CLEAN

TrueLove and I are in the middle of the CLEAN program!

"Program sounds so much better than "detox", but that's what we're doing. Several friends of ours have done it with raving testimonials and now it's our turn to embrace it. You can read the book Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger or just pop over to www.cleanprogram.com for more information.

We started the program immediately following a close family members quadruple bypass surgery. This guy had the sensibility to go to the doctor and check things out when things just weren't feeling right. Good thing he did! The next week he was getting all fixed up. IF SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR HEART DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT GET IT CHECKED! 

Taking an inventory of family history and death by heart disease, it propelled me to embrace the Clean Program, written by a cardiologist, it became clear that doing Clean could not wait. Clean addresses two major things that affect our overall well being: Toxicity and Inflammation. I'm in week 3 and not itching to break fast at all. I decided to return to blogging (notice how I glossed over how long it's been since my last post), by the prodding of several people missing the posts. Awe.

The book has some wonderful recipes, but I don't always have everything on hand and must fall back on old fashioned creativity. And Clean Chicken Salad happened! OOH it was good. So. I thought I'd blog about it mainly so I could go back to it and remember how I did it. How fun would it be if someone out there detoxing might like to try it too. I am quite certain that my peeps who are Paleo Foodies can enjoy it too.

Clean Chicken Salad
Now. Know that when you set out to do something routine like just make lunch, you are not always expecting a "wow! this salad changed my life" moment, so you are not measuring and calculating or really even thinking. Just going about the business of satisfying hunger. So bear with me that the measurements are merely what looks right. It made enough for 2 people and I ate them both.

1/2 chicken breast, cubed small 

(mine was leftover, which I recommend)

1/2 carrot, chopped very small

1 green onion

1 stalk of celery, chopped very small

1/2 apple, chopped very small

1/2 avocado, chopped

pumpkin seeds

celtic sea salt

pepper

thyme

juice of 1/2 lemon

cashew cream cheese with dill and garlic, 1 big scoop

Cashew Cream Cheese with Dill and Garlic

(this is straight out of the book pg 278 and I followed it exact)

2 C cashews soaked for 2 hours

1 C water

2 capsules probiotics

1/2 bunch minced dill

2 garlic cloves pressed

sea salt to taste

1. Blend cashews, water and proviotics in a high-speed blender until smooth and very creamy.

2. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a cheesecloth or a mesh. Let sit for 8-12 hours on a warm area for fermentation. This will be the basic cheese.*

3. Add dill, garlic and salt. Keep some dill to sprinkle on top. You can use other herbs such as chives and rosemary. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

*I always freak out a little bit (a lot) when I'm fermenting ANYTHING and haven't a lot of experience with it either, but I did it anyway. Had a little faith. Trusted the book that says "The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself" had my staying aliveness in mind with this recipe. It tasted delicious and I didn't die. And I loved it and will make it even when I'm not detoxing, because it's that good.

Back to the Clean Chicken Salad

Mix it all together and make sure that the avocado gets creamed up with the cream cheese. 

The cream cheese recipe makes a TON, so just use enough to make it as creamy as you like your chicken salad.

This recipe is only quick and easy if you already have made the cream cheese and have leftover chicken, which I did, because when detoxing you need the good stuff right there when you have a snack attack and can only eat the limited list of approved things. 

To finish it off I drizzled some more fresh lemon, sprinkled celtic sea salt and capped it off with some pumpkin seeds.