Recipe List 5.01.14- Post Christmas Detox

I'm back!! Sorry that it has been so long. I did intend on scheduling a few posts to go up while I was away over xmas, but unfortunately I fell ill a day before going away and was so busy getting everything else organised that it just didn't happen. I am busy preparing some awesome recipes to be posted over the next few weeks, but to start by new year of blogging off I thought that I would do what every other food blogger is probably doing  a bit of a detox post.

I usually try to eat very well, lots of fruit and veggies, water, avoid too many refined sugars and packaged foods, but over christmas, and especially away camping, this just gets too hard. Rather than stress, I give myself those few weeks as absolute cheat weeks and make the most of all of the amazing baking, the summer icecreams and the convenient fast food while travelling. That's not to say that I didn't eat lots of amazing, healthier food, but just indulged waaaaaaaaay more than usual.

There is one issue......... when I am supposed to be feeling all refreshed and ready to go back to work tomorrow, I'm feeling a little, well, bleh! Kind of like I would be happy to sleep for another week. Therefore I have decided I am in need of a bit of a detox. I'm not the full-on, cut-out-whole-food-groups kind of girl, but more of a set-a-few-healthy-goals-to-kickstart-my-healthy-eating-again kind of girl.

In this recipe list, I thought that I would share my goals for the next 5-7 days with you, along with either a recipe or a handy link.



Goal #1
Avoid refined sugars!!

This means avoiding packaged muesli bars etc. and sugary treats. This is definitely something that I have indulged in too much over the past few weeks and I feel a need to break my sugar addiction. I will stick to one very small treat a day as there is still some leftover baking hanging around.

To get through my sweet cravings that I know will happen, I plan on having some homemade chocolate sauce with coconut oil, cocoa powder and honey over fruit, or some of my bliss balls.

Goal #2
Drink 2+ litres of water a day.

This was something I also don't think I got enough of, or was too often replaced with some fizzy or wine. Hungry Male also gave me a soda stream for xmas so I could make my own soda water. Some great flavoured water, such as apple, lemon, mint and cucumber water, in my great new 900ml water bottle should make this easy.

Goal #3
Eat my greens.

At least 1 cup a day. This includes spinach, kale, rocket and other dark leafy varieties in green smoothies, salads or stirfries. This strawberry and avocado spinach salad from Closet Cooking looks divine!!

Goal #4
Start each day with a nourishing smoothie.

I want to start out each day with some liquid nutrition. I got the Dr Libby's Real Food Chef cookbook for xmas, and she has some fantastic smoothie recipes with things like avocado, pumpkin seeds and coconut water in them yum!! One of my first that I am going to try is her Chocolate Think Shake.

Goal #5
Get moving!

Pretty obvious I know, but something I think that many people still need to remind themselves to do. I did get lots of incidental exercise while I was away so its not like I was being a slob, but I want to try and do something active, even if it is just a walk or some yoga every day.

So all in all its not very radical or hugely imaginative, but maybe someone out there will get some inspiration to also kickstart their year with me. Let me know in the comments or on Facebook if you do!