Day #24!

Hi Everyone,

Well here I am at day #24! It feels good to have set a goal and stuck to my plan. I also feel physically good, except today I am exhausted because I woke up at 5am and couldn't get myself to go back to sleep so I got myself out of bed and did some things I needed to do.

My inspiration for the day? I went into my 6 year old daughter's classroom and spoke with her class about eating well and taking good care of themselves. They were super to work with, so engaged and enthusiastic about learning! It makes me want to do more of it and perhaps really come up with a school curriculum for working with kids and nutrition.

Here is the Dr. Phil suggestion of the day:

#5 Have you typecast yourself? You may cherish your responsibilities as a mother, but "mom" is not the whole of who you are. Ask yourself if one role is draining all your energy, leaving other expressions of your authentic self unfulfilled.

Goodnight,

Lysa

Hi Everyone,

Here is the link for the ABC news coverage on the amazing 73 old female body- builder I was telling you about yesterday. You can thank my husband for this. He copied and pasted it for me and voila, here you go! Hope it works! Let me know what you think....

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/mess-ernestine-shepherd-body-building-grandma-benches-150/story?id=10480184

Okay, day #23 of #24. I feel kind of like a high school kid is going to graduate but doesn't really want to move on! I am happy not having sugar or alcohol and staying away from flour in general but especially white & wheat flour. I feel so good, I don't have a reason to go back. We'll see what happens. I also don't want to go over the top and start cutting everything out of my diet either so I become someone who obsesses about what I am going to eat ( no, I don't do that now, unless of course I am away and don't have my normal staples).

How are you doing? Has anyone started to implement my suggestions? I need some more comments from those who are reading. Let me know what's helpful so I can go more in that direction. This blog is for you really. It's fun for me too, but I am really doing it to inspire you to take care of yourselves and to believe that you can change your diet and that has the power to change your life. If you have the energy you need to do what you want to do, it will be that much easier. Makes sense doesn't it?

Here's a recipe for you to try, it's from the May/June Vegetarian Times from 2007

It's called "Flash Cooked Greens with Garlic and Lime"

2 tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

8 cups baby spinach

4 cups arugula leaves

2 tsp lime juice

1 tsp red wine vinegar ( or apple cider vinegar, which is the healthier option)

Heat oil, garlic and pepper flakes in large skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, or until browned. Add spinach and arugula, and cook 1 minute, or until barely wilted and heated through, tossing with tongs. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

I'm sorry, I can't remember which Dr. Phil step we are on. I think it's step 4, so I am going to share that one with you. If it's repeat , forgive me. I'll check to make sure later that it's a new one. Here it is and remember it's part of his 10 step renewal plan.

#4 Who should be in your life? Phase out any so-called friends who offer only criticism and negative energy. Surround yourself with people you admire, who believe in you and want you to succeed.

I love that one! That's it for tonight!

Good night....

Lysa

Day # 22

Hi There,

Today is day #22 out of #24 and I am feeling good. Already thinking what I will focus on next. It seems only right that when I complete this phase that the "Restoration" phase should begin. More on that later. You'll have to tune in on Friday to get the skinny on that!

For now, here's some inspiration: My husband showed me the ABC news clip of a 72 year fitness instructor/ body builder who teaches fitness classes to middle aged women & up. The instructor's body looked like that of a 30 year and I am not exaggerating. It was incredible. So keep up your exercise routine! If you are not exercising, start now! This woman provides great inspiration to all of her students who felt that they were too old to get started at their age. They see her and throw all of that thinking out the window.

If you are wanting to change your life for the better, start today. Take a few steps.

Improve your diet by adding more water & fresh greens ( cooked & raw).

Get more sleep.

Exercise: walk, run, bike, lift weights, do yoga, pilates, stretch, aerobics, treadmill, stairclimber, dance, just move your body and sweat!!!

Laugh and enjoy the moment!

Chew your food as many times as possible before swallowing.

Decrease your sugar, white flour & alcohol intake.

Practice :"kind mind"

Start with that and see how you feel.

Here's a super simple recipe for roasting almonds which provide a good source of calcium, protein and fat:

Preheat your oven to 400.

Lay your almonds on a cookie sheet and if you would like to spray some Bragg's amino acids on them or some natural soy sauce ( tamari 1 tbsp should do the trick)you can for extra flavor or keep them simple. When oven reaches 400 put the almonds in. Set timer for 5 minutes ( don't rely on your mind because almonds are expensive and life happens).

Almonds are done when they browned and fragrant. If they look and taste done, remove them from tray. If not, put back in for another 2 minutes and check again. They should be done after this round. Take them off of cookie tray as they will continue to cook if you leave them in.

Good night!

Lysa

Hi Everyone,

Today is day 21 of 21! Can you believe it? The only thing is that I am going till day 24 now since I let myself go off the cleanse 3 times. That's okay, I am not even wanting any sugar or alcohol anyway.

So tonight I lead a "Spring Cleanse & Renewal" class. It was a small class but I feel good about it. I learned a lot prepping for it and hope that the people that took it went home with some good info. One of things that came up and I think I have shared this before is to just do the best you can do with the cleanse. So if you think you can give up sugar for 2 weeks, try it. If you think you can do it for 1 week, try it. Just commit to making a change in your diet. Even if you do it for a few days, it will have its benefits. Something my spin teacher says " you can do anything you want to do". I believe that. If we set on our minds to something, we can accomplish it if we stay focused and patient. It might take a while, but if we keep trying we can do it. I used to have a real issue with sugar ( needed it everyday for many years) and now I don't. It took me a long time to get here, but it feels good. It's empowering. Empower yourself by breaking free of whatever holds you back in life. Sugar, alcohol, caffeine, negative thinking, lack of exercise, too much television, etc.

That's all for now,

Lysa

Hello,

If you can believe it, I am not sure what day I am on. I think it's 20 of 21 but now that I have decided to extend this cleanse 3 more days, it's not as important anymore! My physical cleansing was at the gym today with Bodypump ( the weightlifting class I love). It was incredibly hard but amazing. Hey, remember the emotional moments I was having during exercise class? You'll be happy to know that they have disappeared. In general, I am feeling more even keeled. It's such an interesting process. It's not as if I feel perfectly well balanced, but I can tell you that I do feel more at ease in general. I also feel hungry less (except at 5pm, I realize that I get super hungry at that time).

Tomorrow I am doing a "Spring Cleansing & Renewal" class, so I have been busy preparing for that. I will share some info from that class with you in the next few days.

Cleansing tip for today? Clean as you go along, don't let your house or your body get too messy. Keep your house tidy on a regular basis and keep your body tidy too by feeding it good food, giving it rest and exercise and lots of love. When we don't take care of our bodies or houses, they take a lot longer to clean up. On that note, drink your water, eat your greens, and minimize the junk.

Sweet dreams,

Lysa

Day #18

Hi Out There,

What a glorious day it was today in the Hudson Valley! Sunny, warm & green as can be. For the first time in a long time, I took a few minutes to do some breathing exercises. I was reading that deep breathing is very important in the cleansing process so I figured that some breath work would be good for me to practice. If you are interested in checking this out, you can just sit comfortably in a chair with your spine straight, your hands on your lap or at your sides & your feet planted on the floor. Close your eyes and begin focusing on your breath. Take a deep inhale through your nose and out through your mouth. Then once again. Be aware of how you feel as you fill your lungs up with the inhale and then notice how your body lets go with the exhale. Now breathe in and out slowly through your nose and feel the calm that comes over you as you just focus on your breath. Do this 10 or so times for today & then maybe tomorrow try for 15. If you like, try thinking when you inhale "breathing in" and when you exhale "breathing out".

Did some more in the way of house & garage clean up today which felt excellent. We are starting to make some headway with our garage. If you have a garage cluttered with stuff, I encourage you to start clearing out one item at a time. It's overwhelming to think about clearing out a whole garage but if you try to do a few things a week, you will get there.

Food wise, I ate a variety of veggies including kale, cauliflower, beets, watercress, carrots, daikon radish & green beans. I did however go off the program when friends who came for dinner brought coconut ice cream for dessert. I only indulged in 1 tbsp of a mint chip coconut milk based ice cream. It was delicious. I have decided I will extend the cleanse for 3 more days since I have gone off program 3 different times during the 18 days I have been doing this. I am realizing how much harder it is to keep to the cleanse when we have company over or go out.

It is late and I am tired. Will start tomorrow off by going to the gym to "bodypump" which is a weight lifting class. It's a lot of work but really fun.

Sweet dreams,

Lysa

Day #17

Good Evening,

Today is day #17 out of 21 on my spring liver cleanse. Have to say that it was a hard day. I went to sleep too late last night & then my dog woke me up at 3am to go out. I had a hard time going back to sleep. The kids woke up before I did and were quite loud so I didn't get my normal quiet time that I usually get in the morning. I felt kind of drained today but plodded through okay.

I went for the green tea this afternoon instead of water because I knew it was going to be a big afternoon & evening. That felt fine but it's the first time I have even really thought of caffeine in 17 days. I did go off protocol this eve when I went to an Indian restaurant with a friend tonight. I knew getting a dish without sugar in it would be pretty much mission impossible, so I just enjoyed it and even indulged in some nan filled with peas & potatoes. Very yummy, but was aware that I felt different afterwards.

Tonight my daughter was one of 100 local kids who performed a song in a benefit concert of Haiti. It was very beautiful to see & hear all the children. That was my inspiration for the day.

Children ranging from teenagers to 4th graders and even one pre-schooler sang beautifully together. When we come together in the name of compassion & community, amazing things happen.

I promise to post a recipe over the weekend. For now, drink your water, eat your radishes and greens and clear your space of something you don't need.

Here's # 4 of Dr. Phil's 10 step renewal plan: Who should be in your life? Phase out any so-called friends who offer only criticism and negative energy. Surround yourself with people you admire, who believe in you and want you to succeed.

Short but sweet tonight folks ( need some sleep). Hey, I am excited to have 6 followers now! Thank you for joining me. I promise to make it worth your while!!!

Eat well, feel great!

Lysa

Day # 16

Hello,

Day # 16 of 21 of this spring liver cleanse. I have noticed that the irritation I was aware of last week has seemed to have disappeared for now. I am aware that different emotions come up when I am in spin class or Bodypump, which is a weight lifting class. It seems when I push my body to its max I shed a tear or two ( don't worry I am not bawling in class). Remember I am sharing this in case you decide to go forward on this cleanse (or already have) and experience something similar. It's nice to know that when we go through something we're not alone.

Okay, so food wise I had my raw kale salad again but added avocado to it today. So yummy! Also, my dinner is consisting of about 5 different veggies. So I am pumping up the volume on the veggies!!!!

Back to Dr. Phil's 10 Step Renewal Plan: #3 Are you nursing a grudge or two? Let bygones be bygones, and free yourself from the emotions that weigh you down.

If you are still a little afraid to join me, just remember you can try it and see how it goes. Or you can try skipping your wine for the evening and having some sparkling water instead. Just do it at your own pace.

Goodnight,

Lysa

Spring Cleanse Day #15

Hi Out There!

I'm on day #15 of 21 on this spring liver cleanse. I have been gaining speed with this cleanse. Feeling more energized and able to tackle the tasks I need to during the day. For instance, instead of looking at something that needs to get done & thinking "I need to do that later", I am taking the minute to do it in the moment. It really helps alleviate the stress of worrying about what I need to get done. Does that make sense? I guess I am saying I am procrastinating less and doing more!

Made a Good Will run today of clothes & bedding that we were ready to let go of.

My food intake was pretty simple today but did manage to get a nice amount of greens in.

Here's a salad dressing I like to make as an alternative to a Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Lysa' Light & Spunky Salad Dressing

(this will be enough for a large salad able to feed 8 or so people)

1/2 cup olive oil

a little less than 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

juice of 1/2 of a grapefruit

sea salt to taste

pepper

fresh chopped cilantro or parsley ( if you have it, if not your favorite herbs)

1 teaspoon veganaise ( can be found in refrigerator section in the health food store, great alternative to mayonnaise.

2 pinches of stevia or 1/2 tsp maple syrup or raw honey your choice. ( I know these are not protocol when doing a liver cleanse because of the sugar, but I think this small amount is acceptable or skip it).

1 garlic clove just slightly crushed to let out flavor but still in one piece.

Put all the ingredients in a glass jar, mix up and let sit for a bit. When ready, shake again and serve.

Now, more from Dr. Phil: ( I am surprised to find how much I like his insights and suggestions).

Does your Blackberry ( 0r IPhone, laptop, etc.) get more attention than your family and friends? Resolve to switch off your gadgets during private moments so you can nourish personal connections with complete focus.

That's all for tonight, eat well & be well!

Lysa

Day #14 of 21 on this cleanse. It is getting easier & easier I have to say. Now that my body is used to life without sugar & alcohol it feels more level & calm. I should preface this with saying that I am not a big sugar head anyway (although I was for years) and I don't consume alcohol on a very regular basis. But something has changed in the way I feel for sure.

Today, my cleanse focused on physical cleansing. I took a spin class which was excellent, I sweat like crazy eliminating lots of toxins from my system. Then my 3 year old son and I went to the dump and got rid of stuff that has been hanging out on the side of our house for the last 6 months or so. My neighbors will be thrilled that they won't have to stare at that junk anymore! Later in the afternoon I had the pleasure of attending a Yoga/Pilates class which was excellent. It's been a long time since I have taken the time to stretch and then do the core strengthening that yoga and pilates offer. I have been focusing more on cardio & weights.

Cleansing foods I ate today:

Started with my liver flush, interesting enough it seems to be bringing up some mucus for me now (sorry that's kind of yucky to share but it's true. If it happens to you, you'll know it's normal).

I made a delicious raw kale salad for lunch with olive oil, brown rice vinegar, salt, shredded carrots, celery, cukes, red onion & raisins. To get the kale soft enough to chew comfortably you need to add the salt and oil and then massage the greens. It only takes a few moments to break down the cellular membrane of the kale to make it softer. Also, chopping the kale into bite size pieces really makes a difference too.

I also made some fresh ginger tea by just chopping up some ginger and putting it just boiled water. I let it sit for about a half an hour before drinking it. Really nice flavor.

I want to respond to a comment that my friend Jacki wrote. Adding greens is one of the best things you can do for your body. Greens offer so much in the way of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and life. They are cleansing, the chlorophyll in them provides nutrients for our blood. There is a book called "Glorious Greens". I love this name because that is how I think of greens.

Also, being aware of the sugar in foods is super important. Reading labels and staying away from foods that have added sugar is huge. Why do they have to put sugar in food? Because it's a cheap way of flavoring food. Another great reason to keep your diet full of whole foods that are not heavily processed. Thank you so much for sharing Jacki. Don't be afraid to start your cleanse. You can do it for as short as you want to. It's your choice. Keep up the good work and thanks for the words of encouragement.

Until tomorrow,

Lysa

Hi Out There,

Day #13 of 21 on my spring liver cleanse. Feeling good today. I want to share that after I slipped last eve with some homemade ice cream sweetened with maple syrup, I was starving at 11pm and needed a snack. I was amazed because even though I had all those extra calories from the heavy cream and milk, my sugar must have peeked with the maple syrup and then dipped to make me hungry. I am sharing this because I haven't been hungry at night at all since I've been doing this cleanse and last night I was famished only 3 hours after eating this dessert. The theory that sugar makes you eat more is true (at least for my body).

Okay, I promised you some more cleansing foods. I figured it might be helpful to have a recipe for practicality. This is taken from Linda Page's "Cooking for Healthy Healing".

Evergreen Salad: this is good for skin, hair & eyes, digestive disorders, & liver power.

Good for 2 salads.

Mix 2 cups chopped mixed ( romaine, endive, chicory, spinach) 1 handful of each: watercress, parsley, and chives minced, and 2 cups green onions, minced.

Dressing: mix together juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 TB Dijon mustard, 1 TB sesame seeds, and 1 TB toasted sesame oil. Pour over salad.

Here's something to think about (taken from O magazine, from Dr. Phil):

Does the way you spend your time reflect what's important to you? Make a list of your top five priorities- marriage, children, work, volunteer work, etc. and track how many hours you devote to each in a week. If any numbers are too low, recalculate your time budget so you can live according to who you want to be.

Bye for now,

Lysa

Good Evening,

Okay, I am on day #12 of 21 of this cleanse and tonight I went off track a bit. I had made a yummy homemade vanilla ice cream cake sweetened with maple syrup and put raspberries and blueberries on top for a close friends we had for dinner tonight. I was planning on just having a bite but it tasted so good that I let myself have piece of it. I am a little disappointed that I let myself go off the cleanse but I know tomorrow I'll get back on track. My next feat is try to make a coconut based ice cream sweetened with stevia. I'll let you know how it comes out. The truth is I really haven't missed the sweets. I guess it's been a while since I have had any kind of sweet on a daily basis anyway, so not having them at all hasn't been so hard.

When I have craved sweet, cashew butter has really helped fix that. It is naturally sweet and creamy. I have indulged in 1/2 mashed banana with a teaspoon of cashew butter and ground flax seed on top. I know that sounds really strange but it tastes really sweet and has a cool, pudding like texture. Try it if you dare!

Okay, I would like to share with you some cleansing foods for your spring cleanse if you decide to go on one.

Radishes ( any kind but especially daikon): good to dissolve fat and break up mucus in the body.

Leafy greens (all kinds, especially the bitter ones). Kale, swiss chard, spinach, collards, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, romaine, bok choy, dandelion.

I will write with more cleansing foods tomorrow.

Good night,

Lysa

Hi Everyone,

Today is day #11 of 21 on my spring liver cleanse. So just to recap, here's what I have been doing:

1.Staying away from all sugar & alcohol ( am having some fruit).

2.Adding more greens to my daily food.

3.Doing a liver flush every morning. Juice of one lemon, preferably organic, 1 tsp olive oil, pinch of cayenne pepper. I have it first thing when I go downstairs before any water or food.

4.Taking an herbal liver support supplement that contains, milk thistle, tumeric rhizome, Ch. Skullcap root & licorice root (if you have high blood pressure you should not take licorice).

5.Doing my best to redirect & deconstruct negative thinking with helpful, useful thinking.

6. Watching and being aware of the irritability that comes up and trying to let it go.

Yesterday I was inspired to make a soup with some leeks, potatoes, carrots, & asparagus. It came out really delicious so I would like to share it with you.

Spring Medley Soup:

1 tablespoon butter

3 leeks chopped

3 potatoes

3 carrots

3 cloves of garlic

1 bunch of asparagus chopped with end removed

Fresh herbs of your choice ( I had on hand cilantro, basil & rosemary)

shitake mushrooms washed & sliced

4 cups of water or stock

lemon

In a soup pot heat the butter and add leeks. Let cook for a few moment and then add potatoes. Let potatoes cook and then add carrots & garlic. Stir to make sure the contents don't get stuck to bottom of pot. After about 5 minutes add stock or water. Add salt & pepper. Let potatoes get soft and then add fresh herbs. While this is simmering, in another pan heat some butter and add the shitake mushrooms. Let get brown and then remove and add to soup. Add the asparagus to the soup pot. When asparagus is bright green, turn off soup and serve. If you like the zesty flavor of lemon, add a squeeze of fresh lemon to each bowl.

If you try this recipes, please let me know if you like it!

Wow, I am already at the end of day 9 out of 21 on this spring liver cleanse. I have to say it is flying by. If you are considering joining me, this would be the perfect time to come along for the detox ride! I must admit that I was nervous about drinking the liver flush tonic(see my previous post from two days ago) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I now look forward to it. It really gives me a boost, it's very invigorating.

Here's my inspiration for the day. I just listened to a fantastic live tele-seminar with Connie Bennett Certified Holistic Counselor who has written a book called "Sugar Shock". She was a sugar addict for many years and kicked her habit 12 years ago. She helps people with their sugar issues and lectures all over the world. Her tele-seminar was super informative. Here's what I got out of it. Her approach is to "find sweetness in your life in different ways". So instead of just focusing on substituting healthier foods for the sugary foods, she also focuses on healthier activities. Connie's take on the sugar issue is that we focus too much on needing sweet in the form of food. We can get sweets from all the wonderful things in our life; our children, our spouse, our dog, our garden, exercising, etc.

I leave you with this question:

Where do you find sweetness in your life?

What could you do to create more sweetness in your life?

I almost forgot, remember how I mentioned getting enough sleep yesterday? One of the things she talked about was getting enough sleep. She interviewed a doctor named, Dr. Teitlebaum, and he stated that people who get less than 7-8 hours of sleep per night often carry 5-6 more pounds of weight on them then they need to. There's a good reason to go to sleep earlier! On that note, I will write again tomorrow with some more good stuff.

Sweet dreams,

Lysa

Hi Again,

Day #8 of spring liver cleanse. Today went well for the most part. I have to say I hit a wall at about 8:30pm tonight, but I don't think that had anything to do with the cleanse. I stayed up too late last night, was woken up too early by my 3 year old son & then had a nonstop action day & early eve.

Okay, I will keep it short as it is once again past my bedtime. In case you're wondering, my current ideal bedtime is 10:30pm. I read in my new favorite book "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" by Paul Chek, that we should go to sleep by 10:30. He writes that our bodies work on physical repair from 10pm-2am and then mental repair from 2 until sunrise. I have been trying for the last two months to do this but it is sometimes mission impossible. I do want to say that my burning the midnight oil hours have decreased quite a bit (I am almost never up until midnight anymore). This brings me to my next suggestions for eliminating negative thinking by Martha Beck.

Here we go :

Suggestion #3

"NEVER QUIT: always substitute. Bad habits fill needs, so find good alternatives to them. But remember, push-ups can't substitute for pancakes unless you love push-ups. Companionship, laughter, play-these things can sub for pancakes most of the time. And that's enough.

#4 Instead of planning to be perfect, plan to do a little better. Win 51 percent of the battles and you'll win the war".

That's what I have for today. Just a little recap of what I have been for my cleanse:

1. liver flush with 1 juice of a lemon, 1 tsp olive oil & pinch of cayenne first thing in the morning.

2. avoiding sugar & alcohol.

3. adding as many greens as I can to my meals.

4. trying to implement the "how to fix the broken record in your head" suggestions.

By the way, if you choose to join me on a liver cleanse you don't need to do it for 21 days. It is a great amount of time, but a week is super too. Any cleaning you for your body goes a long way. Just a thought....

Sweet dreams,

Lysa I.

Hi,

I am already at the end of day #7 of my spring liver cleanse and feel really good. I want to share with you some detoxifying thoughts tonight. This is from the January, 2010 issue of "O" magazine. It's written by Martha Beck who is a contributing editor of "O" and I believe a life coach as well.

The article is "How to Fix the Broken Record in Your Head". Here are the first two tips Martha Beck suggests for negative thinking. For the last two, you will have to read again tomorrow.

"1. Recognize your negative voice as a 2-year old tantrum. Trying to reason with it only increases the hysteria. Instead, take your inner 2-year old to a quiet place and let it throw its fit. Write down all the cruel judgements until they fade to a grumble.

2. Accept that some of your self- criticism may be true, but never let failure end the story. Instead of saying no to the negative voice, say, "yes, and ...for example, last year I jogged as only as far as that new kielbasa stand and I also managed to stop a few binges by reading trashy novels instead."

Hi Everyone,

I am now at the end of day #6 of my 21 day cleanse. Today I tried a "liver flush" which is super easy to make and incorporate into my day. It is taken from a book called "The Chakra Mantra Cookbook" by Patricia Stein. It's a sweet cookbook filled with yummy vegetarian recipes, wonderful artwork and prayers.

Here is "Guru Nam's Liver Flush:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tbs. cold pressed olive oil

pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix and drink. Great for cleansing the liver of excess bile. Our liver works hard to rid our system of toxins and metabolize fat. Whatever we can do to support it, is a good thing.

Today, I focused on adding a bunch of greens to my meals, which felt really good.

Until tomorrow!

Lysa

April 11th, 2010

Hi Out There!

This week I finally summoned up the strength to start my spring liver cleanse. I have been keeping it basic, no sugar, no alcohol, some herbs and lots of greens! I feel good, for the most part, I haven't missed either too much. Just was hard when my husband opened up a nice bottle of red wine the other evening and today when my daughter wanted an ice cream cone at Taco Juan's. I just reminded myself that I am committed to this cleanse for 21 days and know that my body will be the healthier for it.

Noticed that I was a little more susceptible to feeling anxious or irritable in the first days, but it has already lifted a bit. I am at the end of day 5 and plan to go to day 21. I will keep writing to share what my experience is like in case anyone out there would like to join me.

For now, I have a recipe I would like to share with you all. The other night my friend Noel was over. We love to cook together and the other night came up with a great taco recipe. Here it is:

Kale, Black Bean, Goat Cheese, Japanese Yam, Cilantro Tacos!!!

ingredients:

kale, blanched with sliced red onions ( 1 bunch of kale and 1/2 red onion)

juice of a lime

cooked black beans (2 cups)

1/4 cup goat cheese

1 japanese yam baked to perfection (needs about 1 hour in oven at 350)

1 handful chopped cilantro

olive oil

6 tacos

1 avocado cubed

Blanche kale and red onions. Pour lime juice and one count of olive oil on kale. Set aside.

Fill taco shells with mashed yams, beans, goat cheese and kale, then heat to until goat cheese and all the taco fillings are warm.

Add cilantro and avocado.

Eat & enjoy!