Soup with Quinoa

I have also been researching the health benefits of quinoa.  It is good to use in place of rice or noodles.  So I thought, I bet it would be great in soup.  I found this website where she used it to make a chicken soup.

I followed the recipe but I didn't have Cajun spice, split peas, or smoked paprika (although I used a little paprika.)  I had an organic zucchini so I cut that up and added it.  I also chopped up a tomato I had and added that as well.  I felt that it needed more flavor, I think because I didn't have the split peas so I added some "better than chicken"  ( chicken bouillon).  It was delicious and even my husband loved it.

I do not have a picture but you can check out hers on her website http://www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com/2013/01/05/chicken-quinoa-soup-crock-pot/

Chicken Quinoa Soup (Crock Pot)

• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 6-8 stalks celery, diced
• 6-8 carrots, diced
• 2 chicken breasts, diced
• 1 T Cajun spice seasoning
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 C dried split peas (I used yellow, but green is fine)
• 1/2 C quinoa, rinsed
• 6 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 C water
• salt and pepper to taste

Cauliflower crust pizza

Next cooking experiment also inspired by www.detoxinista.com was a cauliflower pizza crust.

Follow her directions to make the crust.  The only thing that I did differently was to put it on foil to start cooking it and then when it started to crisp and could be easily transfered, I moved it onto a preheated pizza stone on the bottom rack.  The trick is getting the bottom to crisp all the way through.  It was surprisingly good and didn't taste that different from a pizza crust.

Because of the fantastic website I found www.detoxinista.com I started experimenting with almond flour and made some muffins.  I used her recipe but tweeked it slightly.

the recipe is:
 preheat oven to 350....1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup applesauce, 1/3 cup honey, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2-3 soft bananas 2 eggs beat/mix until combined... in another bowl, 2 cups almond meal/flour,1 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt (or sea salt), 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon... Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. You can add berries and/or chocolate and fold in if you want. (Taste the batter, if it is not sweet enough you can add a little more honey and or vanilla) put muffin cups in a muffin tin and poor batter into cups. Cook about 18 minutes turning the pan about half way through for even cooking.

They were really good and even my very picky toddler loved them!!!

After I finished my cleanse, I did feel much healthier.  I have been experimenting in the kitchen, motivated by health, I am using different ingredients and techniques to cook.  I am learning a lot and hope that it can help you as well.  A few of my resent experimets and recipies (that have been pretty successful) I will share with you on my next post.

I have also joined a Gym and can't wait for my soccer to start again in March.  I played last fall for the first time in 11 years and WOW was it rough.  I swore to myself that this time I will be prepared so that I can at least play well enough or, I should say, long enough to actually let my family come and watch.  I wouldn't let them come last fall haha.

Day 2 Detox - Day 3

My night from day one was fine.  Day 2, woke up and made my hot lemon water again and took the children to school.  When I got home I made my Kale recipe and that was my breakfast.  I tried to keep water around all day and sipped on it whenever I thought about it.  About 2 hours later I made a beet juice recipe.  After about an hour, I had a small handful of cashews.  I continued to drink water.  I made a green tea in the afternoon.  Then I juiced again for dinner.

I am not being descriptive because I just don't have the time lol but I posted some great websites where you can get the information.

I will say though that day 2 was no biggy for me and I think it was because I eased my self into this for several weeks before.  For several weeks I tried to eat very healthy, a.k.a very little meat, no fast food, little caffeine....... 

Day 3 went about the same for me but before bed I had a "Smooth Move" before bed because I was not going #2 on the toilet during this cleanse like I was hoping for.  Smooth Move is an organic tea that you can get at your local grocery store or pharmacy.  It is actually good tasting too. 

Back to day 3:  I was fine, a little hungrier than the days prior but I read all the warnings (which I listed in my blog) which said that you may be tired, irritable, hungry, skin may break out, and other symptoms.  I experienced this a little but not bad.  DON'T STOP however, if you do experience this keep going anyway.  Everyone says day 3 is the hardest so just make it through it and day 4 you are supposed to really start to feel the benefits of the cleanse.

Day 1 of detox      January 28, 2013

Started the day with warm water and lemon (to replace my usual coffee), then I made a green juice using:
about 6 stalks of Kale
tablspoon size of ginger
1/3 of a lemon
1/3 of a lime
3 stalks of celery
1 apple
1 papaya
a few mint leaves


I continued to drink water during and after
I had a small handful of cashews

Next I made a beet, carrot, apple, mint juice

1 beet
5 carrots
1 apple
mint leaves

this one was just WAY to sweet for my taste so I squeezed in some fresh lime juice and that helped

So far so good but I just made the children some mac-n-cheese for lunch.... I cannot deny that it smells good!

For dinner I made a smoothie

I mixed a small amount of organic yogurt (which I know is not what I really should do because part of the juicing diet is avoiding dairy but...) with strawberries, blueberries, 2 ice cubes, almond milk and some chia seeds.

Later I had Smooth Move tea, (to help aid in getting rid of the toxins)

Research

So this portion I call experimentation and research.

1st I wanted to know what to expect, side effectsand this is what I found out:
 During a cleanse, the body is essentially tearing down all of the "bad stuff" and rebuilding with new material. To make room for that new material, the "bad stuff" needs to leave; how it makes its exit is your potential crisis. For example: when the body eliminates coffee, symptoms usually include headaches, nervousness, and shakiness. When protein, meats, and fats are eliminated, you may experience skin eruptions, foul body odor, or a coated tongue.
FUN!  But apparently the first 3 days are tough, the 3rd is apparently THE WORST.  If you make it past that third day you start to feel great!  We will see....

1st eperiment:
Did not go so well, EWWWWWWWWWW.... I thought carrot juice would be a good juice to start with so without really a recipe I added 5 carrots, celery, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 mango and then I got really crazy and added some ginger (such a rookie).  It wouldn't have been bad tasting but I put way to much ginger and the entire thing just tasted like ginger.  I do not love the taste of ginger.

So I poured it out and started reseaching.  So far I have found these helpful websites:
http://myjuicecleanse.com/category/juicer-recipes/juice-recipes/
Very helpful, good info and a lot of recipies
http://www.juicing-for-health.com/juicing-lessons.html#Lesson-3
More step by step to understand juicing.  Ex.  how much and how often
http://www.omegajuicers.com/juicing-recipes
http://fitlife.tv/juicing-benefits-parsley/
Drew Canole has a lot of good information, recipies, and nurtitional facts
More recipies
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/48-hour-weekend-cleanse-recipes?page=2
Dr. Oz's 48 hour detox recipies and info
Shopping List for Dr. Oz's cleanse:  GREAT! Very helpful