Healthy Eating Cleanse

Going on a cleanse doesn't have to mean a week of drinking green juice

My husband and I are doing our second annual healthy eating cleanse. So this week, while I've been posting waffles and things covered in parmesan, I've actually been sticking to a diet based on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. The idea behind the cleanse is not to starve ourselves or drink green juices every day for a week (although we're thinking of experimenting with one this weekend...stay tuned), but to bulk up on healthy organic foods while avoiding some of our common indulgences - refined flours, most dairy, booze, and other completely delicious items. For some meals, it's been easy and unnoticeable to stick to the cleanse and at other times I have cravings for cheese and bread that turn into cursing and anger.

My husband is the most positively affected by the cleanse (as most men are quick to see results by such changes), and has already dropped a few pounds since the beginning of the week. Personally, I'm not sold on having to avoid any specific category of food for an extended period of time and think that we generally eat healthy, well-balanced meals year-round, but the cleanse has given me a chance to be creative with meal planning and to reset my body and palate going into 2014. I'd recommend this idea to anyone who wants a fresh, healthy start on the new year or who is interested in trying to make nutritious recipes at home - just make sure to adjust the guidelines to fit your lifestyle and personal tastes.


Click here to see details from last year's healthy eating cleanse.


Kitchen Sink Diaries' Healthy Eating Cleanse:
Monday
Breakfast - Mini Spinach & Onion Frittatas
Lunch - Winter Vegetable Minestrone (sadly, without the shower of parmesan cheese)
Dinner - Grilled Wild-Caught Sockeye Salmon with Grilled Lemons and Steamed Green Beans

Tuesday
Breakfast - Flax Seed Almond Granola with Low-Fat Greek Yogurt and Fresh Blueberries
Lunch - Winter Vegetable Minestrone
Dinner - Orange Chicken & Snap Pea Stir-Fry

Wednesday
Breakfast - Flax Seed Almond Granola with Low-Fat Greek Yogurt and Fresh Blueberries
Lunch - Leftover Orange Chicken & Snap Pea Stir-Fry
Dinner - Garlic & Rosemary Borlotti Beans with Sauteed Garlicky Kale

Thursday
Breakfast - Flax Seed Almond Granola with Low-Fat Greek Yogurt and Fresh Blueberries
Lunch - Leftover Garlic & Rosemary Borlotti Beans with Sauteed Garlicky Kale
Dinner - Quinoa, Butternut Squash, & Baby Kale Salad

Friday
Breakfast - Flax Seed Almond Granola with Low-Fat Greek Yogurt and Fresh Blueberries
Lunch - Roasted Carrot & Avocado Salad
Dinner - Grilled Flank Steak, Roasted Broccoli, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes


**A full list of healthy recipes (not all follow the cleanse standards) can be found here.**