cleanse diet

free detox food list recipes and information via sunny vegan

It’s that time of year when millions of American’s make a resolution to lose weight, exercise or eat more healthy foods. But how many people are still following their resolutions just 4 weeks from now? I recently read that less than 23% of American adults consume 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day. I also noticed quite a few people saying that one of their resolutions for 2013 was to eat more fresh produce. Great! Now where do you start? Right here with these detox basics then continue to focus on including these nutrient rich foods in your life for good.

We know we don’t eat quite as healthy as we should and all of those convenient processed foods take a toll on your body and health, so why not start the New Year with a healthier you. A detox plan is designed for internal cleansing of the body and to remove toxins by only eating pure whole foods. Some immediate benefits of a detox are:

* improved energy
* clearer skin
* weight loss
* better sleep
* clearer mind

While clean eating may be new to you, stick to the approved food lists as closely as possible for the best results. Continue to try new foods and preparation methods to find what works best for your body, family and lifestyle.

Foods to Avoid ~ sugar, caffeine, alcohol, all meat and dairy, salt and processed foods.

Foods to eat ~

Vegetables: arugula, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, romaine lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, beets, bok choy, carrots, jicama, onions, spring onions, sweet potato, squash, kelp, nori

Fruits: apples, apricots, blueberries, raspberries. grapes, figs, peaches, pears, plums, lemons, limes, bananas, kiwi

Whole Grains: amaranth, quinoa, oats, brown rice, wild rice, millet, buckwheat

Nuts: unsalted almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, chestnuts, macadamia

Seeds: alfalfa, fennel, chia, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax, hemp

Beans: black, kidney, lentil, mung, garbanzo

Herbs: basil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, dandelion, chives, turmeric

Oils: extra virgin olive oil, coconut, sesame

Vinegar: apple cider, balsamic, rice, wine

Miscellaneous: miso, cocoa powder, ginger, mustard, tofu

Beverages: water, green tea, herbal tea, coconut water, fresh fruit or vegetable juice

*partial list, other foods may also be beneficial for detox

So who’s with me for a Happy Healthy New Year in 2013, check back daily through January 16th for free recipes and the detox basics free ebook!
The cover of the book is above and will be available for download soon.

tomorrow’s recipe is for a gorgeous lentil salad, both of my girls love it today for lunch and I can’t wait to share with you too.

Detox.

It can be an intimidating concept, and what does it mean exactly? Do I stop eating all together, or eat certain things and avoid others, or only drink juice, or fast, or WHAT?

Detox and cleanse are often used interchangeably which also adds to the confusion. Lets break it down into the most simple of terms and concepts.
A detox or cleanse is meant to remove toxins and poisons from your body by only consuming pure whole foods. From that basic concept come many variations, but a few things are constant through all of them and that is what we are going to look at.
* avoid processed foods
* avoid caffeine
* avoid alcohol
* avoid sugar
* avoid preservatives and artificial colors
* eat organic whenever possible
* drink plenty of water
* avoid dairy
* avoid wheat

and now for what to include: I will add a full list on another page, but here are a few of the best items to include, also used in this salad.
broccoli – touted by many as one of the healthiest foods on the planet, it is rich in vitamin C, fiber and calcium. broccoli also helps to control liver enzymes aiding in liver detoxification.
lemons– high in vitamins C and A, potassium, calcium and amino acids.
garlic– provides vitamins C and B, selenium and manganese. stimulates the immune system, removes toxins while providing antioxidants.
lentils and legumes– provide folate, protein, B6, magnesium, and fiber to cleanse the digestive tract.
leafy greens– such as spinach and romaine lettuce. romaine lettuce provides vitamins A and C, calcium and protein.

So wanting to detox doesn’t have to be a tortuous thing, stick to whole natural foods packed with nutrition to make your body strong and foods known to aid in the elimination of the bad stuff. Weather or not you believe all the detox hype, filling your body with beautiful, delicious and nutritious food surely isn’t a bad idea.

Ingredients: 2 servings

1 head romaine lettuce
1 cup broccoli- finely chopped
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes – halved
1/2 cup dry lentils – prepare following package directions

dressing:

juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon aple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon diced garlic
3/4 – 1 cup olive oil
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon agave – optional

Method:

divide lettuce, broccoli and tomatoes onto 2 plates. top with cooked and cooled lentils. in a small jar or blender, combine dressing ingredients, top salad with dressing and serve immediately.

food, photography and fun

healthy new year, detox basics

simply delicious detox salad