This recipe comes from the fabulous Russian cookbook "Please to the Table" by Anya Von Bremzen and John Welchman.
1&1/3 cups small red beans (I used Kidney instead)
soaked overnight
1 onion, peeled
1 medium sized carrot
3 inches of a celery rib
salt to taste
5 pitted prunes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Tamarind concentrate or
2 Tbs. unsweetened plume butter
1 teaspoon Chinese chili and garlic paste
( I used Sambal)
1/3 cup EX olive oil
3/4 tsp. coriander seeds, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground fenugreek
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Combine beans, onion, carrot,and celery in a soup pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by three inches and bring to a boil. Add salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook the beans until tender but not mushy.
Meanwhile, combine the prunes and the balsamic vinegar in a nonreactive saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the prunes and chop finely. Add the tamarind concentrate to the vinegar and let stand about 10 minutes until it dissolves. Whisk in the chili paste, coriander, fenugreek and olive oil.
Drain the beans and discard the onion, carrot, and celery. Let cool.
Toss the beans with the tamarind mixture and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
No slow introduction
We finished and celebrated last night at Doug and Emily's house with roasted chicken, cheesy fixins', chocolate and ice cream, and booze of all kinds. I pretty much expected to feel like hell this morning. Beyond light sleep during the early hours( due mostly to the wine) I felt good. The meal in fact was deeply satisfying. I hold the chicken responsible for that one.
I stuck with the morning routine today and will continue this until it seems to be a hassle. I really like letting my digestive system relax in this way. Jeff and I are also going to continue eating a salad once a day as well as cooking with more grains. We have also decided to eat out less frequently and choose the places that we do eat at wisely. Interestingly Jeff and I split a linguica, egg and cheese bagel this morning and it was bland. It was a similar feeling to the first time I had eating fast food after a couple of years. Some how it should be really good since it is purely meat, fat and carbs but there is no depth of flavor and it doesn't quite hit the right spot either.
Of note:
We saved money this month. We eat out too offten and it really adds up here on the island. Our Total food bill from the month came to about $800. This probably could be cut down some but it is Martha's Vineyard. Also, though I have not jumped on a scale yet I do feel like I might have lost a little weight.
I would definitely do something similar to this once a year. Maybe tweak the herbs and the food criteria some. It has opened my eyes to the finer qualities that food has on my body, like the effect of eating so much roughage. I like salads but to much and it really dries me out.
I stuck with the morning routine today and will continue this until it seems to be a hassle. I really like letting my digestive system relax in this way. Jeff and I are also going to continue eating a salad once a day as well as cooking with more grains. We have also decided to eat out less frequently and choose the places that we do eat at wisely. Interestingly Jeff and I split a linguica, egg and cheese bagel this morning and it was bland. It was a similar feeling to the first time I had eating fast food after a couple of years. Some how it should be really good since it is purely meat, fat and carbs but there is no depth of flavor and it doesn't quite hit the right spot either.
Of note:
We saved money this month. We eat out too offten and it really adds up here on the island. Our Total food bill from the month came to about $800. This probably could be cut down some but it is Martha's Vineyard. Also, though I have not jumped on a scale yet I do feel like I might have lost a little weight.
I would definitely do something similar to this once a year. Maybe tweak the herbs and the food criteria some. It has opened my eyes to the finer qualities that food has on my body, like the effect of eating so much roughage. I like salads but to much and it really dries me out.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Congratulations!
Congratulations to all of you who are finishing today or tomorrow! Trixie and I won't be finished till Tuesday. But this conclusion also marks the beginning of a phase just as difficult as the regimen we've just completed.
Trixie and I have lost about ten pounds each, and my blood pressure has fallen between ten and fifteen points within three days of starting. So how will we reintroduce the foods that have been prohibited? Very slowly, very cautiously. I'm going to drop the lemon, but continue with the cranberry, pectin, and psyllium followed by fruit. Perhaps my blood pressure will skyrocket. If not, I'll drop the cran, p, and p. I'll begin to reintroduce fish, chicken, beef; a little more salt; then wheat; finally dairy (cheese and cream). Doug and Emily have access to fresh goat milk and cheese, and that may have a very different impact than the consumption of those same items from cows.
Did you see the duck? Or the rabbit first? It's said that you can't see them simultaneously. Try it yourself. Sometimes I think that cheese, wheat, and meat are one aspect, and that vegetables, grains (other than wheat), and legumes are another. If I start eating the former, will I ever go back to the latter?
I'm hoping that for the next several weeks you all will continue to post your observations on this transitional phase. It's been a pleasure. I can honestly tell you that we would not have done it without you.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Kale Kelp Salad
One bunch of Kale
1/2 cup dried Kelp
3 large Carrots
1/4 cup Almonds
Dressing:
3 dried ancho Chilies
2 cloves of Garlic
1 lime
1 egg yolk Room temperature
3/4 cup olive oil plus 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
In separate bowls submerse the ancho chilies and the kelp in boiling water. Cover each with a plate and leave to rehydrate.
Wash, dry and remove the stem from each kale leaf. Place about 5 leaves on top of each other and roll them up so that they look like a cigar. Hold tight and slice 1/2 in sections off of the roll. continue until all leaves have been cut in this fashion ( chiffonade is the term). Toss into a mixing bowl
Either great, shave or julian the carrots. Toss into the mixing bowl along with the almonds
Slice the hydrated kelp in a similar fashion to the kale and add to the bowl
The Dressing:
This dressing doesn't need to be used nor does the egg if it is, but this is how I made the salad.
With the back of a knife remove the flesh from the skin of the hydrated ancho chilies. Discard the Skin. Crush the garlic salt and chilies together and add the squeezed lime juice.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolk together with the oil a few drops at a time until it is thick like mayo. Slowly whisk in the lime chili mix until the dressing is smooth. Add more oil at this point if necessary.
Toss with the salad and serve.
1/2 cup dried Kelp
3 large Carrots
1/4 cup Almonds
Dressing:
3 dried ancho Chilies
2 cloves of Garlic
1 lime
1 egg yolk Room temperature
3/4 cup olive oil plus 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
In separate bowls submerse the ancho chilies and the kelp in boiling water. Cover each with a plate and leave to rehydrate.
Wash, dry and remove the stem from each kale leaf. Place about 5 leaves on top of each other and roll them up so that they look like a cigar. Hold tight and slice 1/2 in sections off of the roll. continue until all leaves have been cut in this fashion ( chiffonade is the term). Toss into a mixing bowl
Either great, shave or julian the carrots. Toss into the mixing bowl along with the almonds
Slice the hydrated kelp in a similar fashion to the kale and add to the bowl
The Dressing:
This dressing doesn't need to be used nor does the egg if it is, but this is how I made the salad.
With the back of a knife remove the flesh from the skin of the hydrated ancho chilies. Discard the Skin. Crush the garlic salt and chilies together and add the squeezed lime juice.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolk together with the oil a few drops at a time until it is thick like mayo. Slowly whisk in the lime chili mix until the dressing is smooth. Add more oil at this point if necessary.
Toss with the salad and serve.
100% pure satisfaction, unless you're Doug
Ahhh, Rye Bread.
Here's the recipe for 1 loaf.
From the book "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Ellix Katz
First: you've got to make the wild yeast rye started.
Mix together equal parts rye flour and water. 1-2 cups each. Cover with a cloth that lets air in and keeps bugs out. Stir it up at least twice a day if not more to really get the yeasties going. If the starter does not begin to foam ( not while stirring) on the 3rd day try adding unwashed organic grapes or a plum. The white on the peel is yeast. That should help get things moving. Remember to remove the fruit after the the starter is activated. Additionally making the starter with the water that pasta or potatoes were cooked in will help attract yeast. The Starter can last forever if taken care of. Remember to feed it every few days with a couple of teaspoons of rye flour and add water if it starts to become dry. You can also keep it in the fridge which will put the yeast into dormancy. Before doing so feed the starter and let it sit out for 3 hours. Cover and put in the fridge. Feed once a week. Remove the starter a day before beginning the sponge.
Every time the starter is used replenish the remaining part with equal parts flour and water. Only a little left over starter is needed to keep the yeast strain going.
The Bread
2 onions (medium dice)
1 cup sourdough Starter
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbs. caraway seeds
4 Cups Rye flour (Use coarsely ground rye flour if you can find it)
1 teaspoon salt
Step 2: The sponge
Saute the onion until browned. Cool
combine the sourdough starter, water, caraway seeds, onions and 2 cups of the rye flour. Stir well. Cover with a cloth and let sit in a warm spot for 8 to 24 hours. Stir occasionally. When the sponge is good and bubbly it is time for step three.
Step 3: We are getting closer
Add the salt and 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough becomes so thick that it seems ineffective to stir it with a spoon. Cover with a moist towel and let rise 8-12 hours until its bulk has increased noticeably.
Step 4: The last step
Form the dough into loaves if you can. It is awfully sticky but wet hands help. The other option is to just spoon the dough into a well oiled bread loaf. Or, try the boule, a round free standing loaf. That is my next experiment.
Leave the loaf to rise another hour or two until the dough has risen noticeably.
Preheat the oven to 350 and bake the bread.
Check the loaves after 1 1/2 hours to test for doneness. It may take closer to 2 hours. take the loaf out of the pan and knock on the bottom. If it sounds hollow then it is done. let cool on a wire rack.
Here's the recipe for 1 loaf.
From the book "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Ellix Katz
First: you've got to make the wild yeast rye started.
Mix together equal parts rye flour and water. 1-2 cups each. Cover with a cloth that lets air in and keeps bugs out. Stir it up at least twice a day if not more to really get the yeasties going. If the starter does not begin to foam ( not while stirring) on the 3rd day try adding unwashed organic grapes or a plum. The white on the peel is yeast. That should help get things moving. Remember to remove the fruit after the the starter is activated. Additionally making the starter with the water that pasta or potatoes were cooked in will help attract yeast. The Starter can last forever if taken care of. Remember to feed it every few days with a couple of teaspoons of rye flour and add water if it starts to become dry. You can also keep it in the fridge which will put the yeast into dormancy. Before doing so feed the starter and let it sit out for 3 hours. Cover and put in the fridge. Feed once a week. Remove the starter a day before beginning the sponge.
Every time the starter is used replenish the remaining part with equal parts flour and water. Only a little left over starter is needed to keep the yeast strain going.
The Bread
2 onions (medium dice)
1 cup sourdough Starter
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbs. caraway seeds
4 Cups Rye flour (Use coarsely ground rye flour if you can find it)
1 teaspoon salt
Step 2: The sponge
Saute the onion until browned. Cool
combine the sourdough starter, water, caraway seeds, onions and 2 cups of the rye flour. Stir well. Cover with a cloth and let sit in a warm spot for 8 to 24 hours. Stir occasionally. When the sponge is good and bubbly it is time for step three.
Step 3: We are getting closer
Add the salt and 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough becomes so thick that it seems ineffective to stir it with a spoon. Cover with a moist towel and let rise 8-12 hours until its bulk has increased noticeably.
Step 4: The last step
Form the dough into loaves if you can. It is awfully sticky but wet hands help. The other option is to just spoon the dough into a well oiled bread loaf. Or, try the boule, a round free standing loaf. That is my next experiment.
Leave the loaf to rise another hour or two until the dough has risen noticeably.
Preheat the oven to 350 and bake the bread.
Check the loaves after 1 1/2 hours to test for doneness. It may take closer to 2 hours. take the loaf out of the pan and knock on the bottom. If it sounds hollow then it is done. let cool on a wire rack.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Best Beet Stir-Fry with Garlic and Ginger
Here's a recipe for all you beet eaters:
2 lbs beets - baked, skinned, and sliced
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom white part only, finely chopped
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions; reserve some of the green for garnish
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Pepper to taste
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the oil and reduce heat to medium.
Add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass, and stir-fry until lightly cooked, about 1 minute.
Add the beets and scallions and stir-fry 1 minute more.
Add the maple syrup, lemon juice and zest, and stir-fry briefly.
Season with pepper to taste and transfer to a dish.
Garnish with reserved scallion greens and serve.
Note: In order to protect the innocent, this recipe has been modified from the original (by excluding soy sauce, sugar, and salt).
2 lbs beets - baked, skinned, and sliced
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom white part only, finely chopped
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions; reserve some of the green for garnish
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Pepper to taste
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the oil and reduce heat to medium.
Add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass, and stir-fry until lightly cooked, about 1 minute.
Add the beets and scallions and stir-fry 1 minute more.
Add the maple syrup, lemon juice and zest, and stir-fry briefly.
Season with pepper to taste and transfer to a dish.
Garnish with reserved scallion greens and serve.
Note: In order to protect the innocent, this recipe has been modified from the original (by excluding soy sauce, sugar, and salt).
Barley Experiments
Barley Stuffed Green Pepper, good. Barley Morocco, good. Barley Pozole, excellent. I know the rest of you are in your third week, so it's too late to try the last dish mentioned: too spicy. But I want to share with you all this link to the basic recipe:
http://www.recipezaar.com/86844
My variation: I made half what the recipe called for, and used vegetable stock in place of chicken broth. In a cast iron skillet I toasted a cup of pearled barley to a medium brown. Though this is almost doubling the amount of barley called for, I added another 3/4 cup of unroasted pearled barley. When cooked, the roasted barley doesn't seem to get even a little bit gooey, and it makes a nice contrast to the unroasted type. I needed to add another couple of cups of water to the mix.
I don't know what grated cheese would add to the flavor, but chopped green onion didn't do much, nor fresh cilantro. Some fresh ground pepper was nice.
http://www.recipezaar.com/86844
My variation: I made half what the recipe called for, and used vegetable stock in place of chicken broth. In a cast iron skillet I toasted a cup of pearled barley to a medium brown. Though this is almost doubling the amount of barley called for, I added another 3/4 cup of unroasted pearled barley. When cooked, the roasted barley doesn't seem to get even a little bit gooey, and it makes a nice contrast to the unroasted type. I needed to add another couple of cups of water to the mix.
I don't know what grated cheese would add to the flavor, but chopped green onion didn't do much, nor fresh cilantro. Some fresh ground pepper was nice.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Habits
Fruit isn't food. Salad is a side dish; likewise grains and vegetables. Give me meat, carbs, and gravies. Now that's the core of a real meal, even when it's never satisfying enough to stop the craving for something more. Just keep eating yourself into a dull stupor.
Pear and banana. Wow! The fleshiness of cherries, alongside the color and taste of blueberries. Incredible! It's not exactly hunger I feel after this morning's abundance, even though my stomach and intestines aren't feeling the same as they do after a real meal. Take a moment to tune in anew. It's some unknown energy bubbling, and who knows how it might be used.
Pear and banana. Wow! The fleshiness of cherries, alongside the color and taste of blueberries. Incredible! It's not exactly hunger I feel after this morning's abundance, even though my stomach and intestines aren't feeling the same as they do after a real meal. Take a moment to tune in anew. It's some unknown energy bubbling, and who knows how it might be used.
Friday, January 11, 2008
The Cravings
I have been craving carbs like a fiend and unsalted grains just aren't cutting it. I am not used to cooking with grains. It is especially hard to add flavor to something that just needs a little salt.
When did I become so dependent on Salt? This is very hard for me.
I was becoming cranky and dissatisfied with eating.
Luckily I found that brown rice pasta takes care of these little craving quite sufficiently. Not quite sure why because brown rice doesn't do it. Maybe it would if I just sauteed up some garlic and onions with crushed chillies and olive oil.
When did I become so dependent on Salt? This is very hard for me.
I was becoming cranky and dissatisfied with eating.
Luckily I found that brown rice pasta takes care of these little craving quite sufficiently. Not quite sure why because brown rice doesn't do it. Maybe it would if I just sauteed up some garlic and onions with crushed chillies and olive oil.
are we intimate enough to talk about this?
may i poll you all about your poo? may i inquire about your caca? may i deduce from your doo-doo? what im sayin is....what the crap?
i jest.
but not really.
what is happening in the bathroom for me is less exciting and revealing than i thought...perhaps day five is too soon to wonder about the mysteries of my toxic intestinal buildup.
either way...feelin pretty normal besides an overall tinge of fuzziness/weirdness that i can't explain. not bad, just odd. kind of like im a tiny bit drunk. can someone help me figure out my water intake? i left my book at home today, so i can't figure this out....besides at a main mealtime, eg.lunch/dinner, can i drink water whenever i want? with my fruit in the am after my cran/water/pectin cocktail? all morning until i eat lunch? hmmm.
am hot on the trails of a detox-friendly black bean tart..maybe tonight!
love, briana
i jest.
but not really.
what is happening in the bathroom for me is less exciting and revealing than i thought...perhaps day five is too soon to wonder about the mysteries of my toxic intestinal buildup.
either way...feelin pretty normal besides an overall tinge of fuzziness/weirdness that i can't explain. not bad, just odd. kind of like im a tiny bit drunk. can someone help me figure out my water intake? i left my book at home today, so i can't figure this out....besides at a main mealtime, eg.lunch/dinner, can i drink water whenever i want? with my fruit in the am after my cran/water/pectin cocktail? all morning until i eat lunch? hmmm.
am hot on the trails of a detox-friendly black bean tart..maybe tonight!
love, briana
On the road with cell food and psyllium...
Some observations during our trip off island:
1. Detoxing makes certain roadside attractions more... attractive (McDonald's, rest stops, gas station hot dogs, ice water).
2. Detoxing makes the otherwise tolerable temperature of 58 degrees feel frigid.
3. Detoxing makes dinner with friends an exercise in compromise, where they grab a burger after dinner.
4. People drive fast on the mainland, with strange, divided roads where they try to attack you with their cars.
5. Nopales are spiny and delicious.
6. I love pectin in capsule form. More than my parents, friends or loved ones, but not more than my detox buddies.
1. Detoxing makes certain roadside attractions more... attractive (McDonald's, rest stops, gas station hot dogs, ice water).
2. Detoxing makes the otherwise tolerable temperature of 58 degrees feel frigid.
3. Detoxing makes dinner with friends an exercise in compromise, where they grab a burger after dinner.
4. People drive fast on the mainland, with strange, divided roads where they try to attack you with their cars.
5. Nopales are spiny and delicious.
6. I love pectin in capsule form. More than my parents, friends or loved ones, but not more than my detox buddies.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Pectin Needn't Be Clumpy (and Other Observations)
Day...Which?
Five I suppose and the various routines that make up our lil' experiment in cleansing are becoming part of the day's rhythm. Lemon water is welcome before I hit the barn for morning milking, though I still want better explanation of why lemon juice makes my stomach's PH more basic. Don't really get it. And somehow that's okay.
To tell you the truth there are quite a few instances in our guide book of prescriptions with (i think) inadequate explanation. She says "when you introduce acid to your stomach it actually alkalizes your gut." (para.) But no real explanation of how or why...but I like the element of faith involved in some of this stuff. Its bolstered by enough appreciable positive effects that I feel very confident saying I'll see this month through and maybe become something of a detox bible thumper.
One very positive development was my discovery of pectin in pill form at the local health food store. For the first couple days we'd all been suffering through the powdered form mixed into water. The powder pectin (hereafter refered to as "the supplement of which we dare not speak" or T.S.O.W.W.D.N.S.) had a revolting coagulating and expanding property that made drinking it similar to downing the spittle of a TB patient. Or so I imagine...that was graphic huh? But really it was unpleasant and I'm glad we found the alternative.
Another thing: deceptive foods/supplements. I don't like 'em. We've got the veggie derived supplement called "green food"...you put a Tbs of the powder and mix it in water and throw it back once a day. It's scent is downright delightful:
citrusy, flavor tones of summer grass and suggestions of childhood innocence. But the taste. Something like a dirt slurrie with a dash of motor oil. Very odd. More often it's the other way around: funky smelling food that turns out to be tastey. But not here.
And lastly I mention something that I heard about in conversation just last night. Some friends of friends have moved to LA and this circle of folks are apparently subsisting on a diet of water, cayenne, maple syrup and what? Grapefruit or somesuch? All in an effort to free from their body what was described to me as a "deflated balloon" of compacted fecal matter that is expelled only after suffering through several days of this altogether rediculous combo of foods. These saught after elongated collections of ancient nastiness are, I'm told, photographed and put on the internet. More on that later...or maybe not.
Till next time...
Keep Cleansin'
Doug
Five I suppose and the various routines that make up our lil' experiment in cleansing are becoming part of the day's rhythm. Lemon water is welcome before I hit the barn for morning milking, though I still want better explanation of why lemon juice makes my stomach's PH more basic. Don't really get it. And somehow that's okay.
To tell you the truth there are quite a few instances in our guide book of prescriptions with (i think) inadequate explanation. She says "when you introduce acid to your stomach it actually alkalizes your gut." (para.) But no real explanation of how or why...but I like the element of faith involved in some of this stuff. Its bolstered by enough appreciable positive effects that I feel very confident saying I'll see this month through and maybe become something of a detox bible thumper.
One very positive development was my discovery of pectin in pill form at the local health food store. For the first couple days we'd all been suffering through the powdered form mixed into water. The powder pectin (hereafter refered to as "the supplement of which we dare not speak" or T.S.O.W.W.D.N.S.) had a revolting coagulating and expanding property that made drinking it similar to downing the spittle of a TB patient. Or so I imagine...that was graphic huh? But really it was unpleasant and I'm glad we found the alternative.
Another thing: deceptive foods/supplements. I don't like 'em. We've got the veggie derived supplement called "green food"...you put a Tbs of the powder and mix it in water and throw it back once a day. It's scent is downright delightful:
citrusy, flavor tones of summer grass and suggestions of childhood innocence. But the taste. Something like a dirt slurrie with a dash of motor oil. Very odd. More often it's the other way around: funky smelling food that turns out to be tastey. But not here.
And lastly I mention something that I heard about in conversation just last night. Some friends of friends have moved to LA and this circle of folks are apparently subsisting on a diet of water, cayenne, maple syrup and what? Grapefruit or somesuch? All in an effort to free from their body what was described to me as a "deflated balloon" of compacted fecal matter that is expelled only after suffering through several days of this altogether rediculous combo of foods. These saught after elongated collections of ancient nastiness are, I'm told, photographed and put on the internet. More on that later...or maybe not.
Till next time...
Keep Cleansin'
Doug
Kiting
Yesterday, "I" went through the motions of daily activity (e.g., chatting with Al at KAM Auto, talking on the phone to the receptionist Debbie at Sure Temp heating, reading to Trixie from M. Bull's Seeing Things Hidden, watching part of The Big White on DVD), but "my mind" was an ocean froth unable to seal these activities. In the late evening and through the night "my body heat" seemed outside my body. Only this morning, holding Trixie close (no more than that), did the heat return and "body tension" ease away.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
First day
I may have to quit my job to do fruit and vegetable prep full time. Doug may have been the least "prepared" for starting this , but I'm sure I win for being the least knowledgeable concerning the preparation of vegetables. Beef stew, chicken and dumplings, pork chops and scalloped potatoes (with onion of course) - this is about the extent of my wanderings into vege-land. And I thought I'd be spared Jeff's sad story since I only drink 2 cups of coffee per day - but without my half-gallon of black tea (with milk and sugar), I nearly had to take a nap about 10am. Ah well! But I've nearly survived my first day with only two or three minor headaches, slight pain in my right kidney, and lots of toilet time. Two questions: CFS wants a bowl of popcorn with olive oil & garlic - are any of those items restricted? and does the 2nd cup of cranberry water require the psyllium and pectin? All for now.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Preparation
Have recorded and will continue recording blood pressure, pulse, and weight. Trixie and I will be starting tomorrow with the new moon (on the first day of the twelfth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar). Primarily seeing the next four weeks as something to be endured. Your humor is an offset and even suggests the possibility of enjoyment.
57 cup trainwreck or back to the fetal position
One of the more uncomfortable aspects of the detox so far has been the extreme caffeine withdrawal I've gone through the last few days. I've stopped drinking coffee and tea before and was expecting the extreme discomfort, but either it's worse this time or I have a rather bad memory. Around 2 pm on day 2 I could feel the creeping symptoms of caffeine withdrawal: slight headache, difficulty focusing upon sensory inputs, fatigue and thirst. By 4 pm I was curled up on the couch and effectively passed out for the rest of the day. Yesterday was similar, if less intense, with a 2 hour nap taking care of my headache. Supposedly when people start the detox they often have headaches when the toxins in their body start moving about, but I'm pretty sure this was connected to all the espresso I've been drinking. Ahhh, espresso - maybe I'll see my true love around valentine's day, but for now I've found a new drinking buddy in chicory...
Monday, January 7, 2008
yo little 'toxers!!
greetings to my many nutty, whole-grainy, salt-less companions!
today was my first day.
i think i may be on the 8 week detox torture plan, consisting of several weeks of practice eating before i can scrape up the extra (wheat and gluten free) dough i need for all the husks and pectin and what not. but i fully enjoyed my diet today, although my weird schedule meant i forgot to eat anything but a pear and a thermos of ginger tea until around three. when i had a giant salad of greens, radicchio, radish, and olives. just a couple olives!! and i thank zephir for delicious dressing advice. then later some brown rice. then about two hours later some dried apricots and almonds. so day one was slightly bare bones and tomorrow will be more lemon water-y and fruit-y i promise. i will keep you all posted on my new passion...making some kind of delicious black bean tart within our horrible horrible parameters. just kidding. i actually love the detox plan. i want to marry it. can't wait for dinner tomorrow!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Vegan Mayo or a new form of Goddess Dressing
Jeff and I lean more toward the cabbage based salads, usually with the addition of bitter greens. These things just don't favor the vinaigrette, so I have long been a fan of Goddess Dressing. This is a creamy tahini based vegan dressing. It coats rough surfaces nicely and cuts down on bitterness.
Michelle Cook says not to use packaged goods during the detox due to the high salt content and other additives. What are we to do?
I gave the a homemade Goddess Dressing a go. In the past I have tried to replicate the dressing but with out the emulsifiers the tahini does a separation act that looks pretty gross. Tonight I took some over cooked chickpeas (very creamy indeed) and basically made a thinned out humus. It could use some work but I am happy with the concept. Here is the rough recipe. If any one tries it and has some suggestions I would like to hear them.
1/2 cup purred chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves of smashed garlic
1 lemon juiced
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Celtic sea salt ( optional)
5 sage leaves
1 Tbs. fresh oregano
1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil
Mix the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
While the food processor is running slowly add the olive oil.
There you have it.
Michelle Cook says not to use packaged goods during the detox due to the high salt content and other additives. What are we to do?
I gave the a homemade Goddess Dressing a go. In the past I have tried to replicate the dressing but with out the emulsifiers the tahini does a separation act that looks pretty gross. Tonight I took some over cooked chickpeas (very creamy indeed) and basically made a thinned out humus. It could use some work but I am happy with the concept. Here is the rough recipe. If any one tries it and has some suggestions I would like to hear them.
1/2 cup purred chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves of smashed garlic
1 lemon juiced
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Celtic sea salt ( optional)
5 sage leaves
1 Tbs. fresh oregano
1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil
Mix the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
While the food processor is running slowly add the olive oil.
There you have it.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
The Vegan Slaughterer or There's Something to This Whole "Putrification" Thing
My name is Doug. I am one of the proud and few. I am also the most ill-informed of our team of five.
Last night at dinner with Jeff and Zephir (collectively, Jay-Z) I was informed that during this month of purification that my morning meals would be comprised solely of fruit. This was news to me...I'd given the book detailing our cleanse a 'cursory glance'...a phrase used most often by people whose ignorance has just been exposed at dinner parties. Case in point, me.
But I've been righted like a dim-witted child fallen from his tricycle...and now I pedal on.
Morning meal:
Lemon water (mmmmm!!)
Spent 20 minutes thinking about the five pounds of bacon in our freezer and then...
Cranberry Juice with Psyllium Husks (can we market this concoction as Psilly Cran?).
One glorious Pink Lady apple, a 1/4 of Cantaloupe and with that...
I was off to milk the goat and slaughter some lambs.
In the barn with my father-and-brother-in-law (I love hyphens and ellipses...) for three hours of throat-slitting, wool wrenching, gut-liberating fun...and all the while I didn't have a single hunger pang!
AND...no gas!
As of New Year's I began letting fruits and vegetables rule my world and it had led to some serious belly distention with accompanying trumpeting from mine arse. The book says that fruit eaten after other foods like oatmeal (my A.M. usual) sits in the belly too long and begins to putrify leading to aforementioned gastro-intentional ballistics...this morning I had none of those issues.
We've got our very own copy of the book right now (properly cited plug forthcoming) and I'm going to curl up with it this evening. Emily says dinner involves chickpeas and dry-roasted cumin...lookin' forward to it. There's more anticipation for meals now methinks.
Last night at dinner with Jeff and Zephir (collectively, Jay-Z) I was informed that during this month of purification that my morning meals would be comprised solely of fruit. This was news to me...I'd given the book detailing our cleanse a 'cursory glance'...a phrase used most often by people whose ignorance has just been exposed at dinner parties. Case in point, me.
But I've been righted like a dim-witted child fallen from his tricycle...and now I pedal on.
Morning meal:
Lemon water (mmmmm!!)
Spent 20 minutes thinking about the five pounds of bacon in our freezer and then...
Cranberry Juice with Psyllium Husks (can we market this concoction as Psilly Cran?).
One glorious Pink Lady apple, a 1/4 of Cantaloupe and with that...
I was off to milk the goat and slaughter some lambs.
In the barn with my father-and-brother-in-law (I love hyphens and ellipses...) for three hours of throat-slitting, wool wrenching, gut-liberating fun...and all the while I didn't have a single hunger pang!
AND...no gas!
As of New Year's I began letting fruits and vegetables rule my world and it had led to some serious belly distention with accompanying trumpeting from mine arse. The book says that fruit eaten after other foods like oatmeal (my A.M. usual) sits in the belly too long and begins to putrify leading to aforementioned gastro-intentional ballistics...this morning I had none of those issues.
We've got our very own copy of the book right now (properly cited plug forthcoming) and I'm going to curl up with it this evening. Emily says dinner involves chickpeas and dry-roasted cumin...lookin' forward to it. There's more anticipation for meals now methinks.
Seaweed Medley Salad
Because there is no meat eating during this detox we need to find ways to achieve that rich umame taste (the 5th taste). No better way to do this then with seaweed. Seaweed is full of glutamate which is key to umame. This salad recipe hit the spot for me. It is just a rough estimate of what I threw together but it's easy to substitute ingredients and amounts.
Ocean medley
2 large carrots, shaved with a peeler
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup Hijiki
1/4 cup Shredded Kombu (kelp)
1/4 cup Wakame
5 Radishes sliced
Dressing
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp minced Garlic
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs flax seed oil
1/4 cup olive oil
Mix all the dressing ingredients together and let sit.
place all seaweeds in a bowl and pour water over them.
Let sit until re-hydrated and soft to the tooth. Gently squeeze the water out of
the seaweed mix and place in a mixing bowl along with the carrots and radishes.
Toss with the dressing.
Alternately: only toss the seaweed and radishes with dressing and serve on top
of the shredded carrots.
Ocean medley
2 large carrots, shaved with a peeler
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup Hijiki
1/4 cup Shredded Kombu (kelp)
1/4 cup Wakame
5 Radishes sliced
Dressing
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp minced Garlic
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs flax seed oil
1/4 cup olive oil
Mix all the dressing ingredients together and let sit.
place all seaweeds in a bowl and pour water over them.
Let sit until re-hydrated and soft to the tooth. Gently squeeze the water out of
the seaweed mix and place in a mixing bowl along with the carrots and radishes.
Toss with the dressing.
Alternately: only toss the seaweed and radishes with dressing and serve on top
of the shredded carrots.
Welcome to the Pectin House
Here's a tip for those of you out there who've always desired a larger place for pectin in your life but weren't really sure the best way to consume it:
Don't drop it in cold, diluted cranberry juice.
You end up with a sea of little pectin mines that float innocuously past your lips before springing into action and attaching themselves to your molars, gums, and parts of your tongue you can't manage to scrape against your teeth. Lovely way to start the day, really.
Almost as lovely as thinking you have to be at work at a coffeeshop at 5 am when the truth of the matter is that you've actually got the day off...
Don't drop it in cold, diluted cranberry juice.
You end up with a sea of little pectin mines that float innocuously past your lips before springing into action and attaching themselves to your molars, gums, and parts of your tongue you can't manage to scrape against your teeth. Lovely way to start the day, really.
Almost as lovely as thinking you have to be at work at a coffeeshop at 5 am when the truth of the matter is that you've actually got the day off...
Friday, January 4, 2008
On the precipice...
Well, it all begins tomorrow, the casting aside of meat, alcohol, dairy, caffeine, fun and flavor. But not farts, not even close - I've heard horror stories and for me it's already begun.
But to get you up to speed, Zephir, Doug, Emily, Brianna and me are all blogging our experiences during this detox for the bemusement of those of you who can go into a pub and order more than a glass of water with lemon (but only in the morning!).
Signing off,
Jeff
But to get you up to speed, Zephir, Doug, Emily, Brianna and me are all blogging our experiences during this detox for the bemusement of those of you who can go into a pub and order more than a glass of water with lemon (but only in the morning!).
Signing off,
Jeff
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