How to Eat/Cleanse on the Road

It’s fairly easy to stick to the guidelines of a cleanse when you’re in the safety of your own home.  Things get complicated if you’re leaving for a mini-vacation and even a day-trip.

If you can find a vegetarian/vegan spot then you’ll have no problem, but other options include Asian and Indian restaurants because they tend to offer a lot of veggie options.

If it’s only a day trip, the best option is to pack your own food.  Here’s a list of what I tend to bring with me if I’m out for the day:

 Raw (unsalted) nuts like almonds or cashews.  I do not recommend pistachios or peanuts since they tend to absorb a lot of toxins in the soil and so do not offer the same nutritional punch as other varieties.

Hard fruit: Apples are a safe bet.  They may get a bit bruised after bouncing around in your bag for a few hours, but will still be edible–unlike a banana.  If you’re careful, tangerines are also a good option.  I tend not to bring veggies with me because I don’t like them at room temperature. If it doesn’t bother you, carrots, celery and radishes are great on-the-road options.

Dried fruit offers contrast in texture and flavour to trail mix, but beware that it is very high in sugar and harmful for your teeth.  The other problem is that it’s harder to gauge how much fruit you are eating when it’s dried–this can leave you feeling bloated and constipated.  Remember to drink extra water if you indulge in dehydrated fruits and veggies.

Granola: Nature Valley bars are a great treat. Since they’re individually packed, they are not messy.  While they are processed, the ingredient list is bearable and they do come in a variety of flavours. The best bet is to make your own granola, but if you don’t have the time and are willing to shell out a bit of cash, then opt for the bar. 

If you can eat bread, try to find one made from whole grains. If you’re off wheat, try a gluten free version, rye or substitute a rice cracker.  Bring some organic peanut butter along and you have yourself a tasty lunch.

Water, water, water:  Pack more than you think you’ll need–even if it’s heavy.  If you’re sitting in a car, bus or plane for any length of time, you will get dehydrated–especially due to air filtering, cooling and heating systems.  It’s great to have extra water on hand in case you have some sort of spill or want a bit of freshening up before you arrive at your destination; a splash of water to the face can make a huge difference.  Another bonus of drinking water is that keeps breath fresh—you never know who you might meet!

If you have any suggestions, please pass them on!

Lentils – Dinner under Ten Bucks

As some of you may have noticed, I’ve been losing some steam.  I can easily live without meat, but I’m really missing my dairy and wheat.

I wanted to try something new for dinner and Meghan suggested dahl.

Suddenly, I remembered that I had a really easy recipe from my aunt and I’m going to share it with you.

One onion chopped.
Two tomatoes chopped.
One to two cloves of garlic chopped
One tsp. each of cumin, chile and turmeric.
4 ounces of red lentils rinsed
 1.5-2 cups of vegetable stock (or water).

I put all of the ingredients into my slow cooker and let it simmer until the lentils appeared swollen (about one hour). The prep time is about 10 minutes.

Soup-erb!

I tend to cook the same things all the time.  When I first checked in to Rehab, my diet was varied because I had so many things to try.  While there is still a world of culinary wonder available to me, I’ve been finding myself a little tired with the same old thing.

Fortunately, I got a great email from my friend Alana and it included some fantastic recipes!
So far, I’ve tried the sweet potato and bean soup and it is delicious and soup-er cheap to make!
Enough with the puns–here’s the recipe!

 

Sweet Potato Bean Soup

1 tbsp butter and canola oil
½ onion, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 rounded tsp curry powder  (or more as desired–I put in two rounded tsps)      
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
About 5 cups boiling hot vegetable stock and/or water (preferably home made stock)
19oz can white beans, rinsed, drained (if possible, use dried beans and soak over night. The canned beans sometimes float in a brine filled with some bizarre additives/preservatives–and those extras can cause you to produce excess gas…not necessary as beans sans brine are the musical fruit!)
1 tbsp each; balsamic vinegar and maple syrup 

Add butter and oil to large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add onion; cook about 5 minutes until soft but not brown.
Add curry powder; cook stirring 1 to 2 minutes.
Add hot stock. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until sweet potato is soft. Add half of beans. Puree until smooth, using a hand blender, food processor or blender. Add remaining beans.  Add vinegar and syrup prior to serving.

Enjoy!
Thanks Alana!