Detox soup

Day 2 on the Clean program and everything is going great. As predicted, there was a lot of indulging over vacation: pizza, beer, and some of the best donuts I have ever had at the Donut Haus in Estes Park. But it was all a little hard on my digestive system, so I was actually looking forward to starting the Clean program after we got back. I’ve been having smoothies for breakfast (which is what I usually do anyway), salads for lunch (ditto), and soups for dinner. The idea is to have a liquid meal for breakfast, a solid lunch, and a liquid for dinner so that your digestive system can rest and your detoxification system can kick in and clear out all the accumulated toxins. The diet also eliminates common allergens like wheat, dairy, eggs, and nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers).

So far I’m feeling great and I do feel like I have more energy, which was my one main goal for the program. I’ve actually been surprised at how satisfying soup can be for dinner. Yesterday after my yoga class I was famished, but after a bowl of raw zucchini soup (see below) and a few blackberries, I felt completely satiated. (Not sure if the berries are really allowed in the evening, not being liquid, but I figured they couldn’t do too much harm.) This afternoon was a little tough – I had a small salad with salmon for lunch, followed by an apple, but by 4:00 I was starving. Normally I sit and snack at my desk all day, but one of the hallmarks of the program is to recognize real hunger. Sometimes we may think we’re hungry when really we’re just bored or even thirsty.  A clean snack is allowed if you’re genuinely hungry, but I didn’t have any clean snacks on hand, so I stuck it out and kept drinking water. By the time I was home, I wasn’t feeling so ravenous anymore, and I made a delicious leek and asparagus soup (see below).

Hopefully things will continue smoothly. The Clean book says that after a few days, you adjust to the program and don’t feel so hungry.

Raw Zucchini Soup (from Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself)

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 stalk celery (I didn’t have, so I subbed a carrot)
• 1 tablespoon red or sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 5 basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ avocado
• 4 cups water

Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender

Leek and Asparagus Soup

• 2 leeks
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 box organic chicken broth
• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed (I used a few handfuls of fresh spinach instead)
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

In a large pot, sauté the leeks and asparagus until soft. Add chicken stock, spinach, and garlic. Makes 4-6 servings.