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!
Hi Megan –
Thank you for your recipes! I made your tomato pumpkin soup, and it turned out amazing! I added in spinach at the end, and it makes a great dish on these cold days. We have organic pumpkin purée in the stores right now for incredibly cheap, plus lots of tomatoes, so I thought to give it a try, and it’s delicious!
Wow, looks absolutely inspiring!
I’m in, so are my 4 kids by default! We love your recipes and the lasagna pic caught my 4 year olds eye- she’s the most enthusiastic (about eating) person I’ve ever met.
I know I’m a few days late in starting this challenge but is there somewhere I need to sign up or do I just follow your blog like always? I already get your newsletter and I don’t do social media, Thanks.
Nothing you need to do, just follow along with the blog and keep eating the recipes this month! If you want to be entered in the giveaways each week, make sure to leave a comment on the giveaway post to enter. (This week it’s the Vitamix giveaway on my Low Sugar Smoothies post)
I eased into my own detox on December 31/Jan 1 to prepare for a reiki training and for a local 2-week plant-based cleanse. Your challenge was perfect timing to compliment my goals. I have both of your cookbooks and have practiced the Hay diet (food combining) for many years. I’m excited to stay the course in January!
What a fabulous idea. Thank you!
I am totally in! Loving your recipes.
I am starting a few days late but want to participate. I just asked to join the Facebook page.
This is awesome, what a wonderful way to start 2018! I love that this challenge is manageable and simple to implement. We just did the almond pulp hummus from your first book, so good and now we have fresh almond milk to drink too. Thanks Megan!
Yes, I’d like to do the challenge too. I’m trying my hand at 80%ish raw vegan. Very different and new but trying to heal my gut at the same time while helping my daughter(6) grow into a grain free, vegan lifestyle. Your website has been very helpful. I have 1 of your cookbooks too.
Thanks! This challenge is just what I needed to get back on track!
You recipes have changed my life for the better! Looking forward to this challenge!
I made the detox salad but rather than use the lemon dressing I made with the avocado cilantro dressing and I love it! my kids age 21 month and 4 years old loved the avocado dressing and they ate the salad!! Awesome starting detox day!
I am in, I bought your two cook books, a few tools and Pantry items
Where did you post the winner of the vitamin? I can’t find it
I would like to sign up for the 30 day Detox from this page, but I couldn’t figure it out. I would like to try sweet potato toast for breakfast.Looks delish..
You don’t need to sign up– just participate by joining our Facebook Support Group or leaving comments here on the blog, or on Instagram, with the #detoxinistachallenge hashtag! (The hashtag helps me find participants easier!)
I am the fundraiser chair for a non profit girls high school for whom I serve on the board directors. Would you consider donating one or both of your cookbooks for our auction on February !2. I am part of #detoxinistachallenge and have had several comments on by FB page about the recipes and books. Thanks. I have put their website below.