HEALTHY… poached salmon
Our beauty blogger Catherine McCurry takes a look at the January detox…
AFTER doing a bit of research on healthy meal options, I came across Gwyneth Paltrow’s January detox plan which sounded very appealing and easy to follow.
She described her detox meal plan as ‘warming, filling and doesn’t feel like a sacrifice,” which is something we all want and need during the chilly and uncomfortable wintry weather.
She recently paired up with a nutritionist and came up with some healthy meals which sounded easy enough for anyone to follow and not overly strict as well.
The health advocate knows her stuff and is always in good shape and is not one for flaunting the usual Hollywood stick thin figure.
It’s a three day plan and requires a bit of effort to get the meals and shakes prepared, but given that it’s only for a few days it could be worth doing.
She advises to start the day with room temperature water and lemon – which I thought unusual because I’ve always been told to go for hot/luke warm water and lemon but she’s the one in the know.
Then follow this up with a herbal tea around 8am and a shake – she advises a chai gingerbread shake, peppermint hot chocolate or savoury shake.
At around 11.30am have a mug of hot lemon water and herbal tea then lunch will consist of chick pea soup, roasted and clean carrot soup or balsamic miso root salad.
If hunger takes over in between meals then try a walnut lentil pate, a handful of mixed seeds or almonds.
Then round the day off with dinner – around 6pm – with quinoa stuffed kabocha (great for vitamins C and E, apparently), pan-steamed chicken and broccoli, and coconut poached salmon.
There’s no mention of sides with these dinners but I suppose that’s what detox is all about – sacrifice, healthy alternatives and tummy rumbling.
The meal plan avoids dairy, gluten, anything processed, potatoes, condiments, sugar, alcohol, coffee and tea.
It will be a tough three days but I’m planning on trying it out during the week – say a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – as it’s a lot easier to commit to.
There are plenty of other health meal options other than the three she has recommended so if it’s too much effort cooking a quinoa stuffed kabocha then you could swap it for a steamed chick with spinach, avocado and green vegetables.
Smoothie suggestion: Frozen banana, cinnamon, Greek yoghurt, almond milk, linwoods flaxseed, water and blend.
