Green Lentil Hummus-Let’s Get Clean

I just went on a 3 day trip from Colorado to Arizona.  Friday, we drove the whole duration, Saturday we stayed and visited with family and Sunday we made the trek back.  It was long and at times seemed never-ending.  Especially with my 2 year and 4-year-old who just wanted to get out and use their legs!  In fact, Aiden, my 4-year-old asked at one time if he could get out and run on the side as we drove…..oh my goodness how awful.  Sad but hilarious.  Anyways, with road trips comes gross “road” food.  I am actually proud because not once did we have fast food!  So that was a plus.  But we did have Denny’s two mornings in a row and our beloved In-N-Out one night which we do not consider fast food as it is too good to be fast food.  And we don’t get it here in Colorado so that is allowed at anytime when traveling.  We were lucky enough to eat amazing Mexican food (I had the best shrimp fajitas of my life in Albuquerque New Mexico at a Seafood eatery called Marisco’s Vallarta, amazing food and amazing service!  One of the best shrimp cocktails I have ever had, authentic).  Truly, I don’t remember the last fresh vegetable I ate (no, the sautéed peppers and onions in my fajita do not count).  So I have decided to cleanse and detoxify my body of all the yuckies I have put into it this weekend and do a 9 day cleanse called Clean by Alejandro Junger, M.D.  I had done this cleanse last January, but I did it for 21 days.  It was intense but I had never felt better in my whole life and since then I have lost weight and felt happier and had more energy.

I am having my first shake this morning and have taken out ALL of my detox supplements and have swallowed more pills of oregano oil, milk thistle, etc. than anyone should.  But ultimately I will feel better.  It will be very difficult but so necessary.  Here is a recipe from that cleanse.  I am going to bring it to a party this Saturday and hope people will like it.  This is one of the “approved” snacks I can eat while on this cleanse.  And I love it.  I also love my organic apple and almond butter snack…

Happy Clean cooking!

Ingredients

3 cups vegetable or organic chicken stock/broth
1 cup green lentils
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
sea salt to taste
vegetable and apple slices for dipping (I prefer organic baby carrots)

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken stock, green lentils, and bay leaf, bring to a boil and then cover and let simmer until lentils are tender, roughly 40 minutes and then boil uncovered until most liquid is gone, take out the bay leaf and let it cool a bit.
2. Transfer to food processor and blend with garlic, tahini, lemon juice until smooth, adding sea salt and other spices (cumin and paprika) to taste.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature with the vegetables or you can make and store in the fridge to use as needed throughout the week.

High Altitude Adjustment

• Increase stock/broth to 3 1/2 cups
• Cooking time may take longer

Compost

• Lemon and garlic trimmings

Recycle

• Green lentil bag, tahini jar, spice containers (if you have used the end of)

Reuse

• Eat hummus throughout the week

Very Clean Balsamic Chicken

So last January I was feeling pretty icky.  My body wasn’t what it use to be and I still hadn’t lost the baby weight from my last “baby” who was about to turn 2!  I just felt unhealthy and I was not use to carrying around that extra weight.  A friend of mine told me about this cleanse that she was about to do but now couldn’t because she just found out she was pregnant.  I felt that was a sign from the universe.  An answer to my uncomfortable-ness.  It is called Clean by Alejandro Junger, M.D.  I wanted a cleanse.   I know how to cook and eat healthy I just needed to start over with a “clean” body.  I needed to rid the toxins that were in my body so that when I do put good food in me my body will absorb the nutrients and work a lot better.  This cleanse also helped to clean out my organs and all that good stuff.  Anyways, I did the full 21 day cleanse.  I am not saying it was easy, but I was on a mission and was determined to do it to the best of my ability.  I lost about 15 pounds and because I know how to exercise and eat right I have not only been able to keep that off, but I have lost more.  I am at a weight that I am so completely happy with, but as a women living in this society I feel there is always more to lose.  And quite honestly there is.  But at least I am happy where I am at (it is always a good thing, for me anyways, to weigh less than my wedding day, after having 2 kids….).  I  actually look forward to putting outfits together when before I dreaded it.

With all of that said there were some amazing recipes I made from that cleanse.  One in particular, Balsamic Chicken, made my “go to” list.  It is easy, full of flavor and most importantly my husband and kids will eat it.  Even though it is totally healthy.  Win all around.  The procedure of this chicken may seem odd, but the chicken comes out super juicy.  I usually accompany this chicken with some quinoa boiled in chicken stock, thinly sliced garlic and chopped green onion and then a green like asparagus, broccoli, green beans, whatever you have.  Again, super healthy and super delicious.  The recipe is easily doubled as well.

Happy cooking friends!

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all fat

2 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly, lengthwise

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

2 T fresh minced rosemary

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 t sea salt

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan reduce the balsamic vinegar by simmering and stirring occasionally until it becomes the consistency of a syrup.
3. Add garlic and rosemary and simmer for 2 minutes more.  Set aside.
4. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and salt.
5. Place chicken on baking tray and roast in oven for 10 minutes.
6. Brush chicken with generous amounts of balsamic mixture.
7. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees and roast for 10 minutes more.
8. Brush chicken again with the balsamic mixture and cook 2 minutes more.
9. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
10. After I get my plate all made up with a piece of chicken, some quinoa and a green I take the leftover balsamic mixture and pour it ALL over!  That stuff is finger lickin’ good (do I have to pay royalties for that last part??)!

High Altitude Adjustment

• Chicken may cook faster depending on your altitude.  Change those 10 minute intervals to 8 minutes

Compost

• Garlic and rosemary trimmings
• Any vegetable trimmings that you used for the side dishes

Recycle

• Balsamic vinegar bottle if done

Reuse

• Use any vegetable plastic bag to put the chicken trimmings and chicken container in.  Tie shut and throw away.  This will help from keeping the rotting meat odor from escaping and you having to change your trash bag before it is completely full.