Food-Lover’s Cleanse

While on twitter the other day, I came across a link (via @glutenfreegirl) about a “food lover’s cleanse.”  There was something about it that intrigued me – a cleanse that focuses on actual food, rather than just juice or some strange concoction of disparate ingredients. Sounds like it has potential.

I took a look and was really pleased with what I saw – 14 days of essentially whole foods eating, with lots of variety.  Makes sense to create something like that, as the holidays often focus on fractured foods – sugar, white flour, an excess in caffeine and/or alcohol.  I’ll admit I boarded that train from time to time during the holidays.  Time to hop back on the real foods wagon!

This cleanse has been put together by Bon Appétit (aside: I adore how easy it is to type accents on a Mac!)  magazine and the introduction is as follows:

Forget juice fasts and calorie counting. Start the year with a resolution you’ll actually want to keep: a fresh, healthful approach to cooking.

Amen!  Although my idea of healthful and their idea of healthful does diverge at certain points – the use of soy and low fat dairy, which I don’t partake in.  Still, I am encouraged by the use of whole grains, seasonal vegetables, grass fed meats, and eggs.  Apparently most of the dishes are gluten-free, too.  There’s even one recipe where they acknowledge that one might actually want to eat the chicken skin!  Nice.

I’m seriously considering trying this out, as I mentioned on twitter, but adjusting some of the recipes to be NT-friendly: use of raw, full fat dairy, and soaking grains (I handle grains ok), to start.  Oh, and eschewing all that canola oil.

I’d also probably not do everything in order – one of the dinner recipes takes hours to prepare (close to 4) and is slated for a weekday evening.  With my work schedule, that’s just not practical.  Dinner on one of the following days looks like it takes much less time, so I’d likely switch them.  I also have meetings some nights where I just won’t be able to cook; though one of those nights I’ll be at a chicken carving and bone broth making workshop!

What are some of the recipes?  Here are some examples (breakfast, lunch, dinner), which sound delicious:

• Breakfast: omelet with mushrooms, thyme, and caramelized onions
• Lunch: black-eyed pea curry; spinach salad with apples, sunflower seeds and vinaigrette
• Dinner: five spice beets soup; seared grass-fed hanger steak; warm escarole salad with mustard vinaigrette

I’ll need to put in my orders with my CSA and buying club in the next day or so if I want to do this.  Thankfully, BA put together a shopping list (warning: pdf) with all ingredients on it, so that part is easy – just print and go.

I’ll definitely chronicle my experience with this cleanse if I decide to follow it!  But I’d love to know, have you ever done a cleanse before?