We’re in the home stretch of our “clean eating cleanse” and we are feeling…hungry. All of the recipes have been quite tasty, but I definitely feel like I need something more to sink my teeth into. Like the Beet Slaw & Arugula Salad for lunch is delicious, but I wish I had some quinoa in there to hold me over throughout the afternoon, clementines and nuts can only go so far. Or this Carrot-Spinach Soup, which is surprisingly flavorful despite the short list of ingredients, but could really use some shredded chicken or a crusty piece of whole-grain bread to sop up the broth. I have to admit, I caved and had a cup of coffee yesterday afternoon – I’d been getting bad headaches and just couldn’t take it anymore. But besides that minor slip, I haven’t been craving my usual culprits – grilled cheese at work, sweets after dinner – I really just want some whole proteins and healthy carbs. So far, I wouldn’t say the past few days have been life-changing, but I do feel they’ve helped to reset my system after a month-long holiday binge. While I hope to incorporate the principles of eating clean, unprocessed foods into our daily routine, I will definitely not deprive myself of wine, coffee, or cheese after this cleanse – in moderation of course.

Carrot-Spinach Soup adapted from Clean Slate

makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 yellow onions, diced

14 carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

16 oz baby spinach

1 handful fresh dill, chopped

juice of 3 lemons

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.

2. Add the carrots, turmeric, and salt. Pour in 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Add the green beans to the pot and cook for 2 minutes more.

4. Add the spinach, dill, and lemon just before serving. Cover the pot for a minute or two until the spinach is wilted, then serve.