Spring Cleaning for the Tummy

I was out for some wine and cheese with a friend this afternoon, and she brought up the idea of "spring cleaning for 'da tum-tum." Yes, she said "tum-tum." She's a teacher. Anyhoodle, she got me thinking about an organic cleanse I did last year around this time. It purges all that cream and cheese and amazingly fatty diet we've all consumed winter, and it really helped me feel a bit lighter and happier for springtime.

So. I think I'm going to do it again. Now, don't get me wrong--this is NOT that cayenne-honey garbage or the Gwyneth's GOOP for the "inner aspect" or some such crap. This is just a 5 or 6-day all-healthy diet to jump start a year (or month...or week) of healthier living. And it feels GOOD, I swear. Okay, actually, the first two days feel like poo. But combined with yoga, some sunny-day walking, and a positive attitude, I swear, it feels good at the end.

Here are the guidelines:

--No caffeine (this is a killer for me). Tea is encouraged, but only the herbal variety. Mmmm....peppermint.

--No alcohol (the second-hardest).

--No processed foods. This means no partially hydrogenated soybean oil, no hugh fructose corn syrup, and no MSG.

--No sugar. Honey, fruit juice, and agave nectar are fine.

--No gluten. This means no bread, pasta, or flour-based sweets.

--No dairy. Eeps, this almost killed me the first time. The two exceptions are goat cheese and plain yogurt, as they are easier to digest. They still contains lactose, however.

--No cigarettes. Again, I'm a moderate smoker, so this nearly killed me. However, the cleanse managed to jump-start one of the longest quitting binges EVER for me. I just loved feeling healthy. Hence, the consideration of a SECOND cleanse.

--Lots of fresh veggies, beans, fruit, nuts, fatty fish and whole grains. One or two eggs is okay.

--A prenatal or comprehensive vitamin each day.

So. It sounds totally crazy, right? Surprisingly, I was able to come up with a TON of recipes, even given the strict guidelines. Here are a few:

Breakfast: Fruit smoothie & granola (homemade w/oats, flaxseed, maple, raisins) with rice milk

Lunch: Rice pasta (gluten-free) with organic tomato sauce, olives, and mushrooms *or* portabello mushroom stuffed with spinach, balsamic, and quinoa

Dinner: Baked organic potato w/broccoli, goat cheese, and olive oil *or* spaghetti squash with balsamic glaze and veggie salad *or* salmon spinach salad

Yeah, I'm definitely doing it. After typing all of those yummy recipes, I can't help but want to be healthy! Do y'all think I'm nuts? Do you have any super-healthy recipes to share?