…was a little disappointing. I didn’t really like the yam part of it. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 yams
• (1) 16 oz. can black beans
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 avocado
• 2 tomatoes
• 8 oz. black olives
• 3 tbsp cilantro
• 1/2 hot green chili

The Yam Experience: Peel and chop the yams; heat them in water until soft. Mash with the lime juice. Drain and heat the black beans. Mix yam and black beans together.

The Southwestern: Chop the avocado, tomatoes, olives, cilantro, and green chili, and mix together. Place on top of Yam Experience.

Like I said, there was something with the Yam Experience that didn’t sit right with me. Maybe it was the fact that it was an "experience" instead of a "meal." Today, however, I mixed a half-cup of quinoa with half-a-can of black beans and put the Southwestern on top. And hoo-boy, that was some comfort food.

At 10:50 a.m. this morning, on the first full day of detox diet, I had already craved the following items: 1) shortbread 2) fried "poppin'" shrimp (I should explain for people who read "no meat" in the previous post that I am pescatarian, not vegetarian, although what I eat is vegetarian most of the time).

Last night's dinner (reheated into today's lunch) turned out all right. I will call it Easy Chickpeas with Indian Spices: A Dinner in Fiveish Ingredients. Please note that oil and spice measurements are approximate. I almost never measure either of them, but just pour in whatever looks right.

• 2 tsp olive oil
• Small onion
• 3 tomatoes
• 16 oz. can of chickpeas
• 1/2 to 3 tsp. of various Indian spices (I used garam masala, tumeric, and coriander)

Chop the onion and fry it in the oil. After it clears and starts to brown a bit, add the chickpeas (drained) and the spices, to taste. Heat the chickpeas through (about five minutes) and add the tomatoes. Cook about five more minutes. Serve over batsmati rice.

About a month ago I decided I would begin 2007 with a week of detox diet. It's not a New Year's resolution or anything like that; more a recognition that between the winter holidays and an upcoming trip to Vegas, I would probably be hitting my body pretty hard. Plus I think it's a pretty good idea to clean up shop every now and then and treat myself like a lady. A lady who eats a lot of broccoli.

So I conceived of a one-week diet that based off of a detox my father did a number of years ago when he had an intestinal yeast infection. The main differences between what he did and what I'm planning to do is that he ate meat and I will not, and he couldn't eat fruit and I will. Oh, and I think he did his for about a month, not a week. As of writing this, I haven't even eaten my first detox meal and I'm already jonesing for a hunk of cheese, so I think it's best to start small.

Anyway, this is what I can eat:

• Good grains: Rice, quinoa, etc.
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Beans and Nuts
• Beverages: Green or herbal tea, water
• Olive oil
• Herbs and spices

And this is what I am specifically trying to avoid:

• Wheat flour
• Sugar
• Alcohol
• Dairy
• Processed anything

I also decided that, in the adventurous spirit of Lewis and Clark, I am not going to use any recipes (they did that, right?). Rather, I have a bunch of approved ingredients in my kitchen and bright ideas in my head (The Southwest Yam Experience, anyone?). In conclusion: I will probably be posting a lot of recipes this week.