Beginning of Year 2 Week Detox (Guidelines and recipe ideas)

*update: I also wrote an article for the detox and got published in a magazine!! Click on the link to see the article :).
OR Today - Kombucha Detox

Chris and I are doing a two week detox together!! We will be starting Monday, Jan 6th and we want to welcome anyone that wants to join us. Today I will be going over the basics of what to eat and what not to eat. As well as some recipes that we plan on using and other suggestions to aid in the detox process. So, lets jump in!

First of all, starting a detox is a big step and shouldn't be taken lightly. It can be a wonderful opportunity to reset your taste buds and help you start the new year eating more mindfully and intentionally. I shared with you in a previous post how much I enjoyed doing this detox in November and this time my husband is doing it with me :)!

For the detox there are a few food guidelines that we need to go over. We will start with what not to eat.

DON'T EAT:
Pork, Conventional beef, Processed meats, Dairy, Gluten (anything with wheat, rye or spelt), Corn, Soy, Caffeine, Alcohol, Vegetable oils (corn, soy and canola), and ALL forms of sugar (including cane sugar, artificial sweeteners, stevia, honey, agave, maple syrup, etc).

DO EAT:
Vegetables, Leafy Greens, Root Vegetables, Pasture-raised Beef, Poultry, Lamb, Wild-caught Fish, Gluten-free Grains (oats, millet, quinoa, brown rice, etc), Nuts and seeds, healthy fats (coconut oil, tallow and olive oil), Legumes, non-diary milk (coconut, almond or goat), and no more than 1 serving of fruit a day*.

*The last time I did the detox I said no fruit, however, we have 30 lbs of citrus we bought for a school fundraiser that I don't want to go bad. So we will be eating an orange or grapefruit everyday. If you are doing a detox to try and kick the sugar cravings, then consider cutting out fruit for the detox as well.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but as long as you are willing to try new things you will do great. Also, I plan on blogging every day during the detox! I will post about what we are eating each day with links to the recipes I used or writing out the recipe for dishes I come up with on my own.

Because Chris and I are doing this together I have to be more planned out this time :). Chris said he doesn't want to eat any salad or raw veggies, he wants meat at every meal, and he wants to eat BREAKFAST food at breakfast. haha No crazy soups or leftover curry for him. I wrote out a rough menu the other day and will share a few of the recipes I picked out so you guys can get shopping if you plan on starting this detox with me on Monday :)!

BREAKFAST ideas: 
I plan on rotating between 3 different breakfast options.

Option #1:

Egg (with an avocado if we have it), greens, and goat cheese. The orange stuff is habanero hot sauce, but I promise to only put that on my breakfast. You could also make a variation of this and serve it omelette style with some sautéed veggies such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, or whatever you have on hand. 

Option #2:

Baked sweet potato (or any other winter squash like acorn or butternut) with coconut oil, cinnamon, and an egg. 

Option #3: 

Regular baked potato cooked in coconut oil with an egg. 

Of course, if you are feeling brave, you can try out some of my favorite breakfasts from my previous detox including plantain pancakes, soup and leftovers. 

If you are dreading the idea of not having your morning cup of joe for the next two weeks, I recommend you check out Dandy Blend. It is a blend of dandelion, and other roasted roots and grains to make a liver supporting caffeine free coffee substitute. I have not tried it yet, but the reviews are fabulous!

LUNCH ideas:

Chris and I will both be be back at school and packing our lunch every weekday. I have to get a little creative because we won't have refrigeration or a way to heat. So, whatever I pack needs to be able to be eaten at room temperature, and per Chris' request, no salads or carrot sticks. Here is what I came up with...

I plan on packing some type of grain salad, a container of roasted veggies, and a handful of nuts/unsweetened coconut.

Here are some grain salad recipes I plan on trying:

Roasted Sweet Potato, Tuscan Kale, and Millet Salad

Sesame Brown Rice Salad with Chicken

or you can create your own, and check out this link:

Formula for Creating Bean and Grain Salads

For the roasted veggies:

Best Roasted Vegetables Ever

DINNER ideas:

For dinner here are a few items I plan on making. 

Beef neck-bone Stew (I will sub out the red wine for more broth)

Thai Red Curry Pumpkin Vegetable Soup (I found this soup 2 years ago and I have made it countless times. It is SO good!)

Mom's Spaghetti Sauce (with either chicken or ground beef added, a shredded carrot instead of honey, and served over spaghetti squash or quinoa noodles)

Chili

Salmon, Steamed Broccoli, and Carrot Ginger Rice

Black beans, Chicken, Brown Rice with Cabbage Slaw and Salsa 

I hope this is a good jumping off point for you. I am sure more ideas will come as I post our eats over the next two weeks. Remember to focus on nutrition, not counting calories. Also, it is good to keep in mind that eating more protein, fat, and non-starchy vegetables will help curb sugar cravings and keep you satisfied longer.

Before signing off, I quickly want to mention a few more things to be taken into consideration when embarking on a detox. Besides changing your food intake for two weeks, you should also evaluate how your lifestyle choices and habits are supporting or undermining your health. If you can identify areas for improvement, use this opportunity to set the standard for a healthier lifestyle going forward.   

Finally, during the detox I highly recommend getting your heart pumping by doing bounding exercises such as brisk walking, bounding on a trampoline or jump-roping. These activities help move waste and toxins through our lymphatic system to the liver for processing, and sweating helps by excreting toxins through our pores. 

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to documenting our journey with you!