Gone are the days of my breakfast consisting of an ice cold Diet Dew. Instead, I've replaced my highly caffeinated, artificially sweetened and colored beverage of choice with steel cut oats. I know, it doesn't sound nearly as appetizing, but it's so delicious. The quick cooking kind are perfect for someone on the go and usually a few minutes behind schedule. I put a cup of water on to boil, add a 1/2 cup of oats, reduce the heat, stir for a minute, turn the stove off, and leave the oats there while I finish getting ready. Right before I sprint out of the house to my car, I add about a tablespoon of almond butter, a hint of agave nectar for sweetness, some honey for flavor (just a tiny bit), and sprinkle with cinammon. I'm lucky to have about a 6 minute drive to work in the morning so I take my coffe cup of oats into the office with me, and eat it at my desk while catching up on my morning emails. The oats normally keep me satisfied until at least 12 and sometimes 1. Not half bad. And the best part is they're detox friendly. I still crave the Dew from time to time but I haven't had one of those in weeks. You should probably avoid me if I ever have one again. Something tells me I'll be bouncing off the walls.
Showing posts with label detox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label detox. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Detox, Day ?
I kind of started the detox, kind of not so much. Part of the problem was Ryan had a Groupon to a Japanese steakhouse he'd been trying to take me to for a couple of months but we never had time and it was about to expire, so we went. Then there was a total lack of proper planning on my part. Oh, yeah, and I'm planning a wedding and we haven't picked a cake vendor so we have tastings lined up for tomorrow, and last night my parents invited Ryan and I over for dinner, and tonight we're celebrating one of my friend's birthdays so....I have a lot of excuses.
Considering I haven't properly paid attention to what I was eating since I was in college, I don't think I'm doing so bad. About 75% of the food I eat is detox friendly, some days my eating is almost perfect, and a I haven't had caffeine or artificial sweeteners in over a week. I have promised myself that on Monday, after the cake testing is finished, before we plan any additional events, and long before Thanksgiving, I'll start in earnest. Scout's honor, I will start, and strictly follow, the detox beginning Monday, October 10th.
Why do I think I can stand the torture and stick with it? Because even with the few modifications I've made, I can already feel a significant change in my body. Gone is the mid-afternoon onslaught of overwhelming exhaustion, my stomach feels better, I have a little more energy (impressive, considering the lack of caffeine and narcolepsy), and I'm not hungry nearly as often. It's amazing.
Tonight, I'll toast my friend on the eve of her 30th birthday, and Monday I'll swear off the booze for a minimum of 30 days. Thank goodness I don't have any tailgates planned until the Florida/Florida State Game Thanksgiving Weekend.
Considering I haven't properly paid attention to what I was eating since I was in college, I don't think I'm doing so bad. About 75% of the food I eat is detox friendly, some days my eating is almost perfect, and a I haven't had caffeine or artificial sweeteners in over a week. I have promised myself that on Monday, after the cake testing is finished, before we plan any additional events, and long before Thanksgiving, I'll start in earnest. Scout's honor, I will start, and strictly follow, the detox beginning Monday, October 10th.
Why do I think I can stand the torture and stick with it? Because even with the few modifications I've made, I can already feel a significant change in my body. Gone is the mid-afternoon onslaught of overwhelming exhaustion, my stomach feels better, I have a little more energy (impressive, considering the lack of caffeine and narcolepsy), and I'm not hungry nearly as often. It's amazing.
Tonight, I'll toast my friend on the eve of her 30th birthday, and Monday I'll swear off the booze for a minimum of 30 days. Thank goodness I don't have any tailgates planned until the Florida/Florida State Game Thanksgiving Weekend.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Delicious Lentils
I was given the original version of this lentil dish from a friend of a friend of the owner of a local restaurant. It's not on the menu so I don't feel so terrible sharing my modified, detox-friendly version of it. Here's what you'll need:
1 jar of pasta sauce
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cups of water
1 onion (I use Vidalia sweets whenever I can and this recipe is no exception)
6 whole cloves of garlic
1 bag (1 lb) of uncooked lentils
4 dried bay leaves
1 lb. of lentils (I use Publix green lentils)
Wash the lentils well (I like to check mine for small rocks too) and set them aside. In a medium/large pot, combine everything but the lentils over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft (about 45 minutes to an hour). Remove garlic, onions, and bay leaves, and serve.
It's super easy, so delicious, and easy on the budget. The last time I made the lentils, I might have forgotten how much water it called for and only used 1 1/4 cups (the recipe calls for a full cup of olive oil but I substitute some water for olive oil). Oops. While it was cooking, I gradually added a cup or two of water as needed. The lentils weren't as soft but it was still delicious and you could eat with a fork if you wanted. You can also add more than the 4 cups of water the recipe calls for if necessary.
Normally, I add some fresh Parmesan to mine, mix it in, and sometimes pop it in the microwave to make it melt, but I won't be doing that until I'm finished with the first 30 days of detox. It's great as a meal or a side dish and freezes really well if you need something fast and healthy on hand. Sorry there aren't any pictures, I made it late in the day and was so sleepy and hungry and I forgot. Next time I post a recipe, I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you.
1 jar of pasta sauce
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cups of water
1 onion (I use Vidalia sweets whenever I can and this recipe is no exception)
6 whole cloves of garlic
1 bag (1 lb) of uncooked lentils
4 dried bay leaves
1 lb. of lentils (I use Publix green lentils)
Wash the lentils well (I like to check mine for small rocks too) and set them aside. In a medium/large pot, combine everything but the lentils over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft (about 45 minutes to an hour). Remove garlic, onions, and bay leaves, and serve.
It's super easy, so delicious, and easy on the budget. The last time I made the lentils, I might have forgotten how much water it called for and only used 1 1/4 cups (the recipe calls for a full cup of olive oil but I substitute some water for olive oil). Oops. While it was cooking, I gradually added a cup or two of water as needed. The lentils weren't as soft but it was still delicious and you could eat with a fork if you wanted. You can also add more than the 4 cups of water the recipe calls for if necessary.
Normally, I add some fresh Parmesan to mine, mix it in, and sometimes pop it in the microwave to make it melt, but I won't be doing that until I'm finished with the first 30 days of detox. It's great as a meal or a side dish and freezes really well if you need something fast and healthy on hand. Sorry there aren't any pictures, I made it late in the day and was so sleepy and hungry and I forgot. Next time I post a recipe, I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you.
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