You know those people who go on cleanses for a week, only to go back to eating the fatty North American processed diet full of wheat, cheese, booze and sugar?
Wait a second! You're not one of them too are you?
Here's the thing most people have to learn about detox: a detox should not be a crash anything. It's not something you can do twice a year where for one week you consume only lemonade and cayenne pepper. The best way to detox is to make your everyday way of living healthy. Make sense?
This means that most of the time you are drinking loads of water, eating mostly organic/local/seasonal foods, drinking herbal teas, reducing stress and getting loads of sleep. Once in a while, you have some chocolate cake, maybe a glass of wine, perhaps get dolled up in all your makeup, eat a pizza -- whatever it may be.
Now, doing this once in a while is not considered cheating. I hate when people go on diets and call Friday a "cheat day" or give themselves "cheat meals." Sounds a bit too much like deprivation to me.
What if we ate the good stuff most of the time, and maybe even hid some of the good stuff in already amazing dishes? Well you know what? You would end up feeling great; you could experience less pain and illness, rest better and look better. Isn't that what we're all after anyway?
Wild Rice and Quinoa Power Party In A Bowl
(Note, vegetable measurements below are approximates -- feel free to improvise.)
1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked) + 1 cup water
1/2 cup wild rice (uncooked) + 1 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 cups green beans, steamed
2 carrots, grated
1/2 zucchini, spiralized
3 cups broccoli, steamed
4 leaves of kale, shredded
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
- Cook quinoa in water, bringing to a boil and reducing to simmer for about 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- In a separate pot, cook wild rice in water with onion and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until water absorbed, about 35-40 minutes.
- Allow grains to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together raw and cooked vegetables.
- Add grains and seeds and mix thoroughly.
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs or more to taste of maple syrup
1/2 lemon, juiced (or 2-3 Tbs)
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp MSM powder
1/2 tsp spirulina
1 tsp wheat grass powder
1 dropper full of Ocean's Alive
sea salt to taste
- In a blender, blend together all dressing ingredients. Add more maple syrup, lemon juice and sea salt to taste.
- Add dressing to salad and toss thoroughly.