i guess i fell into cooking.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
my detox diet week
clearly, my so-often proclamations regarding detox diet and healthy eating habits without providing further information didn’t help…
now, brace yerselves!!
many have questioned me, "why detox youself? why now?" i really don't have an answer about the timeframe. all i knew i started wondering about it, and decided why not? now is the time to change and live healthy.
trust me, i'm no food guru, nor do i have an extensive background in food and culture. i mean, i've only started this blog! but the diet i was on really made an impact on how i was living.. going into the diet required a lot of willpower, patience, self-assuredness, time, and money which of none I possessed before. Of course, I was extremely nervous. I mentioned it to everyone who I could think of, who I saw on a regular basis: co-workers, friends (even the ones I bumped into, and hadn’t seen in a while), even the lady behind the counter at the coffee place.
after a week of guzzling water, eating an excessive amount
of fruits and vegetables that i could bleed vitamins and nutrients, and conducting yoga and breathing exercises, I
embarked on a journey unfamiliar and scary at first. however, by day 3, I thought to
myself, “I could get used to this.”
the diet itself required so much effort and time. I was up
at 6 a.m. making smoothies and lunch so I don’t “cheat” on my diet. But I was
much calmer and happier, in a way I had never experienced.
at a recent discussion at work about raw food, i had the opportunity to meet dr. ruby lathon - a holistic health and wellness educator - she explained that organics should be reserved for fruits and vegetables with edible skins, such as potatoes, apples, celery, and more, because they possess the highest levels of pesticide and insecticide. dr. lathon shared her story when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2007, instead of accepting her doctor's only option - surgery - she declined and chose to do an extensive research on raw food and its effects. 14 months later, without any chemotherapy, radiation or medication treatment, she was cancer-free.
it's true; the body can heal itself.
at a recent discussion at work about raw food, i had the opportunity to meet dr. ruby lathon - a holistic health and wellness educator - she explained that organics should be reserved for fruits and vegetables with edible skins, such as potatoes, apples, celery, and more, because they possess the highest levels of pesticide and insecticide. dr. lathon shared her story when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2007, instead of accepting her doctor's only option - surgery - she declined and chose to do an extensive research on raw food and its effects. 14 months later, without any chemotherapy, radiation or medication treatment, she was cancer-free.
it's true; the body can heal itself.
going on detox diet was not limited to eating specific
foods, i also read books and watched documentaries about, what else, food. I
watched, food, inc., food matters, how to cook your life, hungry for change, and more.
books also were part of my diet: waiter rant, essential pepin (a must for
all aspiring cooks), my cooking class series (these books are deeply
informative), the omnivore’s dilemma, four kitchens, the art of eating in, and some more which i'm sure has escaped my memory canal.
read more to see if detox diets are for you.
read more to see if detox diets are for you.
the timing of the detox diet couldn’t be more perfect. I
decided on the date that fell in place with one of the slowest weeks at work
(spring break!), and a few days before I was to sign up for healthy challenge.
have i gone back to my old eating habits since the detox diet? no, not entirely. the other night since the diet, I made a berry smoothie from
scratch, and it was delicious! i quit sprite (it doesn’t taste as good anymore;
but before i quit sprite, i had quit drinking coca-cola some two years before (see why here)) cold turkey. (did you see this, mom?) ever
since i still drink water and coconut water (it’s better for your skin). i read
labels. i buy organic (up 50 percent from pre-diet). i reduce the amount of red
meat weekly. i’m more adventurous in trying new healthy recipes.
if you’d see, after the diet, i made a gluten-free cake withmascarone frosting. It was heavenly. I started making ranch dip, French
dressing, Italian dressing, mayo, any other condiments from scratch
(preservatives are not healthy). dave would pop open the fridge, "heba, we need some ketchup." a light bulb came on in my head, "don't worry, darling. we will make some!" at first, that remark was met with a facial expression of uncertainty, but that soon faded after he gave my ranch dip "not bad" reviews. i become more aware of issues that pertains to
our daily eating habits.
* i pledge to buy products from companies that treat humans, animals, and the planet with respect.
* i pledge to waste less, and be considerate of what i consume.
* i pledge to purchase cage-free, grass-fed, free-range and certified organic food.
* i pledge to invest time and money in my and others' health, and the future of the planet.
* i pledge to live, sleep, eat, (insert any verb here) healthy.
heba's tabbouleh salad (adapted)
ingredients
2 green onions, minced
1 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cucumber, sliced and chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh is best)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
several grape tomatoes, chopped
1 small yellow onion (not sweet)
directions
1) combine all ingredients
2) serve immediately
(can be chilled for up to 4 days)
detox teriyaki chicken (this is da bomb; i made this twice during the diet)
ingredients for sauce
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup raw agave syrup
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp barley miso
1 tsp mirin
1 tbsp water
directions
1) combine the balsamic, agave, ginger and pepper in a small saucepan
2) bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes
3) cool and then add the miso, mirin and water
ingredients for chicken
1 chicken breast, cage-free
detox teriyaki sauce
1 finely chopped green onion
4 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped
directions
1) marinate the chicken in the sauce (but reserve two spoonful) for at a couple of hours to overnight
2) wipe off any excess marinade from the chicken
3) grill the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side until cooked thoroughly
4) serve with the reserved teriyaki sauce, cilantro and green onion
credit: GOOP
beet, carrot, apple and ginger juice
this juice is quite strong; take it a bit at times
ingredients
1 large beet, cut into wedges
1/2 lemon, zest and pith removed
2 large carrots
1 large apple (any kind), cut into wedges
1 inch piece ginger
directions
1) juice everything in a glass
2) enjoy
credit: GOOP
avocado dressing (this is absolutely delicious!)
ingredients
2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted
lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic (more if desired)
directions
1) combine all in a blender
2) serve immediately or chilled in a salad
credit: COOP
green smoothie
ingredients
1 cup kale, firmly packed, stems removed, coarsely chopped
1 granny smith, coarsely chopped
1 banana
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
2 1/4 cups water
directions
1) combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth
credit: realsimple
mango-coconut water smoothie (OMG!)
ingredients
2 cups ripe mango chunks (from 2 mangoes)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 cups unsweetened coconut water
pinch of cayenne powder
directions
1) combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth
credit: realsimple
have you guys ever tried any kind of detox diet? what are your favorite recipes? share!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
how to fondant
on a rainy day on a weekend, i learned how to "fondant," thanks to a lovely neighbor. in a conversation with liz, i brought up the topic of the blog, she casually said she does cake decorating. she promptly showed me pictures; they looked as if a professional with extensive education and background had done them. i asked her if she had some training. she then went, "nope, i learned by reading books and research." my mouth literally fell...
no fucking way!
so, fast forward to that rainy day, she graciously donated three hours of her time teaching me how to do fondant, and sugar icing. thank you, liz!
here is the recipe:
chocolate cake with fondant
ingredients
1 simple cake mix
bake easy spray (liz swears by them)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup water
3 eggs
sugar paste
peanut butter paste
sugar icing
fondant
edible glitter
dyes for fondant and sugar icing
directions
1) mix cake mix with eggs, oil, and water
2) spray a 4 inch round pan with easy bake spray
3) pour the mixture into the pan, even the mixture with a spatula
4) bake at 350 degrees F for 20, 30 minutes, checking occasionally
5) if the mixture shakes when you reach out for it (with an oven mitt!), it's not ready
6) using a toothpick, pierce the mixture to see if anything comes out on it. nada? it's ready. put it in the freezer immediately to cool off (for 10-20 minutes)
7) get ready to do the fondant - pierce holes in the fondant and apply tiny amounts of oil to soften the fondant
8) knead it real good, it should be soft, you can apply dyes to your liking in this step
9) fondant should be less than 1/3 of an inch. when it is ready, put it in the freezer so it does not dry out
10) take the cake out of the freezer. put it upside-down on a plate. to continue cooling it off, return it to the freezer
11) using the rest of mixture to put in the pan. bake once again. don't forget to check occasionally!
12) if the cake in the freezer is completely cooled off, take it out. cut the top (if it is round top) to even the layers with a long knife. don't forget to look at the edges to make sure it's completely even. if it is uneven, the cake may topple.
13) after cutting off the top, turn the cake upside down. apply sugar paste. the paste should be even out and on a very thin layer. apply peanut paste afterward
14) when the second layer is ready in oven, take it out and put in the freezer as if you would do the first cake
15) after it is cooled off, once again, cut the top and apply it upside down on the top of first layer
16) apply the sugar paste once again on the second layer
17) back to fondant...
i know this is pretty long; stay with me here, folks...
17) back to fondant, be sure to create a large one for the cake, and others for the decoration
18) using cookie cutters, cut the fondant into whether shapes you would like them to be, for instance, we used three different sizes for flowers
19) apply long heavy sticks to hold up the flower petals at the top, applying sugar paste to "glue" together the petals
20) cover the two-layers cake with large sized fondant, cutting at the base
21) make sure the edges are even out
22) apply glitter to flowers to add shine
23) decorate whatever you would like, flowers, shapes
24) voila!
no fucking way!
so, fast forward to that rainy day, she graciously donated three hours of her time teaching me how to do fondant, and sugar icing. thank you, liz!
here is the recipe:
chocolate cake with fondant
ingredients
1 simple cake mix
bake easy spray (liz swears by them)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup water
3 eggs
sugar paste
peanut butter paste
sugar icing
fondant
edible glitter
dyes for fondant and sugar icing
directions
1) mix cake mix with eggs, oil, and water
2) spray a 4 inch round pan with easy bake spray
3) pour the mixture into the pan, even the mixture with a spatula
4) bake at 350 degrees F for 20, 30 minutes, checking occasionally
5) if the mixture shakes when you reach out for it (with an oven mitt!), it's not ready
6) using a toothpick, pierce the mixture to see if anything comes out on it. nada? it's ready. put it in the freezer immediately to cool off (for 10-20 minutes)
7) get ready to do the fondant - pierce holes in the fondant and apply tiny amounts of oil to soften the fondant
8) knead it real good, it should be soft, you can apply dyes to your liking in this step
9) fondant should be less than 1/3 of an inch. when it is ready, put it in the freezer so it does not dry out
10) take the cake out of the freezer. put it upside-down on a plate. to continue cooling it off, return it to the freezer
11) using the rest of mixture to put in the pan. bake once again. don't forget to check occasionally!
12) if the cake in the freezer is completely cooled off, take it out. cut the top (if it is round top) to even the layers with a long knife. don't forget to look at the edges to make sure it's completely even. if it is uneven, the cake may topple.
13) after cutting off the top, turn the cake upside down. apply sugar paste. the paste should be even out and on a very thin layer. apply peanut paste afterward
14) when the second layer is ready in oven, take it out and put in the freezer as if you would do the first cake
15) after it is cooled off, once again, cut the top and apply it upside down on the top of first layer
16) apply the sugar paste once again on the second layer
17) back to fondant...
 |
| even sadie wants some - she's showing off her matchy cast to score a slice! (no worries here - her leg's healing nicely!) |
17) back to fondant, be sure to create a large one for the cake, and others for the decoration
18) using cookie cutters, cut the fondant into whether shapes you would like them to be, for instance, we used three different sizes for flowers
19) apply long heavy sticks to hold up the flower petals at the top, applying sugar paste to "glue" together the petals
20) cover the two-layers cake with large sized fondant, cutting at the base
21) make sure the edges are even out
22) apply glitter to flowers to add shine
23) decorate whatever you would like, flowers, shapes
24) voila!
 |
| it looks delicious!! |
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
gluten-free cake with mascarpone frosting
in all this gluten-free craze (real simple even has its list of best gluten-free products!), i admit, i was apprehensive. i mean, what is so bad about gluten? when i did some research, i was astonished to find out that there are certain gluten allergies. and gluten intolerance.
as heba's my life in a pyramid blog interviews diana ghazzawi (a blogger for free kitchen) in its post - going gluten-free, is the hype legit? diana explains that "gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and a few other grains. the immune system, much of which is housed in the digestive system, has to recognize the various substances that we consume as food, thus allowing them to pass through unmolested, so that they can be properly digested and absorbed. however, many people's immune systems have not evolved to recognize the gluten protein as food. in an effort to protect you, the immune system attacks this unrecognized oddity, because it sees it as unsafe. your immune system is just doing its job. the problem is, by eating gluten, you are introducing an overwhelming amount of this molecule, which your immune system will immediately begin attacking. this unrelenting attack ends up wrecking havoc on your health."
and, as diana mentions, "gluten intolerance is so common that you should probably assume you have it. try a strictly gluten-free diet for at least 3 months, and see what happens."
wow.
this made me recall last week when i went to a panel discussion with bon appetit company. bon appetit is a catering company at my work; over the years, i noticed they have been adding a bit more variation of cuisines and sustainability - i wondered what next? i tried their crepes with my own choices, chicken breasts, peppers, onions, roasted tomatoes, and a bit of ranch dressing. that was abso. delicious!
anyway, i inquired on the status for gluten-free meals; they replied they had only one request for gluten-free diet approximately 2 years ago. this season, the number has risen to 20 requests! imagine that. and they stated they are expecting the number to increase...
as a trial run, i decided to bake a gluten-free cake with mascarpone frosting in celebration of my very successful detox diet run two weeks ago. the recipe itself (not the diet) was so successful that i began singing in my tiny kitchen just after the first bite. if you think that was no biggie, trust me. that was such a hurdle to overcome.
let me explain. about 5 years ago, the last time i baked, it was a token of farewell for a dear friend. i baked a yellow cake. but i somehow miscalculated the baking time with the measurement of baking pan. my face slowly turned bright red as excited patrons began to cut up the cake. and held up a drippling spatula. the mixture wasn't cooked... at all.
well, that was embarrassing.
anyway, back to the cake, i really loved it. at first, i was not sure - i kept on chewing, wondering, "is that supposed to be it? did i miss anything from the recipe?" the frosting, that, i LOVED. i kept licking the damn bowl.
mascarpone frosting
ingredients
1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese
4 tbsps unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
directions
1) beat the mascarpone cheese and butter together in a large bowl until smooth
2) add the confectioners' sugar
3) add vanilla extract to the mixture, mix well
4) spread thickly on your cake
5) serve!
gluten-free cake (adapted)
ingredients
1/3 cup rice flour
3 tbsps corn flour or cornstrach
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 cup almonds, grounded (you could buy whole, then ground them yourself)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar (superfine or granulated)
3 eggs
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
directions
as heba's my life in a pyramid blog interviews diana ghazzawi (a blogger for free kitchen) in its post - going gluten-free, is the hype legit? diana explains that "gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and a few other grains. the immune system, much of which is housed in the digestive system, has to recognize the various substances that we consume as food, thus allowing them to pass through unmolested, so that they can be properly digested and absorbed. however, many people's immune systems have not evolved to recognize the gluten protein as food. in an effort to protect you, the immune system attacks this unrecognized oddity, because it sees it as unsafe. your immune system is just doing its job. the problem is, by eating gluten, you are introducing an overwhelming amount of this molecule, which your immune system will immediately begin attacking. this unrelenting attack ends up wrecking havoc on your health."
and, as diana mentions, "gluten intolerance is so common that you should probably assume you have it. try a strictly gluten-free diet for at least 3 months, and see what happens."
wow.
this made me recall last week when i went to a panel discussion with bon appetit company. bon appetit is a catering company at my work; over the years, i noticed they have been adding a bit more variation of cuisines and sustainability - i wondered what next? i tried their crepes with my own choices, chicken breasts, peppers, onions, roasted tomatoes, and a bit of ranch dressing. that was abso. delicious!
anyway, i inquired on the status for gluten-free meals; they replied they had only one request for gluten-free diet approximately 2 years ago. this season, the number has risen to 20 requests! imagine that. and they stated they are expecting the number to increase...
as a trial run, i decided to bake a gluten-free cake with mascarpone frosting in celebration of my very successful detox diet run two weeks ago. the recipe itself (not the diet) was so successful that i began singing in my tiny kitchen just after the first bite. if you think that was no biggie, trust me. that was such a hurdle to overcome.
let me explain. about 5 years ago, the last time i baked, it was a token of farewell for a dear friend. i baked a yellow cake. but i somehow miscalculated the baking time with the measurement of baking pan. my face slowly turned bright red as excited patrons began to cut up the cake. and held up a drippling spatula. the mixture wasn't cooked... at all.
well, that was embarrassing.
anyway, back to the cake, i really loved it. at first, i was not sure - i kept on chewing, wondering, "is that supposed to be it? did i miss anything from the recipe?" the frosting, that, i LOVED. i kept licking the damn bowl.
mascarpone frosting
ingredients
1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese
4 tbsps unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
directions
1) beat the mascarpone cheese and butter together in a large bowl until smooth
2) add the confectioners' sugar
3) add vanilla extract to the mixture, mix well
4) spread thickly on your cake
5) serve!
gluten-free cake (adapted)
ingredients
1/3 cup rice flour
3 tbsps corn flour or cornstrach
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 cup almonds, grounded (you could buy whole, then ground them yourself)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar (superfine or granulated)
3 eggs
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
directions
1) mix both flours and baking powder in a bowl
2) add ground almonds
3) add butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla; whisk until mixed
4) pour in a prepared pan
5) bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees F
6) cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack
7) while the cake is cooling, do the mascarpone frosting
8) spread the mascarpone frosting and add sugar
9) dust with confectioners' sugar
10) serve!
credit: my cooking class
 |
| delicious! |
up next: fondant cake
is there such a thing as sugar-free fondant cake?
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
mussels mariniére
i have a confession.
i have never made fish or shellfish, in any form, ever, in my life. i took quite a gamble when i decided to make mussels mariniere for the valentine’s day dinner – i got the recipe at the cooking class at hill’s kitchen. i learned so much from marta, the chef – some important information she shared were especially helpful during this cooking experience. among them were always to add fennel seeds to shellfish, and these mussels were cultivated, meaning they were grown in a "farm."another: never buy mussels or any fish in a sealed bag, always insist on mesh or breathable bag. if any of shellfish come up broken or cracked, they should always be discarded.
i sampled different recipes including mussels mariniére, frisée with bacon lardons and red wine-demiglace dressing, and poached pears with mascarpone-cream filling. pure heaven.
marta was engaging, and open to questions. it was quite exciting to watch firsthand how to cook and follow the recipe. it definitely was the cherry on the cake when all the participants sampled endless glasses of wine.
a few days later, i drove to eastern market during my lunch break and took my sweet time walking through the building. it was on a tuesday, not much of a traffic, it was actually easy to find a parking spot.
i decided to make mussels mariniere for the valentine's day dinner. i went to a liquor store in my town to purchase a bottle of pernod. but, to my astonishment, they were all sold out. the gray-haired, elderly man (presumably owner?) pointed to an empty part of a shelf. my eyes fell to the tag directly below where the bottles were supposed to be.
"pernod, $17.99."
fuck.
sensing my disappointment, the man then pointed to pitu right next to where pernod was supposed to be. "it's almost the same," the man said. i promptly took a bottle (and it was considerably cheaper!) and thanked him. i was about ready to crack this bitch of a recipe up.
(i did throw away only one mussel that appeared broken.)
mussels mariniere (adapted)
ingredients
parsley stems
3-4 whole black peppercorns
bay leaf
pinch of dried thyme
3-4 fennel seeds
PEI mussels, 1 to 1 ½ lb. per person
2 shallots, thinly sliced
½ bottle of white wine (preferably Chile)
white pepper to taste
fresh thyme sprig
splash of puti
½ cup heavy cream
chopped parsley for garnish
directions
1) cut a square of cheesecloth (it's the best because it lacks lint and does not shed when wet) and place the parsley stems, peppercorns, bay leaf, dried thyme, and fennel seeds inside, then tie up the bundle with a piece of cheesecloth. This bag is called a bouquet garni (plus fennel seeds).
parsley stems
3-4 whole black peppercorns
bay leaf
pinch of dried thyme
3-4 fennel seeds
PEI mussels, 1 to 1 ½ lb. per person
2 shallots, thinly sliced
½ bottle of white wine (preferably Chile)
white pepper to taste
fresh thyme sprig
splash of puti
½ cup heavy cream
chopped parsley for garnish
directions
1) cut a square of cheesecloth (it's the best because it lacks lint and does not shed when wet) and place the parsley stems, peppercorns, bay leaf, dried thyme, and fennel seeds inside, then tie up the bundle with a piece of cheesecloth. This bag is called a bouquet garni (plus fennel seeds).
2) combine all ingredients except cream and parsley in a
large non-reactive pot; cover tightly and bring to a boil over high heat. This lets
mussels open up a bit.
3) when mussels open, cook one more minute and remove mussels
from the pot – leave some grit in the pot
4) add cream to the cooking liquid and return to boil
5) spoon liquid over mussels in a bowl or plate and garnish
with parsley
credit: hill’s kitchen
Thursday, March 15, 2012
detox: cold pea and basil soup
i admit it, the word detox terrifies me. when i decided to go on a detox run, my lovely husband suggested laxatives as an alternative. rolling my eyes at him, i explained the whole purpose of going on this detox diet was to cleanse my body of years and years of chemical abuse. i had exposed my body to infinite amount of soda, coffee, and preservatives. i probably would lose some weight but that wasn't the sole reason for going detox.
i admit, i was extremely nervous but absolute in my journey. i really wanted this to be successful. at least, i wanted to see this through. what i did not expect was this journey would be extremely time-consuming, laboring, and expensive. and that i eat much more during this diet than i normally do.
by day two, i was about ready to quit, my lovely husband (note: that's sarcasm) brought a sandwich home and proceeded to eat it in front of me. i instead reached for his fried potatoes. his eyes widened, "you can't have that! it'd ruin your diet."
"it's still potatoes, right?" i chewed, "it's still a part of my diet."
did i cheat in my diet? oh, yes. an occasional splenda here and there to sweeten up my herbal tea. i pour an incredible amount of agave syrup in my smoothies.
that evening, i made detox teriyaki chicken (don't worry, i promise i'll share the recipe within the week), and it was the bomb. my mouth was tingly. i finally got to appreciate the diet. fyi, it's not all greens and fruits, whatever. the diet excludes processed foods, alcohol, caffeine (including coffee, whines), complex carbohydrates (whines), milk, eggs, cheese, and more. i substitute regular milk with coconut, rice, and almond milk.
now, it's day 4 of the "detox diet bitch" journey that i gamely called - my skin feels remarkably fresh, i feel much at ease with everything. i guzzle water like there's no tomorrow. but all is not peaches and cream. i do get tired easily, and fast. but this is not unfamiliar to me; i had fasted for years and years. so i knew what i was getting into. to substitute my caffeine addiction, i drink herbal tea.
in prepping for this diet, i embarked on a number of trips to different shops, looking for odd things like barley miso, mirin, whey protein. i had never heard of these things. i enrolled for help from cashiers and store assistants, thank you! i would consider a pro for this journey; i became familiar with different things and learned how to apply them in recipes.
on the evening of day 7, you will be seeing me in my kitchen baking a gluten-free cake with mascarpone dressing just to celebrate. if you want a slice, you'd have to ask.
cold pea and basil soup (adapted)
ingredients
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions, peeled and finely diced
4 cups frozen peas
2 canned chicken broth
12 fresh large basil leaves, 10 whole, and 2 finely sliced for garnish
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
directions
1) heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat
2) add onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes
3) add peas and stock, bring to a boil, then lower the hear. simmer for 10 minutes
4) remove from the heat, and add whole basil leaves and salt & pepper
5) let the soup cool, then whiz in a blender until smooth
6) cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours
7) serve with the finely sliced basil
credit: saveur.com
i admit, i was extremely nervous but absolute in my journey. i really wanted this to be successful. at least, i wanted to see this through. what i did not expect was this journey would be extremely time-consuming, laboring, and expensive. and that i eat much more during this diet than i normally do.
by day two, i was about ready to quit, my lovely husband (note: that's sarcasm) brought a sandwich home and proceeded to eat it in front of me. i instead reached for his fried potatoes. his eyes widened, "you can't have that! it'd ruin your diet."
"it's still potatoes, right?" i chewed, "it's still a part of my diet."
did i cheat in my diet? oh, yes. an occasional splenda here and there to sweeten up my herbal tea. i pour an incredible amount of agave syrup in my smoothies.
that evening, i made detox teriyaki chicken (don't worry, i promise i'll share the recipe within the week), and it was the bomb. my mouth was tingly. i finally got to appreciate the diet. fyi, it's not all greens and fruits, whatever. the diet excludes processed foods, alcohol, caffeine (including coffee, whines), complex carbohydrates (whines), milk, eggs, cheese, and more. i substitute regular milk with coconut, rice, and almond milk.
now, it's day 4 of the "detox diet bitch" journey that i gamely called - my skin feels remarkably fresh, i feel much at ease with everything. i guzzle water like there's no tomorrow. but all is not peaches and cream. i do get tired easily, and fast. but this is not unfamiliar to me; i had fasted for years and years. so i knew what i was getting into. to substitute my caffeine addiction, i drink herbal tea.
in prepping for this diet, i embarked on a number of trips to different shops, looking for odd things like barley miso, mirin, whey protein. i had never heard of these things. i enrolled for help from cashiers and store assistants, thank you! i would consider a pro for this journey; i became familiar with different things and learned how to apply them in recipes.
on the evening of day 7, you will be seeing me in my kitchen baking a gluten-free cake with mascarpone dressing just to celebrate. if you want a slice, you'd have to ask.
cold pea and basil soup (adapted)
ingredients
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions, peeled and finely diced
4 cups frozen peas
2 canned chicken broth
12 fresh large basil leaves, 10 whole, and 2 finely sliced for garnish
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
directions
1) heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat
2) add onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes
3) add peas and stock, bring to a boil, then lower the hear. simmer for 10 minutes
4) remove from the heat, and add whole basil leaves and salt & pepper
5) let the soup cool, then whiz in a blender until smooth
6) cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours
7) serve with the finely sliced basil
credit: saveur.com
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