Congratulations on starting your Summer 4-Day Cleanse. This is the beginning of a whole new you. You’re off your normal routine during the summertime, and this is a great time to do a quick cleanse to reset your mind and body. Throughout your cleanse, in addition to consuming the various juices and raw foods presented here, be sure to drink plenty of water over the course of each day to stay hydrated.
BREAKFAST
Upon rising, drink a big glass of water with a squeeze of lemon. If you don’t mind it, I suggest heating it up a bit. Lemon will help your digestive tract start moving. This will be especially important during the first couple days of your cleanse as you drop your morning coffee.
Next, enjoy a hot cup of green tea. The warmth from the tea will also help start moving your digestive tract along, and if you are having caffeine withdrawal, this will help quell your headache. Green tea is also full of antioxidants.
BREAKFAST
Finally, my favorite part of the morning: preparing my Morning Green Juice. This morning juice is an essential part of my day. And it can be an essential part of yours too! If you prefer to try your own recipe, keep it simple and follow my “Simple Green Juice Formula” (see page 21).
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
1 to 2 collard green (or kale) leaves
Handful of mint (3 to 4 leaves)
11/2 cups (230g) watermelon chunks
1 Wash the cucumber, collard green leaves, and mint.
2 Run all ingredients through your juicer, scrape off foam (if desired), and enjoy!
LUNCH
Several years ago, my sister turned me onto the benefit of consuming chia seeds for hydration. She would put them in a mason jar with water, a little lime, and Stevia to soak overnight. She would drink it the next morning after her run, to rehydrate and replenish. I tried it a few times and liked it so much that I started soaking the chia seeds overnight in filtered water and then adding them to my green juice the next day. Soaking chia seeds releases all of their fabulous nutrients—including super-hydrating electrolyte minerals, which will make your green juice more hydrating than ever. They also give your green juice an interesting texture.
Optional lunch addition: 1 small bowl of cubed watermelon and cantaloupe (add salt to bring out the sweetness). If your green juice does not satiate you, enjoy this cut-up fruit afterward.
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
Big handful of spinach (2/3 bunch)
Handful of mint (3 to 4 leaves) (optional)
1/2 cup (80g) cubed cantaloupe
1/2 cup (80g) cubed watermelon
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup (40g) chia seeds, soaked overnight in filtered water, then drained (optional)
1 Wash the cucumber, spinach, and mint.
2 Run all ingredients except salt and seeds through your juicer and scrape off foam (if desired).
3 Sprinkle in the salt and chia seeds (if using), stir, and enjoy!
SNACK
Honeydew is one of my favorite summertime fruits. Related to watermelon and cantaloupe (but better!), it simply melts in your mouth. It really sweetens up a green juice so nicely.
Optional snack addition: 1/2 cup (90g) of cubed honeydew melon. Snack on the fruit if you are not feeling satiated from your mid-afternoon green juice.
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
Big handful of spinach (2/3 bunch)
1/2 cup (75g) seedless green grapes
1/2 cup (90g) cubed honeydew melon
1 Wash the cucumber, spinach, and grapes.
2 Run all ingredients through your juicer, scrape off foam (if desired), and enjoy.
DINNER
Nothing makes me happier in the summer than fresh guacamole. When I am doing a cleanse, I simply substitute raw crisp veggies for corn chips to get the same satisfying experience.
INGREDIENTS
guacamole
2 avocados, cubed
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/2 bunch of cilantro (coriander), leaves only, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
veggies for dipping
1/2 cup (60g) carrot sticks
1/2 cup (50g) celery sticks
1/2 cup (45g) sliced red bell pepper (red capsicum)
1 Combine avocado, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeño in a small bowl. Stir with a fork until the avocado is chunky.
2 Add cilantro and lime juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
3 If you like spice, add a dash of cayenne and mix well into the guacamole.
4 Dip the carrots, celery, and red peppers in the guacamole, and enjoy!
TIME SAVER
Most grocery stores now carry premade fresh guacamole that will save you the time of making it on your own. Be sure that it is freshly made and not something in a vacuum-sealed package, which will not be fresh or necessarily raw.
DINNER
This is such a simple salad, but it really hits the spot on a hot summer day. I love anything that combines my two favorite veggies: avocado and tomatoes.
INGREDIENTS
Bowl of super greens (spinach, kale, arugula [rocket], watercress (stems removed), Swiss chard, mâche, and tatsoi)
1/2 cup (75g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small avocado, cubed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 Combine super greens with tomatoes and avocado in a large bowl.
2 To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil and apple cider vinegar in a separate bowl, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
3 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
TIME SAVER
To skim a few minutes off your prep time, most grocery stores carry containers of prewashed super greens.
