Creamy risotto with peas & greens

Day 4: some backup information about the 30-day-challenge!

I have to admit, at the moment i suffer from headaches more than ever, but i'm convinced it is because of the fact my body is detoxing and getting rid of all the toxics, which have accumulated in my body in the course of years. Still, with a lot of joy we're pleased to continue our mission, and keep up the good work for another 26 days! This risotto will give you the same joy as a decadent creamy, cheesy risotto, but than without all the no-go stuff! 

Go here to see the recipe immediately!

I did some research about the restrictions that we have set for ourselves and would love to share this with you. 

Nr.1: No alcohol

Well, i guess this good old friend doesn't need a whole lot of explanation, but just to be sure: 

Alcohol contains a lot of extra calories, the ones you don't need (or want!). So, by drinking alcohol you will increase weight. People who use a lot of alcohol generally have poor diets and lack of exercise, and the risk of certain cancers and heart disease increases.

When your liver has to deal with the continuous process of 'high' doses of alcohol, its structure changes and won't function properly anymore. And of course; alcohol affects the ability to think logically.

And thinking logically is one of the things we só need!

Nr.2: No gluten

Gluten are proteins that occur naturally in áll cereals. This means wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and oats. Also in products made of the flour, ​​like bread, crackers and pasta. 

Gluten is not only bad for people with medically diagnosed gluten intolerance. Almost everyone is to some level: sensitive-, intolerant- or allergic to gluten. In fact, there is hardly anyone whose body is good at processing gluten. That means there are a lot of people who feel weak daily, lifeless or even sickly unnoticed because they suffer from gluten intolerance.

This doesn't mean everyone should immediately quit eating products containing gluten, though, it would be better to reduce your gluten intake significantly. Happily enough there a plenty of things you can eat, like for example rice, quinoa, corn or buckwheat and of course all the vegetables and fruits in the world. There also are a whole lot of 'normal' products for sale in many deli's or bigger supermarkets which don't contain gluten, like special breads, pasta's and crackers.

Nr.3: No dairy products

Chemical tests of milk show us that milk has a very high level of calcium. But the calcium in it, is indigestible for humans; it bonds with other calciums in your body which make you lose calcium. Milk also has hormones, both natural and man-made. The natural hormones are ment to grow a 65 pound calf, into a 1000 pound cow. And that's what it does to humans too. The artificial hormones given to cows, make the cows produce more milk. It's not only the similar effect as steroids on humans, but it also helps cancer cells grow. As a result, one is more likely to develop cancer when drinking two or more glasses of milk per day. Milk doesn't only cause problems by itself, but 75% of the world is lactose intolerant. So for those 75%, it makes them even sicker. I could go on, and on, but you should google it for yourself to get more info! (why cow's milk is unhealthy)

If you are afraid nót to get enough calcium by skipping dairy products, don't worry: green leafy vegetables contain calcium besides many other minerals and vitamins. So 100 grams of raw kale contains twice as much calcium as a glass of low-fat milk. A green smoothie is the ideal way to get not only enough calcium but also to make your blood less acidic.

Cabbage, Chinese cabbage, apricots, almonds, hazelnuts and other sea vegetables are all good sources of calcium.

Nr.4: No coffee

 To be honest, i thought it would be tougher to get up in the morning without my dearest Nespresso cappuchino, though it's part of the deal and we switched to freshly pressed juices like carrot-beet-ginger-apple-lemon juice! It's amazing how quickly you're awake!!

What Coffee does: it increases heart rate and elevates blood pressure. Caffeine stimulates the flow of stress hormones. Anxiety and irritability are guaranteed mood disturbances associated with caffeine consumption but equally important are depression and attention disorders. 

Caffeine inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals. So you could be eating very healthy, but then washing it down with a coffee only to be losing some of those nutrients from food.

Thereby in several studies, eliminating coffee and caffeine seem to reduce the risk on urinary and prostrate problems, fibrocystic breast  disease, PMS, osteoporosis etc. etc.

Well, enough i guess to at least see what not drinking coffee for a month does to my body!

If you'd like more information on the effects of drinking coffee, i found a very good to read article here! (Nurturepod)

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 liters of vegetable stock

1 lemon2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 an onion, finely diced

1 leek, white and light green parts only. Finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Leaves from 6 sprigs of thyme

Coarse sea salt

2 cups risotto (or Arborio) rice

2 cups of spinach

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• To make the vegetable stock, easily use 4 vegetable cubes with 2 litres of water. Set the pan on a back burner over low heat.
• Zest the lemon and set aside.
• Cut the lemon in half, juice it, and set aside as well.
• Heat the olive oil in a  large, heavy pot and set over high heat.
• Cut the onion and leek and add to the olive oil. Turn over to medium heat, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and thyme with a big pinch of salt, and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat to high, add the rice, the lemon juice and a good pinch of salt, and stir to combine all the ingredients.
• In the meanwhile, chop the spinach roughly.
• Cook until the lemon juice is almost totally absorbed by the rice, and than add a ladleful of stock.
• Continue in this manner until the rice is cooked through, and you have used all your stock. (about 20 min)
• Stir in the reserved lemon zest the spinach and the peas, the basil and lot's of freshly ground pepper.
• Serve immediately!

Wow!

(recipe adapted from 'It's All Good'.)

Grate the zest of 1 lemon and set aside

Cut in half and juice the lemon. Set aside as well.

Cut the onion and leek and add to the olive oil. Turn over to medium heat, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Finely mince 2 cloves of garlic.

Add the minced garlic and thyme with a big pinch of salt, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Turn the heat to high, add the rice...

 the lemon juice and a good pinch of salt, and stir to combine all the ingredients.

Cook until the lemon juice is almost totally absorbed by the rice, and than add a ladleful of stock.

Roughly chop the spinach.

Stir in the reserved lemon zest the spinach and the peas, the basil and lot's of freshly ground pepper.

Stir well, and serve immediately!