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This week’s menu planning is a little a lot different from the past few weeks. And actually, in the interest of full disclosure, it’s not for this upcoming week. I’m planning ahead for a 21-day cleanse that I’ll be starting on either Sunday or Monday of next week.
Why am I not starting the cleanse right away? Because next weekend is my sister’s bachelorette weekend, and it includes wine tasting and a few indulgent meals.
What does this cleanse involve? It’s inspired by Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness, 21-Day Cleanse. I’ll be posting more about it this week, but the bottom line is to avoid all caffeine!, alcohol, sugar, gluten, and all animal products.
This is what I’m planning on having during those 21 days…
Breakfast: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal, almond butter (homemade), 1/2 banana sliced (This is what I usually have for breakfast, but it’s usually accompanied by 2 cups of black coffee!)
Snack choices: Larabars, fruit + handful of raw almonds, carrot apple muffins (using GF flour and unsweetened almond milk) fruit smoothies with unsweetened almond milk or soy milk, green smoothies (I’ll need to play with green smoothie recipes to find one that goes down well.)
Lunches: extra-thick green smoothies?, sweet potato & zucchini cut up in fry-shapes and baked, leftovers from dinners…
Dinners:
- gazpacho
- GF pizza with many, many options***
- chickpea tacos
- vegan tostada pizza, using the GF pizza dough mentioned above
- pepita salad, omitting the parmesan cheese
- dolmas salad (scroll down to find it)
- ultimate veggie burgers (made with water + flaxseed instead of eggs)
- japanese cucumber salad
- falafel recipe from Gina (made with GF flour)
- best of everything veggie burgers (omitting cheese, and using GF bread crumbs)
- butternut squash tacos with spicy beans
- lemon garlic pasta (using GF pasta)
- grilled veggie kabobs
*** I’ve just found out that my favorite “vegan” cheese isn’t “vegan” after all! It has casein in it. sniff, sniff…
I’ll be adding to this list as I find more ideas. There are also a lot of recipes in the back of Kathy Freston’s book, too.
I am linking this menu to Menu Planning Monday and to the Chive Talkin’ Blogroll.
If you have a {yummy} gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan meal or snack that I should know about, please let me know!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Way to go on doing a cleanse I am just not brave enough. A friend does the lemonade cleanse, I just don’t think I could do it. This one sounds more doable though. Good luck!
Looks like you’ll be eating the way we “try” to eat all the time. Damien is more successful at this than I (drinking my coffee right now). I thought of telling you about the cheese you love not being vegan but I didn’t want to rain on your parade or sound like a know-it-all. Disappointing isn’t it? We just stopped making pizza and instead go out for cheap, veggie-loaded thai food.
One of our favorite desserts is this chocolate truffle recipe:
http://fimby.tougas.net/healthy-chocolate-truffles
Maybe too rich for a cleanse? But meets all the criteria you listed.
you go girl. so brave of you to start. I did get that book at the library. May I ask as far as cheese, if it is not “real” does that mean it is full of fake ingredients? that is what I didn’t like about Skinny B - they promote lots of fake foods - I don’t think the 21 day cleanse does though.
of course, you will blog about the whole experience right?
My husband and I did a 90 day cleanse last fall. My husband finished it. I found out that I was allergic to the psyllium shakes we had to drink, so I quit after a couple weeks. I like your cleanse better. Much better food!!
@ Kristi~
Welcome! I’ve never done one of those lemonade or cayenne pepper-drink cleanses. I think what’s different about this one is that you could actually live on this one forever. {Not that I’m committing to that or anything!} LOL
@ Renee~
You’re sweet for not raining on my parade and telling me the truth about my “vegan” cheese. I’m so sad!! Truth be told, I’d like my typical diet to be more like this cleanse, but we’ll see how it goes. Even if I keep a few of the cleanse-habits once it’s done, that would be progress. Thanks for the chocolate truffle link — I’ll def check it out. If it fits all the requirements, I don’t see why I can’t have it!! ; )
@ Denise~
I will most definitely blog about it! Yeah, the thing about KF’s book is that she promotes all “clean” foods…everything is whole and/or natural. As for my cheese that I thought was vegan — I know what you mean about it not being “real.” I was going on the assumption that it was soy-based (which it is) and that it was a safe, natural alternative. Again, I’m not saying that it’s not safe, but maybe I should have checked the ingredients out a little more carefully. Ignorance is bliss, right?
@ marci~
Could you substitute something else for the psyllium shakes? Did you husband feel any different after the cleanse? I’ll let you know how mine goes…
Good for you! I bet you’ll feel amazing after your cleanse, it’s incredible the difference right eating makes.
Hope you enjoy the falafel!
At first when I read you were doing a cleanse I thought, “uh oh”. I’ve done cleanses before and didn’t find them helpful and I’ve since found out that cleanses aren’t that great for you and don’t have any real health benefits. However, the cleanse I did and the ones this particular show researched were the really strict ones. You know the ones that have you eating only eye of newt extract and cherries. Your cleanse sounds pretty tasty actually.
Btw, in response to “If you have a {yummy} gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan meal or snack that I should know about, please let me know!”, the only recipe I have that fits that bill is, well, air!
Good luck Kirwin! I’m interested to see how you find it.
The cleanse sounds great. Rather than deprivation, you’re adding good and cutting out some of the junky stuff.
And it’ll go great with boot camp : ) Don’t be afraid of a little extra nut butter if you’re feeling empty on boot camp days.
Hey! The cleanse sounds awesome and I agree with Amy @Feasiblyfitmom The menu sounds great…with lots of yummy choices. You won’t miss anything!
Thanks for joining in the blog roll at chivetalkin.com. You inspire others!
@ Gina~
Thanks! I’m thinking (and hoping) that I’ll be feeling GREAT! I’ll let you know. ; )
@ Sami~
I know, I know. A “cleanse” is almost misleading in this case. This is nothing crazy — it’s all good…
@ Amy~
Kathy Freston actually mentions that in her book — that this is more about adding good things, than taking away {bad} things. Thanks so much for the suggestions you sent me. I’ll start experimenting this week… maybe tomorrow.
@ jenna~
As always, I’m so glad there’s a *healthy* flexitarian menu-plan out there to participate in. ; ) I’ll let you know how the cleanse goes!