Day 7 of 14:

Even though I feel great, I’m not gonna lie, visions of tearing open a bag of [ insert junk food here ] and dumping it on my face; mouth opened, hasn’t exactly escaped my mind. And don’t get me started on caffeine. Aside from battling the daily cravings, the fruits & veggies are doing their job — I feel lighter, healthier and less blah. And I’m definitely more alert, especially when 3pm rolls around during the work week.

Breakfast: Pineapple-Kale-Blueberry-Ginger Smoothie

Handful of Kale
1 cup of blueberries
1 Pineapple
A chunk of ginger
A couple of ice cubes

Blend and enjoy!

Lunch: Guacamole with Bean and Rice Chips and Veggie Sticks

Guacamole:

Avacados
Diced Tomatoes
Diced Onions
Cilantro
Lime

Snack: Key Lime Pie LÄRABAR

Dinner: Faux Pad Thai w/ Almond Chile Sauce

Noodles:

2 Tablespoons tamarind juice
1 ½ Tablespoons maple syrup
1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 ¼ teaspoons minced Serrano chile
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1 cup julienned zucchini
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
1 cup julienned carrot
½ cup julienned red onion
1 cup julienned Granny Smith apple (skin on)
½ cup julienned red bell pepper
3 cups julienned young Thai coconut meat
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Tamarind Juice
2 tamarind pods
water as needed

Almond Chile Sauce:

½ cup raw almond butter
1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 Thai dragon chile
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup water, optional
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish:

¼ cup sweet chili cashews* or raw cashews, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons cold-pressed sesame oil

Method

For Pad Thai:
In a food processor, combine tamarind juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, chile, olive oil, and salt. Process until smooth. Place zucchini, cabbage, carrot, red onion, apple, red bell pepper, coconut, and cilantro in a bowl. Add tamarind puree and toss. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

For Tamarind Juice:
Split tamarind pods. Discard pods. Place pulp-covered seeds in water to cover and soak one hour. Drain. Using hands, remove pulp that surrounds seeds; discard seeds. Place pulp in small bowl and whisk in just enough water to create a smooth paste. Measure out 2 Tablespoons; reserve the remainder for another use.

For Almond Chile Sauce:
In a blender, combine the almond butter, ginger, garlic, Thai dragon chile, lemon juice, maple syrup and soy sauce and blend until smooth, adding the water to thin if needed. The sauce should be smooth and have the consistency of room temperature ice cream. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve:
Arrange some Pad Thai mixture in center of each plate. Spoon ¼ of Almond Chile Sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon of sesame oil around Pad Thai. Sprinkle with cashews.

[recipe generously shared by the lovely Julia Roy]