People do a lot of crazy things when they are about to turn 40. I had just had my annual checkup and a warning from my doctor about high blood pressure. I had migraines, was sick all the time, lacked energy, and all the rest. I was at the end of my rope. So I visited a holistic nutritionist and put her to work. CleanseHer prescription was 3 months, vegan, gluten-free, no sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine. No problem, right? Did I mention that we started in October? Friends and family were convinced that I was ripping all the joy out of the holiday season. And no one believed me that it was REALLY NOT THAT BAD. In fact, I was feeling great and it took almost no time to be completely hooked. Added benefit - no after Holiday bloated, guilt-ridden, angst-laden resolutions. Pistache even came up with some awesome recipes. Some were twists from new found authors and bloggers, others were made up on the spot. Maybe we will put together a book. Truth be told, it was painless. Except for eating out {which was mostly a big diappointment} we were very successful. What I did notice was that the options for "vegan, gluten-free, etc" eaters was not nearly up to standard with our usual foodie palates. Obviously, our food was outstanding {no inflated ego here} but there was a real need to up the flavour quotien in a lot of recipes. Still GoingI have to admit that when I started the cleanse, I had no intention of continuing. In December I was already discussing how to reintroduce foods. Yet when the end was in sight and I was feeling anticlimactic because there were not a lot of foods that I wanted to bring back into the regular rotation. Which brings me to the reason we are still eating mostly vegan. It tastes awesome! I definitely have more energy, there is no crash at 3:00, and my mind is clearer. Getting through the Holiday season and sticking to our cleanse was a real confidence booster as well. I realized that I didn't need to overindulge to appreciate the holidays. In fact, when you are eat less and drinking less, there is more time for conversation and connection. At the moment, I am still on the Cleanse 90% of the time. Breakfast and lunches just became habit. Dinners are flexible 1 or 2 nights a week. When you lose refined sugars from your diet and go to just eating vegetables, there is a period of adjustment. Yes, you need to embrace herbs and spices. Yes, you need to lose your fear of the green things. But you in no way have to give up on taste. Pistache's Curry in a Hurry was a hit, full of flavour and textures. If you like the recipe, I will ask him to write down more! Curry in a Hurry
Saute onion in oil until translucent; Add curry and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes; Add Zucchini and saute until almost cooked through; Add Haricot verts, chickpeas, potatoes and currents. Saute for 3 minutes or until heated through; Add Coconut milk and banana. Bring to a simmer; Season with Salt, pepper and honey. Add extra coconut milk as needed. Garnish with nuts and herbs of your choice. We like Cashews and Thai Basil. ResourcesIt's true that both Pistache and I have culinary backgrounds but we did not just turn on the stove and wave our magic foodie wands to make delightful dishes appear every night. I found some amazing chefs and authors who gave me inspiration and who I would recommend you check out, whether or not you want to be totally vegan, paris vegan, vegan before 6, or whatever. Here is the list.
Oh she glows Joyous Health Nutrition Stripped It doesn't taste like Chicken If you are in the Montreal area and are looking for a similiar Cleanse. I recommend the following wholistic nutritionists Kassandra Kernisan of EnVie Natural Health Solutions Sandra Power of Sandra Power, Nutrition, Mind Detox, and Mind Calm I must also note that Vegans on Instagram are Awesome! Check out the hashtags #vegansofig #gourmetvegan #veganfood and #vegansofinstagram They are a very supportive bunch and there is a lot of inspiration out there. I hope that you enjoy exploring vegetable dishes as much as I have. Please let me know of any recipes or sites that I should check out! And don't forget to follow us on Instagram to see more vegan dishes!
Anne
3/4/2015 03:38:40 am
Added benefit, you're looking healthy and your energy level is up! Additionally, I've found that the food served this visit is tasty and beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration.
Iona
3/4/2015 09:02:51 pm
I go one step further -I'm a whole food plant based person, so no oils either. Cancer and I are currently in a battle for supremacy so I know too well the huge benefits of this nutritional lifestyle (18 months ago I was given three months to live and I still feel great). I love this recipe and will try it this weekend. Thanks for the other suggestions as well. Comments are closed.
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