This past week, I did a bit of a detox to cut out my sugar and carbs. I crossed my fingers and held my breath to see if removing them out for an extended period of time would kick my cravings.
As much as I always assumed that I was just someone who was wired to run on bread, it turns out that my cravings do eventually subside. After last week, I’m now craving tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocados. Lime quinoa, salmon, and hummus.
I’m flabbergasted just as much as I am excited. Finally, instead of feeling like work to stick to one or two servings of bread or sugar a day, I don’t feel like it’s torture to go without them. No one was going to get between me and the cucumbers and artichokes on my salad today.
My Midwestern parents and sister are going to be so weirded out when I see them this Christmas.
I spent some time rummaging around the internet for healthy recipes to add to my kitchen repertoire. Here’s what I dug up:
New Recipes to Try
1. I had a Burmese tea leaf salad in San Fran a few summers back…and I still daydream about this salad (it was THAT good). Thank goodness, I found a recipe to make it.
2. Sweet potatoes are a vegetable I can get behind. All that starchy goodness, and they’re healthy?! It’s amazing, just like this recipe for sweet potato zucchini latkes.
3. I rarely ever cook with lamb, but I’d love to break that habit for these meatballs. Seriously, doesn’t this picture make you drool for the lamb meatballs with parsley and apricot?
4. I always said that I hated brussels sprouts. I mean, everyone hates them, right? Funny though, I’d never actually tried them until last year. Yes, that’s ridiculous. I know. Because as it turns out, I think they’re delicious. So this recipe for shaved brussels sprouts and rice with tahini miso dressing sounds like heaven.
5. I read an Audrey Hepburn biography in ninth grade, and I still remember the paragraph that talked about Audrey eating pasta every single day to try and keep on weight while she was filming. I’m still envious. I am ALL ABOUT this pasta with butternut sauce, spicy sausage and baby spinach – yum!
6. Any soup that starts with the adjective silky is getting off on the right foot in my book. Silky gingered zucchini soup + winter + fire place = heaven.
Old Favorites
7. I have slowly been building up my tolerance for spicy foods. This blackened chicken packs some heat, and it’s crazy easy to make. Win!
8. The Mister and I have made this red lentil soup a few times now, and we’re hooked. It’s on the path to becoming a weekly staple in our house.
9. This quinoa with zucchini and toasted walnuts is great as a side or as the main course. Something about the nutty flavor with the lightly cooked zucchini is SO satisfying.
*All pictures are courtesy of the original posts listed above.