Bon Appetit Foodie Cleanse Diet

Want to try a cleanse diet? It makes a good start to an overall weight loss or healthy living plan. A cleanse diet removes toxins from your body and cleans your liver so it can digest and process foods more efficiently. You are better able to absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat after you've detoxed with a cleanse diet. Not only might you lose weight, cleanse diets have been shown to increase energy levels and leave a youthful glow on your complexion that will take years off your appearance. Be sure to carry on your post-detox glow when you incorporate the top superfoods to increase your health into your every day meals.

This particular cleanse diet features seasonal winter foods (lots of root vegetables) and was compiled for Bon Appetit magazine by Seattle food writer Sara Dickerman. I've personally followed this plan, cooking all the recipes. I've also done a fair bit of research on my own into the principles of cleansing diets and have added my own suggestions and takes on Ms. Dickerman's choices.

As suggested by Dietician Melissa Lippert and paraphrased and commented on by Laura Schofield

GUIDELINES

• Alcohol. No more than 2-4 drinks per week. - (Laura says for a cleanse to be a cleanse you can't drink ANY alcohol)

• Coffee. Drink green tea in its place.
• Dairy. Yogurt and kefir are allowed. Otherwise you should switch to Almond Milk in place of regular milk. (Also, use Cold-Pressed, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in place of butter - Laura)
• Water. At least 2 liters daily.

• Bread. Eat other sources of whole grains and complex carbs (quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, winter squashes, steel cut oats)

• Meat. Choose one day a week (or more) to avoid meat or any source of animal protein. (Again, Laura believes that a cleanse has to be vegetarian to truly give your digestive system a break. No meat.)
• Sugar. Sweets and refined sugars are out except for fresh fruit and dark chocolate. (Laura suggests replacing agave nectar for maple syrup and honey - it's a more complex carbohydrate and is easier to digest, even being safe for diabetics.)
• Greens. At least one daily salad (greens or a mix of raw vegetables/fruits)
• Meals. Don't skip meals and eat every 3-4 hours. Focus on our list of detoxyfying foods.
• Portions. Follow this portion guide set by nutritionist Marissa Lippert.

• Protein: A portion of protein is the size of your fist (about 3-6 ounces), or the size of a checkbook/blackberry for flatter items like fish.
• Grains, Pasta: 1/2 cup to 1 cup cooked
• Oatmeal: 1/2 cup dry regular rolled oats or 1/4 cup of steel cut oats
• Sweet potatoes/regular potatoes/beets/winter squashes: One portion is about the size of your fist or a tennis ball
• Veggies and salads: They should be at least 1/2 of your plate!
• Treats and desserts: Keep them small
• Fresh fruit: 1 serving = 1 piece whole or about 1 cup sliced
• Dried fruit: 1/4 cup or less (like 2-3 dates or figs)
• Nuts: 1 handful (about 20)
• Yogurt/kefir etc: about 4-6 ounces
• Vinaigrette/dressings: 1-2 tablespoons
• Olive oil: Stick with moderate amounts for cooking/drizzling
• Avocado: 1/4 avocado = 1 serving for most women; 1/2 avocado = 1 serving for most men

You'll probably be checking out a lot of new ingredients on this cleanse if you don't already follow a vegan, raw or gluten-free diet. A PDF of the entire 2-week Bon Appetit Cleanse shows what the menus are by day, as well as including individual recipes. (This document is 30-pages long, you may want to just print off the relevant days as you need them).

Here is an overview of the menus in the first week of this cleanse diet.

Day 1: Vegetarian.

Day 2: Both Albacore Tuna and Salmon Filets are on the menu.

Day 3: Vegetarian.

Day 4: Chicken on the menu.

Day 5: Smoked Salmon and Hanger Steak are on the menu.

Day 6: Chicken on the menu.

Day 7: Salmon is on the menu.

Day 1

Breakfast - 2-egg Omelet With Mushrooms, Thyme & Caramelized Onions (2 eggs, olive oil, mushrooms, onions, fresh thyme) And 1 Slice Whole-Grain Toast

Lunch - Avocado Tartine (avocado, whole grain test, red pepper flakes, lemon juice) With Winter Vegetable Crudites (endive, cauliflower, carrots) & Basic Citrus Shallot Vinaigrette Dressing (shallots, white wine vinegar,lemon juice, olive oil, salt)

Snack - Vanilla Date Smoothie (yogurt, milk*, medjool dates, vanilla extract, ice cubes)

Dinner - The Ultimate Winter Couscous* (carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, dried apricots, chickpeas, quinoa, shallots, vegetable stock, harissa, cinnamon sticks, star anise, bay leaves, olive oil, salt, ginger, turmeric, paprika, chile flakes, saffron, preserved lemon, cilantro) and a Green Salad & Basic Citrus Shallot Vinaigrette

Snack - Oranges With Pomegranate Molasses & Honey*

* Replace Almond Milk for all milk and Cold-Pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for butter (restrict dairy during the cleanse), Quinoa for CousCous (couscous is a pasta whereas quinoa is a grain), Agave Nectar for honey (agave nectar is a complex carbohydrate with a lower glycemic load)

Day 2

Breakfast - Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa (almond milk, water, quinoa, blackberries, cinnamon, pecans, agave nectar) And Kefir

Lunch - West-Coast Albacore Tuna With Celery Root and Apple Salad (medium celery root, lemon juice, parsley, apples, walnuts, apple cider vinegar, mustard, walnut oil, olive oil)

Snack - Low-Fat Yogurt With Tangerines and Shaved Dark Chocolate

Dinner - Salmon In A Bengali Mustard Sauce (skinless salmon filet, turmeric, cayenne pepper, ground mustard, mustard oil, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fresh hot chiles), Black Eyed Pea Curry (bay leaves, cumin seeds, green chiles, onion, fresh ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chile powder, coriander, garam masala, tomatoes, black-eyed peas, cilantro), Green Salad and Roasted Butternut Squash With Curry Leaves And Mustard Seeds(butternut squash, olive oil, thyme)

Snack - 1 oz. Dark Chocolate and Rooibos Tea

Day 3

Breakfast - Leftover Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa, served with a sliced apple

Lunch - Leftover Black-Eyed Pea Curry and Spinach Salad with Apples, Sunflower Seeds and Vinaigrette

Snack - Edamame Hummus (frozen edamame, water, lemon juice, garlic, sesame oil) with Winter Crudites (endive, romanesco, cauliflower)

Dinner - Miso Soup with Koya Dofu And Vegetables (dried shittake mushrooms, kombu, water, sake, stevia, carrot, burdock root, koya-dofu, mirin, light-colored tamari, tamari, snow peas) served with Brown Rice * I couldn't find any koya-dofu to purchase, so am assuming firm tofu will be a good replacement, as koya-dofu is freeze-dried tofu.

Snack - Oven-Roasted Pears with Toasted Almonds (bartlett pears, grapeseed oil, agave nectar, sliced almonds)

I was finally able to locate a source where you can buy koyadofu online here

Day 4

Breakfast - Almond Banana Smoothie (bananas, almond milk, ice cubes, agave nectar, vanilla extract, nutmeg) and a sliced pear

Lunch - Leftover Koya Dofu And Vegetables and a Mizuna Salad with a Basic Citrus Shallot Vinaigrette (shallots, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt)

After doing many online searches, I was able to find Koya Dofu available for ordering online here.

Snack - Apples and Cashew Butter with 2-4 Rye Crisp Crackers

Dinner - Pan-Roasted Chicken With Persillade (chicken breast halves with skin, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, Italian parsley); Endives, Apples & Grapes (apples, olive oil, endive, green grapes, rosemary sprigs, water); Roasted Sweet Potatoes (sweet potatoes, olive oil) and a Mache Salad With Basic Citrus Shallot Vinaigrette

Snack - 1 oz. dark chocolate with rooibos tea

Day 5

Breakfast - 2-4 Rye Crisp Crackers With Smoked Salmon, Yogurt, Red Onions and Chives; Grapefruit and Orange Sections with Mint

Lunch - LEFTOVER Endives, Apples and Grapes; LEFTOVER Roasted Sweet Potatoes; Green Salad With Sherry Vinaigrette (sherry vinegar, dijon mustard, agave nectar, water, oil, black pepper) and Pomegranate Seeds

Snack - Lowfat Yogurt With Tangerines and Shaved Dark Chocolate

Dinner - Five Spice Beet Soup (beets, vegetable broth, olive oil, red onion, celery stalk, fresh ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, yogurt); Seared Grass-Fed Hanger Steak (hanger steak, olive oil) and Warm Escarole Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Snack - 2-3 dried figs and a handful of pistachios with herbal tea and honey

Bon Appetit advises that "Hanger steaks are a portion of the diaphragm between the rib and the loin, hanging unconnected to bone. There is only hanger steak per animal, and it is often called a butcher's cut (something that the butcher saves for his own family). Usually when you buy it, the steak has been bisected and trimmed of its tough central membrane, but check to make sure before cooking."

Day 6

Breakfast - Oatmeal with Almond Milk, Banana Slices & Walnuts; Kefir

Lunch - LEFTOVER Five Spice Beet Soup with Shredded, Poached Chicken; Rye Crackers

Snack - Oil-Packed Marcona Almonds topped with Chopped Rosemary

Dinner - Itamar's Bulgur Pilaf (red bell peppers, tomato paste, stevia, pink peppercorns, coriander seeds, currents, bulgur wheat, water, black pepper, chives); Poached Eggs and Oven-Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

Snack - 2-3 dates and 1 Tangerine

For The Oven-Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Bon Appetit recommends you "cut broccoli and cauliflower into florets, rub them with oil, sprinkle with them minimally with salt, then roast them on a baking sheet in a 400 degree F oven until tender, about 25 minutes. Squeeze a little lemon over them before serving."

Day 7

Breakfast - Lowfat yogurt with: 1 pear; 1 tbsp. maple syrup; Ground flaxseed; Toasted Pecans

Lunch - Leftover Roast Broccoli and Cauliflower tossed with sauteed apples, tofu and walnuts

Snack - Tuscan Kale Chips with lowfat yogurt scallion dips

Dinner - Curried Lentil Soup; Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes; Sauteed Chard

Snack - Citrus Fruit Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

Dairy & Dairy Substitutes - Eggs, Yogurt, Kefir, Almond Milk

Vegetables - Mushrooms, Onions, Shallots, Avocados, Endive, Carrots, Cauliflower, Parsnips, Butternut Squash, Salad Greens

Fruits - Lemon, Preserved Lemon, Medjool Dates, Dried Apricots, Oranges

Legumes and Grains - Chickpeas, Quinoa

Herbs & Spices - Thyme, Red Pepper Flakes, Sea Salt, Cilantro, Cinnamon Sticks, Bay Leaves, Star Anise, Ginger, Turmeric, Saffron

Breads - Whole Grain Toast

Oils, Vinegars and Sauces - Olive Oil, White Wine Vinegar, Vanilla Extract, Harissa, Pomegranate Molasses, Honey

Dried Fruits

Medjool Dates

Dried Figs

Dried Fruits (pears, nectarines, peaches, apricots)

Dried Cranberries

Currents

Dried Apricots

Citrus Fruits

Oranges

Tangerines

Grapefruit

Lemons

Limes

Apples

Bartlett Pears

Bananas

Green Grapes

Blackberries

Pomegranate

Kaffir Lime Leaves (or substitute lime zest)

Unsweetened Flaked Coconut

Raspberries

Seasonal Winter Vegetables

Root Vegetables

Beets

Yellow Beets

Red Beets

Sweet Potatoes

Russet Potatoes

Butternut Squash

Buttercup Squash

Delicata Squash

Celery Root (Celeriac)

Parsnips

Carrots

Burdock Root

Greens

Escarole

Radicchio

Red Cabbage

Endives

Salad Greens

Spinach Leaves

Mizuna (or substitute Arugala)

Mache (or substitute Arugala)

Kale

Chard

Alliums

Fennel Bulbs

Small White Onions

Onions

Red Onions

Scallions

Shallots

Green or Red Chiles

Ginger

Garlic

Mushrooms

Mushrooms

Shittake Mushrooms

Avocado

Cucumber

Zucchini

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Tomatoes

Red Bell Peppers

Snow Peas

Canned Diced Tomatoes

Pitted Black Olives

Legumes & Meat Substitutes

Chick Peas

Lentils

Red Lentils

Black Eyed Peas

Great Northern or Cannelini Beans

Red Kidney Beans

Frozen Edamame

Tofu

Seeds & Nuts

Pecans

Walnuts

Sliced Almonds

Pistachios

Oil-Packed Marcona Almonds

Sunflower Seeds

Fish

Albacore Tuna

Skinless Salmon Filet

Smoked Salmon

Halibut

Sea Bass or Trout

Poultry

Bone-In Chicken Breasts With Skin

Skinless Chicken Thigh Meat

Sliced Smoked Turkey

Meat

Hanger Steak

Pork Tenderloin

Beef Shin

Prosciutto

I prefer to buy my beans dehydrated. It takes a little planning to make sure you've soaked them in time for your recipes, but it cuts down on transportation costs (and your eco footprint!) to purchase them this way.

Breads & Crackers

Whole Grain Bread

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Rye-Crisp Crackers

Grain & Nut Mixes

Trail Mix

Muesli

Grains

Pearl Barley

Bulghur

Quinoa

Semi-Pearled Farro or Wheat Berries

Brown Rice

Flaxseed

Old-fashioned Oats

Steel-Cut Oats

Baking Goods & Flours

Rice Flour

All Purpose Flour

White Whole Wheat Flour

Baking Soda

Baking Powder

Eggs

Yogurt

Almond Milk

Kefir

Feta Cheese

Oils

Olive Oil

Walnut Oil

Canola Oil

Mustard Oil

Sesame Oil

Peanut Oil

Vinegars

White Wine Vinegar

Red Wine Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar

Sherry Vinegar

Mustards

Mustard

Dijon Mustard

Cooking Wines & Liquids

Mirin

Dry White Wine

Sake

Orange Flower Water

Coconut Milk

Vegetable Stock

Lemon Juice

Vanilla Extract

Specialty Sauces & Pastes

Harissa

Pomegranate Molasses

Miso Paste

Kombu (a Japanese sea vegetable)

Soy Sauce

Wasabi Paste

Cashew Butter

Tomato Paste

Fruit Chutney

Salt & Pepper

Sea Salt

Black Peppercorns

Pink Peppercorns

Capsicums

Red Pepper Flakes

Dried Red Chiles

Cayenne Pepper

Paprika

Mustards

Ground Mustard

Whole Brown Mustard Seeds

Dessert Spices

Cinnamon Sticks

Vanilla Beans

Star Anise

Ground Cinnamon

Ground Nutmeg

Ground Ginger

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Dried Herbs

Bay Leaves

Saffron

Indian Spices

Turmeric

Cardamom Pods

Cumin Seeds

Fennel Seeds

Coriander Seeds

Ground Coriander

Curry Powder

Garam Masala

Oriental Spices & Baking Needs

Corn Starch

Chinese Five-Spice Powder

Thyme

Cilantro

Parsley

Curry (Kari) Leaves

Rosemary

Chives

Mint

Dill

Sweeteners

Honey

Agave Nectar

Sugar

Dark Chocolate

Brown Sugar

Smoothies

Vanilla Date Breakfast Smoothie

Almond Banana Smoothie

Hot Breakfasts

Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

Coconut Oat Pilaf

Eggs & Potatoes

2-egg omelet with mushrooms, thyme and caramelized onions

Garam Masala Tofu Scramble

Sweet Potato Hash

Fruits

Compote Of Dried Farmer's Market Fruits

Basic Citrus-Shallot Vinaigrette

Sherry Vinaigrette

Warm Escarole Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette

Celery Root and Apple Salad

Farro, Radicchio and Roasted Beet Salad

Russian Red Bean Salad

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

Orange and Black Olive Salad

Five Spice Beet Soup

Curried Lentil Soup

White Bean and Escarole Soup With Garlic

Winter Borscht

Edamame Hummus

Hummus and Crudites

Tzatziki

Tuscan Kale Chips

Root Vegetables

Roasted Butternut Squash With Curry Leaves and Mustard Seeds

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Braised Fennel With Lemon

Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Meyer Lemons

Roasted Yellow Beets and Delicata Squash

Greens

Sauteed Chard

Kale With Pine Nuts And Currants

Fruits, Grains and Medleys

Endives, Apples and Grapes

Vegetables A La Grecque

Quinoa With Pomegranate, Apples and Scallions

The Ultimate Winter Couscous

Black-Eyed Pea Curry

Itamar's Bulgur Pilaf

Mushroom Barley Pilaf

Squash Curry With Red Lentils and Apples

Koya Dofu and Vegetables

I wouldn't include meat in a cleanse, but Bon Appetit put some in theirs.

When purchasing salmon, be sure you purchase wild-caught Pacific salmon for both health and environmental issues.

Fish

Salmon In A Bengali Mustard Sauce

Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes

Baked Chutney-Stuffed Fish

Chicken

Pan-Roasted Chicken With Persillade

Cumin Cilantro Chicken Kebabs

Beef

Seared Grass-Fed Hanger Steak

Pork

Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Fruit Chutney

Oven Roasted Pears With Toasted Almonds

Trail Mix Freezer Cookies

Tangelo Tangerine Pudding

The Bon Appetit Cleanse Diet as compiled by Sara Dickerman is not what most people would think of as a cleanse diet. Its certainly not a juice fast and can be quite indulgent sounding! Dickerman has also included meat dishes, processed foods, cooking wines, tomatoes and soy products: More strict cleanses prohibit these ingredients. The recipes are very tasty though - many of them have found a home in my permanent recipe collection. Its also a good way to introduce yourself to healthier ingredients. Will you be giving this cleanse diet a try? Do you have any criticisms or praise for it?