To begin, I want to share some of my favorite medical food shake combinations.

  •  The Quickie (shake medical food vigorously with 8 oz water in shaker cup and kick it back. A few drops of stevia or a quick dash of vanilla are easy (carry in my bag) options too.) Remember you may wish to purchase a shaker cup to allow the ease of this option as needed.
  • The Berry Berry (blend medical food with 8 oz almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries,1/2 cup frozen blueberries,1/4 tsp nutmeg,1 tsp cinnamon)
  • Spa Slurpie (blend medical food with 1 whole green apple (cored), ½ cucumber (not peeled), 3 large kale leaves (stripped of stems), about 10 large mint leaves (no stems), and stevia to taste ~8 drops)
  • Thick and Tropical (blend medical food with coconut milk (unsweetened in the carton), ½ banana, 1 cup frozen mango, 1-2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp vanilla)
  • Gloriously Green (blend medical food with water, 1/4 avocado, banana, and handful of kale leaves – thick stems removed)
  • Candy-Bar-Wanna-Be (blend medical food with plain coconut milk milk, 2 Tbsp almond butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed)

You may use the recipes below throughout the cleanse. Even on the most restrictive Days 5-7; just cut back to using only the italics ingredients. Otherwise, you may begin to enjoy these right from Day 1. Have fun experimenting! Make it an adventure!

Rich’n’Famous Mesclun Salad

  • 5 oz mesclun greens mix
  • 1 sweet pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 pear or apple (semi-sweet variety like Gala or Macoun) – unpeeled
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped
  • Basic Vinaigrette dressing
    • 3 Tbsp olive oil
    • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • Seasalt and Pepper to taste

Core and chop fruit and blend all ingredients together. Serve immediately. Note that leftovers will not keep well for this salad. You can buy pre-mixed and prewashed mesclun salad greens (often called “spring mix” or “wild green mix”) or be adventurous and mix your own varieties. Select a mix of both mild (e.g. romaine, red leaf lettuce, spinach, mizuna, tatsoi, frisse, endive) and spicier varieties (e.g. radicchio, baby beet greens, baby mustard greens, arugula, chicory).

Warm and Toasty Vegetable Bake (great to triple and have ready in bulk – use 2 baking sheets)

  • 4 Carrots
  • 2 Beets (or substitute 1 or 2 for parsnips, turnips, radish, and/or any winter squash) About 10 Brussels sprouts (for the cleanse, roast a few pounds of just these at once)
  • 1 Medium/Large onion
  • 2 Sweet potatoes
  • 1 Tbsp fresh Thyme (strip little leaves from stems) – or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2-3 Tbsp Olive oil

Preheat over to 350. Wash vegetables well (you get more nutrients if you leave the skins on except for onion!). Chop all vegetables into 1/2 inch chunks (quarter brussels sprouts) except beets which should be in much smaller ¼” chunks. Toss vegetables with olive oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle thyme and unrefined sea-salt if desired. Bake for 20 minutes. Check for doneness, stir well, and continue another 10-20 min, until vegetables are lightly browned. Cool 10 min. before serving.

Zippy Crucifer Stir-Fry

  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or use grapeseed oil; olive oil is not suited for the high temp of stir-frying)
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped broccoli & cauliflower (can buy chopped/pre-washed for ease)
    • As an alternative to broccoli, this recipe is good with any type of Asian cabbage (bok choy, napa cabbage, Chinese cabbage, or even American purple cabbage)
  • 1 large onion (ideally use a sweet variety or a red onion for extra flavor)
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1½ inches ginger, finely minced (not necessary to peel – just wash well)
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed

In a wok or very large frying pan or very large short-sided pot, heat coconut oil until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for one minute until lightly golden brown. Add vegetables and stir-fry continuously. Sprinkle mixture with vinegar and oil before stirring well and continuing the last few minutes of cooking. Don’t overcook (especially if you will keep leftovers). Vegetables should be crunchy.

Sweet and Sassy Slaw

  • ½ head green and ½ head red/purple cabbage
  • 2 oz arame dried seaweed, reconstituted in room temp water for 10 minutes and drained
  • 2 apples – preferably a semi-sweet or sweet variety (unpeeled)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Remove any wilted outer cabbage leaves. Quarter cabbage head and cut out rough cores. Slice cabbage into very thin strips (like spaghetti) and cross-cut pieces to 1” in length. Core the apple and thinly slice, grate or shred. Add remaining ingredients. Stir thoroughly. Cover and ideally refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Side dish for 4-6 people Tip: Stir or shake every so often. This will taste even better a day later.

Full-Bodied Kale Massage

  • 1 large bunch fresh, lacinto kale, preferably organic (other kale works well too; just stronger flavor)
  • 1/2 ripe large avocado, peeled, core, and cut into chunks
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (increase to 3 Tbsp if not using avocado)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed (or use apple cider vinegar during the cleanse)
  • 1 large apple, sweet variety such as Gala or Honey Crisp, unpeeled and finely chopped
    • OR ½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds (in season)
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (or try with crushed, lightly roasted almonds or sunflower seeds)
  • Seasalt and Pepper to taste

Wash kale well and strip leaves from heavy stems (reserve stems for use in a future soup or stew). Bunch all leaves together and thinly slice kale. Mix kale well with avocado, oil, and lemon and massage (yes, massage) the mixture for 1-2 minutes (your clean hands are the only effective tools for this task!). Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Ideally allow mixture to sit for 30 minutes to allow kale to wilt and flavors to mingle.

Rainbow Salad

  • 6 cups thinly sliced & cross-chopped mix of green and/or purple cabbage (discard hard cores /leaves)
  • 2-3 cups fresh arugula (or fresh baby spinach or a mix of the two)
  • 1 large sweet red or orange pepper, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup scallions, tender green tops only
  • 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • Seasalt and ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and blend well (easiest with your hands). Ideally, refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving and then allow to warm up a bit for maximum flavor. The fruit juice mixes in and sweetens the dressing – delicious!

Mashed Potauliflower

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cleaned with coarse stem removed and coarsely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3-5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • Unrefined seasalt and black pepper to taste

Put cauliflower in a large pot with ½ inch of water in the bottom. Cover, turn heat to high, and allow to steam until quite tender. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp oil in small saucepan and saute garlic until light golden brown. Cool slightly. Place all ingredients in food processor and blend for 15 secs.; then pulse until fairly smooth (if you overdo it, you will have more of a soup consistency – also great! Add little more olive oil or a (very small) splash of water for a thinner consistency and enjoy with a spoon.)

Hearty Italian Balsamic Bake

  • 1 medium onion, preferably a sweet variety
  • 1 yellow summer squash (or for cleanse, 2 cup cauliflower chunks)
  • 1 zucchini squash (or for cleanse, 2 cup broccoli chunks)
  • 1 large (or 2 small Asian) eggplant
  • 1 yellow, red, or orange bell pepper
  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley (flat leaf has better flavor)
  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Unrefined seasalt and ground pepper – to taste

Preheat over to 400. Wash and chop all vegetables into ¾ inch chunks. Toss with olive oil and garlic (best with your hands). Bake on a cookie sheet (with edges) or a similar pan for 20 minutes. Check for doneness, stir well, and return to over for another 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are lightly browned but not shriveled. Allow pan to cool 10 min.. Toss with herbs, vinegar, and S&P and serve

Here are a few soup ideas which are suitable only for the initial 3-4 days of the cleanse:

Curried Lentil Stew

  • 5 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder (mild or hot – you decide)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Ground cayenne to taste, optional
  • About 6 cups water (or homemade vegetable broth)
  • 1 14.5-oz container of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup lentils (rinsed and soaked for a couple hours in slightly acidic water)
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut in small cubes
  • 1 large bunch of kale, stalks and leaves separated (use two-handed stripping)
  • Unrefined Sea salt (to taste, likely at least 1 Tbsp)

Heat olive oil in a large stew pot. Add onion and finely sliced kale stalks and cook until soft – about 4 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and cook an additional minute. Add protein and continue to sauté until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and lentils and stir well to disperse spices thoroughly. Add broth/water. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender (~20 minutes). Add sweet potatoes (and additional sea salt if necessary). Simmer until tender – about 10 minutes. Taste and add more curry powder and seasalt as desired. Coarsely chop kale leaves and add them now, stirring carefully to tame all pieces within the liquid. Cover and cook a final 15 minutes.

Zesty Cleanse Chili

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 carrots, halved lengthwise & sliced
  • 1 large red/yellow sweet pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-5 teaspoons chili powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried coriander
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional, if you like it hot)
  • 3 cups cooked beans (kidney, cannelloni, black, etc. – mix it up!)
  • 3-4 cups water
  • 1 large can crushed organic tomatoes in their own juice (no other additives)
  • ½ cup (one small can) organic tomato paste (no other additives)
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste – use much less if beans and tomatoes are already salted)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Chopped green onion

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté ~5 minutes until the onion starts to brown. Put in soup pot. Add carrots, celery, and pepper and sauté 5 minutes. Add all spices and mix well. Sauté for 1 minute more (add water if needed to keep from burning). Add the rest of the ingredients except final two and stir very well to combine. Cover loosely and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for taste after 15 minutes and adjust the seasonings. Remove 2 cups hot soup and puree well in a blender. Return to the soup and simmer for 10 minutes more. Serve topped with chopped fresh cilantro and green onions.

Creamy Cleanse Veggie Soup

  • 3 small garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 very large bunch of broccoli, chopped, including all stems except bottom 1/2 inch (discard)
  • 2 medium zucchini squash, chopped
  • 1 large bunch kale, stems stripped and minced, leaves coarsely-chopped
  • 3 cups other veggies (I recommend parsnips, celery, and/or turnips)
  • 1 carton unsweetened coconut milk (or 2 cans plus 2 cups water)
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp arrowroot powder
  • Unrefined seasalt and/or black pepper to taste
  • Optional toppings: sunflower or pumpkin seeds, drizzle of sage oil or olive oil, drizzle of avocado mashed with olive oil

Heat oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Once shimmering, add garlic, onion, and kale stems and saute until onion is translucent. Put saute and all ingredients except arrowroot and toppings in a large soup pot. Blend well and heal until boiling. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes until veggies are soft. Remove from heat, allow to cool just slightly. Puree soup and arrowroot in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pot. Add seasalt and pepper to taste. Cook 10 final minutes on low heat. Stir well and serve in individual bowls with toppings you enjoy. Even better the 2nd and 3rd days.

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