don't mind me. i'm just alkalizing.

back in december, when i was making (eating) holiday cookies around the clock, i thought about doing a cleanse to help my body start anew. i researched it, selected the blueprint cleanse, and then waited 3 more months before i did anything about it. here's how it all went down....

pre-cleanse. yes, you have to prep for your cleanse. for 3 days actually. no big, final meal before you juice. say goodbye to your coffee (sad face). adios, processed foods (and good riddance. except for your, candy. i will always love you). pre-cleanse, you start your day with some lukewarm water (i heated mine) and lemon. rev up your system. then it's fruits, salads, and more veggies. 3 days prior you can have some fish. 2 days prior it's just fruits and veggies (and if you get desperate they allow you to have some brown rice). the day before it's just fruits and veggies. and then, it's cleanse time (cue the trumpets)!

cleanse. 2 days of nothing but juice. here we go.

• day 1.  day 1 was all rainbows, butterflies, and cleansing. i woke up and the first juice was the dreaded green juice -- kale, apple, ginger, romaine, spinach, cucumber, celery, parsley, and lemon.  this juice was very very "parsley." that's the only way i can describe it. it had a hint of the sweet apple but it was for a brief moment and then it was just parsley. but i drank it with a smile and thought it wasn't bad. i could juice all day long (which i really didn't have a choice but to do anyway).  i continued to drink every 2 hours. next up, pineapple, apple, mint (the mojito of juices. amazing). back to the green juice, followed by spicy lemonade (master cleanse in disguise), more green juice, and one cashew milk 2 hours before bed. i was excited for the cashew milk - cashew, agave, cinnamon, vanilla. and for the first half it tasted like a shake. but then it was cashew chunks. i suffered through it, went to bed and knew i'd have to wake up and do it all over again. on the bright side, my stomach was now concave and i basically looked like a model. clearly, delirium had kicked in.
  

  

  dreaded green juice. 

  
  

  

  beyonce juice (aka master cleanse)

• day 2.  day 2 was about survival. i was less excited and moreso just hungry. aside from the pineapple, apple, and mint juice, which i was actually looking forward to, my mindset was to just get through the day. while physically i felt lighter and just better (i looked like a model, remember?), emotionally i was a smidge cranky. i don't think it helped that the hubs was eating a big bowl of pasta while i was downing my green juice (imagine me flashing fangs).

P.A.M (aka the mojito of juicing)

post cleanse. i made it through my weekend of cleansing but wait! it wasn't over yet. now you must break the cleanse. similar to the pre-cleanse, it was salads, and fruits. day 1 post cleanse -- just fruits and salads (but limited to lettuce, cucumber, and avocado). so i downed some watermelon, had my salad, and praised the lord that i could chew my meals again. day 2 - fruits and salads. still looked amazing and now less cranky. day 3 - fruit, salads, fish. the juice haze had cleared....so had the hunger and crankiness.

final verdict, you ask? i'd do it again (jaw drop. loud gasp). no more than 2 days of juicing as i'd fear for my loved ones and anyone in the general vicinity. but 2 days, i could do. as long as they're on a weekend (so as to limit my interaction with others)....and maybe minus the hubs eating nothing but carbs around me.

see you again in 3 months, blueprint cleanse!

holiday wrap-up

long time, no talk. the holidays were a whirlwind but now that we're back into our routine, there's time to blog (hooray!).

here's a quick wrap-up of my holidays:

thanksgiving. i don't think i've ever spent so much time in the kitchen. it started the day before up and lasted through seconds before the meal (that makes it sound like i didn't sleep). clearly, my time management could use some help. the whole idea of preparing that much food was intimidating but the end result was worth it (sort of). the feast was a success (no cereal was served). we ate like kings. i even had a bite of my (organic, free range, whole foods) turkey. i somehow managed to pull together enough for food for a small army and it was delicious and i can't wait to do it again next year. wait, what? here's a summary of our thanksgiving menu:

• turkey - fresh bird pre-ordered from whole foods. i called in mumsy for help with this one because i've never cooked a turkey and also i didn't want to deal with taking out the gizzard or whatever else they stuff in the bird. no thanks.
• caramelized onion, sweet potato, and gorgonzola quiche. my turkey alternative. it was amazing.
• parmesan, red skin mashed potatoes with chives. potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, i love you so.
• mushroom gravy. vegetarian gravy, it can be done (well).
• homemade wheat stuffing with apples, walnuts, cranberries. tart, crunchy, gluten goodness.
• brussel sprouts and cranberries with balsamic vinaigrette. i could take it or leave it.
• roasted carrots and parsnips. parsnips took forever to roast. note to self, stick with carrots.
• mushroom green bean casserole. possibly my favorite side-dish (except for my potatoes).
• sweet potato casserole. i used a lighter recipe with less sugar and it was delish.
• clover rolls. thank you, martha stewart. this recipe is perfection.
• apple pie. my first homemade pie and it will not be my last! and no, i'm not giving away this recipe.

christmas. the weeks leading up to christmas involved more kitchen time, but of the cookie-making variety. needless to say, my butt is a little bigger but hopefully will return to pre-cookie-marathon size soon (i hope). we had several christmas celebrations, which was great. who doesn't love presents? however, it also required travel. holiday travel (the worst kind). holiday travel with a baby (the very worst kind). it actually went better than i anticipated, minus the delay on our return. i wish i could blame the nugget and say it was awful but really, it was me throwing the tantrum when i learned we had to sit in the airport for an extra 1.5 hours and then again on the plane for an hour. the nugget, you ask? oh, he slept on me the entire time. he did however, wake up upon landing and proceed to scream until we de-planed. on the upside, it sped things up. 

our very first real tree (pre-ornaments)

new years. new years was a little different this year. we hosted dinner at home. it was low key and fun. and we still stayed up to 3 am, which is a record but i must say is slightly less awesome when you have a nugget who wakes up 7. that said, i spent new years day as i usually do - a zombie. 

happy 2013. i'm exhausted. when's vacation?