Fresh Food 3 Day Challenge

Summer is a great time to eat fresh food. This is an easy 3 day challenge that will leave you feeling lighter and re-energized. Enjoy!

In support of the Yoga 4 Hope event on August 27th, 2011 in Essex County, CLEANSE 2011 is offering a Fresh Food 3 Day Challenge leading into the event, starting Wednesday August 24th. As always you can do this anytime and anywhere. If you are from the area, come to this event and take a class with one of the many skilled yoga teachers that participated in Cleanse 2011. Cleanse 2011 will also be catering from 8am-5pm and offering Compassionate Cuisine to help you get the most from your yoga practice.

Stay tuned for our fall challenge.

	Before Breakfast	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Beverages
Wednesday, August 24th	Drink 8 oz of Lemon Water ( ½ lemon and room temperature water; this starts the cleansing process for the day	Pina Colada Smoothie	No Bake Cookies Fruit,Raw nuts Lara bar, Vega bars, Kind bars	Thai Soup	Banana Ice Cream	Garden Rice Salad Fruity Spinach Salad	2 L of water Virgin Mojito
Thursday, August 25th	Drink 8 oz of Lemon Water ( ½ lemon and room temperature water; this starts the cleansing process for the day	Summer Love Smoothie	No Bake Cookies Fruit,Raw nuts Lara bar, Vega bars, Kind bars	Cucumber Dill-icious Soup	Banana Ice Cream	Southern Summer Salad Fresh salad with Iron Goddess dressing	2 L of water Virgin Mojito
Friday, August 26th	Drink 8 oz of Lemon Water ( ½ lemon and room temperature water; this starts the cleansing process for the day	“Perfect Pair” Smoothie	No Bake Cookies Fruit,Raw nuts Lara bar, Vega bars, Kind bars	“Hot”  Gazpacho	Banana Ice Cream	Tofu Bake Fresh Salad with Iron Goddess dressing	2 L of water Virgin Mojito

Your Fresh Food Challenge Recipes

Pina Colada Smoothie

250 ml (1 cup) pineapple chunks

2 frozen bananas

250 ml (1 cup) soy, rice or almond milk

250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk

5 ml (1 teaspoon) flax seed oil, optional

• On high speed, process all ingredients till thick and creamy. Serve in chilled glasses.

Summer Splendor Smoothie

4 leaves chard, stems removed

3 stalks celery

1 head fresh parsley

6 apricots

3 peaches

½ vanilla bean or ½ tsp of vanilla extract

• On high speed, process all ingredients till thick and creamy. Serve in chilled glasses.

“Perfect Pair” Smoothie

Ingredients

2 cups coconut milk  or almond milk

1 banana

2 ripe pears

1 tbsp lime juice

1 handful of spinach

1 tbsp raw honey or agave syrup

¼ tsp of cinnamon

½ cup ice cubes

• Place all the ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Serves two lucky people.

Thai Soup

2 cucumbers

1 large avocado

1 lime, juiced

3 cloves garlic

6 leaves curly kale, stems removed

½ teaspoon dried turmeric powder

½ inch fresh ginger root

2 cups water

• Blend in high speed blender and serve chilled

Cucumber Dill-icious Soup

2 cucumbers

½ bunch dill

1 large avocado

5 leaves kale, stems removed

2 stalks celery

1 lime, juiced

3 cloves garlic

• Blend in high speed blender and serve cold

“Hot” Gazpacho

4 medium sized tomatoes, skinned and diced. Seed them or not, as you prefer.

1 cucumber, skinned, seeded, and diced

3 or 4 good sized chopped scallions

1 red and 1 green pepper, seeded and diced

6 cups of organic tomato juice

1 habanero pepper (optional)

1/3 cup good quality olive oil

2/3 to 1 cup vinegar to taste (apple cider, balsamic or red wine will work)

Salt and pepper to taste

• Combine ingredients (except oil, vinegar, habanero and salt and pepper) in a large mixing bowl.
  Remove two or three cups of juice and veggies to a blender/food processor and add chili according to your taste; we recommend a single habanero, minus the stem.
  Blend until the pepper is thoroughly minced, then add back to the bowl. If you don’t like spicy, ski[ the habernero. Combine the mixture with the olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
  Chill briefly and serve over chopped avocado.

Garden Rice Salad

1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice

3 cups cold water

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano

3 Tbsp. minced fresh basil

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 cups spinach leaves, washed, stemmed, and chopped (To save time you can use prewashed organic baby spinach)

1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small cucumber, peeled, and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup chopped Kalamata or regular black olives

1/2 cup pumpkin and sunflower seeds

1/2 cup cooked black beans

• Make rice several hours ahead of time or the make night before and refrigerate. Rinse rice until water runs clear. Place rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, cover, and turn rice down to medium low. Cook rice until done, about 45-60 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork and set aside to cool to room temperature. Setting the pan in a sink full of cold water will help it cool quickly. Mix lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, basil, 1 tsp of salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the rice with the olive oil mixture. Stir in spinach, bell pepper, cucumber, green onions, olives, and seeds. Serve chilled or at room temperature

Southern Summer Salad

2 of 15 ounce cans black beans, well drained

1 1/2 cups organic corn

1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 avocado, diced (optional)

3 tomatoes, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup lime juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the beans, corn, bell pepper, avocado, tomatoes, onion and cilantro and gently toss. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the beans mixture and gently stir to combine. Chill for at least an hour to allow flavors to mingle.

Tofu Bake

2 tbsp olive oil

1 (14oz) block extra-firm tofu

1 clove garlic (minced)

3 tbsp organic tomato paste

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Bragg’s soy sauce

1 cup kale (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp almond butter

1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)

• Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Oil a 9 inch loaf pan with the olive oil (leaving some excess in the pan) and set aside. Rinse and drain the tofu, squeeze with a few paper towels to remove excess water. Crumble it (with a food processor, your fingers, a big wooden spoon, your choice). Place the crumbled tofu into a large mixing bowl. Toss the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix well. Pour into the loaf pan, pressing firmly and evenly. Bake for 55-60 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Yum!

Fruity Spinach Salad

1 lb. fresh spinach, washed, dried, torn into pieces

1 pint fresh organic strawberries or raspberries, washed

½ cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

2 scallions, chopped

¼ cup flax seed oil

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

• Cut berries in half and arrange over spinach in serving bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in blender or food processor and process until smooth. Just before serving, pour over salad and toss. Garnish with nuts.

Iron Goddess Dressing

½ cup of pumpkin seeds

½ cup of water

¼ lemon juice

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp of cilantro or parsley

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp of sea salt

• Serve over any veggies from your garden or your favourite grocery store.

No Bake Cookies

2 cups of organic quick oats

½ cup of tahini

½ cup of your nut butter of choice

¼ cup of agave syrup

Optional and recommended ingredients:

¼ cup of organic shredded coconut

¼ cup of protein powder of your choice

3 tbsp of cocao or carob powder for a chocolate flavour

• Mix ingredients in a big bowl with your hands. If the mixture seems to wet add more quick oats. If the mixture seems to dry add 1-2 tbsp of water. Roll into balls and flatten into cookie shape. Chill and serve. They keep well for at least a week.

Banana Ice Cream

1/2 cup raw cashews

2 raw bananas, very ripe

1/2 cup finely chopped Medjool Dates

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 T. agave nectar, plus more if desired

1/4 t. sea salt

1/4 cup raw walnuts, for serving

• In a blender, process the cashews until very fine, resembling a powder. Add the remaining ingredients except for the walnuts and process until the mixture is very creamy. Add agave nectar and salt to taste. Spread the mixture in a shallow pan and place in the freezer for 1 hour. Return the mixture to the blender, process until very creamy, and return the ice cream to the freezer to chill for 30 minutes to an hour longer. Serve very cold with the raw walnuts.

Virgin Mojito

1 glass of mineral water

1 tbsp of crushed fresh mint

½ tsp of agave syrup

Juice of ½ lime

• Mix and serve on ice. This is excellent for digestion.

Your Fresh Food Challenge Ingredients

VEGETABLES

Avocado

Baby Spinach

Carrots

Celery

Corn, organic (can be canned)

Crimini mushrooms (mini Portobello)

Cucumber

Garlic

Ginger Root

Green onions

Green Pepper

Habernero Pepper

Kale

Mixed Organic Greens

Red Pepper

Swiss Chard

Tomatoes

Tomato Juice, organic

Tomato Paste, organic

Scallions

Yellow Pepper

FRESH HERBS

Basil

Dill

Cilantro

Mint

Oregano

Parsley

FRUIT

Apricots

Banana

Dates, preferably Medjool

Lemon

Lime

Peaches

Pears

Pineapple

Raspberries

Strawberries, preferably organic

BEANS

If buying canned beans try the Eden Organics brand. It does not contain Bisphenol A in the can liner)

Black Beans

NUTS AND SEEDS

Almond butter

Almonds, sliced

Cashew nut butter

Cashews, raw

Hempseeds (hemp hearts or hempseed protein powder)

Poppy seeds

Pumpkin Seeds

Sunflower seeds, raw

Sesame seeds

Walnuts

GRAINS

Brown long grain rice

Oats, organic quick

Quinoa

BEVERAGES

Almond milk, unsweetened

Apple juice, organic

Coconut Milk

Mineral Water, like San Pellegrino or San Benedetto

Orange juice, organic

Rice Milk, optional

Soy Milk, optional

INGREDIENTS

Agave Nectar/ Syrup

Apple Cider vinegar (or Balsamic)

Bragg’s Soy Sauce

Cacao powder or Carob powder, optional

Cinnamon powder

Dijon mustard, (organic Simply Natural or PC)

Dried, unsweetened coconut

Flaxseed Oil

Honey (from health food section)

Kalamata olives or black olives

Tahini

Tofu, extra firm organic

Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean

SEASONINGS

Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Oregano, dried

Turmeric

Sea Salt (Herbamare is great)

OIL

Coconut Oil/Butter

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Flaxseed oil

Sesame oil

 

 

 

 

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