Not only is 2011 behind us, but it has also apparently settled in my behind. Ahem. While I haven’t quite packed away the holiday decorations (we keep ours out until Epiphany), it’s definitely time to put away the sweets and rich foods of the season and focus on a leaner, cleaner diet. Though I could never do a real cleanse like the lemon juice diet and friends, I decided to try the Dr. Oz 48 Hour Weekend Cleanse and his recipe for Green Juice with Mint and Pineapple.

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Recipe card updated 9/08/23

I do, however, question the sanity of anyone cleansing over a weekend. Isn’t that when we are supposed to be having FUN? Thus we (this we includes my wonderfully supportive hubby) are doing the weekend cleanse during the week–when we have work, and laundry, and other un-fun things to take up our time (and take our mind off of the hunger).

I’m so not a good dieter. I last a couple of days before I go bonkers and turn into a real psycho that nobody wants to be around. Thankfully my celiac disease helped keep my weight in check and I never was really concerned about what (or how much) I ate. Now that I’m finally absorbing nutrients, it’s a different story altogether. Going gluten free as I approach midlife (I am almost 37 after all), will present me with challenges that have never been an issue for me…like portion control. And I will need to be especially careful of what I put into my mouth to ensure that my body rebuilds itself with the healthiest, most nutrient dense foods possible.

So, onto the cleanse. It’s really simple actually, and includes food and not just juices. My sister-in-law introduced us to the beauty of juice this summer. When I was so very sick, it was about the only green thing my body would tolerate. She bought a juicer for my husband for his birthday and we have been making our own green juice (AKA greenies) ever since. Juicing is a fantastic way to consume a huge amount of vegetables in a relatively small portion. It extracts most of the vitamins and minerals from foods (like kale) and leaves behind the roughage (which is very difficult for certain people to tolerate). There is no way I could eat a whole bunch of kale in a day. But I can drink it, no problem!

I have a very savory palate and I like my greenies to taste tart and green and not sweet at all. However, I was willing to try the sweeter Dr. Oz recipe for the cleanse and I was pleasantly surprised. It is, in a word, delicious and the perfect greenie to start with if you are a green juice virgin. It does require a juicer, but many juice bars will allow you to make your own variety of juice…so that may be an option for you.

LOVE GREENS? TRY THESE OTHER RECIPES!

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Kale, Mint & Pineapple Greenie

This green juice (adapted from the Dr. Oz 48 Hour Weekend Cleanse) is a gentle way to introduce yourself to the world of greenies. The pineapple and mint mask any overt bitterness from the kale and the ginger gives it a bit of pleasing warmth.

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Calories 213 kcal

Equipment

Juice Extractor

Ingredients

1 large bunch of organic kale thoroughly washed
1 small bunch of organic mint thoroughly washed
1 cup pineapple roughly chopped
2 organic cucumbers
2 stalks of celery
1 organic lemon peel and pith removed
1 one-inch segment of fresh ginger root

Instructions

Place ingredients one-by-one into your juicer on the settings recommended by your manufacturer.
Strain juice and drink throughout the day.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 54mgPotassium: 1399mgFiber: 12gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 6324IUVitamin C: 209mgCalcium: 285mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Braised Celery, cucumber, green juice, kale, Mint Chip Ice Cream, pineapple

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