January is a great time for a detox. It feels good to detox after all the holiday excess and my favorite detox is the 21 Day Detox Plan by Erica LePore, a naturopathic doctor. Many detox plans limit how much food you can eat and people feel hungry – a lot. On this detox plan, you can eat as much as you want, so you don’t ever have to go hungry. You can’t eat what you want, though. There are a number of food restrictions – gluten, sugar, dairy and eggs to name a few. Dr. LePore’s plan eliminates allergens for three weeks and has us reintroduce them, one at a time, at the end to help us see if we have sensitivities to any of them.  It is really quite effective. We are happy to offer the 21 Day Detox Plan for sale on our site.

Because of the food restrictions, it can be hard to find recipes. I’ve done this quite a few times now, and I have some new recipes, tips and tricks for anyone attempting this challenging detox diet. For my first round of recipes and tips, check out this post from Spring of 2018. I have some new favorite recipes to share – check them out!

21 Day Detox Recipes

Salmon Marinated in Asian Ginger Sauce

This recipe is Paleo-friendly, gluten free and Keto-friendly. I love this marinade, the salmon comes out so tasty.

Ingredients:
about 1 1/2 lb wild-caught salmon, my favorite is sockeye
1 1/2 Tbs organic coconut aminos
1/2 tsp organic mustard powder
1 tsp fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp organic ginger powder
1/8 tsp Pure Monk monkfruit powder
1 Tbs olive oil

Directions:
1. Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well.
2. Marinate salmon for at least 2 hours, but longer is great. I marinated a couple days by mistake once, but, boy, it was sooo good!
3. Remove from refrigerator and let come to room temperature if possible, around 15 to 30 minutes. This helps it to cook evenly.
4. Grill or bake until the fish is cooked, about four to six minutes per 1/2 inch of salmon.
5. Serve. I like it with riced cauliflower and salad. Leftovers are great on salad!

Best Homemade Buffalo Sauce
adapted from therealfoodrds.com recipe

OK, I actually think this is better with cultured butter in place of the coconut oil, but during the detox, I use coconut oil. And now, you may notice, that the first ingredient is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Believe it or not, Frank’s red hot sauce has only five ingredients: cayenne peppers, vinegar, water, salt and garlic powder. This is great on chicken strips as well as chicken wings.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Original Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 TBS coconut aminos
2 1/2 Tbs organic coconut oil (I use cultured butter when not on a detox)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan on low to medium heat. When the coconut oil is melted, give it a good stir to make sure everything is combined well. Store leftovers in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Detox Friendly Prepared Foods

One of the things that is key to doing this detox successfully is to have food prepared ahead of time. For me, that is not always possible. But, I found these great noodle bowls at Whole Foods and most are compliant – except the Pad Thai, the one with tofu (soy),  is not acceptable during weeks two and three, and the Vegan Pho has sugar in the sauce, so avoid that one the whole time. I really enjoyed all the curries and the Thai Tom Yum. I usually paired these with leftover chicken or fish. They are from Miracle Noodle Kitchen.

I also found these great prepared Indian inspired sauces that just need some nice brown rice to be a meal. I again added chicken or other protein, but still, these are very quick and easy for emergencies or just because they are quick and easy. 😉 Make sure to read the ingredients carefully, though, as not all varieties are compliant.

Snacks & Sweets

There are many snacks and sweets that are compliant with the 21 Day Detox Plan by Dr. Erica LePore. The trick is to make sure you have them ready to eat and even stashed in your car. It is very important to have food ready for whenever you need it. I love the Vanilla Coconut Chia Seed Pudding that Dr. LePore has on her site. I also make a big batch of Paleo Maple Glazed Nuts from my last 21 day detox post. Trail mix is a great snack as long as you check the dried fruit for preservatives and sugar.

I get my apple juice sweetened cranberries from Made In Nature. They also have quite a few other snacks that are OK to eat while on the 21 Day Detox.  The Figgy Pops are very good. Some contain cacoa nibs or gluten free oats, though, so, as always, read the ingredients first.

Another brand I really like for 21 Day Detox friendly products is Simple Mills. The Pumpkin muffins are fantastic!!!! And I love the Tomato Basil Crackers. Their cookies are so good, too. My newest quest is to find a low-carb cookie recipe that the cookies actually stay crunchy after a day. These cookies aren’t exactly low-carb, but they are crunchy and Paleo-friendly, so better than most. The only ones OK for the diet are the Toasted Pecan Cookies because the others have chocolate in them.

More Detox-Friendly Recipes

While I love having some easy, quick meal and snack options on hand, I try to cook most of my food during a detox. It is also less expensive, as some of the above products are pricey.

Pumpkin Cranberry Protein Smoothie

This recipe was a happy accident. I had left over pumpkin puree after making some pumpkin muffins (haven’t perfected the recipe, so not giving it yet). I decided to try making a pumpkin smoothie and am extremely happy with the results.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup whole coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
1 scoop Perfect Hydrolyzed Collagen
1/4 cup apple juice sweetened dried cranberries
1/16th tsp or pinch of monk fruit powder
handful of ice cubes

Directions:

Add all ingredients except ice to a blender. Blend on high to break up the cranberries a bit. Add ice and blend on high until smooth. Pour, drink, yum!

Blueberry Muffins to Die For

These muffins taste soooo good! They have too much honey to be Keto-friendly, but it’s hard to do Keto and the 21 Day detox at the same time.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs chia seeds
1/4 + 1Tbs water
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup Tbs honey
1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup blueberries, fresh is best. If frozen, thaw and use liquid in place of some of the coconut milk.

Directions:

1. Combine chia seeds and water in a small dish – set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350° and prep muffin tin.
3. Mix the dry ingredients.
4. Whisk wet ingredients with the chia mixture.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients – don’t over mix.
6. Fold in blueberries.
7. Spoon the batter into muffin tins. Fill to almost the top.
8. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes – until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool completely before serving or be prepared to eat it off the muffin paper because it sticks.