Part of unemployment is embarking on a three-week guided cleanse. It's not as scary as it sounds, and it's more about committing to three weeks of healthful and wholesome eating. And if done correctly, one gains a deeper understanding about their relationship to food as well as determining which foods they must have to be happy and nourished and which foods are better left by the wayside on a more permanent basis (I said buh-bye to cheese, bread, and pasta).
The first week is all about easing in and cutting out all processed foods, dairy, gluten, sugar, and caffeine. What's left to eat you ask? Everything! We've had healthy and nourishing meals with grilled chicken and/or fish with a ton of vegetables. And in lieu of grabbing the granola bar for a snack, we've grabbed a piece of fruit instead.
Week 2 is a little more challenging. It's continuing the behaviors from week 1, but phasing out animal proteins and sticking with juice and veggie based soups and smoothies. This gives the digestive system a well-deserved break. The first time I did this cleanse, I came up with a butternut squash puree which ended up being super tasty. Maybe I was euphoric from being so healthy, but I'll let you decide for yourself by perusing some photos.
{roasted butternut and acorn squash, red onion, and jewel yams with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt}
{pureed the mixture from above. Trust me, it's tastier than it looks...}
(...but my witty husband thought it reminded him of a witch's gruel. Apparently it was made in the year 1642. Hardy har har}
My husband has been struggling with the cleanse so I "treated" him to homemade croutons made from day-old whole wheat everything bagels. Cheater!!
{bagels cut up and drizzled with olive oil and a bit of garlic powder}
{Gruel + homemade whole wheat croutons = more appetizing?}
Lastly, week 3 is very similar to week 1 and is all about transitioning back to normalcy. But normalcy doesn't have to include bad foods. Right? Right.
