When did Detox Taste this Good?

 

On May 12, I started a detox for three weeks. I do it once or twice a year, usually in the spring and the fall.

Detox mean no sugar, gluten, flour, processed foods, caffeine or alcohol. I also practice self-nurturing; loads of sleep and exercise, time at the spa and me-time.

Why detox? After my trip to Oaxaca, I was tired. I had been on a non-stop eating spree since last September. With restaurant openings, travel and holiday parties, I never slowed down long enough to catch my breath.

I’ve always loved how I feel after a detox but it’s been a painful process, especially when it comes to deciding which foods to prepare. This time around, I decided to take that problem out of the equation and have my favorite chefs cook for me: Marko Cruz, Sofia Antillon and Pablo Nicacio of Nomada cocina de interpretacion in Mercado Centro. I gave Sofia the list of foods I can and cannot eat and a budget.

In addition to feeling great after six days, Sofia introduced me to so many new ingredients I would have never tried on my own. I’ve been amazed at the recipes she’s created; a guinea pig for some of them which has been great for both of us.

The first time I had Pablo’s cooking, it was so good, I thought it was Marko’s. His white fish (I had on Monday) is one of my all-time, favorite Nomada recipes. I think his cooking has elevated to another level in the time I’ve known him.

Marko was gone most of the week but returned on Monday. I can always tell when he’s back in the kitchen. Magic happens, like the meal he was preparing with two friends, Chefs Pato Pantoja and Hugo Tepichin who both worked with Marko at B’ui cocina de campo.

Pato Pantoja is a chef at the world-class Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges in New York City. Hugo Tepichin is at Quique Dacosta in Denia, Spain; a 3 star Michelin restaurant. Denia is on the Costa Brava between Alicante and Valencia. Chef Tepichin is the first Mexican chef in the kitchen at Quique Dacosta. Gastronomes say that following the closure of El Bulli, Dacosta has become the leader of avant-garde cuisine in Spain.

Here are my first six days of detox:

Day 1 May 12 Thursday

Cucumber and Peppermint infused water.
Grilled baby corn with lemon and chili powder made with Oaxacan Chili.

Raddicio,baby spinach, godsorel, beet leaf and baby lettuce with cauliflower, cucumber carrots, mint, fennel, yellow tomatoes, lemon and olive oil.
Raspberry decaffinated tea.
Beet Agua chili with tuna and Mahi Mahi, cucumber granita, avocado.

Day 2 May 13 Friday

Basil and thyme lemonade.

Roasted carrots with red quinoa, purslane and zucchini with vanilla balsamic.
Salad of beets, avocados, tomatoes, purslane oil and spring mix.
Mahi Mahi with hoja santa, potatoes, zucchini and chilchilo sauce.
Amarant and chia pudding with almond milk and a sprinkling of almonds.

Day 3 May 14 Saturday

Lemon grass water.

Springs mix greens, peas, asparagus, spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots and yellow cherry tomatoes, snow peas with basil oil and lemon balsamic.
Chile Ancho with squash blossoms, mushrooms, spinach, red onion, huaunzontle in tomato broth.
Octopus, avocado, purslane and ajillo.
What I couldn't eat: Artichoke with parmesan, goat, garlic butter - on my after-detox list.

Day 4 May 15 Sunday

Tuna with alioli, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, lemon and jalapeño.
Potato tamale with hoja santa, pea pods, raw green sauce and a sauce of black beans with raw truffle oil, avocado, and serrano chiles.

Chicken, chick peas, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, coriander, and microgreens with chicken broth infused with mint.
Chai latte with almond milk and cinnamon.

Day 5 May 16 Monday

Orange, lemon, spearmint and sage flower cocktail.

Avocado puree, esmedregal and yellow tomatoes, snow pea and radish.
White fish with green tomato, coriander, onion, serrano, brussels sprouts, potato and pea pods and nastergal leaf.
Amaranth cookies, edible flowers, chocolate balsamic.
Oil and yoke with passion fruit and amatanth seeds.

I will be resuming my detox meals at Nomada from May 22 – June 2, 2013 when they return from Oaxaca.

Day 6 May 17 Tuesday

Milpa, a farm-to-table restaurant in Doce-18, who is also under the culinary direction of Marko Cruz, stepped in to prepare a chicken soup loaded with beautiful vegetables. This meal was filling and delicious. The price: $130 pesos.

Buen Apetito!