After a week at the beach, filled with friends, food, beach fires, sun and of course, cocktails, I wanted to treat my body to a 10-day cleanse when I got home. Mostly it was because I felt like I had eaten more meat, cheese and alcohol than normal. Though I stayed away from the junk food, the processed crap and yucky meats, I definitely got ice cream one night and may have had a smore or two around the fire over the week. I could feel that sluggish feeling and I knew that meant my body needed some cleaning up. I decided on top of my usual gluten-free, no processed foods lifestyle, I was going to avoid meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine and alcohol for 10 days. I am on day 5 and I am glad I made the decision to do this quick cleanse. Since I did the 30-day cleanse a few months ago and there is little detox I had to go through this time around, in a way, this feels like a breeze. Though, I am not going quite as strict as the last time, I know that just avoiding the major things will make a huge difference in the way I feel. For me, when I cleanse, I try to focus on eating a lot of vegetables, healthy grains and legumes. I go light on the fruits and healthy oils, but I don’t cut them out completely. I hope to cleanse again at the change of the seasons, but it will depend on how my body is feeling. I also really try to include a lot of spices and herbs in my meals, since they are great natural detox and healing aids and are really helpful for purifying your digestive system. I had some ginger in the fridge and thought it would be a great addition to this smoothie. Ginger is warming and promotes digestion and has been used for centuries to aid in gastrointestinal distress. It is also known to boost the immune system and is an effective remedy for coughs, congestion and sore throat.

Most almond milks have a sweetener of some sort added, I try to find one with the least amount of sweetener, I have yet to find one without any. The organic almond milk I used was very lightly sweetened with evaporated cane juice, so this smoothie didn’t need any sweetener added, but if you wish, you could add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of organic raw honey or whatever your sweetener of choice is. Homemade almond milk is also an option. I came across this recipe on So Good and Tasty for Homemade Almond Milk and I plan to try making it very soon. The nice thing about making your own almond milk is you can control the amount of sweetness and you can even use the pulp from the nuts for a spread.

I have made this smoothie a couple of times this week and not only is it a filling and tasty breakfast, it has definitely helped with the sweet cravings I had early on.

Blueberry Ginger Almond Milk Smoothie
serves 1

1 – 1 1/2 cups organic almond milk (I used vanilla flavored)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 – 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
a few ice cubes

Put all the ingredients in the blender, blend until smooth. Add more almond milk or ice as necessary.