Raw Detox

Detoxing or cleansing is a period of time when we give our bodies a break from heavy digestion  and allow it to eliminate toxins.  Although detoxification is ongoing in the body, the amount of stress and toxins we take in daily make it difficult for our bodies to keep up with the process.  A detox allows our bodies the time to catch up with internal cleansing and recharge.  The term raw refers to a vegan diet(no animal products) where the food is never brought to a temperature higher than 118 degrees therefore maintaining all of it's digestive enzymes.  During a raw detox you consume only raw foods while your body is eliminating toxins.  The raw foods act like sponges soaking up toxins and carrying them out of your system.  A raw detox is a great way to evaluate your relationship with food and think about what you normally put in your body daily.  It can help you eliminate unhealthy habits and jumpstart any health goals you may have.  While you are detoxing there are a number of side-effects you can experience.  They include headaches, food cravings, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, irritability, and skin break-outs.  You can also experience increased energy, restful sleep, weight loss, clearer skin and mental clarity.  All of these are signs that your body is detoxing and will depend on the number of toxins you normally consume.

I offer 3 day raw detoxes which consist of nutrient-dense raw smoothies and soups made from fresh fruits, vegetables, nut milks, coconut water and coconut meat.  I offer two different detoxes, both for 3 days.  The Basic Raw Detox includes a breakfast smoothie, a lunch smoothie, a raw soup with raw crackers or bread for each day and one raw energy bar to split over the 3 days.  The Raw Detox Extra is the Basic Detox plus an extra lunch smoothie each day as well as a raw energy bar each day.  The detox extra is popular with clients who like to big workouts and feel they need a little extra fuel while maintaining their regular workouts while detoxing.  A days menu may look like this:

 
breakfast smoothie- spinach, strawberry, banana and brazil nut milk
lunch smoothie- pineapple, avocado and basil smoothie
dinner- carrot and ginger soup with rosemary crackers.

  
The Basic Detox is $115 and the Detox Extra is $150.  The next 3 day raw detoxes I am offering are February 6-8, March 6-8 and March 13-15.  Each day you can pick up a days worth of fresh food ready for you to enjoy from my home in Plymouth between 7-9:30am or in the Providence Academy parking lot(only during the school year) from 8-8:30am.  To register for a detox please email me at emmaxson@yahoo.com 


Client comments:


Hi Emily,
I am so happy with the detox experience. I lost 4.5 pounds and feel so much better. I feel this has been just a great start for me in making healthier choices in food. I am planning on staying on a healthier track because of the cleanse!! It was a great education!! I have to say ALL of the food was so delicious!!! I am a believer and will follow your blog in my quest to eat better. I am going to share my positive experience with all my friends and anyone I come across that has a desire to make better choices in food.
THANK -YOU!!!
Kimberly








"I was amazed at the variety of flavors in the smoothies and the soups. Emily is a magician with ingredients and produces fresh, gourmet-quality meals.  You don't feel like you are deprived when you savor every last drop of the drink.  I definitely felt my body responding to the cleanse, and I was attuned to when I needed to rest and when I could be active.  I never felt light-headed or weak.  It was a great experience!"
Trudi


"I felt great after and the effects are long-lasting.  I am still feeling really energetic and healthy 3-4 days after.  While I've enjoyed having 'normal' food, my craving for certain processed, high-sugar foods has been subdued.  I have, of course, had a cookie, had some popcorn but it hasn't 'felt' as good as it did before, it wasn't as comforting as it had been before the detox.  That's a good feeling.  I actually crave more fresh veggies and fruit.  While it's a disciplined event, it teaches you that you can do it if you're really committed to it.  Loved the detox.  Thanks for doing it; I'm a regular customer.  I will probably do an extra smoothie and bar next time since I will continue my regular workouts.  I craved the extra energy."
Lorie

"Each morning of the cleansing detox I received fresh drinks, homemade crackers and nutritious bars. Everything was nicely packaged and easy to follow.  While I was apprehensive to taste one of the smoothie which was "green", it was amazing...I could taste the flavorful combination of vegetables, fruits
and herbs.  Emily's raw cleansing detox created a strong interest in me to learn more about the benefits of eating raw, clean foods. It's a healthy start!"
Carol


"The three day cleanse was a very positive experience for me.  My eating of late has been very unstructured.  Having pre-made, healthy foods was a great way to get into a new routine.  The cleanse also helped me realize how much food and what types are beneficial for feeling good and having energy.  I plan to do the cleanse the next time it is offered but add the extra smoothie and whole energy bar.   I enjoy my workouts and felt I needed a few more calories to incorporate with the cleanse.  When I returned to eating on Thursday,  I found I was incredibly full after eating my usual whole grain oatmeal w berries and flax."
Patricia

Kale salad with garlic dressing

I'll be honest here.  Kale is not one of my favorite vegetables.  It is however a nutritional powerhouse loaded with vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and fiber making it very worthy of consumption.  I normally throw it in my smoothies and drink it down.  I was in Portland last week-end visiting my sister Liz and her family.  Liz loves kale and she has inspired me to give it another try.  So I created a salad featuring kale as the main ingredient and I actually love eating it this way.  Who knew?  Thanks Liz!

1 bunch fresh kale
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
3 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
juice from 1 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil

Wash kale and trim off ends.
Chop kale into very small pieces.
Place garlic, dijon, lemon juice and salt in a mini food processor and blend well.
With food processor running, slowly add olive oil until combined.
Place kale, pine nuts and parmesan in salad bowl.
Add half of the dressing and toss.
Reserve remaining dressing for later use.

kale, pine nuts, and parmesan

garlic dressing

enjoy

Tortilla Soup

It is April 20th and it snowed here today.  So instead of firing up the grill for dinner, I pulled out the Le Creuset and made soup.  My kids love this tortilla soup.  I think the chips are what attracts them, but that's ok with me since they are eating a lot of great vegetables with them.  In the pictures below I have doubled the recipe.  A single recipe will easily feed four or five.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 jalapeno diced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, poached and shredded
1 zucchini diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
juice from 1/2 a lime
3 dashes tabasco

Saute onion and jalapeno in olive oil over medium heat until the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes.
Add salt, cumin and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes.
Pour in bowls and top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and chopped avocados.
Serve with tortilla chips.

saute onion and jalapeno

add tomatoes and seasoning

shredded chicken

 zucchini and cilantro

enjoy

Grain-Free Bread

When I couldn't eat any grains I experimented with a lot of grain-free bread recipes.  This one is by far the best I've made.  It is the Pumpernickel Bread from the book "Healing Foods, Cooking for Celiacs, Colitis, Crohn's and IBS" by Sandra Ramacher.  It is wonderful toasted with peanut butter, bananas, and honey or used for sandwiches of any kind.

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
4 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 tsp honey

Preheat oven to 300.
Lightly butter a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
Place walnuts and sunflower seeds in a food processor and chop for 5 seconds.
Add almond flour, salt and baking soda and mix.
In a separate bowl whisk eggs, butter and honey until fluffy.
Add egg mixture to food processor and process until well combined.
The dough will be thick and heavy.
Spread dough into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until top is browned and cracked.
The bread will be firm to the touch.
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week or slice and freeze.

walnuts and sunflower seeds

chopped for 5 seconds

almond flour from Trader Joe's

eggs, butter and honey

whisked

thick dough

pressed in loaf pan to bake

enjoy
 

Sandra Ramacher's book

Simple Green Smoothie

Green smoothies are a great way to include leafy greens to your diet.  After being broken down in a blender, the greens are easier for your body to assimilate and the nutrients become easily absorbed.  Here is a great starter  green smoothie because it is sweet and creamy.  My kids love this one.  At first they were put off by the color and had absolutely no interest in trying it.  Then my husband came up with the brilliant idea of telling them to close their eyes and picture it pink.  When they did they said it tasted great and finished the whole drink.  Now they have no problem with the color.  I recommend blending in a high powered blender like a Vitamix, it just makes the smoothie so smooth.  Just throw in the ingredients and blend on high.

1 banana
1 cup strawberries
2-3 cups fresh spinach  
1 cup coconut water

ready to blend

beautiful living foods

enjoy!

Finishing Salt

 A few years ago my good friend Deb gave me this wonderful black finishing salt for my birthday.  I enjoyed using it so much that it has since become a staple in my pantry.  Finishing salt is really sea salt that is unrefined and derived directly from a living ocean or sea.  It is harvested by funneling ocean water into large clay trays and allowing the sun and wind to evaporate it naturally.  Since it hasn't been processed it still contains natural traces of valuable minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and iodine.  These salts come a in a variety of colors including white, grey, pink, green, brown and black.  One of my favorite ways to use my black finishing salt is on grilled vegetables.  I cut up whatever vegetables I plan to grill and toss them with a little olive oil.  I  grill them in a grill basket over medium-high heat and then sprinkle with the salt before serving.  My daughters love it!  It is fantastic on fresh pineapple and watermelon too.  Specialty food stores and some grocery stores carry finishing salts.  The kind I have is from Williams Sonoma.

black sea salt

vegetables tossed with olive oil

ready to cook on the grill

grilled vegetables with black finishing salt

The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15 App

The dirty dozen and the clean 15 is a list put out by the Environmental Working Group listing fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticides.  It is designed to help us decide which items to buy organic and which ones are ok if conventionally grown.  It would be ideal to buy all organic but sometimes that just isn't possible due to availability or budget.  I have read this list many times and have several books that site it, but I often forget what it says when I am at the grocery store.  The other day I was navigating the produce department and thought I really should carry this list with me.  Then it dawned on me, there must be an app for that, and sure enough there is.  Now I have it on my iphone and can refer to it when making my produce purchasing decisions.   You can find it in the app store on your phone or click on the link below.  It is free!




Download the Guide| Environmental Working Group

Creamy Broccoli Soup

ingredients

steam broccoli

saute onions and garlic

add beans, broccoli and chicken stock

puree with hand blender

add parmesan

enjoy

This creamy broccoli soup is easy to make and so healthy with 2 super foods, broccoli and beans as featured ingredients.  I use a sheep's milk parmesan because I tolerate it better than cow's milk dairy products, but any parmesan is fine.  You can also make it without the cheese and it is still very tasty.

CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP

Serves 4

12 oz. Broccoli florets, lightly steamed

2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 15-oz. Can cannellini beans, drained

2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper 

1/4 c. Freshly grated Parmesan

Heat olive oil in medium pot over medium heat.  Sauté onion for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and continue to cook for 3 more minutes.  Add beans and stock and bring to a simmer.  Add broccoli and remove from heat.  Purée soup with a hand blender or purée in batches in a regular blender until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and white pepper.  Blend in parmesan and serve. 

Trader Joe's Frozen Organic Brown Rice

Trader Joe's Frozen Organic Brown Rice is a staple at my house.  I try to always keep some in the freezer.  It is so quick and easy to prepare.  I recommend taking the rice out of the little plastic pouches and putting it in a microwave safe bowl with a plate on top of it when microwaving.  Studies show that cooking foods in plastics can release harmful cancer-causing toxins.

I use this rice as a quick side dish with fish or poultry at dinner.  Sometimes I will warm some up and add chopped avocado and tomato, olive oil, a little lemon juice and salt for a quick lunch.  You can also add any fresh herbs you have on hand like cilantro or basil.  Add a can of black beans and salsa and wrap in a whole-grain tortilla for a quick burrito.  Warm it up with the milk of your choice and a little cinnamon and honey for a great alternative to oatmeal in the morning.  Stir in some fruit and nuts for a complete breakfast.  The possibilities are endless with this convenient product!

Grain-Free Granola

walnuts, almonds and coconut

honey and organic butter

ready for the oven

 enjoy

When I was on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet I couldn't have grains of any kind.  I really missed granola and couldn't find any grain-free varieties in stores, so I made my own.  The little bit of butter gives the granola a caramel flavor and makes it taste like you are eating dessert.

GRAIN-FREE GRANOLA

3 cups walnut halves and pieces
2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, large
1 cup no sugar-added dried blueberries or cherries
1 cup honey
4 Tablespoons organic butter

Preheat oven to 350.
In a medium bowl combine walnuts, almonds and coconut.
In a saucepan over medium heat combine honey and butter.
Cook until bubbly and butter is melted.
Add honey mixture to bowl and stir well.
Pour granola onto a sheet pan lines with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Bake for 20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown.
Add dried fruit for the last 5 minutes of baking time.
Remove from oven and spread mixture on a silicone mat or parchment paper and cool.
Store in an airtight container.

My Story

  I am a true foodie.  I love to eat, prepare, and think about food.  Ask me about a trip or an event and I may not remember what I did or saw, but I will most likely remember what I ate.  My passion for food led me to Culinary school where I received degrees in Culinary Arts and Food and Beverage Management.  There I learned to create rich sauces, bake flaky pastries, balance flavors and manage food production.  I adored it.  I put the skills I acquired into various food service occupations, including my own catering business.  I enjoyed working in the world of food until I was blessed with the privilege of being a mother.  At that point I focused my efforts on working inside the home with my family.

   In 1998 I was diagnosed with Crohns disease and had part of my small and large intestines removed.  Over the next 10 years I took pills, had iv therapy, gave myself shots, and spent time in hospitals.  Throughout this journey with disease I began to look at food in a whole new way.  I read through every diet and nutritional book I could get my hands on.  In my search, the Lord led me to a book by biochemist Elaine Gottschall called "Breaking the Vicious Cycle".  The book explains the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and how following it strictly can heal the digestive track from damage done by disease or bacterial imbalance.  The SCD has helped thousands of people eliminate or control the debilitating symptoms of diseases like Crohns, colitis, celiac, diverticulitis, diabetes and food related allergies.  I was impressed with the enormous amount of testimony of healing I discovered on the Internet.  I went on this strict grain-free, sugar-free, nothing processed diet for 18 months and found healing.  I no longer take any medications and am able to eat a normal diet again.

   Being on a very strict diet brought me back into the kitchen doing a lot of scratch cooking.  The SCD is very restrictive so I was stretched creatively.  I used ingredients I had never worked with before, and found new ways to make favorite recipes.  My family and I were eating so much healthier.  Even though I am no longer strictly following the SCD, I still cook and eat a lot of what I did while on the diet.  My passion for food has blossomed into a passion for healthful eating.  I enjoy working with nutrient-rich foods and creating meals that not only taste good, but assist the body in fighting illness and disease.