How you end a cleanse is far more important than how you started it. If you’ve managed to cut out coffee, sugar, alcohol and saturated fats for a few days, the LAST thing you should do is dive right back in!
…don’t you feel lighter? clearer? doesn’t it seem like your body is using calories better? like you have more energy? like you get fuller faster? Crashing right back into self-destructive eating habits will completely negate all the progress you’ve made over the past few days.
But cleansing isn’t easy – and I did promise to keep our spring cleanse joyful – so let’s treat ourselves right and prepare some wholesome, delicious and nourishing treats to reward ourselves for seeing our cleanse through to the end!
Breakfast: Let’s ease back into real food, here. I love to start the day with this high-fiber treat:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill High Fiber Cereal with flax
1 cup almond milk (or less for a thicker texture)
1/3 banana
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup walnuts
Cook the oats and cereal in unsweetened almond milk (yum!), about 5 minutes on low heat. Add walnuts, banana and blueberries – voila!
Check out the stats from the USDA Food Tracker:
Total Calories 426 Calories Empty Calories* 24 Calories Solid Fats 0 Calories Added Sugars 24 Calories *Calories from food components such as added sugars and solid fats that provide little nutritional value. Empty Calories are part of Total Calories. Nutrients Amount Per Portion Protein 11 g Carbohydrate 54 g Dietary Fiber 15 g Total Sugars 18 g Added Sugars 6 g Total Fat 24 g Saturated Fat 2 g
Mid-morning snack: Kefir and apple slices
a glassful of delicious kefir to help your body achieve balance before, during and after a cleanse
1 C plain, organic Kefir
1 medium apple, cored and sliced
Simple, invigorating, delicious! Plus, you’re getting full-spectrum probiotics to help “re-populate” your tummy after some intense fiber cleansing.
Total Calories 170 Calories Empty Calories* 16 Calories Solid Fats 16 Calories Added Sugars 0 Calories Protein 8 g Carbohydrate 31 g Dietary Fiber 3 g Total Sugars 26 g Added Sugars 0 g Total Fat 2 g Saturated Fat 1 g
Lunch: I “heart” miso!
1 T miso paste of your choice
1 C water
3 or 4 shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup cabbage
1/2 cup carrots, julienned
1 or 2 scallions, sliced
1 T “NettleMe” seasoning*
Re-hydrate shitake mushrooms as directed, or just toss straight into the pot with water and miso. Slowly increase the heat, adding cabbage and carrots, stirring until miso is dissolved. When steam rises from the pan, immediately remove from heat – don’t let it boil! That destroys the good enzymes in your miso. Pour into a bowl and garnish with sliced scallions and “NettleMe” seasoning (toasted sesame seeds, dried nettle and just a pinch of salt! Thank you Susun Weed!)
Total Calories 114 Calories Empty Calories* 0 Calories Solid Fats 0 Calories Added Sugars 0 Calories Protein 6 g Carbohydrate 12 g Dietary Fiber 5 g Total Sugars 3 g Added Sugars 0 g Total Fat 6 g Saturated Fat 1 g
*The USDA does not currently have nutritional information available for Nettle, so here’s what Susun Weed says in Healing Wise, numbers are milligrams per hundred grams of dried and crushed nettle herb): “Sister spinster is very high in calcium (2900), magnesium (860), trace minerals, and chlorophyll (6 grams are extractable from a kilo of dried leaves). Stinging nettle is high in chromium (3.9), cobalt (13.2), iron (41.8), phosphorus (447), potassium (1750)…” etc!
Smoothie Break: Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Creamy Green Smoothie (from Tasty-Yummies.com)
1 C unsweetened almond milk
1 C organic spinach
2 organic Medjool dates
1 organic medium apple – cored, skin can be left on, if organic
1/2 organic avocado
2-inch organic piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 or 4 ice cubes
Add all of the ingredients to your blender (in the order above) and process until smooth and creamy. Serve with an apple slice and a sprinkle of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick to get real fancy!
And here’s the numbers: Total Calories 332 Calories Empty Calories* 24 Calories Solid Fats 0 Calories Added Sugars 24 Calories *Calories from food components such as added sugars and solid fats that provide little nutritional value. Empty Calories are part of Total Calories. Nutrients Amount Per Portion Protein 6 g Carbohydrate 46 g Dietary Fiber 13 g Total Sugars 30 g Added Sugars 6 g Total Fat 17 g Saturated Fat 2 g
Dinner: The most amazing kale experience you’ve ever had (loosely adapted from Dawn Gluskin.com)
2 C kale, washed and chopped
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/4 C orange slices
1/4 C olive oil
2 T orange juice
1 T lemon juice
1/4 C toasted walnuts
Make the vinaigrette in a separate jar, add salt and pepper to taste. Shake well and set aside. Mix kale, cranberries, orange slices and walnuts in a large bowl. Smother with the dressing, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. The acids will sweeten and soften the kale, the longer you let it marinate the better!
*This recipe makes two portions, the following nutritional info is for one portion: Total Calories 430 Calories Empty Calories* 33 Calories Solid Fats 0 Calories Added Sugars 33 Calories Protein 5 g Carbohydrate 23 g Dietary Fiber 4 g Total Sugars 13 g Added Sugars 8 g Total Fat 38 g Saturated Fat 5 g
What are your favorite light, easy and delicious ways to end a cleanse?
