Uh, yeah…about that weeklong fall detox I was planning to do? Not gonna happen. All weekend, I was lightly stressing because there was no more forthcoming information on what to expect in terms of the daily detox routine. Which would be fine if I didn’t have a job or responsibilities, but I do have both of those things, and I needed to at least have an idea in mind about how this little endeavor would mingle with my regular day-to-day routine.

Then this morning, which was supposed to be Day 1 of the detox, I get the Day 2 e-mail in my inbox. I love Yoga Journal (and have subscribed on and off over the years), but they’ve been having some major technological issues, and I decided I just didn’t need to deal with it. People were stressing out all over the place over on Facebook (and musing about the irony that what was supposed to be a healthful detox was such a source of stress before it even started), and what I was so excited about last week quickly became something I wanted to avoid at all costs.
The clincher was the all the discussion I saw about how important it is to avoid processed food while doing an ayurvedic detox. I realized that, hey, I already avoid processed foods. And I’ve already been doing a lot of yoga. And I’ve already been doing some serious work on eating the right portion sizes so that I feel “light” after meals. And I already eat nutritious food and lots of veggies.

When I said I was middle-of-the-road about the need for detox, I think I miscalculated my position. I would rather IF (intermittently fast) one day a week to give my body a break from digestion than eat kitchari three meals a day for a week. (!) [That said, despite Facebook grumblings from some, I found the kitchari to be quite tasty, if a bit heavy on the starchy carbs for me, personally.] Basically, I stopped myself from doing something that wasn’t the best fit for me, even though it might be just the perfect thing for a lot of other people.

I decided I’d rather keep spending quality time with Mindless Eating and cooking healthy, delicious meals so I have healthy, delicious frozen leftovers during the busy times than eat the same thing for one of the few precious weeks I have left before those busy times kick in. So you can expect some more recipes this week! The one bit I’m keeping from the YJ fall detox is to start working in at least a tiny bit of meditation into each day. And when I do a yoga DVD that ends with Savasana, I will not skip that part! I’ve been guilty of doing that, but last week I was watching an interview with Seane Corn, and she said that Savasana might be the most important yoga pose, and that it can mean the difference between leaving the yoga mat feeling hyper or energized, depleted or relaxed.
If you’re interested in the kitchari recipe, you can find it here. It’s something I would definitely make again, and I liked the technique of briefly cooking some whole, unground spices in oil and then adding rice and water to cook. The capper was the fresh coriander (cilantro) chutney, which you’ll also find on that page, but I’m including it below. If you like cilantro, you’ll love this (I know that to some people, cilantro tastes like soap, and I feel sorry for you!). I plan to make this frequently, perhaps leaving out the coconut and swapping lime juice for the lemon juice and a bit of chopped onion for the ginger, to use as a sort of “pesto” for Mexican food. Yum!

Fresh Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh cilantro
¼ c fresh lemon juice
¼ c purified water
¼ c unsweetened dry coconut
2 T fresh ginger root, chopped
1 tsp. raw honey
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Blend lemon juice, water, and fresh coriander until the coriander until the herb is coarsely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it is the consistency of pesto. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

P.S. Seattle has finally broken out of its long string of unseasonably warm 80-degrees-plus days. I am so relieved! Now I can cook roasts with impunity! I’m not a fan of cold, but I do not do well in heat, at all. I am a total pitta dosha, and indeed the heat was making me feel out of balance.