Congrats on completing your 4-Day Cleanse! If this is your first cleanse, then extra congratulations are in order. You may be asking yourself: Now what?! This chapter will provide a detailed roadmap for easing back into more mainstream eating, while at the same time maintaining some of your newfound healthy eating habits.
You should now be a champion juicer. Hopefully you have perfected your Morning Green Juice. If you only pick up one habit during your cleanse, make it this one. Drinking a green juice every morning should be a lifelong routine—and it’ll pay off for the rest of your life. If you are burned out on using your juicer, switch to a bottle of ready-made Daily Greens juice. Any of the Daily Greens green juices are a great substitute for a homemade juice. They also have a longer shelf life, as a result of the high-pressure process (HPP) used to make them FDA compliant and grocery-store ready. This process does not reduce any nutrients, but it does kill the bacteria that normally start the fermentation process, thereby extending the shelf life significantly. You should also continue your morning routine of drinking a 12-ounce (355 ml) glass of water with lemon upon rising. And if you’re up for it, I strongly recommend you stay off the coffee and continue having a cup of green tea in the morning.
On your first day post cleanse, whatever you do, please do not go out and eat a hamburger or other hefty serving of meat. You will seriously regret it. It It is best to transition slowly back to eating animal protein, dairy, and grains. The benefits achieved over the past four days can be compromised if you suddenly jump right back into your old dietary habits. This can have a negative effect on the energy and feeling of well-being created during the juice cleanse.
For lunch on your first day post-cleanse, I highly recommend sticking with a raw salad. A good choice would be one of your favorite dinner salads from the cleanse. However, any raw salad will work. If you are eating out at a restaurant, which is always fun after eating at home for four days, just order the biggest salad on the menu and ask them to hold the grains, cheese, and animal protein. You will not be ready for these yet. Stay light and skip the animal protein today.
For dinner, I recommend moving gradually back into cooked food by consuming a plant-based cooked dinner. This will ease you back into your more typical diet without burdening your digestive system with heavier meals consisting of grains and animal proteins. Some recipes appropriate for your first post-cleanse dinner can be found in this chapter.
It is worth noting that this Day 1 post-cleanse menu is actually the way I usually eat on a day-to-day basis. While I maintain a 100 percent plant-based diet, I do not eat 100 percent raw. There is great benefit, I find, in cooking some vegetables that are not palatable in their raw form. For example, potatoes, legumes, and whole grains would all be missing from my diet because they’re inedible raw, yet these foods supply vital nutrients, including protein, to a plant-based diet. However, I do try to limit my consumption of “cooked” plants: I only eat them in my evening meal. This type of diet is commonly referred to as “raw until dinner.” If you’re still fired up from your 4-Day Cleanse and want to continue with this way of eating, linger as long as you want in the raw-until-dinner phase. I love it so much that I have adopted it as my lifelong way of eating.
On Day 2 post-cleanse, I usually recommend slowly reintroducing grains and dairy—that is, if you plan to go back to consuming dairy at all. Dairy has the potential to be inflammatory if you have sensitivities to it. This inflammation can cause some individuals to experience bloating, indigestion, and allergy symptoms.
As stated previously, in the morning I hope you will continue your routine of a glass of lemon water, followed by green tea (instead of coffee) and a glass of Morning Green Juice. Midday, even when you fully return to a more normalized diet, I recommend that you consider eating much lighter for lunch. Consider how great you have felt on your cleanse during the day. Save the animal protein and grains for dinner. For three additional raw vegetable salads that are hearty and should assist you in assimilating, see pages 153–155.
For dinner on your second day post-cleanse, I recommend adding back cooked grains or easy-to-digest animal protein like eggs. However, I would pick either grains or eggs to add to dinner, not both.
If a salad is not cutting it for you for lunch, try adding grains to lunch by swapping out your salad for a whole-grain vegetable sandwich. I make a mean Hungry Girl Sandwich (or Hungry Guy Sandwich, as the case may be; see page 156) that would fill up and satiate a linebacker. By incorporating cooked whole grains back into your lunch, you will feel more satiated. For a couple of hearty vegetable sandwiches that will make you very happy, see pages 156–157.
On Day 3, I recommend reintroducing fish or meat. While I am 100 percent plant-based, it is not something that I necessarily recommend for others. For most, it is difficult to feel fulfilled and satiated by a diet consisting solely of plants. However, I would encourage you to consider eating less meat in your day-to-day diet. Try limiting your fish or meat consumption to only dinner.
And if you are going to consume animal protein, I recommend fish over any other kind. It is lower in bad fats, while still containing lots of the good stuff like healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. But don’t forget your veggies! Consider eating a cooked vegetable meal with meat or fish as your side dish, focusing on your newfound love for vegetables.
LUNCH
I love the combination of oranges and pomegranate seeds in the winter with sweet winter kale. This salad is so fun to make with winter/early spring kale from the farmers market.
INGREDIENTS
1 orange
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger root, minced
1 tsp agave nectar
4 to 5 kale leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lemon
1 pomegranate, seeds only
1/4 cup (30g) almond slivers
1 Peel the orange and remove slices from the membrane, collecting the juice as you do so. Set aside the orange slices.
2 To make the dressing, whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, ginger, and agave nectar in a small bowl. Set aside.
3 Place the kale leaves in a salad bowl and season with salt and pepper.
4 Squeeze lemon juice onto the kale leaves, and massage the juice into the kale to break it down a bit.
5 Toss in orange slices, pomegranate seeds, and almond slivers.
6 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!
LUNCH
My favorite local Community-Shared Agriculture (CSA) farmer in Austin, Texas, Johnson’s Backyard Farm, grows the most amazing heirloom tomatoes. In this salad, they pair beautifully with cucumbers and dill.
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 to 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into bite-size pieces
2 to 3 green (spring) onions (bulb and top), thinly sliced
Handful of dill (from 3 to 4 sprigs)
Sea salt, to taste
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
Pepper, to taste
1 Combine cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and dill in a salad bowl. Season with salt to bring out the flavors in the tomatoes and cucumbers.
2 To make vinaigrette, combine the olive oil and vinegar in a separate bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3 Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, toss gently, and enjoy.
LUNCH
This is such a fun late-summer or fall salad. I was inspired to use collard greens in a salad when I had extra on hand. This turned out so fresh with a hint of sweetness. While I generally try to stay away from using vegan substitutes for animal products, I do love the products made by Follow Your Heart—in particular, their Veganaise, which is a staple in my fridge.
INGREDIENTS
4 to 5 collard green (or kale) leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup (22g) dried apple slices
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp almond slivers
2 tbsp Veganaise dressing (such as Follow Your Heart brand)
2 tbsp filtered water
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 Combine collard greens, dried apples, dried cranberries, and almond slivers in a salad bowl. Toss to combine.
2 To make the dressing, combine the Veganaise, water (to thin it out), and agave nectar (to sweeten it up). Whisk together and test it for sweetness. If more sweetness is desired, add a touch more agave nectar.
3 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss, making sure the collard leaves are coated well.
LUNCH
Sometimes, a good old-fashioned sandwich really hits the spot. When making a sandwich, I always try to use whole-grain breads instead of refined breads. One favorite is the sprouted Ezekiel grain breads made by Food for Life. Because the grains are sprouted, they have more nutrients than regular grains plus additional fiber. I find them very filling.
INGREDIENTS
2 slices of sprouted-grain bread
1 tbsp Veganaise dressing (such as Follow Your Heart brand)
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 medium tomato, sliced
1 to 2 butter lettuce leaves
1 to 2 basil leaves
Handful of sprouts (any kind)
1 Spread the sprouted-grain slices with Veganaise.
2 Add the avocado and tomato slices.
3 Layer on the lettuce and basil leaves.
4 Add sprouts, close up the sandwich, and enjoy.
LUNCH
I love grilled portobello mushrooms, and they make a very hearty sandwich with tons of flavor. This recipe has a few more steps than my usual recipe, but trust me, it’s worth it!
INGREDIENTS
1 portobello mushroom
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 red bell pepper (red capsicum), sliced
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 big bunch of basil
1/4 cup (35g) pine nuts
2 slices of whole-grain bread (preferably sprouted grain)
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2 To marinate the mushroom, pour balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the center of the upside-down mushroom and let stand for a few minutes.
3 Brush the bell pepper slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4 Place the mushroom and red pepper into a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for about 20 minutes or until both are tender.
5 To make a vegan pesto, combine the basil, pine nuts, and remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a high-speed blender or Vitamix. Blend on high until smooth, approximately one minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more oil as needed to reach desired consistency.
6 When ready to prepare your sandwich, toast the bread and coat each slice with pesto.
7 Layer the mushroom and roasted red peppers onto one slice of bread, close up your sandwich, and enjoy!
DINNER
When you are vegan, you learn that it is best to bring your own dish to all potluck events, especially brunch events in Texas, which tend to mostly consist of bacon and egg tacos. My good friend Jennifer Anderson introduced me to this wonderful plant-based casserole, which is always a huge hit at potlucks, particularly at brunch, but also makes for a very filling dinner dish. Allow yourself about forty-five minutes baking time, but it takes less than ten minutes to prep.
INGREDIENTS
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 bunch of green asparagus, cut into 3-inch pieces
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
Handful of fresh thyme leaves (from 2 to 3 sprigs), finely chopped
1 to 2 plant-based sausages (such as Field Roast brand)
3 to 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2 Arrange the sweet potatoes in a glass casserole dish.
3 Arrange the asparagus on top, then sprinkle with garlic and thyme.
4 Break up the sausage into bite-size chunks and sprinkle over the top.
5 Drizzle olive oil over the casserole, distributing evenly across the surface. Season with salt and pepper.
6 Place foil over the casserole and bake for 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft. Remove foil and bake a few more minutes until everything is a bit crispy.
DINNER
I came up with this recipe one day on the fly, when I didn’t have time to hit the grocery store and only had a random assortment of vegetables in my crisper drawer. It turned out so great that this is one of my frequent standbys when I’m in a hurry and the fridge isn’t fully stocked. I simply use what I have on hand and mix and match the veggies for an Asian-inspired stir-fry. This recipe uses my favorite veggies, but almost any vegetable can serve as an acceptable substitute.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 container firm tofu
3 tbsp sesame oil, divided
3 tbsp raw almond butter, divided
4 to 5 tbsp raw soy sauce (nama shoyu), divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger root
2 to 3 green (spring) onions, thinly sliced
1 head bok choy (or cabbage or zucchini), roughly chopped
3 mushrooms (any kind), roughly chopped
1 cup (70g) broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 medium carrot, thinly sliced or shredded
Dash of cayenne to taste (optional)
Handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves (from 5 to 6 stems), torn into pieces
1 Squeeze the excess water out of the tofu and cut into bite-sized chunks.
2 Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a wok or large nonstick sauté pan over high heat.
3 Add 1 tablespoon of almond butter, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and tofu to wok and stir until tofu is crispy on the outside. Remove from wok and set aside.
4 Add remaining sesame oil, remaining almond butter, garlic, ginger, and green onions. Stir until crispy.
5 Add all the remaining vegetables and stir constantly.
6 After a couple minutes, add the remaining soy sauce. If desired, sprinkle with a dash of cayenne to add spice.
7 Stir until vegetables are crispy but not fully cooked. (You don’t want to cook all the nutrients out of your vegetables.) When vegetables are almost done, toss in the tofu and stir until warm.
8 Remove from heat and serve garnished with cilantro.
DINNER
During the summer, all my friends and family are usually grilling burgers and hot dogs outdoors. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, I decided to come up with my own grilled plant-based dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 head of romaine (cos) lettuce
1 head of radicchio lettuce
4 to 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black cracked pepper, to taste
1 package (roll) of polenta
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (I recommend Bragg’s)
1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
1 green (spring) onion, thinly sliced
1 Prep the grill to normal grilling temperature.
2 Separate the romaine leaves and chop the head of radicchio in half. Brush each leaf and each radicchio half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3 Slice the roll of polenta lengthwise into three or four slices that are each about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick. Brush the polenta slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4 To prepare a dip or dressing for the grilled vegetables, combine 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the apple cider vinegar, mustard, and green onion, and whisk until well mixed.
5 Grill the lettuce and polenta, taking care not to burn them. The lettuce should just be wilted in order to get a grilled flavor.
6 Roughly chop the grilled romaine, radicchio, and polenta, and combine on a plate or serving platter.
7 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss, or use as a dip.
DINNER
I came up with this dish for our annual Halloween potluck gathering at a dear friend’s house. Her husband is a chef and other chef friends always attend, so I wanted to bring something special. This dish has become such a hit that now I often make it for holiday gatherings. I have sized this recipe down to make a hearty dinner for one.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 butternut squash, seeded
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 bunch of spinach, stems removed, or 1 bag of baby spinach
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2 Place the squash half into a small glass casserole dish and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and maple syrup into the center hole of the squash.
3 Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until squash is soft (check for doneness by inserting a knife into thickest portion of squash to make sure it is soft all the way through).
4 Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick sauté pan, sauté the cranberries and pine nuts in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the pine nuts are brown. Remove and set aside.
5 Heat the remaining olive oil in the same sauté pan. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until brown.
6 Add the spinach and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, mixing with the garlic, until the spinach is wilted but not cooked.
7 To serve, place the butternut squash on a plate or serving platter and arrange the wilted spinach around the outside. Sprinkle the squash with pine nuts and cranberries, and enjoy!
DINNER
Although I don’t eat eggs myself anymore, I do prepare them frequently for my husband and son. Eggs are a wonderful source of protein. Out of all the animal proteins, they are the most easily digested and assimilated by the body. As such, eggs are a great transition food as you move back into heavier animal proteins. (Plus, it’s fun to eat eggs for dinner instead of breakfast!) Skip the toast, and eat these delicious eggs with vegetables instead.
INGREDIENTS
2 to 3 eggs
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 green (spring) onion, thinly sliced
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of spinach, stems removed, or 1 bag of baby spinach
1 Whisk the eggs, and add a dash of cayenne if you like spice.
2 Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Scramble the eggs, being sure not to overcook them. Set aside on a plate.
3 In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, green onions, and garlic and cook for 1 minute or until slightly brown.
4 Add the spinach and cook for a minute or two, until wilted but not fully cooked.
5 Arrange the spinach on the plate of scrambled eggs, and enjoy!
DINNER
Soba noodles are my go-to noodle because they are made from buckwheat and are therefore gluten-free. I love to combine them with any vegetables, but I am especially inspired to do so with fresh spring vegetables and herbs for a fun Asian-inspired noodle bowl.
INGREDIENTS
1 package of soba noodles
Sea salt, for boiling water
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced or shredded
1 small carrot, thinly sliced or shredded
1 green (spring) onion, thinly sliced
1/2-inch (1.25 cm) piece ginger root, minced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp raw soy sauce (nama shoyu)
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes (dried chili flakes), to taste (optional)
Handful of mung bean sprouts
Handful of basil (6 to 7 leaves), chopped
Handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves (from 5 to 6 stems), chopped
Handful of mint (6 to 7 leaves), chopped
1 Boil the soba noodles according to the package directions, adding a bit of salt to really bring out the flavors. Drain and place in a large bowl.
2 Add the cucumber, carrot, and green onion to the soba noodles and toss to combine.
3 To make an Asian vinaigrette, whisk together the ginger root, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes in a separate bowl.
4 Pour the dressing over the noodles and vegetables and toss until everything is coated.
5 Add the mung bean sprouts and herbs to the noodle bowl and serve warm or chilled.
DINNER
Quinoa is a wonderful grain that is high in protein. As a result, it is a wonderful addition to a plant-based diet and is far superior to other grains, which do not contain very much protein. This salad makes a fantastic summer treat using colorful summer vegetables from the farmers market.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (170g) quinoa
1 medium carrot, shredded or diced, or 1/2 cup (60g) shredded carrots
1/2 red pepper (red capsicum), finely diced
1/2 yellow pepper (yellow capsicum), finely diced
1/2 cup (35g) green cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup (35g) red cabbage, shredded
Handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves (from 5 to 6 stems), torn into pieces
Handful of basil (6 to 7 leaves), torn into pieces
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp raw coconut vinegar or rice vinegar
1/2-inch (1.25 cm) piece ginger root, minced
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 Rinse and boil the quinoa for about 15 minutes, or until soft (or follow instructions on package). Transfer to a salad bowl.
2 Combine all vegetables and herbs with the quinoa and toss well.
3 To make the dressing, whisk together the sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, and sesame seeds.
4 Pour the dressing over the quinoa-vegetable mix and toss gently until everything is coated.
DINNER
Wheatberries are the hard kernels from the wheat plant. They are the whole grain, containing the bran, germ, and endosperm. Because they are not refined in any way and are a great source of fiber, I love combining them with fall vegetables for a filling fall meal. Wheatberries need to soak overnight, so keep that in mind if you’re going to make this delicious treat.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (180g) raw wheatberries, soaked overnight
1 acorn squash (or butternut squash), peeled and cubed
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp raw whole-grain mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup (40g) dried cranberries
1/2 bag of baby spinach or arugula (rocket) (or combination of both)
1 Boil the wheatberries until soft and edible. This can take up to 30 minutes.
2 Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
3 Combine the acorn squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
4 Transfer to a baking dish or baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until squash is soft. To check for doneness, insert a knife into a squash cube.
5 To make the dressing, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mustard, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
6 When the wheatberries are done, drain and transfer to a salad bowl.
7 Pour the dressing over the wheatberries and toss to coat.
8 Add the squash and cranberries and toss gently.
9 Add the spinach or arugula and toss gently to combine. Serve hot or cold.
