A detox diet is often described as boring. One has visions of vegetables, lettuce, more vegetables, and tasteless food. The fact is that there is a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that can be used in a detox diet. A detox diet doesn’t have to be boring. Here are some suggestions for meals during the detox:
Breakfast:
Make a smoothie with 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons flax bran. Add water to make it as thick or thin as you like. A variety of fruits can be used for the smoothie. Try a fruit you’ve never tried before. Go to a Hispanic market and try some of the strange looking fruit in your smoothie. They all contain detoxifying elements and you may really like one or more of them. They will certainly add variety to your diet. Yogurt can be substituted for 1/4 block of tofu. Stevia, a plant-based sugar substitute, can be added as a sweetener. Cocoa powder has antioxidants that are good for a detox diet and will curb chocolate cravings.
Lunch:
Eat a salad made from raw vegetables and both green and red varieties of lettuce. Try a lettuce you’ve never tried. If you put mostly a lettuce you like with a bit of one you’re not sure about, you may introduce a lettuce into your body that may have more food value than what you’re used to. Add any raw vegetables you want to try to the lettuce. One day use all the green vegetables. Another day use all the red vegetables. Check the colors each day…then mix the colors. There are a variety of homemade detox dressings you can try. With lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, amino acids, fresh fruit juices, unsweetened dried fruit, nuts, and a variety of spices, you can liven up the greens in your salad. Always use fresh raw materials for your salad. Do not use commercial dressings…no matter how “natural” they may seem. Make your own and have fun experimenting.
Dinner:
Try a variety of soups. Lentils, peas (green or yellow), bean soups, seasoned with a variety of spices, and onions have many essential nutrients for a detox diet. Sauté the onion and garlic in a pot, then add a vegetable broth and the dried vegetables. Bean soups can be fixed with a freshly made salsa or a stir-fry (onion, garlic, cilantro, and tomato or tomatillo mixed together).
Between-meal snacks can be a variety of nuts, fruits, or raw vegetables. A sweet snack can be made by processing dates and your favorite raw nuts in a food processor with a little water or fresh juice. Roll them into a ball and roll them through unsweetened chocolate powder. This is an all-natural “candy” that is packed with fiber, antioxidants, and minerals…all essential for a detox diet.
Look, a detox diet doesn’t have to be boring! Variety is truly the “spice” of life!