I decided to post one of my one-day cleanse menus on my fitness page (found here) and since it's food, I'm going to post it here as well.

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I'm using this blog post to organize my one-day cleanse the I will be doing later this week. Feel free to steal from it. No, I'm not a nutritionist and no, I'm not making any guarantees about any effects. It's just what I'm doing and I've been happy with the results. Many of my cleanses that I use also avoid caffeine, this one does not. Mainly this is because I have just been on a green tea kick lately and felt like including it for it's antioxidant and other health benefits.

It is important that you remember to have at least a snack every two hours at the very least. This will maintain your metabolism so that your body continues to work at peak efficiency while cleaning itself out. I eat more than that because of my regular activity. You should eat pretty much whenever you're hungry (but not just whenever you're bored). This isn't a weight-loss diet. It's about helping your body to remain clean and work its best. If your body is telling you that it's hungry, then eat more (essential fats, proteins and natural sugars) so that it has the energy to keep working. I also like to make sure that I consume at least 64 oz of fluids (that's about 2 liters) throughout the course of the day.

I would also like to note that I do not discontinue my regular supplement regime on cleanse days. I will still take all of my normal vitamins and other supplements so that my body has everything it needs. I've read some that some studies suggest that many cleanses also lead to quick, small weight loss, but I would like to repeat that this is not the point of a cleanse. So don't starve yourself.

Beverages

Sea Salt Water

Sea salt contains more minerals than regular table salt. Lemon juice also contains added cleansing value.

Ingredients:
1-2 pinches sea salt (to taste)
Lemon wedge
2 cups warm water
Red chili powder (cayenne, optional)

Warm the water. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon wedge. Add the salt and stir. I have read that some people like to add a small sprinkling of cayenne pepper to taste. I don't really care too much for it.

Green Tea

Just buy bagged green tea bags from the store and brew it fresh. Bottled or canned green tea is likely to contain extra crap in it that you are trying to clean out of your body right now.

Pomegranate Juice

Either buy fresh pomegranates and juice them yourself or make sure that you buy pure pomegranate juice with no preservatives, sweeteners or additives. Honestly, this is too pricy for me right now, so I'll be sticking with the tea and salt water.

Breakfast/Snack Options

Fruit Salad - Makes 2-3 Servings

Ingredients:
2 apples (cored, chopped)
2 peaches or nectarines (pitted, chopped)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 bananas
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (shelled)

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and eat.

Fruit and Nut Mix - Makes 6 servings

1 cup raisins
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup pecans

Lunch

Dark Green Salad

1 cup red leaf lettuce (chopped)
1 cup fresh spinach (chopped)
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 avocado (chopped)
sea salt (to taste)

Toss first 4 ingredients, then salt to taste. Serve.

Dinner

Asparagus and Walnuts

1 bundle asparagus spears
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
sea salt

On medium-high heat, brown chopped garlic in the olive oil in a sauce pan large enough to fit the asparagus. If the oil begins to smoke, lower the heat slightly. As soon as the garlic begins to soften and turn brown, reduce heat to medium and add chopped walnuts then asparagus. Cook on medium heat until the point when the asparagus just begins to soften. Remove from pan and serve. Salt to taste.

Tomato Salad

I totally take tomatoes for granted. I always forget that they are one of the best superfoods out there. They are full of iron and antioxidants and are freaking delicious.

2 chopped tomatoes (of your choosing, about 2" in diameter)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and black pepper (to taste)

I'm using this blog post to organize my one-day cleanse the I will be doing later this week. Feel free to steal from it. No, I'm not a nutritionist and no, I'm not making any guarantees about any effects. It's just what I'm doing and I've been happy with the results. Many of my cleanses that I use also avoid caffeine, this one does not. Mainly this is because I have just been on a green tea kick lately and felt like including it for it's antioxidant and other health benefits.

It is important that you remember to have at least a snack every two hours at the very least. This will maintain your metabolism so that your body continues to work at peak efficiency while cleaning itself out. I eat more than that because of my regular activity. You should eat pretty much whenever you're hungry (but not just whenever you're bored). This isn't a weight-loss diet. It's about helping your body to remain clean and work its best. If your body is telling you that it's hungry, then eat more (essential fats, proteins and natural sugars) so that it has the energy to keep working. I also like to make sure that I consume at least 64 oz of fluids (that's about 2 liters) throughout the course of the day.

I would also like to note that I do not discontinue my regular supplement regime on cleanse days. I will still take all of my normal vitamins and other supplements so that my body has everything it needs. I've read some that some studies suggest that many cleanses also lead to quick, small weight loss, but I would like to repeat that this is not the point of a cleanse. So don't starve yourself.

Beverages

Sea Salt Water

Sea salt contains more minerals than regular table salt. Lemon juice also contains added cleansing value.

Ingredients:
1-2 pinches sea salt (to taste)
Lemon wedge
2 cups warm water
Red chili powder (cayenne, optional)

Warm the water. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon wedge. Add the salt and stir. I have read that some people like to add a small sprinkling of cayenne pepper to taste. I don't really care too much for it.

Green Tea

Just buy bagged green tea bags from the store and brew it fresh. Bottled or canned green tea is likely to contain extra crap in it that you are trying to clean out of your body right now.

Pomegranate Juice

Either buy fresh pomegranates and juice them yourself or make sure that you buy pure pomegranate juice with no preservatives, sweeteners or additives. Honestly, this is too pricy for me right now, so I'll be sticking with the tea and salt water.

Breakfast/Snack Options

Fruit Salad - Makes 2-3 Servings

Ingredients:
2 apples (cored, chopped)
2 peaches or nectarines (pitted, chopped)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 bananas
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (shelled)

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and eat.

Fruit and Nut Mix - Makes 6 servings

1 cup raisins
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup pecans

Lunch

Dark Green Salad

1 cup red leaf lettuce (chopped)
1 cup fresh spinach (chopped)
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 avocado (chopped)
sea salt (to taste)

Toss first 4 ingredients, then salt to taste. Serve.

Dinner

Asparagus and Walnuts

1 bundle asparagus spears
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
sea salt

On medium-high heat, brown chopped garlic in the olive oil in a sauce pan large enough to fit the asparagus. If the oil begins to smoke, lower the heat slightly. As soon as the garlic begins to soften and turn brown, reduce heat to medium and add chopped walnuts then asparagus. Cook on medium heat until the point when the asparagus just begins to soften. Remove from pan and serve. Salt to taste.

Tomato Salad

I totally take tomatoes for granted. I always forget that they are one of the best superfoods out there. They are full of iron and antioxidants and are freaking delicious.

2 chopped tomatoes (of your choosing, about 2" in diameter)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and black pepper (to taste)

Sunday

15 Minutes: 50/10 second intervals

Reverse Lunges
Knee Raises
Burpees
Reverse Push Up
Plank Cross Kneed Tucks

Monday

18 Minutes: 50/10 second intervals

Flutter Kicks
Overhead Tricep Extensions
Mountain Climbers
Sandbag Curls
Sumo Squat Leg Lifts
High Knees

Tuesday

350 Rep Timed Challenge

Crescent Kick Knee Raises - 50 reps
Reverse Lunges - 50 reps
One Leg Lift Toe Touch - 50 reps
Squats - 100 reps
Plank Jacks - 50 reps
Push Ups - 25 reps
Reverse Push Ups - 25 reps

Wednesday

16 Minutes: 30/10 second intervals (4 sets each)

Jump Lunges
Crunches
Push Ups
Squat Jacks
Table Tops
Reverse Push Ups

Thursday

16 minutes - 50/10 second intervals

Side Knee Raises
Standing Sand Bag Rows
Burpees
Sand Bag Clean & Raise

I didn't actually make a turkey for Thanksgiving because I ate at my father's house. However, I was gifted a 22-lb. turkey that I smoked two days later. I was very happy with how it turned out, but had to eat the whole thing myself. I decided yesterday that I wanted to make a turkey gravy with some of the leftovers and eat it with mashed potatoes. I did just that.

I would like to point out that my first choice for a turkey gravy would actually use the turkey stock from the turkey itself. However, it was chaos in my house the day that I smoked the turkey and I was a little absent-minded about saving the turkey stock after I carved her up. So I used bacon fat (which I always have on hand). You could also substitute vegetable oil, lard or shortening. However, I say go big and always make sure you save a can of bacon drippings in your fridge because it's so much better than lard or shortening.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp bacon fat
~1/2 lb. turkey meat (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 120z. bottle of pale ale
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsp flour (I used whole wheat)

Directions:

On medium-high heat, melt the bacon fat in a sauce pan. When the fat has melted down, add the turkey. Stir occasionally until the turkey meat begins to brown on outside.

Once the meat begins to get crispy brown marks, add the beer. Leave on medium-high heat until the beer is reduced to half, then reduce heat to medium.

In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk flour into the milk. Add milk to the sauce pan and continue to cook, stirring frequently until gravy thickens. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

She isn't much to look at, but boy is she tasty. The photo up top shows the gravy on top of a bed of mashed potatoes that I made fresh. I was quite pleased with how it turned out. Personally, I feel that most gravy is WAY too salty, so I went light on the salt and a little heavier on the pepper.

Last week was interesting for a number of reasons to me. It's also getting to that point in the season where fans get excited about the playoff races.

NFL Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (11-0) 2.504
2. San Francisco 49ers (9-2) 1.784
3. Baltimore Ravens (8-3) 1.518
4. New England Patriots (8-3) 1.457
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) 1.416
6. Houston Texans (8-3) 1.339
7. New Orleans Saints (8-3) 1.333
8. Detroit Lions (7-4) 1.284
9. Chicago Bears (7-4) 1.257
10. Oakland Raiders (7-4) 1.129
11. Atlanta Falcons (7-4) 1.066
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) 1.036
13. Dallas Cowboys (7-4) 1.025
14. New York Jets (6-5) 0.887
15. Denver Broncos (6-5) 0.863
16. Tennessee Titans (6-5) 0.815
17. New York Giants (6-5) 0.748
18. Buffalo Bills (5-6) 0.564
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7) 0.437
20. San Diego Chargers (4-7) 0.399
21. Seattle Seahawks (4-7) 0.387
20. Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) 0.370
23. Kansas City Chiefs (4-7) 0.365
24. Cleveland Browns (4-7) 0.331
25. Arizona Cardinals (4-7) 0.325
26. Washington Redskins (4-7) 0.318
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8) 0.227
28. Carolina Panthers (3-8) 0.200
29. Miami Dolphins (3-8) 0.196
30. Minnesota Vikings (2-9) 0.095
31. St. Louis Rams (2-9) 0.085
32. Indianapolis Colts (0-11) 0.000

Finally

Finally last weekend I heard the sports folks start to talk about the likelihood of the NY Giants crumbling and getting passed up by the Cowboys. And what happened? Sure enough, the Cowboys took the lead. The Giants play the Packers this weekend and the Cowboys face the Cardinals. These match ups will likely see the Cowboys two games ahead by the end of the week. The last chance the Giants really have to make a stab at the playoffs are their two remaining games against Dallas. They need to hope for at least a split series and, if that's the case, at least two other wins out of the next five weeks.

AFC East

Ravens and the Steelers are making the race as exciting as ever. Who would have thought that this year we would be adding the Bengals to the mix?