows a clean diet.
*I would like to thank my patient husband for being my guinea pig. :)
*I had friends (you know who you are) that followed the plan and kept me updated on how they were doing which allowed me to learn a LOT! Thanks guys!
So now what? Where do you go from here?
SLOWLY add back; fish, chicken and beef (if you are going to add meat back into your diet). I’m not even kidding. If you go and eat a big 20-ounce Porter House steak right out of the gate, you are not going to feel good AT ALL.
SLOWLY add back; dairy products. If you choose to “wing” it, just remember, I TOLD YOU SO. :)
SLOWLY add back; nuts and oil. Remember, a handful of nuts a day are enough for most people (unless you’re a vegan). Don’t overdo it with the oil.
Take note on how you feel after you have added back certain food categories. This is very important.
I’m hoping for a couple of things for all of you after you have finished this plan. One, that you realize how important vegetables are in your daily diet and if you choose them before you eat every meal, you are doing yourself a big favor. Second, I hope you now understand how bad processed foods are for you and your family.
Congratulations everyone! CHEERS!
Black Bean Taco Salad
Posted: January 23, 2012 Filed under: Detox, Mexican Food | Tags: Avocado, Black Bean Taco Salad, Black Beans, Cumin, Garlic, lettuce, marindae, Olive oil, Taco salad, tomato, tortilla chips 4 Comments »Remember ordering and eating the Taco Salad out of the edible bowls? Delicious, yes. Healthy, not so much. I can’t tell you how much I love Mexican food so my eyes light up when I come across a healthy Mexican recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 fresh lime, juiced or equivalent amount of lime-juice
1-tablespoon olive oil
1-teaspoon cumin
1 clove, garlic, minced or equivalent amount of garlic powder
¾ cup of canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
10 whole-grain tortilla chips, crushed or blue chips
½ avocado, chopped
Directions
Whisk together lime-juice, oil, cumin and garlic. Toss all ingredients together.
*You can also use marinade for fish or chicken as well.
I revised this recipe from original but I can’t remember where I found it. :(
Quinoa (KEEN-wah)
Posted: January 15, 2012 Filed under: Detox | Tags: B12, Calcium, Fiber, folate, Gluten free, Magnesium, Protein, Quinoa, vitamin b 2 Comments »Honest to Pete, I love Quinoa. I’m not sure if it’s the texture I love so much or how versatile it is. You can do anything from make healthy casseroles with it to mixing it in with your salad or adding fruit to it for breakfast. My husband and I make a big batch of it on Sunday so that we can use it during the week.
*It’s cooked, eaten and looks like a grain but surprise…. it’s a SEED!
Quinoa has many benefits including:
It’s a complete Protein. (That can be hard to find in the plant world)
It’s high in Iron, Potassium and Calcium. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 30 milligrams of calcium. It’s great for people who are lactose intolerant (me!) that can’t eat dairy products.
It’s a good source of B12 and mineral Magnesium. Note: Increasing these two nutrients relaxes the blood vessels and may prevent migraines.
Contains Manganese and Copper (Antioxidants)
It’s a rich source of Fiber
Helps with constipation and bloating
It contains Vitamin B and Folate that help eliminate waste from the body. Acts as an internal cleanser.
Quinoa’s Vitamin B content can help keep the mind sharp and stabilize mood.
It’s Gluten free!
These are just a few of the many benefits this Super-food has to offer. I hope you will try it out and love it as much as I do.
Black Bean Soup
Posted: January 13, 2012 Filed under: Detox, Soup | Tags: Black Bean Soup, Black Beans, Carrots, Cumin, Garlic, Nutritional Yeast, Refried Black Beans, Soup Leave a comment »This is for those of you that love Black Bean Soup as much as I do. I haven’t been able to eat it in ages because the canned soups on the market have ingredients that I’m intolerant to. My friends let me borrow the cookbook “Peas and Thank you” and I came across a version of the below recipe. Of course, I had to tweak it and I will continue to narrow down the ingredients but I wanted to share ASAP.
INGREDIENTS
1 16-ounce can Black Beans, rinsed and drained (organic, if possible)
1 16-ounce can Refried Black Beans (lowest sodium you can find)
*It actually called for two cans of Black Beans, but I ran out, so I replaced it with the Refried Black Beans and it turned out super creamy. I will try it again with the regular beans and see what I like better.
1-2 cups baby Carrots
2 cloves Garlic
1-tablespoon ground Cumin
1-teaspoon dried Oregano
1-teaspoon dried Basil
1/2-teaspoon Chili powder
4-5 cups vegetable Broth
½-1 cup tomato sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Place ingredients in high-speed blender or food processor.
If using a Vita-Mix start on 1 and quickly switch to 10 and then high.
Blend for 5-6 minutes until steam appears.
If using a different kind of blender or food processor, adjust accordingly.
Don’t forget to sprinkle some Nutritional Yeast on top!
TGIF!
Slow and Steady recipe
Posted: January 10, 2012 Filed under: Crock-pot, Detox | Tags: baked potatoes, Brown Rice, chili powder, Crock-pot, Detox, Garlic, Potatoes, Slow-cooker, Vegetable broth, Vegetables, Wild Rice 4 Comments »Whether I’m “detoxing” or not, I try to eat only one warm meal a day (the rest are raw) and with winter here, I love to use my slow cooker (crock-pot). I found this recipe yesterday and I can’t wait to try all different variations of veggies and grains.
Ingredients
One to two cups of dried beans, peas or lentils
Two to three cups of sweet or baked potatoes
Two to four cups of low sodium vegetable broth
Seasonings of choice
Optional: Quick cooking veggies such as tomatoes or green beans
Optional: Brown or wild rice or quinoa
Directions
- Place one to two cups of dried beans, peas or lentils at the bottom of slow cooker.
- Add two to three cups of sweet potatoes or baked potatoes.
- Add two to four cups of liquid such as low sodium vegetable broth.
- Season with one to two tablespoons of dried herbs and spices such as oregano, cumin, chili powder or garlic.
- Cover and cook for four hours on high heat or eight hours on low heat.
- Optional: With one hour to go add tomatoes or green beans. Anything that cooks faster than the above ingredients.
- Optional: With one hour to go, you can add cooked brown or wild rice or cooked quinoa.
*Revised from: Oxygenmag.com
Nutritional Yeast
Posted: January 8, 2012 Filed under: "Cheese", Detox | Tags: B Vitamins, B-12, Bragg, Gluten free, Nutritional Yeast, popcorn 1 Comment »Whether you are a meat eater, a non-meat eater or somewhere in between; Nutritional Yeast is a great addition to your healthy diet. Granted, the name doesn’t sound like something you want to run out and buy but it does provide one of the few non-animal sources of B-12.
Side-note: Don’t mistake it for your typical baker’s yeast.
One serving of Nutritional Yeast provides the full amount of B-12 needed for an adult in a day.
Provides
B Vitamins
Amino Acids
Protein
Folic Acid
Biotin
Rich in 15 minerals including Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Chromium and Selenium
It has a cheesy, nutty taste and can be added to all different types of foods and recipes. Example: Popcorn, smoothies, salads, soups, quinoa…ect.
Although, I’ve been using nutritional yeast a few times a week, after researching it more, I’m going to add it to my diet on a daily basis.
My favorite brand (so far) is…
http://www.shoporganic.com/product/bragg-nutritional-yeast-seasoning/spice_blends_and_toppings
Did I mention it’s Gluten-free?
Oh, how I love Hummus
Posted: January 7, 2012 Filed under: Detox, Hummus & Dips | Tags: cloves of garlic, crushed red pepper, Detox, Garbanzo beans, Hummus & Dips, raw veggies, Recipe, Red Pepper 2 Comments »I’ve previously mentioned that hummus is allowed on the “detox” plan and is delicious with your favorite cut up (raw) veggies. Those of you who are not following the plan will equally enjoy the recipe below. My friend found it inside her Costco cookbook and was nice enough to pass it along to me. I’ve made a couple of revisions but one I wanted to mention is that I cut the oil down (in half). I did not notice any difference in the texture. It’s still very creamy.
Spicy Red Pepper Hummus
1 can of Garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
1 12 oz jar of red peppers drained
1-2 cloves of garlic (optional)
1 TBS of olive oil
1/8 tsp of sea salt
1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper
BLEND
Cut up red peppers with Spicy Red Pepper Hummus….YUM!
Picture by: 123RF
His and Hers
Posted: January 6, 2012 Filed under: Detox | Tags: Detox, detox program, Dinner, Green Smoothie, Lunch, Portion sizes, Raw, Red Pepper, Salad, Vegan 2 Comments »January 2nd we started the “detox” program and since then I’ve had a few people ask about portion sizes. For such an easy question, I had a hard time answering it. When you eat 80% raw and 95-98% vegan; you don’t worry about portion sizes or count calories, fat grams or anything else for that matter.
Side-note: I usually don’t use terms like Vegan, but for this article, it’s just an easier way to explain things.
You have to pay attention to your appetite and if you feel hungry, EAT! You know what you can eat and what you can’t so there is no way you are going to “mess” up your detox as long as you are eating the acceptable foods.
Someone (you know who you are) asked if he could eat 10 cups of brown rice since it’s on the “unlimited” food list. I didn’t know what to say at the time, but I should have said YES. There is no way after eating a full salad (or any other kinds of veggies) that he would be able to consume all that rice. Side note: In only a few short days, he’s already getting the hang of it.
My husband and I are both following the plan and as expected we have very different appetites. The only meal we seem to be on the same level is breakfast. The 40-ounce smoothie seems to work for both of us. I keep asking him if he needs to drink more and he insist he doesn’t. Everyone seems to be full on the smoothie below…
Lunch on the other hand…
Above is the Fred Flintstone salad my husband takes to work (most days of the week). The average size bowl next to his, is what I usually fill with red pepper strips and cucumbers to eat with hummus and a handful of crackers. I’ve never been one to have a big appetite at lunchtime.
Our pre-dinner salads are shown below.
During the “detox” we will (also) have a baked potato or some type of healthy grain with our dinner. Of course, dinner is not always just salad, there are other healthy recipes we eat but I’m just trying to show some examples of portion sizes.
So in conclusion (I feel like I’m writing a book report), remember to pay attention to your hunger level and NEVER starve yourself. You should always feel full (not stuffed) and satisfied.
And don’t forget….
