As 2017 comes to a close, I imagine that many of you are ready to embark on some New Year’s goals. I love the fresh wave of motivation that comes with a new year!
Whether you aim to clean up your diet, commit to a new fitness routine, stick to your budget, or tackle another personal goal, I’ve noticed that people who are most successful at reaching and maintaining their goals tend to make small, manageable changes.
Choose Your New Year’s Goals Wisely
This year, I’d encourage you to aim for healthy eating changes that aren’t so challenging that they leave you feeling isolated in social situations, or have you bending over backwards to bring your own meals everywhere because you’ve given yourself such strict dietary restrictions. (I’ve been there, and in my case, it led to many years of struggling with binge eating. I ended up worse off than I had started!)
Instead, I want to challenge you to eating easy and satisfying detox-friendly meals all month long. There’s no need to cut out entire food groups completely. Instead, I want you to focus on what you can eat– lots of healthy recipes that you can find here on my site, or in my cookbooks.
30-Day “Detoxinista” Challenge
For 30 days, I’m challenging you to eat detox-friendly recipes like the ones you find here. They don’t all have to be properly combined if you’re not ready to take that step, but I’d encourage you to focus on eating real foods that are simply prepared to keep things as easy and healthy as possible.
(For example, try sweet potato toast for breakfast instead of making yourself a complicated gluten-free or grain-free bread substitute.)
What I love about a challenge like this one is that it’s flexible. If you need to dine out, there are plenty of detox-friendly options at a restaurant (like a salad topped with salsa and guacamole, or a high-quality protein with steamed vegetables), and if you need a something sweet, you can reach for a naturally-sweetened Date Energy Ball or a piece of Almond Butter Fudge, totally guilt-free.
No need to struggle!
The fact is, you need to enjoy the process if you’re going to stick with your healthy eating goals all year long. Isn’t that the point of New Year’s resolutions, to make a change that you can sustain past January? That’s my goal, anyway.
To help keep you motivated, I’m sharing some easy recipe ideas below to help you get started, and I’ll be be hosting some AMAZING GIVEAWAYS each week to reward your participation all month long.
Be sure to tag the Detoxinista recipes you make with the hashtag #detoxinistachallenge so that I can give you credit for participating on Facebook or Instagram, and join our free Facebook Support Community to follow along with a private group. The more actively you participate by leaving comments and posting the recipes you try, the more likely you are to win a weekly giveaway prize! (You’ll get an entry for every comment or post you make.)
30-Day Detoxinista Challenge Recipe Ideas
Healthy Comfort Food:
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese
- Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
- Pizza Stir Fry
- Vegan Mac n’ Cheese
- Easy Lentil, Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry
- Kung Pao Chickpeas
- Vegan Sushi Bowls with Soy-Ginger Dressing
- Vegan Chickpea Tikka Masala
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice Casserole
- Cauliflower Rice Jambalaya
- Vegan Cauliflower “Nachos” with Walnut Taco Meat
- Mediterranean Chickpea Flour Pizza
- Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Make-Ahead Meals:
- Fall Mason Jar Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette
- Sweet Potato & Quinoa Mason Jar Salads
- Make-Ahead Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowls
- Make-Ahead Vegan Lunch Bowls
- Make-Ahead Chia Pudding
- Instant Pot Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
- Lentil Potluck Salad
- Quinoa “Pasta” Salad
Easy Snacks:
- Zucchini Hummus
- Cherry Pie Larabars
- Peanut Butter “Cookie” Larabars
- Healthy Cashew Queso (or Sweet Potato Queso!)
- Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Naturally Sweet Treats:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Almond Milk Hot Chocolate
- Date Energy Balls
- No-Bake Brownies
- Almond Butter Fudge
- Date-Sweetened Flourless Brownies
- Date-Sweetened Peanut Butter Cookies
I hope you’ll enjoy this delicious challenge while meeting your healthy living goals for the New Year. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below!
I have downloaded your cookbook. Is there a day by day eating plan or weekly shopping list.
When does this challenge start
January 1st or 2nd– your choice! Since the 1st is a holiday for most people, I know many will choose to start on Tuesday instead. And that will still give you a full 30 days in January!
Hi Megan,
Are there specific guidelines for the challenge, or do we just choose healthier meal and snack options from your recipes? By the way, I would have never thought of sweet potatoes for breakfast, but I’m definitely going to give it a try!!!!
Thank you for all of your awesome recipes.
Hi – love your recipes but I am intrigued as to what the second dish is on your 30 day challenge blog… have searched your recipe index .. looks like a lasagne of some sort.. look forward to cooking it it looks delish..
It’s a vegan lasagna that I’ll post soon!
I was just about to ask about the lasagna as well! Can’t wait to see/try the recipe.
Me, too! AS soon as I saw it, I said WHAT IS THAT? LOOKS SO GOOD I WANT TO MAKE IT! Looks like layers of sweet potato and maybe some hemp seeds? Also, what is the mushroom one in the SP toast pictures?
Good morning! I would like to participate, but not on facebook or instagram. Your suggestion for staying in the loop of feedback? Thanks! I love your website and recipes!
You can participate by leaving a comment here on the blog when I post new recipes this month, and stay updated by subscribing to my email newsletter!
The ideas and recipes sound delicious, but what substitutes could be made (especially in the treats and snacks) if one is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts?
Count me in! Is there a place to register?
Love your recipes. Let’s do this!!!
What is that delicious looking sweet potato/quinoa strata recipe in the picture at the top of the post, please? <3
I’m there! This is my year of Clean Eating! 2018
I’d like to join the challenge. What do I need to do?
I want to join the challenge and download the recipes, but I dont want to add an extension to y brower. Can I get the recipes without adding an extension?
Challenge sounds great! How do I join?
Hi Megan,
Love your site and I have both your books! I know your an advocate for food combining and I do believe there validation to it but I wonder about if I should worry regarding sugar content and calories? I know your recipes are fresh and healthy I just wonder for weight loss if all your recipes are good to use or should I stick with just certain ones? Also do you eat just 3 meals a day or do you include snacks? And if so how many? Thank you
I was able to lose 17lbs by only following food combining rules and not worrying about calories or sugar, but I would recommend focusing on more simple whole food recipes, rather than baked goods that try to mimic more mainstream foods, like muffins or cookies, if that makes sense. I’ve had test groups lose weight in just a week following the meal plans in my two cookbooks, so that’s a great place to start if you want specific guidance, or you could try my 5-Day Make Ahead Reset program, which is also developed with weight loss in mind. Personally, I do eat three meals and 1-2 snacks depending on my appetite, but every day is a little different.
I was not aiming to lose weight when I started using many of your recipes and your General way of eating in my life, but I’ve also lost 25 lbs in the past few years. I love how much easier it is to do things being a bit lighter, but it’s been a pain having to buy new clothes!!
My husband and I are in. We enjoy your recipes! Looking forward to a month a all clean eating!
Yay! Glad to have you both!
Im in! Me and my hubby both enjoy many of your recipes on weekly basis.
So it will be easy for us. I don’t use Facebook so I hope not miss much. But I do follow you in IG. Thanks again for so many recipes and healthy inspiration.
I started the challenge but forgot to say so…is it too late?
I’m in! Thanks for everything you do!
Love your creations! Count me in!
Ihave your books sake love them I just bought an instant pot and I’m eager to try your instant pot recipes I haven’t tried making smoothies but I would if I had a vitamix!
We’ve been making your almond butter pancakes for the kiddos all week! They can’t get enough of them. Originally made them for the 9 mo old baby but the 3, 6, and 8 year old are enjoying them more. Thank you!
Thank you Megan for making the #detoxinistachallenge so easy with your amazing recipes. I have a lot of my go to favorites but I’m looking forward to trying some new things from both cookbooks and the website this month, especially egg roll in a bowl and the date sweetened flourless brownies!
I’m using this whole month as a detox. Thanks for the extra support and fun recipes! It helps so much when I need creative ideas!
Hi Megan! I live your blog and I have both of your cookbooks! Your meals are so easy and delicious. I got my friend hooked on your books as well when she had her first baby and needed to eliminate allergens.
I’m trying to get back on track with my healthy eating as well. I love your sweet potato quinoa casserole and your buckwheat banana bread. I’m looking forward to trying out a few new meals from your second cookbook this weekend!
I am in!!! Some great recipes here that I haven’t seen before. Thanks so much!!!
Yum! I love the mason jar salads bc well I love jars lol! But they remind me of a take and shake salad from a fast food burger place I used to go to!
Your creativity is so inspiring!!! Love all the savory options. Most detox foods are bland and leave out seasonings making it difficult to continue long term. Embracing a New Year of rejuvenating health with your support!!!
I love your recipes! Makes eating healthy so much easier. Trying to change my eating habits as well as instill healthy ones for my kids. Feel like I’m doing pretty good, but could be so much better.
Thank you!
Thank you for all the great recipes. Looking forward to starting 2018 off right.
Very Excited to participate and get even more of your amazing recipes!!
I’m always up for a challenge to be healthier and cook recipes like this a lot, so I’m in!
I’m so excited but join this challenge! I started #Whole30 on the first and many recipes will work for both! I have followers and loved your blog for years! It’s amazing! Thank you for all you do!
I just purchased your No Excuses Detox book. I can’t wait to try the recipes. I just made the Sweet Potato Noodles with Creamy Tuscan Pumpkin Sauce. It was spectacular. I didn’t have a spiralizer so I had to use a vegetable peeler. It still was delicious. I purchased the spiralizer you recommended and can’t wait to try it again.
Day 3 and we are loving it. Feels so nice after the holidays. Tonight was the skillet fish tacos, that slaw is sooooo yummy. Tomorrow is the Egg Roll in a bowl. Thanks for pushing the challange, it is great.
Wow, this looks amazing. I hope it’s not too late to join the challenge. Please count me in!
My family has been a longtime fan of yours, Megan. We started out with your crazy-addictive smoothies, transitioned into your delicious coconut curry and quinoa bowls, and then fell in love with the date balls and larabar copycats. My 6 year old son ( the pickiest among us) will only eat your chia puddings for breakfast, and smoothies. I usually add spinach to the smoothies regardless of whether it’s called for. Both of my kids are confused when they see smoothies that aren’t green or a horrible brown-green colour. :p Thanks for all of your unique, healthy, but most of all delicious recipes. Since following your recipes I eat tastier, easier to prepare things now than I did 5 years ago, and I feel so good. It certainly helps that your recipes are family- approved as well. Keep up he great work and enjoy your little ones too!
Started the day with chia pudding, and had your egg roll recipe for lunch. Yum. My evening didnt end as well so here’s to trying again tomorrow!
Super excited for the 30 day challenge. I love your recipes. ❤️❤️😊
Your cookbooks are both wonderful, and are helping us with several health problems, especially gut issues. Thanks for so many delicious options, and for help in cutting way down on grains. I can’t wait to try your garbanzo flour pizza!
This sounds like just what I need
These are great recipes! Do we have to sign up for the challenge in a certain place, or just choose clean recipes for the next 30 days?
That’s it! When you leave comments or post of photo of the recipes you make with the hashtag #detoxinistachallenge on public social media posts, I’ll enter you into the weekly giveaways, too. 🙂
I love your recipes and ideas! Will def be trying the challenge
I would live to join in. Thanks for the offer. I have o e of your cookbooks and have used several of the recipes. I am not vegetarian though, so don’t use many of the main courses. I will check out the facebook group.
Yes I’d like to take the challenge
I’m up for the challenge. Am trying out carb cycling right now and am incorporating your recipes into the plan. I have both your cookbooks and several ebooks, and all are fantastic. Truly the best vegetarian and vegan I have tried. Very impressed. I love that with your second cookbook you added all the nutrition info at the end. I’ve really gotten into carb cycling and keto, and it was very helpful to see the carb count and servings for the recipes. You don’t happen to have the nutrition info for the other cookbook, do you? Also, is there a certain website you use to calculate that kind of info. Would like to try it out myself with other recipes I have. Also, I would love to see a post on your recommendations of your recipes for those trying a keto, carb-cycling, or low carb diet and which recipes would be best. Sorry for all the questions and requests, but your books and website have become like a one stop shop for me with cooking. By the way, your cookbook made it on IIN’s holiday gift list last month. Quite an honor, I thought.
MyFitnessPal.com makes calculating nutrition info REALLY easy. Once you log in, go the to Food section and click the recipe tab. You can copy and paste the link to the recipe you want to check and they’ll calculate it automatically, or you can manually enter in the ingredients and serving size. Super easy! I don’t have the nutrition info for my first book, but that tool would make it pretty easy to figure out. Hope that helps!
Thank you very much for responding. I’ll check that out.
I am putting a couple of your recipes on my to try list- they sound amazing. Trying to make positive enjoyable change to my diet this month.
HI Megan! I love your recipes and blog. I am excited to try the 30 day challenge!
Love this!
Hi Megan,
Big fan! Thank you for compiling all these recipes in one spot. Looking forward to participating in the challenge!
Thank you for your recipes and the 30 day challenge!
This looks exciting!!!