21 days

 

You may or may have not noticed 

that I have not posted much about food lately... 

No recipes or odes to raspberries in season...  

Well, it was because I put myself through a cleanse; 

The Clean Program, to be exact.  

Perhaps you heard of it, made famous by Gwyneth Paltrow 

and Martha Stewart...  

For several years, I have wanted to do the Cleanse, 

but did not have the three hundred odd something dollars for the kit...  

Of course, my husband, encouraging as he is at times, 

told me to just stop eating...  

I considered practicing my backhand with a cast iron pan, 

his head the ball, but I refrained and rolled my eyes... 

If only abstinence from food was that easy...  

Some people eat to live (Tom) 

and some people live to eat (me).  

I'm a low level foodie....

love to cook...

clip out recipes...

watch Top Chef and The Next Food Network Star... 

and, most of all...EAT!  

So to put myself through sure, sheer torture, 

to say no to that which gives me comfort 

and a hobby, notwithstanding regaining my pre Kate body, 

was a withering thought... 

Finally, when I realized I was at the water's edge of the next size up in shorts, 

I'd hit bottom, so to speak...  

I was ready to forego all that is tasty for a loss of flab...  

I was ready to embark on The Clean Program... 

All those Clean folks say that the cleanse is NOT about weight loss...

that it's about detoxing one's body of all that processed crap, 

and they are right... 

But dang, if I didn't shed some lbs after all this effort, 

I'd be one ticked off Clean gal!  

There are two ways to skin The Clean cat; 

buy the expensive kit and have the shakes and supplements all laid out for you 

or buy the book and do it all yourself...  

I bought the book...   

It's 21 days of homemade shake for breakfast, lunch and shake for dinner...  

Shakes consist of fresh fruits and veggies with approved sweeteners 

like agave and fillers like almonds 

and flax to give it oomph...    

Lunch is chicken or fish with approved veggies, 

brown rice, millet or quinoa...  

The approved/not approved foods are part of the "Elimination Diet", 

which in essence is a list of foods that you can't eat, 

like bananas, strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, 

any and all sugar, carbs and meats... 

Everything that's left is what you can eat....

blech...  

It's a sobering page of food rules... 

So I pulled out the blender

and hit the store for all the foods 

I could have and looked for some support...  

Luckily, a good FB friend just completed The Cleanse, 

so she was hugely motivating...  

She lost nine pounds and looks fantastic..  

Also, one of my BFF's agreed to go on the Clean journey with me, 

so I had a buddy to help me through. 

The Clean Program also has a great support forum 

on the website.  Those folks cheer you on!

The first few days were like prison...  

I felt trapped in this goal, with a long road ahead...  

The smoothies were okay,

but the lunches were so spartan...  

Then I started to get into a groove 

and just accepted the deal and kept trucking along...  

There were weak moments, 

like when the kids had salty, fresh McDonald's fries in the car, 

or when Tom poured a chilly glass of Pinot Grigio for himself,

but I held strong...  

I made it until the end of Day 19, 

when we were invited to dinner at a friend's for the first time...  

How could I tell them I wasn't eating or drinking anything?  

I caved and that Lou Malnati's thin crust pizza 

and wine tasted SOOO GOOD! 

Today is day 22 and I learned the following:  

If you put your mind to it, you can do it....  

A buddy helps ALOT...  

Even though I am headed to vacation in FL this week, 

I won't be having any pina coladas.  

I am so sick of pineapple smoothies I might upchuck if I see one....  

Hummus crusted on chicken or anything else downright sucks....  

Fitting into dresses that are 8 years old feels REALLY GOOD!...  

I have more confidence in myself 

and I guess that is better than a stick of butter....  

I plan to keep making the smoothies and watching the portions.... 

Next Cleanse will be January 2012....  

So Sunday would have been the last day of The Clean Program, 

but since I ended it on Friday, 

I cooked for Tom on Sunday... 

He had been eating like a rat, 

searching trashcans, 

while I was on the program, 

so I made him steak, fresh green beans, roasted potatoes 

and tomato salad ala Paula Deen...  

 

Here is her tasty recipe.....

Yield:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 to 3 green onions, chopped
• 4 to 6 large tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except tomatoes, in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl. Whisk well. Place tomatoes in a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over. Marinate at room temperature for up to 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally.