Detox: Day 2 {Strawberries+Ginger / Moonblush Tomatoes / Ratatouille}

Second day of the detox had an overall sluggish pace to it. I must confess, I miss my coffee juuust a little.

I woke up feeling pretty full from the previous day. Remember that miso-beet soup which serves 3 - 4 bowls? Well, I had eaten nearly all of it the night before...it was that good.

Looking around for a light breakfast then, a package of half-thawed strawberries were waiting for me in the fridge. So the day started by blending those with some ginger and lemon to be topped with sparkling mineral water. A bit of a detox morning spritzer really.


Keeping it light was a good idea. I knew I was in for a treat for lunch, as I had let Nigella Lawson's "moonblush tomatoes" work their magic overnight. It's a brilliant idea really. Halve a bunch of cherry tomatoes, top with thyme and stick in a heated (but turned off) oven overnight. The technique brings out their sweetness just perfectly. Toss with some frisée and mint, and that is one delightful lunch plate in front of you.


Dinner deserves a hot meal, so I threw together a Ratatouille with broccoli, instead of the more traditional zucchini. It was so easy, and such a warm, filling dish, I felt like I was fooling my body into thinking it was getting a big plate of carbs. But nope, only veg.

There's no picture of the finished Ratatouille, as it was after dark, and quite frankly, it's a veritable bowl of veg mush anyways. But a very tasty bowl it was!

Detox Series:
Detox: The Rules

Day 1: Fennel+Grapefruit / Miso+Beet Soup

Day 2: Strawberries+Ginger / Moonblush Tomatoes / Ratatouille

Day 3: Roasted Root Vegetables+Squash

Continue to Recipes...

Recipe: Strawberry Ginger Spritzer

Serves 1 biggie / 2 smalls

350g frozen strawberries - thawed a little bit

1 tsp grated ginger

juice of 1/2 lemon

sparkling mineral water

mint

In a blender, combine the strawberries, ginger, and lemon until smooth. Scoop out into a glass and fill with mineral water. Top with mint leaves and slurp up!

Recipe: Moonblush Tomato and Mint Salad

Adapted from Nigella Express

Time Overnight

Serves 2

500g cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp thyme

frisée salad

mint

1) Prepare the tomatoes before bed. Heat the oven to 430F / 220C. Slice the tomatoes in half, arrange them face up on a baking tray, and sprinkle the tops with thyme. When the oven is hot, stick the pan in, close the door, and turn off the heat. By morning they will be all wrinkly and lovely.

2) To prepare the salad, simply arrange the tomatoes on a bed of greens and sprinkle with mint.

Recipe: Broccoli Ratatouille

Time 1 1/4 hour

Serves 3-4

1 onion

1 leek

1 tsp grapeseed oil*

1 large eggplant (aubergine), or 4 little ones

3 tomatoes

1-2 carrots

3 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh marjoram (or oregano, thyme, or basil if you prefer)

1 small handful fresh parsley

1 head broccoli - florets and stem

1 red bell pepper

1/2 Tb white wine vinegar

*I mentioned in Day 1, I feel the need to bend that no oil rule when it's absolutely necessary and I can't find a way around it. Grapeseed is a good and healthy one to be cooking with, and only a teeny amount to start things out was needed.

1) Chop up all the veg into bite-sized pieces. Using just a little bit of grapeseed oil, heat a large pot or dutch oven on the stove. Toss in the onion and leek. Saute for a couple minutes.

2) Add in the eggplant, tomatoes, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, and marjoram. Stir up well and cook on low heat 10 minutes. The juices released from the tomatoes should prevent it from sticking without adding more oil.

3) Add in the broccoli, red pepper, and white wine vinegar. Cook another 15-20 minutes. Let sit and stew together another 15 minutes before serving.

Dobrou Chut'/ Enjoy.
-- Jo