The 30 Day Cleanse, an addictive Chopped Chicken Salad and a Kelp Noodle Stir Fry that is absolutely delicious.

Plus, the Yuzu Tahini Vinaigrette I can't stop making.

A Reset

While I've never been big on diets or calorie counting, I've always found an occasional cleanse a great way to reset the body and get me back to a more mindful way of eating. Before kids, Andre and I would do this 30-day cleanse 1-2 times a year:

• No Gluten

• No Dairy

• No Alcohol

• No Caffeine

• No Refined Sugar

• No Soy

Similar to the candida cleanses, this one has always made me feel great by the end of it. It's not about deprivation, and I am still able to cook and enjoy delicious food; it just takes a little more planning and pushes me out of my regular go-to recipes. This time, I’m still having one cup of black coffee in the morning (I don't know if I will survive otherwise, ha!), and I have had a little soy here and there.

After my yearly checkup a few weeks ago, I learned that I have been consistently gaining weight over the past year, on top of the baby weight I have still yet to lose. Turning 40 and having my third child has affected my metabolism. I've realized I need to establish new daily eating habits to get to a healthy place where I feel good about my body and still can enjoy the food I love. For me, the goal is balance and getting back to eating with intention. Too often, I eat off the kid's plates or have snacks when I'm not even hungry. And Andre and I love food and entertaining; cooking and indulging in whatever we want is a big part of our weekly wind down and ritual. Our world revolves around what we will eat next, and it's one of the outlets that brings us joy and connection in the chaos of daily life.

So this time around, the main focus of the cleanse is finding joy and pleasure in the food we eat, even if it is healthier or not precisely what we wish we were eating. After the cleanse, implementing guidelines like less alcohol during the week, more protein/veggie-focused meals, and working to keep our snacking in check will help us feel healthier.

Here are some old recipes I have been turning to a lot this past week:

• Creamy Herb Vinaigrette

• Almond Milk

• Halibut with Thai Coconut Sauce

• Go-To Black Beans

• Pinto Beans

• Curried Red Lentils with Coconut Milk

And here are two delicious new recipes I would eat, cleansing or not!

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Chopped Chicken Salad

Makes 2 entrees, 4 appetizers

• 3 little gem lettuces, leaves removed, chopped

• 1 scallion, ends trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated

• 1 small cucumber, peeled and finely diced

• 1 small zucchini, ends trimmed and finely diced

• 1 handful salted pumpkin seeds (I used these)

• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds

• 1/2 cooked rotisserie chicken, all the meat removed and chopped

YUZU TAHINI VINAIGRETTE

I saw this vinaigrette on @theyuzuco and I can’t stop making it!

• 4 tablespoons Yuzuco yuzu juice

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• Honey to taste, I added almost a tablespoon

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• Freshly cracked Black pepper

• 1/2 cup olive oil + more if needed

First, make your vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients into a medium bowl. Using an immersion blender, mix until the vinaigrette is creamy and emulsified. If you don’t have an immersion blender, then slowly whisk in the oil to emulsify.

In a large mixing bowl, add all of your chopped salad ingredients. Slowly start drizzling the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat and add dressing as needed until it is to your liking. Divide into individual bowls and serve.

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Kelp Noodle Stir Fry with Chicken