Breakfast Rice Bowl

Get creative when it comes to breakfast. J and I have taken to preparing shakes every morning before work because they're portable and packed full of fruits and veggies. But on the weekends, I really enjoy sitting down with a good book, a cup of coffee, and a nice breakfast that I can eat with a utensil! 

Enter Breakfast Rice Bowl. You can really make this however you want - different veggies, different dressings, add fruit, etc. But here follows my version this Sunday morning:

Breakfast Rice Bowl

1/2 to 3/4 cup of brown rice luke warm or cold (I used leftovers and microwaved them for 30 seconds)

5 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage

1/4 cup julienned raw beet

2 Tbsp tahini 

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar 

1 tsp lime juice

1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast 

Serves 1

Mix it all together in a bowl and enjoy! If I had a navel orange or clementine on hand I likely would have added some sliced, in addition to a splash of orange juice mixed in with the rice. You could also add blueberries or strawberries. If you wanted something sweeter but don't have fruit, you could add some agave, honey, or maple syrup as well. 

Month Long Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Challenge

We're back at it again! My doctor (who is actually a nurse practitioner) recommended for the third time that I try going gluten-free and sugar-free for at least a month and asked that I document how I feel. I picked the month of June because, leading up to this point, I haven't been feeling so great. I've been sluggish, been getting more headaches, stomach pain in the evening, and my acne has been out of control. So I started on Tuesday with a well-crafted meal plan and a lot of conviction.

Week one has gone pretty smoothly, though not without some ups and downs. On Tuesday, I had a mild headache which I attributed to sugar withdrawal. On Wednesday, the headache morphed into a tension headache - sugar detoxing coupled with high stress from work, a pending storm, and not enough calories in my system? It was the set up for a bad scene. I ended up leaving work early and, after eating a handful of almonds and drinking two big glasses of water, I actually felt a lot better. I'm sure stepping away from work and my computer screen was a big help too. Thursday through today I have been feeling great! I'm not craving sweets and gluten was really easy for me to cut out.

Here's a sampling of our meal plan last week - I started by using other people's recipes so that I can get the hang of it and then begin writing my own!

Tuesday
Breakfast: Wild Blueberry Shake from lunchboxbunch.com
Lunch: Green Goddess Bowl from lunchboxbunch.com
Dinner: Vegan Macro Meal from lunchboxbunch.com

Wednesday
Breakfast: Wild Blueberry Shake from lunchboxbunch.com
Lunch: Green Goddess Bowl from lunchboxbunch.com
Dinner: Bake Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from lunchboxbunch.com - modified, we just topped them with diced tomato, broccoli, and tahini

Thursday
Breakfast: Homemade Shake - 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 2 cups almond milk - Serves 2
Lunch: Green Goddess Bowl from lunchboxbunch.com
Dinner: Celebratory dinner at Green Elephant (it was J's last day of work at his old job!) - I had the spicy green leaves salad with gluten free dressing and brussels sprouts

Friday
Breakfast: Homemade Shake (see above)
Lunch: Lunched at Local Sprouts - I had the fiddlehead salad special with balsamic dressing
Dinner: Sesame Miso Zucchini Noodles & Tofu from Snixy Kitchen

Saturday
Breakfast: Almonds, peanuts, and blueberries (we bused down to Boston and need something easily portable!)
Lunch: Tofu Pad Thai at My Thai Vegan Cafe in Boston's China Town
Dinner: Sesame Miso Zucchini Noodles & Tofu from Snixy Kitchen

Sunday
Breakfast: Sweet Citrus Avocado Dreamboat from lunchboxbunch.com
Lunch: Green Power Tower Salad from lunchboxbunch.com
Dinner: Raw Macro Bowl with Knock-Off Dragon Sauce from Raw Food Recipes

Our snacks throughout the week consist of homemade oil-free hummus with veggies, frozen grapes, apples, and baby carrots.

So far, I've lost 6 pounds. I'm hoping to add at least 20 minutes of walking to my days to continue on this track and I'll keep monitoring the effects of GF/SF eating - maybe you'll want to test it out too? Check out other recipes we're considering on our Pinterest board!

Warm Breakfast Quinoa

So for the past few weeks I've been "sort of" doing the anti-inflammatory diet I mentioned several posts ago. The week I decided to start, I got a stomach virus and the only food I could keep down was pretzel rods - not all that gluten-free. Following my illness, I was pretty much on track until J and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary last week with a vacation to Vermont (more on that to come).

Although I've been loosely following this "diet," I must say, I do feel a bit better. I feel like I've got more energy and I'm not craving things quite as often. My general daily routine is to have my Warm Breakfast Quinoa dish around 7:30 a.m., then, as recommended by a former guest poster, I drink Bolthouse Farm's Green Goodness mixed with protein powder around 10:00 a.m. Sometimes I'll eat some almonds and pecans around 11:30 a.m. and then I have a salad lunch between 1-2:00 p.m. Occasionally I''l have some fruit in the afternoon at work, but I'm normally good until I get home. Dinner varies every night - last night J made polenta and veggies.

I thought I'd share my breakfast recipe with you, though. It's become a real favorite for me, topping my love of oatmeal even. It's warm and cozy in the early morning and packed with protein and antioxidants to get you on your feet. I make a big container of quinoa every week or so and I'm good to go for days. Remember - quinoa quadruples in size when you make it so a little does go a long way!

Warm Breakfast Quinoa
1/2 cup cooked mixed quinoa (I mix the red and plain quinoa - there's also black but our Whole Foods just stopped carrying it...which bums me out big time because it's my favorite kind!)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup defrosted frozen or fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp Sunbutter
1 Tbsp local honey
1 Tbsp chopped pecans
almond milk

I begin preparing this overnight so that the chia seeds have time to plump up and aren't crunchy. If you make it the morning, I'd suggest removing the chia, unless you like crunchy tiny little seeds that get stuck in  your teeth. So the night before - I put the quinoa in a bowl and sprinkle on the chia. Then I mix in the blueberries and a splash of almond milk - just enough to absorb over night. I cover it up and leave it in the fridge.

The next morning, all of the milk is absorbed and the chia seeds have plumped up. I add in the sun butter and honey and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. I sprinkle on the pecans and top with some more almond milk, just as you would with oatmeal.

Vegan Lunchbox!

Today's lunch:

Rice wrappers filled with avocado, carrot, mint, kale, and zucchini. A small salad of kale, mint, and cucumber. Spicy peanut dipping sauce: a spoon full of peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and garlic chili paste (sorry - I just winged it and didn't measure).

Really light and refreshing lunch for hot days when your apartment feels like it's 900 degrees and you don't want to actually cook anything!

Vegan Lunchbox

Rainbow Salad
2 carrots, julienned
3-4 baby portebelloes, chopped
1/4 red onion, diced
1 cup green beans, slivered
1 cup snap peas, halved
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup clover sprouts
1 sheet of nori, ripped into small pieces
 salt & pepper

Dressing:
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Mix everything together!

Serves 6-8

Cashew Spread Veggie Sushi
Post Punk Kitchen's Cashew Spread (made without scallions & red pepper)
1 carrot, julienned
1/4 avocado, sliced
1/8 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup clover sprouts
1 sheet of nori

Serves 1

I know, I know, I know

I know it's been forever. Sorry buddies! Life's been incredibly hectic since J and I found out we unexpectedly have to move. We think we finally found a place - so fingers crossed!

Since January, I've shed about 15 pounds. At first I was incredibly proud of myself and excited...but now the thrill is gone and I'm remembering that my real goal was to lose about 45 pounds. So back at it we go!

For the next week or so, I'm jumping into a semi-raw diet and excluding bread, any pre-prepared vegan foods other than tofu, and eliminating cooking for the most part. Pintrest has been a huge help in providing inspiration for meals and I've even started "Raw" and "Get Healthy(er)" boards to collect ideas. This morning's breakfast was a Pinterest find and is from food blogger Oh She Glows - Easy Overnight Buckwheat Parfait. It's really delicious - earthy tones of buckwheat, the tapioca like chia seeds sweetened with banana, the fresh strawberries J and I picked at Alewives Brook Farm yesterday, and some blueberries. And no cooking involved! Yay! She gives other incarnations of the parfait to try out just to mix it up and I'm sure I'll test those out too.

I also love how portable this breakfast is. One of my more recent goals is to try to make time for myself to eat breakfast at home in the morning. Not standing over the sink, not taking bites between brushing my hair - but actually sitting down, taking in the tastes, appreciating the work that went into making the food I'm consuming. But honestly, some mornings just don't work out as planned. And this morning, I just grabbed my little juice glass sized Ball jar and headed out the door.

I also prepared a large pitcher of water with lemons and limes at home and filled my water bottle up this morning to take to work. After I get to the store this week, I'll add cucumber and mint to the water to make "Sassy Water" - which a friend pinned on Pinterest and told me she was drinking for a while while detoxing and it really helped improve her skin health. I'll let you all know how it goes!

Cumin Quinoa Veggie Dinner Salad

Cumin Quinoa Veggie Dinner Salad


1 cup quinoa (we mix regular and red together)
2 cups boiling water
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3-4 crimini mushrooms, chopped
1/4 zucchini, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained
1-2 tsp freshly ground cumin
1-2 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1 avocado
1 lime

Bring water to a boil and add quinoa. Allow to simmer, uncovered, until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.

In a large skillet, saute onion in some water. Add water if they stick too much - continue to do this throughout cooking so that you don't end up using oil! Add garlic after onions become translucent. Continue adding veggies, except spinach, avocado and lime, and allow to cook through. Add spinach last and allow to cook, removing from heat just after the spinach wilts. Add veggie mix to quinoa.

Serve cold topped with a few slices of avocado and a wedge of lime.

Serves 4-5.

Monday Salad

This past weekend, J and I traveled 90 minutes up the coast for a weekend getaway in Camden, Maine. I will certainly post about the trip soon (need to steal photos from J first!) but I will say that it IS possible to take a vegan vacation! Especially when you stay at a Bed & Breakfast with owners who are VERY sensitive to dietary needs and who provide a morning menu that includes many vegan options!

As we pull ourselves out of vacation mode, it's time to get back to work on shedding those pounds and keeping our diets super healthy. J was plateauing with weight loss last week and asked if we could try replacing meals with big simple salads. I'm certainly game for this approach. We're going to continue limiting carbs/gluten and reduce, if not almost eliminate, the use of oils in our cooking.

I had off work today too so that I can get laundry/house cleaning done since we were away. So for lunch, I made myself a simple, delicious fresh salad with:

2 kale leaves - de-stemmed
1 handful of spinach leaves
1/8 of a red bell pepper sliced thinly
1 shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
5-6 thin slices of English cucumber
1/3 cup broccoli with a dash of water microwaved for 30 seconds
1 Tbsp of sunflower seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp dried cranberries
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp Italian herbed red wine vinegar
Handful of alfalfa/clove sprouts

Green Elephant Birthday Dinner

On Saturday night, J took me out for my birthday to Green Elephant on Congress Street in Portland, Maine. The Green Elephant is, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant in Maine. Everything is vegan or vegetarian and Asian inspired. Food is made with fresh, local ingredients and the restaurant's decor is simple, but elegant.

We showed up and were told it would be a 20 minute wait, so we popped in next door to Downtown Lounge for a glass of wine. No sooner did we sit down and get our glasses when the buzzer went off - shortest 20 minute wait ever! We downed our wine, apologized to the waitress explaining that we don't normally chug nice glasses of wine, and were seated at the Green Elephant within minutes. Our waitress, one we'd never had before, was so kind and attentive. We started by sharing two appetizers - soy nuggets with chili sauce and green leaves wrap with mango and herbs. The soy nuggets - oh man - we want to figure out how to make them so badly! They are crispy on the outside and have so much flavor. The green leaves wraps were a refreshing raw appetizer made with very fresh ingredients.

Soy Nuggets

Green Leaves with Mango & Herbs

Although we were celebrating, we wanted to keep with our plan of eating healthy and curbing portions sizes so we shared the Siamese Dream Curry Noodle dish. So delicious and just the right amount by sharing. We didn't feel stuffed when we left, just satisfied. I'd suggest sharing dishes if you're trying to lose weight or just maintain if you're the kind of person who has trouble not cleaning your plate. I was always taught to finish everything and when I try to go out to eat and tell myself I'll only eat half and will take the rest home, it normally doesn't pan out so well. So sharing a dish ensures that you'll only eat half and believe me, at most restaurants, half is enough! 

Siamese Dream Curry Noodle

If you're ever in Portland, Maine, the Green Elephant is the place to go. The prices are comparable to the service and quality, the atmosphere is charming and modern, and the food is the best vegan food you'll find around! 

27 is here

Today I turn 27 and the day is always bittersweet. I'm happy to be another year older and don't fear the approaching 3 - 0 as many do. What's makes it bittersweet is that someone isn't here to celebrate with me. In 2007, my mom died from an extremely aggressive version of cervical cancer. She was my idol, my hero, my best friend. And so on this day, I'm spending the day at home by myself with the kitties, baking for an event on Sunday, remembering her life, and feeling thankful she brought me into this world.

I'm glad today is quiet. I'm going to test out two new types of cupcakes: Cookies n' Creme and Peaches n' Cream. It's another test of my willpower over sweets! I've lost another pound this week and am down by 17 since starting, so I'll just keep reminding myself that fitting into those jeans and that skirt and that blazer are WAY more worth it than scarfing down a cupcake.

Yesterday, I took off work and treated myself to a haircut in the morning and then walked around the city with J. We went into LeRoux Kitchen, an amazing kitchen supply store in the Old Port. While there, we did buy a little Taza Chocolate that was salted almond and I stowed it away in my purse. Taza Chocolate is incredible and if you haven't tried it, you need to. It comes as a small circle and although it looks and feels like a dense chunk of chocolate, it tastes incredibly airy and light. Then we walked around a bit more and started feeling hungry by 1:30, so we went over to the Portland Public Market and visited our friends at Granny's Burrito, Kamasouptra, and Market House Coffee. Whenever I visit the Public Market, I try to spread my wealth around by purchasing something small from several vendors. So for lunch we shared a burrito filled with peanut tofu, rice, lettuce, and hot sauce from Granny's, a small cup of vegan chili from Kamasouptra, and a pineapple coconut water from Market House Coffee. It was certainly a larger lunch than we're accustomed to and I was glad we'd skipped both our morning and afternoon snacks. We also spent the good part of the day walking at a good pace - I'm guessing we walked 5-6 miles by the time we were done.

It's all about balance! My coworker says it's simple, "Calories in must be equal to or less than calories out." I think it's important to celebrate things once in a while and to not deprive ourselves of things forever because that is exactly what causes me to fall off the weight loss wagon.

So for dinner last night we had a very very light dinner of 1/2 cup of brown rice over arugula with 1/2 cup of shiitakes and a wedge of lime squirted on top. We followed dinner by a few bites of the Taza chocolate and then ran some errands for my day of baking today. After returning home, we were both hungry. Stomach grumbling hungry. So I suggested we make some Ginger-Lime Hummus and have a little with some carrot and bell pepper sticks. It totally did the trick and I'm pretty sure Ginger-Lime Hummus is our new favorite flavor!

Tonight, J's taking me out for a birthday dinner at the Green Elephant - my favorite restaurant. We've already talked about the idea of getting an appetizer to split and then sharing one entree so that portion sizes are smaller. Green Elephant makes vegetarian and vegan food and it's wonderfully fresh and elegant. I'm excited :) J's birthday present to me is a two night stay in Camden, Maine next weekend and I'm super excited about that!

Since 2006, I've thought my birthday was "cursed." In 2006 and 2007, my mom was re-diagnosed with cancer once on my birthday, once the day before. In 2008, we were told my grandmother (my mom's mother) going to die from cancer just days before my birthday. So I've had trouble celebrating these last few years, no wonder. But I'm going to move past the past and look to the future. A future filled with healthy happiness and a celebration of the strong and beautiful women who helped shape me into the woman I am today.

Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes for Valentine's Day

This month's Salt and Pine Bakery cupcake flavor was Raspberry Truffle. I must tell you, as the weekend neared, I was nervous. I had just completed 4 weeks of detox and had lost 15 pounds (I've lost a total of 16 now!). It had been a month since I'd had any refined sugar, let alone baked. So it was a test of my will-power; time to muster up some fortitude.

I started with my fail-safe chocolate cupcake recipe. This batter turns out a light, moist, very chocolatey cupcake that melts in your mouth. I did not take one taste of batter because I've made this recipe so many times that I trust myself and know I make it perfectly each time. I finished all 53 of them was still feeling fine. After they cooled, I started coring them, and that's when things became a little more difficult. As I removed the core from each cupcake, that rich chocolatey smell drifted up at me and my taste buds tingled. Dang - it's incredible how much food can affect us! I did well though. And through filling them with chocolate ganache, icing them with raspberry icing, I'm proud to say that I only took one taste of icing to ensure that the raspberry taste was there and tasted one cupcake core just to be sure they came out correctly/baked long enough. 

Justin Lumiere Photography

Justin Lumiere Photography

I had one extra at the end and J and I split it because, as a baker and a business-woman, I feel that I cannot turn out any of my product without ensuring that it is perfect. So we did a little quality control test. And boy, was it good! 

Here's the funny thing, all throughout the detox, I didn't crave sweets at all. I saw things around me at work - cookies, cake, candy - and didn't even care. But since tasting that 1/2 of a cupcake, my taste buds have re-awakened and they want more. I made mini cupcake bites using the cores and left over frosting and had 2 cupcakes left over and brought them in to work. They were gone by the day's end which was fabulous because I was NOT taking those home! I was tempted all day to take a little bite, but here's what stopped me: that morning, I tried on a pair of jeans that hadn't fit in two years, and they fit! I reminded myself that there will always be cupcakes in my life - seriously I'm a baker! - but I will never get another body and I need to take care of it NOW! 

I made 12 deliveries and have received some incredible feedback. J took an extra to work for his boss and she's placed and order and one of my club members has ordered an additional 4 of the same flavor. Business is "booming!" 

So I am motivated. J and I are excited to celebrate our accomplishments and I am excited to learn to be a baker who is not addicted to food. 

Detox Concludes

Today marks the end of our 4 week long detox. In summary, it was a great experience and it has kick-started our drive, motivation, and will-power to lose weight. I'm 15 pounds lighter and J is 20 pounds lighter. It's fantastic! We both still have a long way to go - I'd like to be about 40 pounds lighter from where I started and J wants to drop 50ish.

So what comes next?

Well, we've decided to just continue - why stop a good thing?! We put together a Week 5 menu pulling from our favorite recipes from the detox and starting to incorporate our own recipes. I'll post tonight's dinner tomorrow with some photos by J. He made a rockstar seaweed salad with marinated tofu. We talked and we both want to start writing more recipes and posting them on here - so stay tuned...some changes are coming on here!!

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds Lunch

So my photos are crappy, but this was a super yummy lunch! It's part of the Detox Week 4 lunch menu. Totally recommend this recipe; we didn't have the thyme or scallions, but it was still delicious and super hearty.

I'm on a quinoa kick today! 

Favorite Detox Breakfast to date!

Yum! So have you ever tried black quinoa? I did not even know such a thing existed until we reached week 4 of the detox diet. Black quinoa is not sold in the bulk aisle at our Whole Foods and since we rarely <never> buy grains that aren't in bulk, we never even noticed it sitting there on the shelf. So what's the difference? Well, it's similar in nutrition to red quinoa, but it's much more fragrant and it doesn't have that crunchiness to it. Which is why it made for a wonderful breakfast!

On Sunday night we cooked up a big batch of the black quinoa and for breakfast we have about 2/3 of a cup with 1/4 almond milk, 1/2 Tbsp of honey (yes, we're vegan and we're okay with honey...it's a debatable topic and we only buy local), 1 Tbsp of slivered almonds, and a couple thin slivers of avocado. It is an awesome way to start the day!

Although black quinoa is more expensive (it was $7.99 for a small bag...but remember - quinoa expands to 4x its size when cooked. A little goes a long way!), I think we'll continue buying it once in a while because we are liking the taste and texture much more than red. Have you tried all of the different types yet? Let me know what you think!

Detox - One week to go!

Hello there, friends! I'm sorry; I've been a terrible blogger lately. My "real" job has been super stressful lately and I'm just exhausted when I get home. The detox is going really well but that also takes up a good chunk of my time. It's a lot of planning and cooking ahead of time - something I'm just not used to! 

So far, I've lost about 12 pounds and J has lost 16. We're feeling more energetic, happier, and healthier and it's fantastic. This week, we added back in grains including brown rice, amaranth, and quinoa. Next week, our last week, we add back in wheat products. 

So my fear is coming back....what happens when week 4 is over? I don't want to go back to my old ways of perpetual snacking, processed vegan foods, and carb overloads. We ate healthy before, but we ate very rich foods and our portion sizes were out of control. J and I have vowed not to go back to that way of life and will try to continue making our weekly menus, preparing our own snacks rather than buying meal bars and rice cakes and munches, desserts are going to be be a once in a blue moon thing and no more eating after 8pm. We both want to lose 40+ pounds this year and are determined to do it!

End of Detox Week 1!

Week one has been a breeze....well, for the most part. I'm going going to say there weren't times when I sat at my desk at work and longed for a bag of trail mix to munch on or one of my hemp seed bars, but I pushed through. And you know what? I'm feeling awesome. I've lost about 5 pounds so far (maybe more, I stupidly didn't weigh myself before the first day), I find it easier to get up in the morning, and my mood has improved a lot. J has lost about 10 pounds so far and has had a harder time adjusting then me, but now feels pretty good about all of this.

Week two is when we get to add back in tofu and beans/legumes. It's funny, I'm almost tempted to do one more week of the week one plan, but I think I'll just stick to it the way it's written and see what happens. My biggest goal is to become more active. I've never been one to be excited about exercise...it's just not in me. I'm bummed that I'm not more excited about it, but it's hard to change that about yourself. I've been pulling out the WiiFit again, walking more, and still going to weekly Pilates sessions. I hope to keep up with the weight loss.

The biggest help is doing this with someone. I hear negative comments around me all day long. "That doesn't look like enough food." "I'd still be hungry if that's all I ate for lunch." "Who cares? One cup of coffee won't hurt you." And I've been superbly deflecting them all. I need to feel positive about me and not care what others think and perhaps my positivity and great results will inspire them to make changes in their lives too! Who knows!

Detox Day Two Recap

Day 2 has almost come a close and both of us are feeling pretty good. When I picked J up from work we both admitted to feeling a little headachey and pretty hungry, but good nonetheless!

Our meals/snacks today consisted of:

Carrot-Mango Herb Smoothie
1 Clementine
Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes 
4 Fruit & Nut Bites
Steamed Broccoli and Squash with Tahini Dressing 
Pistachio Stuffed Dates with Coconut

And lots of water! All of the recipes were awesome - especially the Carrot-Mango Herb Smoothie. It's really smooth and has this wonderful basil aftertaste. Yum!

What I thought would be the most difficult part of the day, was actually fine. I had a work meeting where they serve lunch and while they always make me a vegan lunch, it's still not on the plan. They make a big plate of desserts and inevitably the tray always ends up in front of me. Since going vegan, it's still been hard to stare at that stuff because yes, I'm a chocoholic. But today, I was totally fine. Didn't want it at all. The amazingly filling avocado lunch staved off cravings and I smiled inside during the meeting, knowing that I was fine. That's not to say that I didn't have trouble today. In the morning I was having a hard time waiting for lunch, but I stuck it through; drank another bottle of water and breathed.

The one thing I'm finding is that it takes a lot of energy to prepare everything. I don't want to find myself in a lurch with no food options and so I have to think ahead of time and prepare all of our breakfasts, lunches, and snacks in advance. It's great being prepared - I just hope I can keep this up! I recommend creating a menu for your week instead of blindly picking and choosing recipes from the detox each day. The rigidity helps you plan and also helps you visualize - "This is what I'm eating today." There's no room for that quick run to Starbucks for a coffee and a Kind Bar.

I'm going to have to start planning week two already, but will need to veganize some of their recipes. Week one is focused on only eating fruits, vegetables, and plant-based fats, including nuts, seeds, and oils. Week two adds back in seafood, lentils, beans, and soy. Hold the train. We're not eating seafood...so I think I'll sub in some tofu or tempeh. We'll see - I'm pretty creative :)

Detox Time

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of our holiday eating. Yes, we're vegan, but we still eat things like....Salt and Pine's Chocolate-Peanut butter Decadence Cake. (Yes, I made that this past weekend!)

Although I don't plan to stop baking (it's my "job" on the side and my passion) I do plan to start a detox plan on Monday with J. If I bake, I'll take it to work or give it away so that it's not lingering around the house. 

I got the idea when someone I know on Facebook posted a link to the 2012 Whole Living Action Plan. I'm at a place where I'm not losing the weight, I'm constantly tired and just want to re-start my body. This detox goes on for 4 weeks and we'll have to create some vegan alternatives for the later weeks since the menus include fish. 

Our first week will include:

Breakfasts:

Antioxidant Smoothie

Carrot, Mango & Herb Smoothie

Green Smoothie

Mango-Coconut Water Smoothie

Orange-Berry Smoothie

Cucumber, Honeydew, and Mint Smoothie

Lunches:

Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and Carrots

Sweet Potato, Celery, and Apple Salad

Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes

Dinners:

Steamed Broccoli and Squash with Tahini Sauce

Roasted Peppers, Cauliflower and Almonds

Snacks:

Dried Fruit and Nut Bites

Crispy Roasted Cauliflower

Cinnamon Poached Apples with Toasted Walnuts

In addition, the site gives you a mediation of the week, suggests starting a food journal, and has several detox yoga poses.

I'm excited to get started new week and hope to not only shed some weight but to feel rejuvenated!