Vegan 21-Day Sugar Detox: Day 9

The hunger level on Day 9 of the sugar detox was pretty minimal. Something I ate at my friend's birthday dinner wasn't sitting well with me so I didn't have the appetite to eat hearty meals. I think it was the freekeh grain and the black currants in the "Freekehlicious Salad". I guess that's why you're not supposed to go back to eating normal foods right after the detox because your body will go in shock. (You're supposed to gradually reintroduce foods.) Even just a week into the detox was enough to send my body into a tailspin after eating a "normal" meal.

Breakfast: Sunflower-Flax Seed and Almond Mix

Sunflower-flax seed and almond mix

Lunch: Spiralized Cucumber Lemon Salad

I forgot how much of a difference spiralized veggies taste versus just chopping them up. It could be all in my head (and the excitement of using a spiralizer), but I think this cucumber salad came out a lot tastier than when I slice them into circles. The thinness allows the cucumber to really soak up the lemon juice, which it had been marinating in overnight. 

Spiralized cucumber salad with lemon and tomatoes

Ingredients: 

• 1 large cucumber (I used Trader Joe's Organic English Cucumber)
• Juice of 1-2 lemons (depends on how tart you want it)
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste

Tip: Let it marinate in the fridge overnight for more flavor.

Snack: Green Apple and Almond Butter with Cinammon

Green Apple and Almond Butter - 1

Green Apple and Almond Butter with Cinnamon - 1

Green Apple and Almond Butter with Cinnamon - 2

Dinner: Zucchini Avocado 'Pasta'

I'm sad to report that this meal ended up being a bit of a flop. The avocados were not ripe enough and no matter how much lemon juice I used, I couldn't prevent the avocados from turning brown. More lemon meant more tartness, so what was supposed to be a creamy garlic 'pasta' sauce ended up tasting more like guacamole ... especially because I made the mistake of adding cilantro. I wanted to use it up before it went bad, plus I had already inadvertently turned the sauce into guacamole. You just have to roll with it, right?

These were the ingredients used, but I highly recommend you play around with the measurements as I'm sure you can do a better job than me.

• 3 avocados (ripe!)
• Juice of 1-2 lemons 
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• A small handful of cilantro (you probably won't want this in your recipe)
• Onions (sautéed is better, otherwise it'll emphasize the guacamole taste)
• Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 4-5 spiralized organic zucchinis

Cut up the lemons first so that you can immediately squeeze them over the mashed avocados before they turn brown. Chop up the garlic and cilantro in a food processor (I used a Ninja). Next, add the avocados and blend into a creamy consistency. Pour the mix into a bowl and add the seasonings and olive oil. Sauté the onions and pour into the mix. Stir well and serve over spiralized zucchini. 

Note: You can eat the zucchini raw or sauté it in a pan with light oil until you get the texture you want. 

Vegan 21-Day Sugar Detox: Day 6

Excuse the delay in posting. I fell asleep really early last night (Friday) because I haven't had much sleep all week and I've been feeling drained since the detox started. I've lost about 2 lbs so far, but I'm really not concerned about my weight; I care more about how my clothes fit ... and yesterday it was a lot easier to slip into my skinny jeans--not as constricting as they have been.

Breakfast: Black Bean & Veggie Fiesta with Quinoa

I finished the remaining leftovers with salsa and guacamole. I've realized that a black bean and quinoa combo is the easiest way to have a hearty meal. Not too surprising since they're loaded with protein and fiber that keep you full longer:

• 1 cup of black beans (cooked, unsalted)  has 15 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber
• 1 cup of quinoa (cooked) has 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber

Snack: Sunflower-Flax Seeds and Almond Mix

I still can't get over how good this seed and nut mix is! This will definitely become my snack and dessert staple. It's truly cookie butter meets graham cracker crust meets granola. Ah-mazing! 

*Important Note: To achieve the near-exact taste of cookie butter, it's crucial that you use the ingredients below instead of any variations of them. My boyfriend made another batch and used a different brand of sunflower seeds that were salted as well as some hemp seeds and it totally changed the taste. 

• Trader Joe's Roasted Sunflower Seeds (Unsalted)
• Trader Joe's Golden Roasted Flax Seed Whole Seeds (Unsalted)
• Trader Joe's Sliced Raw Almonds

Lunch: Cauliflower Apple Pecan Salad

Snack: Sunflower, Pumpkin and Hemp Seed Mix

Seasoned with Himalayan salt, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme

Dinner: Japanese Sweet Potato Fries

Fried Japanese sweet potatoes in a wok

This is only listed as my dinner since I accidentally fell asleep before eating my actual dinner. This was more of an appetizer--one that kicked off the weekend right ... because who doesn't like fried food on a Friday?! It puts the "fried" in "Friday"!

Ingredients:

• 3 Japanese sweet potatoes (of course, the more fries, the merrier)
• Himalayan salt
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder

Boil the sweet potatoes for 7 minutes to soften them. Then use a mandolin to slice them into fries. (I have the blue Kitchenaid Mandolin Slicer Set.) This recipe used the wider of the two julienne cutters, but if you like shoestring fries, use the thinner of the two but be careful when frying because they burn extra easily. The best way to fry them is in a wok in small batches; it's easier to clean up and there's less chance of burning them. Fry them until golden brown and transfer them onto a plate lined with a couple paper towels. Season immediately to let the flavors really set in. Feel free to season them with herbs and spices. I'll probably play around with different seasonings next time. 

Vegan 21-Day Sugar Detox: Day 5

Breakfast: Cauliflower Apple Pecan Salad

Cauliflower Apple Pecan Salad: A little tart, a little sweet ... and oh so refreshing.

I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself because this was the most ‘adventurous’ I’ve been when it comes to experimenting with recipes. I made this salad last night so I could have it for breakfast this morning and break up the monotony of my meals. I devoured it—partly because I was starving by the time I got to work, and largely because it was delicious. I will definitely be making this again, even when I’m done with the detox!

Here are the ingredients:

• Juice of 2 lemons
• ¾ green apple, sliced thinly into cubes
• 1 bag of cauliflower florets, chopped
• 1 generous handful of fresh parsley
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• Himalayan salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Use a food processor (I used a Ninja) to chop up the cauliflower and parsley, and put them in a bowl. Cut up the 2 lemons (use more if you want it tarter), and squeeze the juice over the cauliflower parsley mix. Let it marinade for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, cut up the green apple into tiny cubes and chop up the pecans. Mix the remaining ingredients with the cauliflower and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Put in the refrigerator to chill before serving.

Snack: Hemp, Sunflower & Pumpkin Seed Mix

Lunch: Queen of Quinoa’s Detox Salad

Well, I finally polished off the remaining leftovers. Good thing too because I don’t think I could eat it for one more day. My taste buds need a change.

Snack: Green Banana & Almond Butter

By 5 pm, hunger was really starting to set in. I cut up a green banana, drizzled it with almond butter and sprinkled some cinnamon. 

Dinner: Black Bean Veggie Fiesta with Quinoa

So far, nothing I've made on this detox has been as filling as the two black bean dishes. I ate it again tonight and was so full I barely finished one bowl. That's a first!

Black bean veggie fiesta with quinoa

Dessert: Sunflower-Flax Seeds and Almond Mix

Sunflower-flax seeds and almond mix

It's cookie butter, no it's a graham cracker crust ... no, it's a sunflower-flax seeds and almond mix! I thought almond butter was the only thing that would satisfy my "sweet tooth" on this sugar detox but I was so wrong. My boyfriend mixed roasted sunflower and flax seeds with raw sliced almonds, cinnamon and pumpkin spice mix, and put them in the Ninja. Instead of the usual creamy, buttery texture of cashew and almond butters, this mix turned out to taste most like cookie butter with the texture of granola. 

This. Is. A. Game. Changer. 

It's perfect as a dessert AND a snack, and one that I'll be eating A LOT of throughout this detox and beyond.

Vegan 21-Day Sugar Detox: Day 2

Day 2 of the detox was pretty rough. I was dealing with headaches that left my head cold and tingly, nausea, and sudden cravings for anything with sugar. Visions of Nutella crepes, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and honey danced in my head. Maybe it's because I feel extra restricted, not being able to eat eggs, dairy and sugar on this detox.

The headaches may have also stemmed from not drinking coffee today, my usual morning staple. It can be irritating on an empty stomach, and my stomach has been feeling empty since I started detoxing.

Here's the breakdown of my day's meals:

Breakfast #1: Chocolate Banana Coconut Smoothie 

The smoothie's consistency today wasn't as thick, but I still ended up having to 'drink' it with a spoon. 

Breakfast #2: Raw Hemp, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds Mix

I seasoned about 1 cup of the seed mix with Himalayan salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme and onion powder. That first bite of the mix blew me away. It almost tasted like a well-seasoned potato chip (or maybe I was just trying to imagine that it was). 

Lunch: Queen of Quinoa's Detox Salad

I ate the leftover salad from last night. Still delish!

Dinner: Fajita Veggie Stir Fry + Quinoa

I used precut fajita veggies, black beans, crimini mushrooms, baby spinach and garlic. I fried the garlic and onions first, then the mushrooms, fajita veggie mix and baby spinach next. I layered it on a bed of quinoa and topped it with double-roasted salsa and guacamole. 

Day 2 Summary

Overall, Day 2 on the detox proved to be more challenging than Day 2 of my previous sugar detoxes. There were a lot of things that may have been a factor: from binging (pre-detox) on sugary foods thanks to Halloween, to skipping coffee, to not eating enough on Day 1 and my body adjusting to portion control. I figured once my body gets back into the groove of eating healthy, things will get easier.