Monthly Archives: March 2013

So, before I left for Wisconsin I decided to try a new style of eating for a week: completely non-processed with all fresh produce and grains, and no alcohol, caffeine, sugar, dairy, red meat, wheat, and minimal salt…just to see how I’d feel. And I did it! I usually eat healthy, just not this extreme, but I’m proud I stuck it out.

It all tasted good, and I felt good afterward. But I spent hours preparing meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert every single night. It was crazy time consuming, I never once made it to bed before 1 a.m., my back hurt from all the time in the kitchen, and overall – it just didn’t feel good enough to justify the effort. The flavored waters were fun – it helped me drink as much water as I should every day, and they tasted great, so I’ll keep those in steady rotation…and I’ll likely make some of the recipes again too in the future, because they were all good (my favorites are marked “winner”). But this is not a lifestyle that one easily can, or in my humble opinion, really should, keep up with full-time. A fun trial, but in the future I’ve determined I can still eat fresh and healthy without skipping out on all the delicious stuff I listed above and still save myself a ton of time, energy, and sleep. Also, Ted would eat none of this. So he would basically starve if I ever attempted this tomfoolery again when he is living here.

{lemon, cucumber, mint, and rosemary water – winner}

{breakfast smoothie: mango, banana, strawberry, chia seeds, almond coconut milk, fresh tangerine juice, spinach – winner}

{warm grapefruit tea: freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, agave, cinnamon, all spice – winner}

{trail mix – winner}

{roasted chickpeas with vegetable oil, cumin, ginger, coriander, paprika, and salt – winner}

{chia seed pudding with almond coconut milk, chia seeds, pure vanilla extract, blueberries, and mango}

{roasted acorn squash glazed with maple syrup and stuffed with quinoa, shallots, pecans, spinach, rosemary, and pear}

{baked white fish tilapia in spiced broth with quinoa, garlic, shallots, ginger, coriander, cayenne pepper, yellow squash, tomatoes, and cilantro leaves – winner}

{black beans with sauteed tilapia, lime, and cilantro}

{quinoa with carrots, zucchini, artichoke, lemon, and shallots}

{sauteed kale and pinto beans with garlic and shallots – winner}

{and this one came after the trial experiment, hence the corn tortilla and cheese…but Ted still won’t eat it, so in this post it goes! cumin roasted butternut squash with black beans, NY state sharp white cheddar, cilantro leaves, lime, and a sriracha, agave and apple cider vinegar sauce in a corn tortilla – winner}

{views from the epic Mexican fun lunch of tacos, salads, rice, beans, quesadillas, dessert nachos, and all the fixings that we all contributed to at work a few weeks ago…and that’s not even all of it. It was amazing. Now this Ted would eat!}

{a good thought with some merit, but not of total truth. perhaps what inspired my experiment?}

Strawberry rosemary scones. A copy-cat recipe of a rosemary scone from a Rochester bakery I tried a few weeks ago and fell in love with. Made a batch this week and they were delicious! Recipe here.

Salad: Kale, white wine infused quinoa, lemon garlic rosemary grilled chicken, shallots, blueberries, raw pumpkin seeds, grapefruit, and topped with a dressing of salt, pepper, grapefruit juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Easy, filling, flavorful and healthy. Of my own twisted creation. Apparently detox diet friendly, I’ve been told.

Rambutan fruit! Not the most glorious or appetizing picture of this exotic red Malaysian fruit, but it is sweet and juicy like a grape and tastes really, really great. Just don’t eat the big seed in the middle. Supposedly, it’s mildly toxic. But don’t let that scare you away from this wonderful dessert fruit. I had several this week and plan to stock up on more.

Seasoned sauteed tilapia over quinoa with cilantro and mango, and a handful of olive oil, salt and pepper roasted brussel sprouts with a garlic, lemon and cayenne aioli dipping sauce. Recipe of my own fridge-clearing creation.

Prickly Pear fruit (you know, the pretty fruit flower on top of cactus?) topped with a dallop of whip cream and a sprinkling of chili power to cut the sweetness. Not sure I’d love it plain as it is very sweet, but it tastes absolutely divine when paired with a bit of whip cream and chili power. A totally flavorful and balanced delectable combination. Be warned: I’ve been plucking tiny, thin, hair like thorns out of my hands for the past three days straight (wear gloves!) and the seeds are a pain in the butt to work around, though I’ve since learned that the seeds are edible. If you’d like to try it, here are some instructions on how to handle, cut and eat them so you don’t meet the same annoying, sliver-y fate I did.