Cleansing Diet, Day 12: Amazing what a few fresh vegetables can do!

After packing all day we whipped up a quick stir fry for dinner before heading to meet our friends Matt and Kel for drinks before the Hawks game. We cooked up some brown rice to go with our veggies and used the leftover Spicy Almond Paste from the Southeast Asian Lettuce Wraps we had on Day 8.

Stir fry is great when you are in a hurry and there are endless combinations of vegetables, proteins and sauces to make every stir fry unique. Stir fried items make a great side or for a complete meal have your stir fry with rice, noodles, lentils or quinoa. Cook your chosen accompaniment separately and top with your stir fry or mix it in for more of a family style dish like you see below.

The key to stir fry is to get the pan and chosen fat nice and hot but not smoking before adding your items. Add heartier vegetables with longer cooking times first and greens and cooked grains last. Toss or stir to mix all items and cook your stir fry fast and hot.


Up Next…
- Grilled Vegetable and Quinoa Pasta Salad

Cleansing Diet, Day 8: S.E. Asian Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Almond Spread

Green Girl Goodies, October 2011

Serves 6 to 8 Entrée Portions or 12 to 16 Appetizer Portions

1/3 lb Carrots, peeled and thin julienned
2 ½ oz Red Pepper, julienned
½ lb Cucumbers, seeded and thin julienned
1 ½ c Green Onion, julienned
4 oz Red Onion, julienned
2 hd Bibb Lettuce (large) rinsed carefully and leaves separated.
1 c Cilantro, cut in 1” pieces
1 c Basil, hand torn

- Wrap desired ingredients in lettuce leaves and spread with Spicy Almond Spread*
- Save any extras to use in the next salad you make

*To add a little more flavor and spice, dip in Chile Lime Dipping Sauce!
**These are easy and great to prepare the night before to take on an outing or to work.

All the ingredients, just waiting to be wrapped :)


Spicy Almond Spread

Green Girl Goodies, October 2011

Yields 1 ¼ c

1 c Almonds
5 tb Pico De Gallo*
3 tb Chile Lime Dipping Sauce*
1 tb Lime Juice
1 tb Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Sea Salt

- Grind almonds in a food processor until almost a poder
- Add all other ingredients and blend until a chunky paste.
- Serve immediately or store for up to 1 week, depending on how long the Pico de Gallo or Chile Lime Dipping Sauce has been stored.

*This is a great way to use the extras you have before they spoil!