When I almost passed out in the shower from exhaustion this morning (after 9+ hours of sleep, mind you) I decided this is ridiculous. I love coffee. Coffee loves me. There is no reason to feel terrible during this cleanse just because I skip a daily cup of coffee. So I broke out the coffee maker and brewed (1) cup of the glorious stuff. With the first sip, I felt the red draining from my eyes. When I got to work, I realized I felt amazing. So much energy, so alert, and so happy. My Project Manager said she thought I was mad or upset on Monday and Tuesday, but little did we know it was just caffeine deprivation. Now I’ll hopefully get to experience the full benefits of this cleanse without the grogginess. Coffee is a bean… it comes from nature…sounds like it meets the requirements to me.
Green smoothies are genius. You can pack in so much of the leafy green stuff into a sweetly disguised, easy-to-go-down drink that can be frozen and stored until the end of time. Kale or spinach going bad soon? Blend it up with an apple and banana, throw it in the freezer and fahgettaboutit.
This smoothie is my favorite breakfast thus far: refreshing, slightly sweet with a little body to it. The trick is to thaw it the morning you want it, so it’s more of a slushy.
Green Smoothie
Serves (2)
1 sweet apple (fuji, pink lady)
1 ripe banana
2 cups kale/spinach, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsly
1 cup soymilk
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (optional)
Toss all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. Freeze or drink.
Lack of protein my be a partial reason for feeling tired – though I have felt full of energy today. My main sources of protein are from nuts and the soymilk in my smoothie. Definitely not meeting the daily 46 grams recommended for women, but one cup of coffee appears to be a decent substitute.
My dinner had a strong purple theme tonight. In addition to a bowl of leftover beet soup, I had sautéed red cabbage with avocado. I’ve been reading good things about eating fermented foods – and cabbage and vinegar are a natural marriage. Thank you Rachel Ray for this tasty and easy side dish!
Sautéed Red Cabbage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper
Heat oil in a large skillet and add onions. Cook for 2 minutes, then add in cabbage and cook for 3-5 minutes until wilted. Add in vinegar and toss to coat cabbage. Sprinkle with sugar and stir in mustard. Continue to cook another 10 minutes until soft and ready to serve, stirring occasionally. Top with sesame seeds, avocado, or feta cheese (if you’re into that kinda thing).
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