Detox: Wrap-up

Folks! It's almost the end of January and time for us to wrap up our Detox: Life series.

Throughout the month of January I've been detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. For me this has included eating fresh, exercising 30 minutes per day, and a lot less internet time. Maybe you noticed? I've tried to keep you updated on my other detox endeavors including running, organizing, and socializing.

My prized orchids

So, how does this end? What did we learn? Where do we go from here?

First off, I learned that I'm ready to move on. I'm ready to take on the issues that clouded my life last year and work on dealing with them in a healthy way. I realized that the big thing that was missing in my life was FUN. I want to stop taking myself so seriously and let loose a little. Hey, I even sang karaoke for the first time this month and, although pretty terrible, it was always something I'd wanted to do.

Even dogs stop to smell the roses

One very welcome side effect to the detox is that my skin cleared up drastically. I've struggled with acne since my move to Hawaii in 2006, (the humidity?) and have resorted to using fairly harsh chemicals on my face, which I don't like. Since the detox though, I was able to stop using the chemicals altogether. Starting in February, I'm going to try and isolate the cause of this. Was it sugar that caused the breakouts? Dairy? Alcohol? Or maybe all of them? I don't eat a great deal of processed or junky foods to begin with so I know it's got to be one of those three things.

The best aspect of completing this detox was just that, completing the detox. The challenge was just right for me, and while I did slip up a couple times, I am very proud of what I was able to do. It truly is a great start to a new year, this feeling of accomplishment and empowerment.

Today marks the last day of eating detox style. Tomorrow is our fifth wedding anniversary, and we're celebrating with champagne. We're also off to Maui for the weekend, so I'm sure there'll be some splurging here and there. Besides that, I'll be easing back into eating dairy and some meat and fish slowly. I'm going to continue to cut out sugar for another couple weeks at least, to see how my skin reacts. Mind and body restoration will continue on, hopefully, throughout the year.

Thanks to those who joined me on this journey. Here's to 2012.

Try it and love it: Taro Root

I used to think me and Andrew Zimmern could hang out. Now, I'd rather kick Zimmern's bizarre foods butt when it comes to embracing unusual eats. The reason we can't hang out anymore is because on the Hawaii episode of Bizarre Foods, Zimmern dogs spam AND poi.

I can forgive you for not liking SPAM. Some people are just not down with strange meats. My friend attempted some smoked bear meat my cousin sent us and she just couldn't do it. Disappointed, yes, but I forgive.

A food you really should give yourself time to develop a taste for is poi. It is a wonderfully tangy accompaniment to fish, pork, rice and is famous for it's drippy purple appearance at Hawaiian lu'au.

I'm assuming poi is difficult to find outside of Hawaii. But, you will likely be able to get your hands on a taro root (what poi is made from) at an Asian foods store. Be warned: some would consider the taro root to be a bizarre food due to its slimy texture. There's an interesting explanation of this on Just Hungry. I find it similar to potato and the texture doesn't bother me.

You need to know that the hairy exterior of the taro root can sting your skin. You should take precautions when peeling it, such as wearing gloves. A vegetable peeler will do to peel it.

Prepare the taro root just as you would potatoes; roast, boil, make into chips. In the photo above, I made mine into a taro curry over rice.

While poi is made from the taro root, I have not attempted to prepare it. I'm a bit intimidated by the process.

I'd love to hear your bizarre foods escapades. What's the weirdest thing you've ever tried?

Detox: Food (hearty miso soup)

Miso is salty and rich and meaty and umami. It's easy to cook with, widely available, and and and! it's got some wonderful health benefits. 


I like to think of miso as being similar to yogurt; it's got live good for you funguses growing among the fermented soy bean deliciousness that aid in digestion (aka probiotics). That's why we never boil the miso, it will kill those little guys! Read more about the health benefits here: ProHealth.


That's why miso and yogurt are on the detox, we don't want to miss out on the probiotics that will help clean our systems. Convinced? Make this soup!


Hearty Miso Soup
inspired by theKitchn
serves 4


8 cups water (or dashi if you are not vegetarian)
1/2 cup miso paste (I use the yellow kind)
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 heads bok choy


Cook the brown rice according to package directions. I do mine in a rice cooker and it works just fine.


Roughly chop the bok choy. In a soup pot, bring the water to a boil. Toss in bok choy and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until bright green. Turn down to low heat. Scoop miso paste into a small bowl and whisk in 1 cup of the hot water. Add the mixture into the soup pot and whisk to combine. 


To serve, scoop some rice into a bowl and ladle soup over the top. Enjoy!


PS: It would be easy to do lots of variations of this soup, add whatever veggies sound good, or slap an egg on top, like they did on theKitchn. Oh oh oh! And don't you dare miss out on this Carrot Miso Soup from Smitten Kitchen. I made it last week and must say it was one of the best soups I've ever had!


PPSS: This soup is featured on Easy Natural Food's Sunday Night Soup Night, check it out!

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.


Here's what I've been up to:
(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7) (Click to see day 8) (Click to see days 9-10) (Click to see days 11-14)


Day 15 of 31: So I may have slipped on the detox slide this weekend. As I mentioned before, one of my best friends came to visit (always purifying) and it was pretty difficult not to indulge. Considering that, my only slip ups were a couple cocktails, some pizza, and a musubi. The emotional detoxing that takes place when you are with your best friend is worth a million days with no sugar, so I'm not feeling bad about it. 


Day 16 of 31: Paddle boarded with my friend across Kealakekua Bay, saw some dolphins, and killer coral reefs. No biggie. 


Day 17 of 31: Crashed a resort hot tub to ease my aching muscles after a crazy busy weekend. 


Day 18 of 31: Lunch with my husband on the beach. I was at a teacher training across the street from where he works so we got to take our lunch break together. 




How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about detoxing. 

Detox: Food (fern shoot salad)

I ate way too many beets yesterday. But the good news is my dear friend from Maui is flying today and we'll be spending the weekend surfing, sunning, and seeking out all manner of ocean creatures like dolphins, whales, and manta rays.


This salad is made with ho'io, or fern shoots, that have been blanched and tossed with a light dressing. I found them at the farmer's market and they are similar to asparagus in texture. I don't actually know (yet) how or where to forage for them and heard that people keep this secret, so I'm thinking these little shoots are pretty special.


Fern Shoot Salad
serves 4-6


1/2 cabbage, grated or sliced thin
1 lb fern shoots, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 large avocado
1 lime
1/2 tsp chile garlic paste
salt & pepper to taste


Boil a small pot of water. Blanch the fern shoots for 2-3 minutes and strain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking and to clean the fuzzy stuff off the outside of the shoots. 


In a bowl whisk together the zest of the lime, lime juice, chile garlic paste, and salt & pepper. Add the cabbage, cooled shoots, and avocado and toss to coat. Enjoy! 


Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:
(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7) (Click to see day 8) (Click to see days 9-10)


Day 11 of 31: Got all my progress reports done at school! Also organized my classroom and got rid of a bunch of old stuff no one will ever use again, ie. floppy disks and ghastly posters. 


Day 12 of 31: Went to the farmer's market to load up on more fruits and veggies. Bought a taro root, can't wait to figure out what to do with it. Took the doggy walking at the beach and stared at tide pools until the sun set. 


Day 13 of 31: Danced in the living room with my dog to Michael Jackson. Let it all hang out. 


Day 14 of 31: Going surfing and soaking up the sun. 


How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about detoxing. 

Wordless Wednesday

New Year's Day

New Year's Eve: tako (octopus) poke, ahi (tuna) poke, seaweed salad, poi, and rice

Detox: Food (sweet potato & black bean burrito guts)

Over winter break I got down with some vegetable shortening and made amazing homemade tortillas. I am chomping at the bit to share the recipe with you BUT it's going to have to wait until after the detox in February. Please don't cry, look, I made you some burrito guts. They're almost as good as the entire burrito! 

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Guts
serves 2


2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 TBL olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp chile molido pasilla (mild chile powder)
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
1 can black beans
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 avocado
1 tomato, chopped
1 lime


Place the sweet potato chunks in a large pot and fill with water until potatoes are just covered. Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork. 


In another pan, saute onions, garlic, and spices with the olive oil over medium high heat until soft. Add beans and salt & pepper to taste and heat through. 


To serve, scoop some sweet potato on a plate, top with some of the bean mixture, pile high with cabbage, avocado, and tomato and finish with a healthy squeeze of lime. Enjoy!


Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:

(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7) (Click to see day 8)

Day 9 of 31: Organized my jewelry and did a shoe overhaul. Lindsay suggested I make a jewelry board to organize my necklaces. I took the lazy-woman route and hammered a few nails in the wall next to my dresser and hung them on the nails. It's so nice to be able to see them all at once! 

Day 10 of 31: After taking the dog for a walk on a nearby hiking trail, I decided to detox my lungs. We drove as high as we could up Mt. Hualalai, into the cloud forest, and took some deep breaths of the freshest air. It was a clear day as well and could see all the way down to the shore. 

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about how your detox is going or your ideas on how we can detox our lives. Recipes always welcome! 

Detox: Food (peanut buttery fruit salad)

As a kid, my favorite snacks were ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) and apple slices topped with peanut butter. I liked the apple version so much, my mom would often pack this for me instead of a sandwich. So I said to myself, self, let's mix it all together!

I'm doing my best to supply my brave friends out there who are joining me in the detox with recipes. Whether you're on the detox boat or not, try this fruit salad, it's a whole meal of texture. Crunchy, creamy, cold, fresh, peanut buttery, it's all there. Texture meal. Hmm. 


Peanut Buttery Fruit Salad
This salad was featured on Easy Natural Food
serves 1 as a meal, 2 as a side


1 apple, cored and chopped into bite-sized chunks
5 celery sticks, chopped 
2 TBL peanut butter (be sure it doesn't have added sugar if you're on the detox)
1/2 plain yogurt
Dash of cinnamon


In a small bowl mix peanut butter, yogurt and cinnamon together. Add chopped apple and celery and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:

(Click to see days 1-4) (Click to see days 5-7)

Day 8 of 31: Weeded the garden beds, planted a few things, and harvested some sweet potatoes. I don't know why I've been putting this off for so long, but it was great to get it done and looking good again. Also cleaned out my jewelry box and underwear drawer and found lots to get rid of. Now if I could only organize all those necklaces...

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about how your detox is going or your ideas on how we can detox our lives. Recipes always welcome! 

Detox: Skin (sea salt and avocado scrub)

Ready to slough off some dead skin detox style? This is a great, all-natural, and very easy way to exfoliate your skin while adding moisture from the avocado oils. (PS: it's avocado season in Hawaii! Best time of year by far!)


My skin gets a fair amount of abuse. Excess sun, hard water showers, and a lotionless diet make for some dry skin days. So I wanted to find a recipe that wouldn't dry my skin out, but that would also do a good job of sloughing off the yuckies. 

Voila! I give you sea salt and avocado scrub. Grab your little mortar and pestle (or a bowl and fork), add a few TBL of sea salt and about 1/4 cup avocado and mash until it forms a paste. Rub anywhere you need it (this may be too harsh for your face though) in small circles. Keep in mind that sea salt is quite abrasive, so be gentle. You'll want to do this in the shower so you can rinse it off. 


This recipe was inspired by Natural Living for Women, a great resource for creating many different scrubs at home. I also tried Lindsay's honey avocado mask on my face, which left my skin silky smooth. 


Your Detox: Life assignment: create your own scrub, or try this one, and tell us about it! 


Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.

Here's what I've been up to:


(Click to see days 1-4)

Day 5 of 31: Began the process of detoxing a poisonous person from my life. It's a tricky one because I see this person nearly everyday (not by choice) and have to figure out a way to cope with this person's nasty ways because I can't just avoid being around them. First step? Every time gossipy stuff came up, change the subject, change the subject, change the subject. 


Day 6 of 31: Getting my nails did. I'm a DIY pedicurer because I have a thing about people touching my feet. My polish is all chippy and funky and I lost a toenail yesterday paddle boarding (don't worry, this happens to me often, not sure if I have weak nails or what, but it doesn't hurt), so a fresh pedi seems like a good way to detox.

Day 7 of 31: Cleaned out my email inboxes. Phew, feels great to clear the electronic clutter. Going to a baby shower today and feeling nervous about being tempted by all the sugar and goodies that will no doubt be there. Going sugar free is definitely the hardest part of the detox!

How are you detoxing your life today? Add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting about how your detox is going. 

Detox: Life (avocado slaw recipe)

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives.


Here's what I've been up to:


Day 1 of 31: Decided it was time for a major detox and started this series on the blog.
Day 2 of 31: Cleaned up all the Christmas and holiday decorations throughout the house. Goodbye 2011!
Day 3 of 31: Went for the best run of my life. My husband took the dog down to the beach and I ran along the roadside. No keys, no leash, just my legs and lungs. I sprinted the last 50 yards or so and it felt fantastic. When's the last time you actually ran as hard as you could?
Day 4 of 31: Exfoliating my bod with an all natural homemade recipe and ridding myself of dead skin cells. Don't worry, I'll share the concoction soon. 


Your assignment, add an extra detox element to your day and share it with us in the comments below or by writing a guest post. Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com if you're interested in guest posting. 


On to the recipe! The "eating fresh" aspect of this detox is basically a sugar, dairy, alcohol, meat, and processed food free eating situation. I've already posted a few recipes to get you going here: Eating Fresh. Please take this at your own pace and do what's right for your body. 

Avocado Slaw
serves 2


1/2 head small cabbage, sliced thin or grated
1/4 cup very thinly sliced onion
3 TBL flax seeds
1/2 avocado
1 TBL miso paste
juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp chile garlic paste


Place cabbage, onion, and flax seeds in a large bowl. In a food processor combine until smooth the avocado, miso, lime and chile garlic paste. Add this to the bowl with the cabbage and stir to coat. 


This salad didn't hold up well the next day, so eat it up the day you make it. I realize that the miso and the chile paste are processed foods, but miso is super good for you and I wanted some spice in this slaw, so enjoy! 


Need more recipes for your detox? Try these:
Broccoli Potato Soup (sub butter for olive oil and omit cheese)
Oven Roasted Corn and Potatoes
Eggplant Tacos with Cilantro Pesto (omit cheese and tortillas, serve over brown rice)
Brussels Sprouts with Bulgur (omit vinegar and cheese)

Detox: Life (clear the clutter with Black&BlondeOne)

Throughout the month of January I will be detoxing my life through mind, body, and spirit restoration. I encourage you to follow along and participate at the level you feel comfortable.

Thank you to those who have commented and offered your support after my first Detox: Life post. It is so comforting to know that you care and while I was nervous to share some of these things about my life, I'm so glad I did. 

My daily detox pursuits include eating fresh (recipes included) and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. In addition, I'm challenging myself and you all to do just one extra thing per day to detox our lives. Lindsay from Black & Blonde One has provided us with some great suggestions below on how to do just that! She is also one of my favorite New York city girl bloggers who writes candidly about her life in fashion, beauty, food and fun times. Go check out her blog right now!--->Black & Blonde One.

First off, I want to thank Gwen for having me over on her wonderful blog!  She has become a wonderful blogger friend of mine this year and I can't wait to actually meet her this summer when she travels to New York!

Being a Cancer, I tend to gravitate toward being a homebody.  Because I'm at home quite a bit, I like to make sure it is clutter-free and visually appealing.  It's my home and not just an apartment.  This year I have challenged myself to become more of a minimalist and try to avoid material objects as crutches.  Although I am just starting and far from an expert, I wanted to share a few tips in helping you live a balanced life.

1. Only keep what you need. This one is the hardest, but most important.  Some people are more attached to possessions and want to keep more than they actually need.  If you are one of these people, do the fire test.  What are the essentials you would keep if there was a fire in your house?  This will tell you what's important and what's not.  After you de-clutter, you will be amazed at how refreshed you feel and how much you can donate to someone who may really need it.

2. Rearrange. At times, change just feels necessary.  Instead of going out to buy something new, change around what you already have.  Moving furniture or decorations can really alter the feeling of a room and can sometimes make more sense in the space you have.  This also helps the creativity flow.  Maybe you need a new storage idea for a collection? Think of a DIY solution!

3. Indulge.  Although I like to live minimally, I allow myself to indulge every now and then.  It makes for a healthy person.  If you need a pick-me-up, try buying some fresh flowers or some local produce.  These indulgences will help you feel like you can still live without feeling strapped to a budget or plan.  It allows you some freedom and will give you an uplifting feeling.

Have you every tried minimal living?  What are your experiences and what tips do you have?

Thank you Lindsay! Would you like to participate with us as a guest poster by showing how you are detoxing your life? Email me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com or leave a comment below and I'll get in touch with you. 

Detox: Life (eating fresh)

Christmas belly. It happens. It happened. It's time to get my body feeling right.

There has been so much sugar in my life this holiday season, and I'm so ready to end the saccharin madness.

Therefore, our first assignment for Detox: Life is focusing on fresh foods for the month. Please remember that I'm not a nutritionist or a doctor, so please listen to your body and do what's right for you.

I'll be eating:
Fresh vegetables
Fresh fruit
Eggs
Nuts
Whole grains
Yogurt
Olive oil
Dried/canned beans

I won't be eating:
Dairy (including cheese, Lord help me!)
Meat
Bread, pasta, tortillas, or cereal
Anything pre-processed such as granola bars, chips, etc
Alcohol
Soda
Sugar

Of all these I think it will be the most difficult to stay away from sugar and cheese. But the point here is not deprivation, but to cleanse my body, blood, and organs so that I can get myself feeling as clean and fresh as possible. This is supposed to be enjoyable! Who's with me?

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Green Papaya Salad
Magic Bean Salad
Quinoa Salad
Curried Carrot Soup
Split Pea Soup with a Thickness
Crock Pot Ratatouille
Herbal Tea

Have an idea about how we can detox our lives? Participate in Detox: Life as a guest poster by leaving a comment below or emailing me: gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com and I will get in touch with you about the details.

Detox: Life

It's time for some real words.

I've been feeling exceptionally sorry for myself this past little while. Time is difficult to perceive in such a state, as many of you know. It slips and slips until, before you even know it, time is not a thing at all. And the part of this that has slipped away even more is the reason for it.

There are reasons. But now it's time to welcome in the other side of life: the light, the smiles, the doing of things. Because there is more to it than dwelling in the darkness.

This all seems too much to share. And you should know about Thursday. Thursday brought an unexpected death in my family. Death has a way of waking you from a deep, dark, inner sleep by grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking the nonsense right out of you. This nonsense pours from my nose, from my ears, from the palms of my hands.

I could look back on this year and sigh. Or I could look back on this year and grow up.

To address this need to let the sunshine back in, rid ourselves of the dreaded Christmas belly, and in general cleanse this past year for our lives, I propose a detox. Not of the chile powder and lemon juice sort, but of the mind, body, and soul variety.

The month of January will be dedicated to detoxing one aspect of life everyday, be it sugar, a grudge, or clutter.

Would you care to join me in starting this year off with the cleanest start we can imagine? Send me an email to gwenedwards82 [at] gmail.com or leave a note in the comments if you'd like to participate in Detox: Life as a guest poster or have some ideas you'd like to share.

Go ahead and nurse your hangover today, but think about this: what do you need to detox from your life right now?