Rethink cleanses and detoxes with this delicious three-day meal plan. Cook and eat these cleanse-friendly foods to recalibrate your taste buds, body, and mealtime mindfulness.
With the shift of seasons, a gentle cleanse or “detox” to recalibrate the palate, mind, and body can do wonders to restore and rejuvenate.
This cleanse is not about deprivation—think of it as a wake-up call to the how, why, and what we’re eating. Our busy day-to-day can leave us shuffling back to convenience foods, even those that are touted as healthy. Main meals, snacks, drinks, and more are all too easy to purchase today—and they’re delicious! But they’re not always the most nutritious choice.
Here, a three-day menu free of packaged, processed, and refined foods is made doable for the average diner. This cleanse is not about restriction; it’s about filling our bodies with the nutrition they need. It’s free of unhealthy ingredients and common allergens such as dairy and wheat, but rich in vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and healthy fats.
Without expensive juices, smoothies, and specialty ingredients, this everyday detox will have you feeling lighter, brighter, and more focused at the end of your (delicious!) three days. Cook to nourish, realign, and get that healthy-living motivation back on track with these wholesome, cleanse-friendly recipes.
Tip
Eschewing unfermented cows’ milk, which can exacerbate allergies, is important on this gentle cleanse. Try dairy-free alternatives to milk such as coconut, almond, cashew, and rice for recipes where creaminess is required.
Day 1:
Breakfast - Brown Rice Morning Bowls with Mango and Coconut Golden Milk
Lunch - White Bean Kale Soup
For a delicious lunch that’s full of cleansing fibre and healthy antioxidants, whip up this soup.
Dinner - Green Herb and Almond Chicken Bun Cha
Day 2
Breakfast - Brown Rice Morning Bowls with Mango and Coconut Golden Milk
Use yesterday’s leftovers and serve chilled. Feel free to use your own toppings to change it up!
Lunch - Sweet Potato, Red Onion, and Kale Hash
Clean snacks
If you’re feeling hungry between main meals, reach for a nutrient-rich, detox-friendly snack. Sticky Fruit and Oat Squares featuring hemp hearts, dried fruit, orange zest, and almonds are a superb cookie replacement.
Dinner - Grilled Celeriac Steaks with Pine Nut and Currant Relish
Day 3
Breakfast - Grain-Free 4-Coconut Pancakes with Strawberry Star Anise Compote
Lunch - The “Relatives” Salad
This surprisingly hearty salad makes a perfect lunch! Plus, it packs well for a busy day on the go.
Dinner - Poached Chicken Soup with Seasonal Vegetables, Quinoa, and Flaxseed Oil
Spread some flavour
, packed with butternut squash, chickpeas, and tahini, adds a boost of flavour to just about any meal. Use as a dip for veggies, spread on gluten-free toast or crackers, top a grain bowl with it, stir into brown rice pasta, and more.
Allison Day, RHN, is a nutritionist, blogger, and cookbook author. Check out her cookbooks, Whole Bowls and Purely Pumpkin (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016).
Alexa Everett
Carime Lane
Adam Meyer
Emilie Richardson-Dupuis