5-Day Gentle Cleanse and Self-Care Diet (optional)
This retreat is flexitarian so it includes meat and fish. Please swap out the meat/fish for other alternatives if you are fully vegetarian/vegan and make sure you are getting all the protein and healthy fats your body needs.
All servings are for 1 person unless otherwise stated so you can multiply the recipe by however many people in your family would like to join in. I have tried to make the evening meal family friendly!
This 5-day challenge is a chance to try out the 16:8 fast. This means you eat within an 8 hour window and fast for the other 16 hours (overnight). I have my smoothie at 11, lunch at 3.00 and a meal with my family at 7.00pm please adjust the timings to suit your routine.
I eat this way during the week and then am a bit more relaxed at the weekend.
There is a lot of research being done around how time restricted eating and reducing calories can help us maintain weight and also reduce inflammation in the body and help to balance and rejuvenate our immune system. However, this is not the right diet for everyone. If you have had an eating disorder, are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a pre-existing medical condition please seek medical advice before making any changes to your diet.
Before you decide if you’d like to do the 16:8 fast this week remember that fasting stresses the system - this enables some of the positives mentioned above but it may be that you don’t need to be under any more stress at the moment. Also remember that the effects of fasting will be different for each of us and this may not be the right time or the right diet for you. So try it and then let it go if it makes you feel unwell, tired, emotional or overwhelmed.
From a yogic point of view fasting allows us to cleanse the body and become more aware. It allows us to use ore of our energy for our practice rather than for digestion.
Morning Smoothie - If you don’t have a Vitamix/juicer you can put everything in your blender and then strain it through a sieve. Or try having this for your breakfasts - stir-fried veggies - whatever you like and have in the fridge pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, green beans, onions, cabbage, kale etc etc… cook in ghee or olive oil and add cayenne pepper and oregano to taste, scramble an egg and enjoy all mixed up together. (This version is not in the shopping list)
If you are only one person doing the retreat it may work better for you to have one of the salads or smoothies two days in a row to save you wasting ingredients so please modify as you need to.
The main focus of this week is wellbeing. It is my experience that mindfulness or awareness is integral to our wellbeing. So as you are cooking this week pay attention. Notice the colours, smells, textures, sounds and movements as you cook. Notice any thoughts or feelings that come up for you as you prepare your food. Be present. When we go away on retreat all the cooking and chores are taken away from us and done by somebody else. This is lovely and allows us to focus on our practice but it isn’t real life. So let’s use the opportunity of doing a retreat at home to observe how we react and respond to our daily life as it is unfolding - what thoughts and feelings come up for you? What do you judge as pleasant or unpleasant? Can you allow all your reactions to be there and then with this awareness respond more skillfully? Maybe you can and maybe you can’t, don’t worry, it’s all worthwhile practice.
Four years ago I was unlucky enough to catch a virus that ended up with me being in hospital overnight with suspected guillain barre syndrome. Luckily I didn’t have this syndrome but the virus left me with a long term health condition. I was eventually diagnosed as being on the CFS/ME/Fibromyalgia spectrum. After this diagnosis I began working with a functional doctor/MD/nutritionist and my diet and lifestyle now reflect the last few years of trial and error finding a diet and wellbeing routine that works best for me. That’s not to say this is the right diet for you but I offer it here as something you can try if it looks interesting to you.
Try and eat a rainbow every day https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/phytonutrients-paint-your-plate-with-the-colors-of-the-rainbow-2019042516501#:~:text=Colorful%20fruits%20and%20vegetables%20can,strengthen%20a%20plant's%20immune%20system
Eat fresh herbs and spices often (add fresh herbs to food before serving)
Reduce snacking - I really struggle with this - I have become a grazer! But not eating constantly gives your digestive system a chance to digest and then rest.
Eat so much veg that more of the carbs get pushed off your plate.
Cook your own food from scratch whenever possible and be kind to yourself when you can’t : )
Listen to what your digestive system is telling you - if a certain food makes you feel bloated, tired, windy, or goes straight through then take it out of your diet for a while and see if that helps. Then try adding it back in. You may or may not be able to tolerate it now. We are all unique so what works for you won’t necessarily work for me. I don’t believe that there is a one size fits all healthy diet. Be curious, feel, listen, observe and then make a conscious decision about how you would like to move forward with your eating plan.
Enjoy eating - but eat to live, don’t live to eat.
Share your food with friends and family - connection is good for us!
Maybe you would like to cut down or let go of something completely this week? Sugar? Coffee? Alcohol?
This diet is processed sugar, dairy and gluten free
Try to avoid snacking between meals but if you need to then have some nuts or fruit
Drink Water and herbal tea throughout the day
For the 5 days of the retreat try not to eat anything after supper and leave at least 2/3 hours between your last meal and retiring for the night to give your digestive system time to digest and clean/prepare itself ready for the next day.
Monday 25th January
First Thing...
Ayurvedic Wake Up Tea
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
¼ whole lemon
1 cup water boiling water
Add all the above ingredients and allow to steep. Then when it has cooled a little add 1 tsp honey
Throughout the week you can drink
Green Tea - remember it has caffeine in it if you are sensitive to caffeine but it is also full of antioxidants : )
Ginger tea is good for getting the digestive system going in the morning too
: )
Breakfast
Easy Green Smoothie
½ head celery, chopped
¼ organic cucumber, chopped
½ handful organic parsley
Handful kale
1 inch piece ginger
1 small apple, chopped
½ medium lemon, peeled
Add all the ingredients in a vitamix/blender and blitz. This is a meal in a glass but I don’t mind chewing my smoothie’s. If you’re not a fan then you can strain your smoothie through a sieve or if you have a juicer use that and maybe double the ingredients.
Lunch
Winter Kale Salad
Deliciously Ella
60 g kale
Squeeze ½ lime
1 tbsp tahini
¾ tbsp tamari
½ tbsp olive oil
½ beetroot
½ apple
50g pine nuts
Pomegranate seeds (optional)
Blueberries (optional
Tear up the kale leaves and put in your salad bowl. Add the lime juice, tahini, tamari and olive oil to a bowl and stir it all together to make a dressing. Add to the kale leaves. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the Kale. The kale will start to wilt and soften.
Peel the beetroot and the apple and grate them.
Dry fry the pine nuts in a frying pan for a minute or two
Add everything together and season.
You might also like to add some pomegranate seeds and blueberries for extra pop!
Supper
Pot Roast Chicken
The Midlife Kitchen
If you are vegetarian then leave out the chicken and just cook the lentils - they are delicious
Serves 1
1tbsp olive oil
1/2 onions, diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 rosemary sprigs
60g red lentils, rinsed
A couple of thyme stems (tied together with string)
2 sage leaves
200ml chicken/veg stock
Juice of ¼ lemon (retain the squeezed lemon halves)
1 chicken thigh (or a medium free-range or organic chicken 1.5-1.8kg if cooking for the whole family)
½ tsp butter
Salt and pepper
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 180C
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish, add the onions and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until softened.
Add garlic and rosemary and cook for a further 3 minutes, then stir in the lentils, thyme, sage and stock. Stir in the lemon juice and add the squeezed lemon husks.
Smear the chicken with butter and season well. Nestle the chicken into the lentil mix and bring to a simmer, then transfer to the oven. Bake uncovered for 1 hour 15 mins until the chicken is golden brown (might need less cooking if just lentils or one chicken thigh) and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a knife. Check occasionally that the lentils aren’t too dry ( if they are, add a little more stock or boiling water and stir.)
Serve this with the kale from lunchtime or another green if you prefer.
Crunchy kale chips - I like to cook my kale in the oven for 10-15 mins after covering it with olive oil and salt. If you aren’t having chicken add in some other green veggies too : )
You can serve this meal with rice or leave out the carbs - up to you : )
Use chicken bones to make a bone broth - use your own recipe or try this one - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chicken-stock
Tuesday 26th January
First Thing
Ayurvedic Wake Up Tea
Green/Herbal Tea
Breakfast
Coconut and Mango smoothie
1 cup coconut milk/water
1 cup frozen/fresh mango
1 cup frozen/fresh spinach
Lunch
Simple Salad
Mixed salad leaves
1/4 cup diced red onion or spring onion
3-4 medium radishes (thinly sliced)
1 Tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds - dry roast yourself in a frying pan before adding to salad
1 medium ripe avocado (thinly sliced)
Yellow/orange pepper
Small handful tomatoes sliced as necessary
Dressing
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of a fresh lemon
1 healthy pinch each sea salt + black pepper
Supper
Herby Mushroom and greens
Dr’s Kitchen
Serves 1
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
5g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
Leaves from 2 sprigs thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
25g porcini or chestnut mushrooms thinly sliced
50g frozen peas
50g sugar snap peas, roughly chopped
50ml chicken stock - use the stock we made from the chicken yesterday or buy chicken or veg stock - try to get a low salt version
25g spinach, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the shallots, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and thyme and seasoning and saute for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir gently for 2/3 minutes.
Toss in the frozen peas and sugar snaps, pour in the stock and cook for 2 mins. Fold through the spinach, remove from the heat and cover (heat will gently wilt the leaves), then serve.
Optional: Rice/Noodles to serve
Wednesday 27th January
First Thing
Ayurvedic Wake Up Tea
Green/Herbal Tea
Breakfast
Pear smoothie
1 pear
½ avocado
Sprinkle cinnamon
1 Tsp vanilla essence
Frozen wheatgrass (optional)
1 glass non- sweetened almond milk (I like the brand PLENTY as there are no added extras)
Knob of fresh ginger
Lunch
Kamalaya Detox Green Soup
Serves 1
This vegetable soup is a potent blend of vegetables, herbs and spices, loaded with essential nutrients for restoring health and vitality. Rich in chlorophyll, it is an effective blood cleanser and antioxidant source. This is a very nourishing dish to support your detox.
This is a recipe for 1 person but I like to make lots and freeze it in portions so I can defrost it for lunch.
To maximise the nutritional value, cut your vegetables finely to reduce cooking time.
Ingredients
50-60g chard
20g carrot
1 small onion
1 small leek
10g bok choi or pak choi (don’t worry if this isn’t available in your local shops you can just leave it out and add more spinach and chard)
10g broccoli
10g kale
10g courgette
10g celery
5g turnip
5g wakame seaweed (optional)
2g lemongrass stalk
2g ginger root
2 kaffir lime leaves
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Chop and blanch the spinach and chard leaves by dipping them in and out of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and plunge in iced cold water. Drain again and puree leaves in a food processor. This breaks down the cells and releases the chlorophyll. Pour into a jug.
2.Place the vegetable stock, garlic and onion in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Prepare all the vegetables (except the spinach and chard) by chopping finely. The aim is to minimise cooking time to preserve the nutrients.
3. Once the stock is simmering, add all the chopped vegetables. Simmer for 5-6 minutes (until vegetables are soft, but green colour is still preserved).
4. Remove from heat, add the spinach and chard and allow to cool slightly before blending for approximately 40 seconds on medium speed.
Supper
Salmon Traybake with Jacket Potatoes
Jamie Oliver
Prepare and place potatoes in your oven 1 hour before you are going to eat carbs today
INGREDIENTS:
200g fresh green beans
2 oz small cherry tomatoes
1 oz can black olives, chopped
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 or 3 anchovy fillets
1 thick salmon fillet steak, with or without skin
1/2 lemons
A few fresh basil leaves.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Tail the green beans, blanch them until tender in boiling water, and drain. Put them in a large mixing bowl with the cherry tomatoes, basil and the olives. Toss in the olive oil.
Place salmon at one end of a roasting tray. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the fillets on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
Toss the green bean mixture on the other end of the tray. Lay the anchovies over the green beans. Roast in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with lemon quarters.
If you are veggie then roast some big portobello mushrooms and chickpeas or beans of your choice with the veg instead.
Thursday 28th January
First Thing
Ayurvedic wake up tea
Green/Herbal tea
Breakfast
Immunity Boosting Carrot-Ginger Juice
serves 1
Ingredients:
3 large carrots
3 or 4 inches romaine heart lettuce
2 clementines, peeled
1/2 lemon, peeled
1-inch knob of fresh ginger
1 glass water
Lunch
Courgetti and 5 Minute Magic Green Sauce
Adapted from Pinch of Yum
1/2 courgette - spiralized or use a potato peeler to make pasta like strips
Handful baby spinach
5 baby tomatoes sliced in half
Sauce (makes 6-8 servings - you can save the extra in the fridge to eat with carrot sticks or add a bit of water and have as a salad dressing)
1 avocado
1 cup packed parsley and coriander leaves (combined)
1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed
2 cloves garlic
juice of one lime (or two – get lots of limey goodness in there!)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pistachios (you can sub other nuts – see notes)
Method
Pulse all the sauce ingredients – except pistachios – in a food processor until incorporated.
Add pistachios and pulse until mostly smooth (depends on what consistency you want).
Add to courgette and eat with baby spinach and tomatoes
Supper
Simple Kidney Bean Curry
Saffron Soul
1 tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
1 onion
Pinch of Himalayan salt or sea salt
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 green chilli, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground coriander
2 tomatoes chopped
2 spring onions chopped
1 can kidney beans
2 tbsp passata or tomato paste
100ml water
Squeeze of lime
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium heat, then add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds pop, add the onions and a pinch of salt and stir. Once the onions are lightly browned, add the ginger, garlic and chilli and stir for another 30 seconds. Then add the ground turmeric, cumin and coriander, chopped tomatoes, spring onions and the rest of the salt.
Next add the kidney beans, passata, water, lime and mix everything together. Leave to cook on a low heat for at least 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
To finish, mix a healthy handful of coriander leaves into the curry. Serve hot. (With rice if you are eating carbs)
Supper
Green Bean Curry
Saffron Soul
150g green beans
1/2 tsp coconut oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds - optional
1 clove garlic
Pinch of asafoetida - optional
3 chopped tomatoes
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
/4 tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp red chilli powder, optional
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Chop the green beans either into small pieces or diagonally lengthways, then blanch in the boiling water for 2 mins. Drain and set aside.
Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan and add the mustard and cumin seeds and the fenugreek seeds if using. Once the mustard seeds have popped, add the chopped garlic and asafoetida and immediately stir in the green beans. Place the lid on the saucepan and let the curry cook for around 15 minutes until the beans are cooked and soft, stirring every couple of minutes.
Once the green beans are cooked, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, ground turmeric, cumin and coriander, and red chilli powder, if using. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes.
Friday 29th January
First Thing
Ayurvedic wake up tea
Green/Herbal Tea
Breakfast
Refreshing Pineapple Smoothie
1 cup pineapple fresh or frozen
2 cups kale or spinach leaves
1.5 inches ginger peeled
1 small lemon peeled
1/2 green apple
1 handful wheatgrass (frozen)
1/2 cup water or coconut water
Lunch
Beetroot soup
Ingredients
Serves 6 - freeze the leftovers for next week : )
3-4 medium (apple-sized) beetroot (about 500-600g/1lb 2oz-1lb5oz, grated coarsely, or chopped into small dice
500g/1lb 2oz ripe tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, chopped roughly
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
500ml stock - maybe use your chicken stock from the roast chicken bones
1 bayleaf
½ tsp allspice
1 tinned tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a pan and sweat the onion for a few minutes until soft. Add the beetroot and the stock and bring to the boil. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the tinned tomatoes, bay leaf and allspice. Simmer gently for 7-10 minutes until the beetroot is tender.
Transfer the soup to a blender and process until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary
Supper
Thai Chicken or Veg Curry
Dash Olive oil
1 skinless free-range chicken thigh or if making it vegetarian 1 large aubergine
70g baby sweetcorn
65g mixed (oriental) mushrooms
⅙ tin of coconut milk
1/6 organic chicken stock cube
1 kaffir lime leaf
30g mangetout
A couple of fresh Thai basil leaves
1/3 lime
CURRY PASTE
(If you make extra or have some leftover you can freeze it)
4 cloves of garlic
2 shallots
5cm piece of ginger
2 lemongrass stalks
4 green Bird's eye chillies
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ a bunch of fresh coriander
2 tablespoons fish sauce
You need ⅙ of this sauce for the recipe
Method
To make the curry paste, peel, roughly chop and place the garlic, shallots and ginger into a food processor.
Trim the lemongrass, remove the tough outer leaves, then finely chop and add to the processor. Trim and add the chillies along with the cumin and half the coriander (stalks and all). Blitz until finely chopped, add the fish sauce and blitz again.
Slice the chicken or aubergines into 2.5cm strips. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan on a medium heat, add the chicken or aubergine and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, or until just turning golden, then transfer to a plate.
Tear the mushrooms into even pieces. Return the pan to a medium heat, add the mushrooms and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the Thai green paste for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the coconut milk and 30ml of boiling water, crumble in the stock cube and add the lime leaves. Turn the heat up and bring gently to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced slightly.
Stir in the chicken and mushrooms, reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, adding the mangetout for the final 2 minutes.
Season carefully to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pick, roughly chop and stir through the basil leaves and remaining coriander leaves. Serve with lime wedges and steamed rice (if eating carbs).