21-Day Detox Day 3: Lacinato Kale with Leaks and Ginger

Today I was feeling much better, but still not 100%. For breakfast, I had my 12oz shake with a carrot, beet, and celery juice I bought from Whole Foods. I ordered a Breville Ikon juicer yesterday that should arrive tonight from Amazon. I figured that I've been spending so much money on juice that I might as well just get a juicer.

I was worried lunch was going to be a bit complicated because we were going to BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse with the whole team at work. I knew that there wasn't going to be anything on the menu for me to eat there, so I resolved to bring my food with me. When I was in FA, I always brought my abstinent meals where ever I went, even when visiting my parents. I remember feeling extremely embarrassed about needing special food and felt like I was alienating myself. I didn't ever go into deep detail about why I had to have different meals, since explaining that I was in a 12-step program to recover from a debilitating eating disorder was even more embarrassing.

This time I took a different approach and didn't make a big deal of it. I waited for everyone else to order and quietly told that waitress that I didn't care for anything. When my coworkers asked me why, I explained to them that I was doing a 21-day detox cleanse and some were interested about it so I gave them additional details. When everyone else got their meals, I requested a plate and got ready to open my Snapware container. Just as I was hoping to keep a low profile, my container wouldn't open. It pressure locked when I closed the container after microwaving. Everyone at the table noticed my struggle and started trying to pitch in and help me open it. It took about 5 minutes, but I figured out how to break the seal by poking around with a knife and was able to eat my Lacinato Kale with Leaks, Purslane and Ginger, which I paired it with a side of sauerkraut. The whole ordeal was pretty embarrassing, but I took it in stride.

Lacinato Kale, aka Dinosaur Kale, is one of my favorite vegetables. It is high in chlorophyll, calcium, iron, and vitamin A. It's extremely beneficial for the stomach and is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat ulcers. We usually eat Lacinato Kale several times a week at home. I don't usually pair it with leeks, but this time decided to see how it tastes. I love cooking with leeks because of the delicious aroma they let off. As they sweat, their fragrance fills the whole house. The annoying thing about leeks is that only the bottom portion is edible so I always feel like I'm throwing away a lot of food. They are also a bit painful to clean. In TCM, leeks are believed to help counteract bleeding and diarrhea.

The other vegetable in the dish was purslane. It is a little green vegetable/herb that not a lot of people know about, but it's a pretty amazing plant. It has more omega-3 fatty acids than any another leafy green vegetable. Omega-3s help against inflammation, cancers, and heart disease. It's also loaded with a lot of important minerals. In TCM, it is used to treat a variety of conditions including hemorrhoids, postpartum bleeding and insect bites. It has a sour and salty flavor.

I ate almost the whole dish at lunch with about a half a cup of sauerkraut and was stuffed. I wasn't hungry until dinner.

Lacinato Kale with Leaks and Ginger

Ingredients:
2 cleaned leek stems
1 bunch of Lacinato Kale
1/2 purslane
1-2 Tbsp Organic Ghee
2 tsp of Sunny Paris Seasoning from Spice House
Celtic Salt to taste

Process:

1. Slice leeks thinly

 2. Heat ghee in a stainless steel frying pan on medium heat

 3. Once the ghee is heated, toss in the leeks and let sweat (about 5-6 mins)

 4. While leeks are sweating, chop up ginger. And toss into the pan.

 5. Let the ginger and leeks sweat together for another 3-4 minutes

 6. Add in Kale and while Kale is sauteing, chop purslane.

 7. Add Purslane and seasoning.

 8. Saute until kale looks soft

My juicer arrived right in time for me to make a green juice I could mix with my shake for dinner.
Before coming home, I stopped by Whole Foods and picked up some ingredients to make a yummy blend.

My Simple Juice
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
2 cups of spinach
1 knob of ginger about 2 inches long
1 apple
a bunch of parsley

The juice shake was extremely filling and I wasn't hungry again until about 11:30pm. Since I didn't want to go to sleep with a grumbling stomach and I didn't feel like cooking so late, I ate a couple cups of sauerkraut.

I felt good all day long. My energy levels were normal and I didn't experience any blood sugar crashes, which I usually get around 11am and 3pm. I did get a little bit tongued tied in the evening hours, which is unusual for me. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and continuing this exciting journey.