People are always hating on leftovers.
They aren’t so bad! They make great lunches for work, and you much know that last night’s pizza is best eaten cold while standing in the refrigerator door.
This post isn’t about pizza (sorry). It’s about the tidbits leftover from the week that I wanted to share, but never found a spot in the belly of my posts for. (See the leftover food tie-in? Funny, right?)
1. My new favorite snack combo:
Blackberry Coconut Cottage Cheese
- ~ 1/2 C cottage cheese
- 2 T unsweetened coconut milk (I used So Delicious)
- 1 T coconut flour
- ~1/4 c blackberries, sliced in half
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 4-5 drops NuNaturals Vanilla Liquid Stevia
2. Chilean late-night street food
It was a tasty adventure, but I’m still shocked I didn’t get food poisoning. And I will never tell what time of night/morning this occurred.
Clockwise, Left to Right: the line, a man cooking kabobs on a shopping cart, my sandwich being prepared, sandwich being shoved in my camera (they didn’t understand my need to take pics of everything).
I’m not sure what the sandwich it was, but it involved a delicious grilled bread with some sort of sketchy meat and lots of avocado. Sold.
3. Guest posters are the best
I am forever indebted to my gracious guest-posters. In case you missed any of them:
- Summer Grilling + Cocktails, Southern Style from Heather @ Better with Veggies
- Frozen Kale Cucumber Mango Margarita from Ashley @ Freckles & Spice
- A Meal and Wine Pairing From France from Holly @ Je Mange Toute la France
- A Little Change is Good from Lauren @ Oatmeal After Spinning
- The Plus One Workout from Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean
- “Spaghettied” Zucchini and Walnut Salad from Meg @ A Dash of Meg
4. Travel Buddies
I don’t think I said it enough in all of the Chile recap posts, but these are the BEST travel companions in the world. I have never spent so much time with such fun, laid back, drama-free women.
Julia and Katherine, thank you for a memorable, intoxicatingly fun, and sometimes bizarre (in the best way possible) adventure.
I can’t wait for our next excursion!!!
5. The “Love Your Liver” Arden’s Garden cleanse
I gave my live some love post-Chile trip. Lindsay requested that I say a little more about my post-Chile recovery cleanse. Here’s the basics from their website:
“Fatigue, depression, nausea, dizziness, and unexplained weight gain may indicate your liver needs some lovin’! This cleanse helps your body rid itself of toxins and cleanse the blood. The liver converts everything we eat and breathe into life-sustaining substances, while also filtering toxins at the rate of a quart of blood per minute.”
They give you the juices you need, and tell you when to drink what. You are also told to drink as much water as possible. Here’s the line-up:
- 5 Multi-Max – afternoon snack was kale, spinach, cucumber, and celery
- 3 Salad in a Glass – dinner was beets, carrots, celery, spinach, parsley, and cucumber
- 3 pH Solution – breakfast (part 1) and mid-morning snack was distilled water, cucumber, celery, lemon, spinach, and parsley
- 3 Apple – lunch
- 2 Carrot (They only had 1 carrot, so I got a Carrot-Cocoa instead. Poor me had to drink chocolate.) – this is breakfast part 2
- 1 Pure Lemon – drink 2T with water first thing in the morning and again right before bed.
My favorite was the apple. I used the Vitamix to turned it into an apple cider sorbet bowl (with some cinnamon):
The Multi was hard to choke down. That just means it’s really good for you, right? I added some cinnamon and Stevia. It may be “cheating,” but you have to do what you have to do.
I was hungry the first day. I cheated with salad with avocado and sunflower seeds at dinner. After that I was used to the routine and didn’t suffer much from hunger pangs.
To get the full benefits, they suggest following the cleanse with two days of raw vegetables and fruits. I mostly did that, with the exception of a much-needed casein protein shake. This was a fabulous cleanse. In 3 days I felt almost human; after the two raw days following I was back to 100%.
Added bonus: it tamed the sugar addiction that had been rearing its ugly head.
For more info, click here to visit the Arden’s website.
P.S. My sister’s band, Goose & Fox, is recording an album. She begging for money via Kickstarter. Click here to check out her project/video! Here’s one of my favorite songs by the duo:
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Ok – done with Chile for a bit. Next week I’m back with a TON of recipes and an awesome giveaway!
Have you ever done a juice cleanse? Did you like it?
Would you eat random street food in a foreign country? Out of a shopping cart?
I grew up in NIgeria which means my stomach (fortunately) is very tolerant of what I feed it…which is why I would eat street food in a foreign country! If anything, it just adds to the experience! Have a great weekend, Laura!
Ohhhh… I bet you have a stomach of STEEL!
oh my gosh! Your sister is so adorable (and talented!). Will talk to T about giving money!!!!
Thank you so much Lindsay! We are proud of her. 🙂
Try some slivered almonds in your cottage cheese snack – the little crunch and flavor they add takes it to the next level! 🙂
I know! I need to keep some at my desk… I don’t like to mix them in advance because they get soggy. That crunch rocks. 🙂
those drinks actually look and sounds good!
I have friends who tried to do the Arden’s Garden thing and couldn’t stomach the green one either.
My favorite foods when I’ve been to other countires have been the street food. No menus or fancy cloth napkins, just a grill and plastic serving ware! I’ve done the 2 day Arden’s Garden, but it wasn’t that great. I’ve wanted to try the liver cleanse and heard great things!
Agreed! Except I draw the line when it’s cooked in a shopping cart. 😉
I couldn’t imagine just drinking juices all day! Gah! Although, yes, vacations wreak total havoc on my appetite and tastes… it takes a while for me to wean off all the sugar and salt… still working on it post-Colombia, actually.
It was a hard day 1, but you adapt surprisingly quickly.
Oh my sister did that cleanse when she first moved to Atlanta but I never ended up asking her how she liked it! I’ve always been curious about it so thanks for the review!
Congrats to your sister!!!
I haven’t done a juice cleanse, but I was waiting for your review to see if I would try Arden Gardens. However I am not opposed to the idea, I quite like the thought of getting my insides all cleaned and fresh.
As for street food I have never eaten anything prepared on/in a shopping cart. The most I’ve had was a gyro in France which was DELICIOUS (that was in my meat eating days).
I cannot wait to see what next week holds for us with your recipes…bring them on 🙂
Have a great weekend Laura!
Laura! Welcome back! Question- I’ve always wondered…do you workout as hardcore when your on a cleanse? I’ve wanted to do one for awhile but then I am worried I’d be out running and pass out in the middle of the bushes…only to be found by some homeless man days later, smelling like kale juice fermenting. Haha.
So what did you do if you don’t mind me asking?
I definitely did not when I was one the juice cleanse. On days 2 and 3 I just took walks. When I did the Standard Process cleanse I was able to easily to keep up exercise – I even had more energy! But that one involved solid foods and protein. The best thing is just to listen to your body and err on the side of caution/safety.
I like that sound of that cleanse. I haven’t been all that successful with the totaly juicing yet. Going to go over and check out Arden’s Garden.. Glad you had lots of fun on your vaca. Looking forward to your new recipes next week.
Cleanses are overrated. Just eat more garlic and sesame seeds…you’ll feel just as good and you can keep drinking too! Does Doritos and guac count as a cleanse?
Have a great weekend my friend!
for you, yes that does count. 🙂
Yikes! Jesse did a juice fast one time. 7 days… Ridiculous. He lost like 10lbs. I don’t think I could do it!
Thanks for the information on your cleanse–I keep thinking about doing one, but I’m not sure I can give up caffeine for that many days. Have a great weekend!
Oh my gosh! Seriously! I am wanting your snack RIGHT THIS SECOND. Seriously. I just KNOW it will be heaven. I know it 😉
When do you typically have this?
I cannot wait to try it! I have been having so much greek yogurt lately and have been neglecting my beloved cottage cheese <3
Thanks, Meg! I had it as an afternoon snack, but it would be great anytime. with all that protein, it would be a perfect post-workout treat.
Great info about the cleanse – I wondered what you tried. I want to try something like that after I accidentally consume gluten the next time – I am literally sick for a week if I eat enough of it. Sounds like it might be perfect!
wow – that sounds terrible! you could even try their 2 day cleanse and see if that helps.
Interesting about the cleanse… thank you for providing the information about it Laura! If I were to ever do one, I would do it to cleanse out my insides and not as a diet of any kind, as that is what I have always thought of them… not the case at all in some cases!
That is the only way to do it – diets should be lifestyle changes, this cleanse should be to “reset” and give your body some love.
I don’t know, I love leftovers… maybe it’s just the practical mom side of me ;-). Anyway, I just came across another tantalizing blackberry recipe only it was made with heavy cream… (which I’m happy to do one a year’ish ;-)). I think the cottage cheese is more my beat. Love.
Heavy cream is delicious… but I’m with on on the moderation piece. Pass the cottage cheese! 🙂
I’ve never done a juice cleanse but I have friends who have done them and their response has been the same as yours. I really should try one but I’m so worried I’d be starving the whole time. And I think cleansers are easier to do in summer because in winter I want to eat lots of hearty comfort food and sitting down to a cold juice for dinner is so unappealing xx
Summer is definitely easier – sometimes it’s so hot all you really want is cold drinks anyway!
I just had my first green juice the other day, and *almost* loved it, but found the celery a bit overwhelming. Shoulda added stevia too! 😛
Your first one?! Stevia helps, but you could also add some apple. It’s delish in green juice. I also find adding some lemon helps take the edge off.
Thanks for sharing about the cleanse… I was curious. I was going to ask if you had the energy to workout but I see that someone else already asked. This is something I will definitely consider after the half marathon I’m training for.
Welcome back!
Sure! Definitely wait until after your training – changing up your diet (when it’s already working) in the middle of something is typically not good. Good luck!!!
Wow—I have been away from your site for far too long. Can you pack any more fabulous trips in? I am still reading but may e most excited about Arden’s Garden! 🙂
thank you! it was been a blast. 🙂