Detox Attempts

I've been wanting to do a food detox for quite some time. I have even picked out that doesn't include lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Despite my obsessive reviewing of this detox and the weekly commitment of "this will be the week to start," I have yet to successfully get this detox off the ground.

Whether it's just been a chaotic schedule, too many social gatherings, or just plain laziness, it hasn't happened.

Last week I thought, "This week is the week!" I had even prepared one of the main dishes for Week 1 of the detox, Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew. I was all excited to drink smoothies for breakfast and only veggies for the rest of my meal. Yes, it was going to happen!

Until it didn't. Wompwomp

I did manage to use up most of my red lentils (which I never thought would happen) and get a week's worth of healthy lunch out of the deal.

But I'm telling you. It will happen. This detox will happen.

Next week.

Maybe.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: soup/stew sweet potato red lentils

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Ingredients (4 servings)

• 2 tbsp coconut or olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 diced large onion
• 4 minced cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 1 1/2 c rinsed red lentils
• 6 c broth
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook cumin, turmeric and curry powder until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add onion with a few pinches salt, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes.

3. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes.

4. Add sweet potatoes and bell pepper and cook 6 -7 minute.

5. Add lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro before serving.

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Salsa Soup

Of course, the first day I decide to do my "detox," this ridiculousness shows up in the kitchen at work.

Really?! Fucking really? Red velvet whoopie pies! On the very first day!

You know what? Fuck you, Universe. I resisted your temptations. I passed those beautiful, delicious whoopie pies right on by. You think you can tease me? Ha! I laugh in the face of your pitiful ruse!

Even if I did hold the container up to my nose to smell their sweet, cakey aroma. It's not the same as eating them. Sadly.

In some of the detoxes I've looked at in the past, they suggest a few days of a liquid diet, either through smoothies, juices, or broths. While I'd normally be down to try a day or two of hot veggie broth, I am not willing to do such a thing in August in between heat waves. That would be just as silly as holding a plastic to-go container of whoopie pies to your nose. Who would do that?!

Instead, I did what I thought was the next best thing.

It may look like my fancy plastic spoon is in a bowl of salsa, but it's actually Gazpacho! I love gazpacho since it's essentially a cold tomato sauce that is social acceptable to eat directly out of the fridge. I love sauce!

I prefer my gazpacho to have some texture to it (hence the almonds in this recipe), so I don't usually puree it too much. This is definitely a personal preference you can adapt to your own taste.

Salsa Soup aka Gazpacho

by Bonnie Graham

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Ingredients

• 1 - 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cucumber, cut into quarters
• 1 medium red onion, cut into quarters
• 1 avocado (optional)
• 1 - 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
• 1 large can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/3 c slivered almonds (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Add garlic cloves to food processor and process to small pieces (to prevent from huge, nasty bites of garlic)

2. Add quartered veggies and process into smaller pieces. Add avocado, if using.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, almonds, and seasonings to food process. Process until desired consistency.

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Official Weigh-In

It's official. I weigh the most now then I have in the last three years. And I'm definitely feeling the difference in my body. Hello rubbing thighs. So nice of you to show up in this 90 degree heat!

I know what you're thinking, "What happen to this countdown for Spain, where you were supposed to be losing weight, Bonnie?"

Well, for a while there, it looked like our trip to Spain wasn't going to happen. With Jerry being out of work and us not knowing if we would make the next rent payment, all planning for Spain had come to a halt, including my great plan to lose weight to feel comfortable exposing my tata's on Europe's topless beaches. I think my mom is a little relieved about that one.

Now that Jerry is back to work and it's looking more and more hopeful that our trip to Spain is happening, I need to get back into Tata Exposin' shape! Our recent trip to Virginia definitely took me far off track, where at least 15 meals a day were consumed and exercise was significantly reduced.

That being said, I think I need a little bit of a jump start, which is why I've decided to do another detox. I'm not sure if it'll be for a whole month like my last one, but definitely at least a week or two.

I imagine that a detox won't be too hard since I'm in love with all fresh produce and have been eating salads at almost every meal anyway. Some of the rules of the detox are to definitely cut out all processed and refined sugars and definitely, definitely, definitely the use of portion control. No seconds at meals. No desserts. Nothing!

Plus, a return to the gym with a focus on yoga and HIIT (high intensity interval training) is certainly in-store.

Of course, with any great diet and exercise plan, it will start on Monday. Not today. Because today...I have some eatin' to do! :)

Cleanse Me, Baby!

My detox is over and I know you've been on the edge of your seat to see how it went!

Overall, I think it went quite well. This detox gave me pause to consider and reflect on my current diet, eating habits, and my overall thoughts of "being healthy."

I have organized this nice, neat list of my reflections. You're welcome.

Eating Habits and Portion Control
Portion control. Something I very clearly lack. I'm a "clean my plate" kinda girl. Even though I was detoxing, the constant urge to stuff my face was ever present. However, I became much more aware of when, what, and why I was eating. Remember the M&M story? I have become more mindful of eating when I'm hungry, leaving food on my plate when I'm full, and making better choices when I want something to snack on.

Blood Sugar Control and Insulin Usage
My blood sugar was awesome during the detox! It's probably related to the almost complete lack of carbs, but still. I don't think I have seen such great blood sugar numbers. In addition to great numbers, my insulin usage was significantly reduced. I was changing reservoirs on my pump that still had 20+ units in it after 3 1/2 days! Seeing such a change in numbers is definitely motivating to stick with a diet that more closely resembles this detox then what I had been eating.

Sugar Addiction
I realized how incredibly dependent I had come on sugary treats. Things that hadn't even occurred to be as being sugar laden were. Though my cravings for sugar didn't necessarily disappear, I drastically reduced the amount of my sugar consumption. It's amazing how we can become addicted to something and not even realize it!


Body Image
I definitely have issues when it comes to my body image. In my mind, I'm always fluctuating between too thin and not thin enough. I commented on this in my last post. It definitely takes a toll on my self-confidence. Overall, I felt less bloated and had a greater sense of healthiness.

Boozin' 
Overall, I felt healthy on this detox and especially in relationship to drinking less alcohol. While I enjoy my weekly bottles of wine far too much to give them up completely, this detox encourages me to drink less often. Maybe just reserving it for the weekend? Maybe.

Hydration
It seems like such a silly thing, especially since every health magazine you ever pick up tells you to drink water, but it's really true. I can definitely feel a difference in my concentration levels, energy, and hungry when I am well hydrated. And I mean water hydration. Drinking tea or coffee is not the same as plain ol' H20.

Summary
In sum, while I looked at this detox as just a three week diet plan, it has showed me a better, cleaner way to eat. I hope to incorporate into my every day life. While, so far, I've been pretty bad in following that way of life, I'm hoping to get back on track. Any that helps me to keep my toes is all good thing in my book!**

**Creepy diabetes amputation reference

Knock-off

My "I can make that!" mojo is in full effect, my friends!

During my detox, as a replacement for all the other naughty stuff I eat, I became addicted to LARA Bars. I know the purpose of a detox is to eliminate the physical dependency on food, but what can I say? I'm an anomaly! 

In case you've never seen or heard of a LARA bar, they are fruit and nut-based bars that have no artificial ingredients, additives, or sugars. In fact, I don't think I have seen a Lara bar with more then five ingredients on the label. My favorites are Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Cashew Cookie, Ginger Snap, and Lemon Bar. Are you noticing a cookie trend here? 

Once my detox ended, I was a little hesitant to keep LARA bars as a substitute for my daily Kashi granola bars. On the one hand, LARA bars are much higher in fat (because of the nuts) and carbohydrates (because of the dates) then my usual granola bar. On the other hand, my Kashi bars also have a lot more then five ingredients and definitely includes a sugar additive.

Then, I found out that dates, the primary base of LARA bars, are good for you! Dates are an excellent source of carbohydrates, contain no cholesterol, are high in fiber, and boast a wide range of nutrients. They aid in digestion and help to regulate blood sugar levels. SOLD!!!! Sign me up!


Except they come at anywhere from $1.29 to $2 a pop. Ouch. 


I decided to make my own to see how cost effective it is. The judges have yet to weight in. 


I'll share my recipe, but there is this great post that goes into significantly more detail on how to make the LARA Bars. Hop on over to Enlightened Cooking for more info. 


Cashew Cookie LARA Bar
Makes 3 large bars


Ingredients
2/3 c chopped dates
1 c raw cashews

cinnamon, to taste

Method

1. Place the dates in a food processor and pulse to a paste. Transfer dates to a medium bowl (don’t clean processor).
2. Add cashews to the processor and pulse until finely chopped. 

3. Add the nuts, along with the cinnamon, to the bowl with the date paste. 

4. Use your fingers to knead the nuts into the paste.
5. Divide mixture in thirds (or fourths, if you're really stingy!) Place each one on sheets of plastic wrap. 

6. Wrap the plastic around each bar and start squishing into a bar shape form, 3 and 1/2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 3/4-inch thick); press against counter top to flatten bottom side, flattening top side and ends with flat of hand. 

7. Tightly wrap the plastic around each bar and store in the refrigerator.

Desperately Waiting....

In Week 3, I am able to add gluten-free grains and dairy back into my diet. I have know idea what grains are gluten-free and which aren't, so I'm taking my ignorance to mean that I can eat whatever grains I want. That logic works, right? Your lack of response tells me you agree.

 If I thought that gluten was a problem in my life, then I would be a more conscious about not adding it back in. That whole "Never want to stop eating" thing is really my life's problem.

Either way, I have been desperately waiting for Week 3 so I could make this dish for lunch!

I've changed some of the ingredients slightly to fit what I had in my kitchen, to be more diabetic-friendly (more veg then carbs), and what is in season. I found vine-ripened tomatoes grown in MA at Whole Foods!


And, by the way, the dressing for this recipe is fucking amazing!

Protein Power Bowl

Ingredients

3/4 cup uncooked green lentils

3/4 cup uncooked farro

1/2 tbsp olive oil, for sautéing

1/2 large red onion (~1 & 1/3 cups), chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped (not seasonal, I know!)

2 tomatoes, diced
3 cups spinach or kale, roughly chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 batch of Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing (recipe below)

salt & black pepper, to taste

lemon Wedges & lemon zest, to garnish

Method
1. Cook lentils and farro (or grain of choice). I did this the night before to save time.
2. Prepare the Tahini-Lemon dressing in food processor (see below for recipe).
3. In a large skillet over low-medium heat, add your olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic for a few minutes, being careful not to burn.
4. Add in the chopped red pepper and tomato and sauté for another 7-8 minutes.
5. Stir in the chopped kale or spinach and sauté for another few minutes, just until tender.
6. Stir in the full batch of tahini-Lemon dressing, the cooked & drained grains and lentils, and simmer on low for another few minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with lemon wedges and zest.

Tahini-Lemon Dressing

Ingredients

1/4 cup tahini

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Nutritional yeast or a bit more, to taste

2-4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

1 tsp kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

3 tbsp water, or as needed

Method
1. In a food processor, add all ingredients and process until smooth.

New Favorite

I'm sad that it took me this long to find this detox plan because it has now supplied me with my favorite winter salad.

Except that it's no longer winter.

Now that we're on the cusp of spring and all my winter veggies are going out of season, I'll be craving this salad until November! Thanks, Universe!

If you're never thought to eat raw sweet potatoes, you should definitely give it a try. It's much more mild then its cooked counterpart. Bonus: This salad was pretty good on the ol' blood sugar!

Sweet Potato, Celery, and Apple Salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 small sweet potato, peeled and finely julienned

1 tart apple, cored and finely julienned

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

2 scallions, thinly sliced

3 radishes, finely julienned

3 tablespoon TVP (for added crunch!)

1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

Method

1. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, ginger, and oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In another bowl, combine sweet potato, apple, celery, scallions, radishes, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

3. Drizzle dressing over salad and season with salt and pepper.

Oh...Duh!

Here I am posting about my second week of detoxing and didn't even update you on the first!
Here's a quick run-down.

What's Off Limits During the Entire Plan: processed food or beverages, added sugar, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol
What I Ate During Week 1: fruits, vegetables, and plant-based fats, including nuts, seeds, and oils
What I Added Back in Week 2: seafood, beans and lentils, and organic soy
What I Will Add Back in Week 3: gluten-free grains and dairy

How's the detox going so far?
So far, this detox hasn't been too bad. Except for getting a cold. Which really can't be blamed on the detox, but more on the booger-handed kids I work with. The majority of my cravings haven't been for what I was expecting, like desserts and other sugary treats, but for all food in general.

I. Just. Want. To. Keep. EATING!!!

It's not because I'm hungry. I just feel this incessant need to put things in my mouth! ::Insert dirty joke here:: I've also really missed my Friday/Saturday/"whatever night of the week it might be" glass of wine.  Ah, my mother must be so proud!

Overall, this detox has definitely made me more aware of what I have been feeding my body. Initially, I joked that I had a sugar addition, but I do truly believe that it is true. In fact, studies actually show that we can become physically addicted to fat and sugar. Our bodies starts to crave it the way it would coke or heroine. How fucked up is that?!

In the two weeks that I have been following this plan, I have had amazing blood sugar, more energy, and more restful sleep! I have developed a wicked addiction to Lara Bars, which is better then candy bars. I see that my portion control has definitely been out of wack. Lastly, I have realized how mindless my eating can be.

For example, I went into our supply closet at work where we keep snacks, juice boxes, etc. for the kids in our group. While I was sorting through it, I came across a bag of M&Ms. Immediately, my mind thought "Oo, M&Ms!" and I reached for the bag. I, then , stopped because I remembered I was on this detox. When I took a few more minutes to think about it, I realized how mindlessly I would have eaten that handful of M&Ms. I wasn't even hungry. I didn't need a chocolate fix. It was just there.

Oh. And do I need to point out that I'm a diabetic? Handfuls of M&Ms really shouldn't be in the daily repertoire.
If I walk away from this detox with nothing more then an increased awareness of what I feed my body, I feel this detox has done its job.

Doubled Over

On the first day of my detox, I was doubled over in pain.

It's not clear how much that had to do with the detox or my stupidity. I had a dull pain start in my back and slowly creep its way over to my side and lower abdomen. Intially, I tried to ignore it, thinking it was fleeting cramps or something.

But as the day progressed, it got more intense. I began racking my brain for possible causes. I googled different ailments and the locations of certain organs. Was this my pancreas trying to bust out? Figuring he wasn't working anyway might as well take a road trip? Seriously. I googled the location of my pancreas. No, pancreas was too high for this pain. What about an appendicitis? That sounds like it could hurt. Nope, wrong side.

Between my writhing and fruitless google searching, I gave in and went home. Only to realize in the car that I had eaten raw almonds on an empty stomach earlier that day. For some reason, I always forget that raw almonds will cause me to feel as though an alien is trying to escape into the outside world by ripping its' way through my bellybutton until the damage has been done and I'm trying to decide if I should pull over to the side of the road to take the fetal position in the backseat of my car!

And, of course, it always passes.

A couple hours after arriving home (or, rather, to Jerry's), I felt fine. And hungry. Keeping with this detox is hard, especially when you think it's trying to kill you...and you go to the diner for dinner.
Truth be told, I did pretty well by just eating the salad bar and a bowl of vegetarian-friendly lentil soup. Yay me.

Spring on a Spoon

I have manage to find a recipe that is the closest thing to eating spoonfuls of Spring that I have ever tasted. With the exception of eating grass. Which I don't recommend. Smoking it on the other hand........

One of the reasons I chose my current detox is because it had recipes that looked pretty delicious. One of which was this Minty Pea Dip. It seemed fairly straightforward, simple and could easily be made from the overabundance of frozen peas in my freezer. I swear I buy frozen peas like I'm preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Which doesn't really make any sense since I probably won't have freezer access with it being an apocalypse and everything.

But I digress. Back to peas.

This dip is intensly pea-flavored. So you should only really eat this dip if you likes peas. Because it's made of mostly all peas.

Did you get that?

That there are peas in this dip?

Instagram
Don't worry...the dip doesn't actually look that dark and depressing

Minty Pea Dip
Serve with veggies or crackers

Ingredients

3 cups frozen green peas

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons tahini

Coarse salt and pepper

Method

1. Cook peas in salted boiling water until tender, 1 minute. Transfer to an ice-water bath; drain.
2. Pulse peas in a food processor with mint, lemon zest and juice, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and tahini.
3. Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with oil.

Tapeworm

I believe I have one.

Mostly because I have an obsessive need to eat. I can't help it. It just happens. Before I know what I'm doing, I'm shoving food in my face! AND I'M NOT EVEN HUNGRY! It's almost like those people who take Ambien and start sleep-eating.

Except I don't take Ambien. And I'm fully conscious. But definitely similar.

Eating constantly without having an actual tapeworm does some very negative things to one's body. These are thing that I'm beginning to notice, like the uncomfortable way my thighs rub together or adjusting my jeans to allow for my muffin top to spill over the top of my jeans. So sexy.  My clothes are fitting a little too snugly. My energy levels are too low. I'm having less and less confidence. And I'm just generally feeling unhealthy. Even though it's just a few pounds, a few pounds really does make a difference.

In attempt to ween myself off "the junk(food)," I will be starting that long awaited detox. Which, ironically, is a food detox. I know. You're thinking "Hold on there, sister! You're detoxing from food by eating more food?" Yes. I am. Isn't it wonderful?

For this detox, I will be avoiding all processed food or beverages (which shouldn't be hard), added sugar (might be a little difficult), dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol (let's call the whole thing off!). For the first week, I'll  be eating fruits, vegetables, and plant-based fats, including nuts, seeds, and oils. That shouldn't be too hard (except for that whole no booze thing) since this is essentially my diet anyway! If you're interested in following the same detox plan (and I know you are), you can do so here at Wholeliving.com. 

Wish me luck!

Addicted....

I'm addicted to sugar! I'm not sure if I need to tell you, but that's generally not recommended for a diabetic!

Ever since the holidays, I feel like my diet has fallen by the wayside. Carby foods and sugar has slowly been creeping its way. Sneaky, sneaky. I've even allowed myself to buy two kinds of flavored marshmallows!! It needs to stop.

While my blood sugar control has been okay, I've been feeling rather run down, unmotivated, and just bleh! Prior to the holidays, I had been feeling pretty good about my weight, eating habits, and workouts, but lately...not so much. I'm definitely eating too many carbs and not enough veggies, fruits, and lean protein. My portion sizes have become larger as my exercise regime dwindles. It's becoming a problem.  I am a MUCH happier, confident person the more fit and healthy I am.

While I think it's partial related to being weighed down by the food of the season (i.e. lots of starchy vegetables, hearty soups and stews), winter time blues are also starting to kick in. Cold weather and lots of time indoors has a way of messing with me.

Starting this week, I'm getting myself back on track!

First, I'm going cold turkey, man! No more sugar. Okay, okay...that's probably not completely accurate. But I am throwing away my flavored marshmallows (Chocolate Mint Jet Puff, how I love you!), no snacking at the junk people bring in at the office, and only ordering dessert as an occasional treat.

Second, I need to get back into a regular exercise routine! I'm investigating different programs to spark the motivation. I'm perusing BodyRock.tv to see if anything appeals to me, however, I think just getting myself to the gym on a regular basis will be an improvement.

Lastly, I'm considering doing very mild detox to help move along this sugar addiction. Nothing too crazy since lemon juice and cayenne pepper isn't enough to sustain this Diabetic, but something. More info to come on this one.

Wish me luck! Updates are sure to be fun!

Detox Me!

I am not sure why, but I have always been interested in doing a detox. There is something about cleaning out my colon in a controlled situation that is appealing! I don’t mind the idea of spending a few days on the crapper. I think I would feel…lighter (or sore).  For at least two years, I had a detox from goop.com by Gwyneth Paltrow on my fridge, just waiting for me to get my shit together - har, har, no pun intended. 

While the commitment to detox is intense, figuring out how to do it while being a diabetic is even more of a challenge! Many of the detox I have seen involve the consumption of juice to help the body get its nutrients. Since becoming diabetic, I have been told that juice should only be used to treat hypoglecmia. While I am sure I can drink juice whenever I want to, I’m not sure a whole week of just juice would fare well with my busted pancreas.

However, after back to back weekends of overindulging, resulting in several food babies, I am in need of something to cleanse this colon (besides beer!). I decide to use some of my recent inspiration of raw food to help aid in this process.

I have seen a lot of recipes calling for “raw pasta.” (It’s zucchini people! Let’s call a spade a spade, shall we?) Whatever, I’ll try to go along with it. The result….a yummy, light salad.

Detox "Pasta" Salad

Salad Ingredients

1 large zucchini

1 large carrot, shredded

6 – 7 cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 -5 radishes, sliced (not present in picture, but would be damn good!)

¼ c. peanuts

small handful of cilantro, chopped

Dressing Ingredients

1 inch piece of ginger

¼ c. rice wine vinegar

¼ c. canola oil

½ to 1 tsp brown rice syrup or other natural sweetener (or use to taste)

1 tsp lemon juice

a shake or two of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Method

1. Wash all your veggies. It sort of defeats the purpose of detoxing if all your vegetables are covered in pesticides.
2. Use a good vegetable peeler to peel long, thin slices from the zucchini.
3. Put all veggies together in a bowl.
4. Grate ginger into a bowl of mini food processor. If using a food processor, add all the other dressing ingredients (even the oil). Turn on and let emulsify (30 to 60 seconds). If doing by hand, add the ingredients to the bowl with the exception of the oil. Slowly whisk oil in to emulsify.
5. Dress salad and feel that colon cleanse coming on!