So, the juice detox was pretty darn interesting! We made it 7 days rather than the full 10, but I really think it still did us a WHOLE LOT of good and helped us become more familiar with plant based eating and the joy of simple recipes!
The first five days we had one juice a day, sometimes two, but we also at really big, tasty salads, smoothies and delightful cooked recipes like veggie soup and sweet potato & carrot “fries”.
The juicing, which started on day 6 (which was Easter & boy was that hard!), was the really difficult part. The eating lots of delicious fruits and veggies part was easy during the first five days. Once day 6 hit, I started rebelling. Day 6 and 7 consisted of only juice and coconut water. A whole lot of it in order to get plenty of calories and not starve one’s self, but still, just liquids hit a sore spot for me emotionally.
I caved at the end of day 7 by having cucumbers with humus. I picked that because I’d been craving humus since the start of the detox! All those fresh veggies and no humus? Seemed insane to me! HA!
I think my partner was as relived as I was to be off the detox, though he didn’t show it. 🙂 He’s a lot stronger than I am when it comes to food. I’m not convinced that he has the pleasure-seeking attachment to it that I do.
One really awesome thing came from this detox, though! It was super easy, once it was over, to stay away from meat and other animal products! I am now an ovo vegetarian! I eat plant-based except for eggs, which I am keeping in my diet, at least for now. I have yet to determine if it is a problem food for me or not. I am hoping not because I’m not convinced I can give up deviled eggs forever!
After the detox, my body has been craving different foods, though my emotions/pleasure seeking brain is craving the same foods! This is the recipe I’ve been turning to when I want something that will make my tummy happy, my skin happy AND my brain happy!
Multi-Layer Mexican Dip
1/2 can refried black beans, seasoned to taste
1/4 container Tofutti (or Firm or Silken tofu, blended in blender with 2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce (red pepper would probably work, too, but use less!) & 2 Tbsp raw honey — You might also need some red wine vinegar or white rice vinegar)
1/4 container salsa of choice (I used Firestone Peace & Mango Salsa that Kroger carries. It’s got a sweetness to it, so if you’re not into sweet salsas, use something else!)
1 green onion/scallion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
First, I open the can of beans and I warm them up in the microwave or stove. I season them to taste with sea salt, pepper, red pepper and other spices. You could also use a pre-packaged Taco Seasoning blend from the store, but be sure to put in part of the package and taste as you go! Otherwise it will be over-seasoned!
If you were unable to find Tofutti at your local grocery store, hopefully you could find some tofu! Break the tofu into pieces and plop it in your blender. Add 1-2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce (Red Pepper would probably work, too. Start with 2 tsp and taste as you go!) and 2 Tbsp raw honey. I used raw, but if you have regular, that’s just fine! If it’s not blending well, you can add 1-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar or white rice vinegar. I started by adding small amounts of these flavorings and tasting as I went until the tofu went from tasting like chalk to tasting spicy-sweet! Oh, and, again, if you don’t like sweet, just use the vinegar and sriracha/red pepper.
Get a big, flat-ish plate or serving dish and spread the beans out in a 1/2 inch or so layer. (Thinner if you prefer, thicker if you prefer!)Then, spread on the Tofutti or homemade Tofu spread. The next layer is the salsa, although sometimes I put it on top, depends on how I’m feeling. Spread the salsa on as thick as you’d like it, though I do just enough to cover the tofu layer. Then, sprinkle the chopped ingredients on top. Ta-da!
I eat these with blue corn chips, which seem to be free of bad reactions for me, yay! But you can eat them with whatever chips you like! I serve this when I have friends coming over last minute or as a dinner appetizer. It is usually DEVOURED before anyone asks what’s in it! 🙂
This mulit-layer dip is HIGHLY customizable! Sometimes instead of salsa, I go more raw with chopped tomatoes and sweet peppers! One time I did red and yellow tomatoes and it was beautiful and delicious!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! If you do a different variation, please comment and share what you did differently!
Happy eating!
Searching For Health And Healing Through Food 