Cooking: detox diaries, week 2

Week one of my detox passed like a breeze.  Not so the weight (because, let's face it, if I can lose weight while taking care of my health, count me in!).  But no, at half point I dared to weigh myself and see ... nothing... Can't say I was disappointed or dissuaded, rather I realised that I still had quite a stock in excess fuel to keep me going - at least in the beginning.  And so I continued, onwards and upwards.  And the week ended and pouf! I had lost 2 kilos...

In week 2, things advanced even further:  I started searching more and more recipes on Pinterest and got really excited about the possibilities - it can be vegan and tasty!

Speaking of Tasty, I have been following their little cute videos for a while now, and have been cooking their recipes even before my detox programme.  But, as luck would have it, week 2 coincided with a series of vegan recipes in their kitchens as well!  Really pleased that the word is spreading and I get all the  help I can.

I did not need any help in devouring my recipes - and here was the only negative point of the week.  Perhaps it was the excitement of starting a new programme, perhaps I was in a different situation, but in week 2 I realised the portions of what I was eating - about half of what I would under "normal circumstances".  And this was scary:  if my stomach can accomodate double of what I eat, would I do so if I got stressed/excited/bored/upset/ angry/sad...?  Only time would tell...

(In retrospect, I needn't have worried.  I got plenty of setbacks in both my professional and personal life and there were no repercussions in my eating.  Am I motivated or what?)

I continued to twick the recipes provided by the programme, and I'm pleased to report that all goes well - there are plenty of recipes to choose from and (one of) my lesson from this programme:  if you don't like one of the ingredients, just trust your instincts and change it!  or better yet, find a recipe that is closer to your tastebuds...

Veggies au gratin (using Loving it Vegan's creamy vegan cheese sauce)

1 broccoli, cut in fleurets 

1 courgettes, cut in cubes

1 red onion, thinly sliced

6 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 lt unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp dijon mustard
60g nutritional yeast
salt/pepper


Over medium heat, use 2 tbsp of olive oil to soften and lightly brown the vegetables.  At the same time, make a "bechamel" using the rest of the ingredients.  Key word here is patience.  If it's your first time with bechamel, please note that it's not difficult - it's just time-consuming...

Move vegetables to an oven proof dish. Cover them with the bechamel. Bake at 180 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.  Avoid burning you tongue and wait for another 10 minutes before you enjoy! (apparently, it's 4 portions - who knew!)

"Mac and Cheese" (inspired by Tasty's Mac 'n' "Cheese")



2 tbsp lactose-free butter
1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 tsp each garlic powder / paprika / dijon mustard

250ml unsweetend soy milk

60gr nutritional yeast

2 cups dried pasta (I had penne), cooked


Over medium heat, soften and lighly brown the onions in butter.   Add flour and spices and then slowly introduce the milk, stirring constantly.  Once it starts to thicken, add the yeast and combine.  Add the cooked pasta and try to remember that this is a recipe for four portions, not one (I almost didn't...)



Thai red curry (inspired by Cookie and Cate's Thai red curry)



1 each red and orange bell pepper
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced in sticks
1 cup of mini corns, sliced in quarters

1 tbsp each soy sauce / sriracha 
1 tsp onion,  garlic and ginger powder

2 tbsp red curry paste
125ml coconut milk

1/4 cup brown rice

Prepare the rice to your liking (I use a 1:3 ratio for water and cook for about 15 minutes).

Over medium heat, soften and lightly brown the vegetables in about 2 tbsp olive oil.  Once tender, add the sauces and the powders and stir for another 2-3 minutes before adding the milk. Bring to simmer and reduce to desired consistency.  Combine with rice (the stir fry is enough for 4, the rice for one) and serve.

(caveat:  the original recipe includes kale which I did add.  Didn't like it. At all.  I actually took it out before I could continue enjoying this curry...)

At this point, I used the programme's instructions as a loose template, but I'm afraid I was practically not following it at all.  Most of the recipes included ingredients I didn't like so I would search for similar (or other) recipes on the internet.  Juices/smoothies were not compatible with the really cold temperatures at the time. Plus, the habit of cooking on a daily basis just isn't feasible for me - and having the dinner cooked one day as lunch the following is not appealing...  But that's where the beauty of having experience in cooking kicks in - mix and match is always available and I can enjoy the meals I want to cook!