Monday 13 May 2019

Cooking: Detox diaries, week 1

So...
at some point in time we all go through an event that serves as a "wake up" call and that encourages us to investigate new ways to move forward with our lives:  from changing jobs, to changing houses, to change partner ... to change diet!
This is my little story of how a surgery, approaching 50 and swelling feet got me thinking about the future I wanted to have and how I got motivated to take matters in my own hands...



Any major surgery will leave marks on us.  A difficult, sensitive and dangerous (but still, successful!) operation a few years back coincided with bomb attacks in the city I leave.  My time of convalesence was not the ideal one and I could, even then, sense that something was no longer as it used to be.  That feeling of uneasiness, the loss of safety and the general sadness around me triggered something that made me want to be invisible.  Little by little I could see my body changing and in particular my feet - from the knee down, started swelling beyond a normal "water retension".


After visiting almost all conventional and alternative doctors (nothing...), I decided to try a detox programme to see whether toxins, my gut, and in general life could provide an answer to all my questions.


There are several programmes for detox, both free and for purchase.  My good friend Anna was doing one specific programme (for purchase) for the second time and was excited (I remember the first time she was as well...).  Oh well, I said - let me join you!   The programme as such seems to be strategically planned, but, of course, not for me:  while I was ready to go 3 weeks on a vegan, caffeine-, gluten- and lactose-free diet, there are still plenty of ingredients I don't like (tofu...quinoa...chocolate!!!) that rendered my compliance somewhat difficult. 

Enter the guest star of week 1 recipes:  Pick up Limes!

An amazing blog, podcast and an even more amazing woman behind all this.  Sadia has the charisma of explaning the most intricate and misunderstood subjects into crystal-clear concepts.  She also provides a-m-a-z-i-n-g recipes that I immediately decided to use to substitute some of the recipes I knew I would not want to try:


Hummus (inspired by PUL's creamy artisan hummus):

2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
60g tahini
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp shiracha
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 can (400g) cooked chickpeas, drained and washed

Blend everything - I start with the solids and pour the liquids after a couple of seconds



Lentil/spinach curry (inspired by PUL's roasted cauliflower and lentil curry):

What a revelation!  It's always amazing when I discover and enjoy new combinations that I would otherwise never have the opportunity to.  Here, I was even bolder and took out the main ingredient - roasted cauliflower (I'm not against it, but ... meh...)

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp  curry / turmeric 
1/2 Tbsp  garam masala 
1 tsp coriander / cumin 
salt / pepper

1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
1 can (250 g) cooked brown lentils
2 cups packed fresh spinach

As everything is ready, this dish is a life-saver when time is short.  Starting with the spices (my new favourite toy), sautee the onion for 2 minutes over medium heat before adding everything else and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes (last to add are the fresh tomatoes).  Miam!


Of course, the internet is full of vegan recipe sites, so I continued my research:


Aubergine potato curry  (inspired by Vegan Richa's Aloo Baingan):



1 tsp (1 tsp) oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 curry leaves, dried 
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp coriander / cumin / ginger / turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

300g potatoes, cubed
1 large aubergine, cubed
1 tomato, cubed
200ml water

salt / pepper / cayenne

In the order indicated, start warming up the spices over medium heat.  Continue with the vegetables and the water, adding the tomatoes last.  Simmer for about 30 minutes or until vegetables disintegrate...

I am happy to report that after one week, I had no cravings, no relapse, no major repercussions (that thing with the energy level is a bit of a nuisance, but I'll figure it out...)

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