Sticking to a cleanse on the weekend is rough! I sat through brunch today and didn’t eat a thing. I had my porridge before I went, joined good friends for company, and salivated at the sight and smell of their food. It might sound like torture to you… which is why it’s usually best to try and avoid going out to restaurants when you’re doing a detox or cleanse. But with only 2 days left, cheating wasn’t an option, so I stuck it out.

It’s been important for me to have lots of flavour and variety in my meals so I don’t get bored or feel deprived thinking of all the brunch I’m missing. Snow peas are slightly sweet, with a satisfying crunch, and curries are a great way to amp up the flavour in a healthy way!

Here’s a recipe for an easy, sweet curry that can be served over rice, millet, quinoa, or a bed of raw spinach or mixed greens. The most time consuming part is peeling and cutting the squash, but the meal comes together quickly with it’s simple ingredient list.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH COCONUT CURRY
slightly adapted from Very Fond of Food
serves 4-6

spice mix (you can grind your own, use ground, or use a pre-made garam masala or curry powder):
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cardamom

2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chili (I used a red one), seeded and minced
1 med butternut squash or 1/2 large squash (and the other 1/2 for soup!)
2 cups sprouted chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 handfuls of snowpeas, ends trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish
rice, millet, quinoa, or greens for accompaniment

Get your grains cooking first. Then heat oil in pan and add onions, on low until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add the spices and the chili and stir to coat the onions. Add the squash and stock and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until squash is just about done. Add the coconut milk, chickpeas, and snow peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve over grains of choice or a bed of greens. Garnish with lots of cilantro.

But wait! Hold onto those squash seeds, they’re edible too. Toast them just like you would pumpkin seeds and you’ll have a fantastic treat. Crunchy, salty snacks are definitely welcome during my cleanse!

TOASTED SQUASH SEEDS

Rinse seeds and remove all the bits of flesh. Pat dry and mix in a bowl with 1 tsp of oil and a small pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

**For more info on the cleanse I am doing, including which foods are acceptable and which are to be avoided, see the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox website.