Good Clean Fun

So, I'm taking on a new challenge - a Clean Food Challenge, to be specific.  It lasts just one week, and is organized by a friend and former colleague, Emilie, who is turning into quite the world-class blogger at One Mom in Maine.  Actually, Emilie was one of the reasons I started this blog, because I so enjoyed reading about her kids and adventures.  It's funny, too, because now I've had friends use terms like "blog-stalking" when talking something I post, which is exactly how I used to feel about reading her blog.  It's odd to talk to someone about something they didn't specifically tell you.  It feels like an intrusion, but as Emilie said to me once: I don't put it on the internet to keep it private.   I digress.

This Clean Food Challenge ...

Rules:    no processed food
              no dairy
              no sugar
              no alcohol
              no gluten
              no meat (no problem!)
              ONLY vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and fresh pressed juices
              one gallon of water per day (yikes)

Part clean food, part cleanse, and for me no top-form, feeling-good, sparkly reason for joining in.  It's totally selfish: my post-baby weight loss has stalled about 15 lbs up from my pre-pregnancy weight and I'm almost 25 lbs more than I weighed when Lucy was 3 months old.  Normally I'm not much of a weight obsessor, but I don't really fit into my clothes and can't afford a new, larger-sized wardrobe.  Thus, I join in the challenge.

I'm starting tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes.  When I explained to my loving husband my plan, he laughed at me, so there is NO WAY I'm letting him have the last word on this one, even if I survive on watermelon and brown rice for the week.  I also have the added incentive this blog - it's public, success or fail.  So I've got to do it, right?  Thankfully, I have a great resource in my neighbor, Joanna Steven, who is a raw-foodie with a ton of recipes, advice, and is even lending me her extra juicer for the week.  And cooking 3 different meals, no problem.  We basically do that anyway!

On the menu to start is a recipe from Joanna:

White Beans and Kale Soup

   1-1/2 t. olive oil
   4 large garlic cloves, minced
   1/2 med onion, chopped
   2 C. raw kale, chopped
   2 C. vegetable broth
   1 can (15 oz) white beans, cannellini or navy, drained
   2 plum tomatoes, chopped
   1 t. dried italian seasoning
   salt and pepper

   Sautee garlic and onion until soft.
   Add kale, stir until wilted.
   Add 1/2 of broth, 1/2 of the beans, tomato, and herbs.  Simmer 5 min.
   In a blender, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth.  Stir into soup.
   Simmer 15 minutes more.

So I'm interested if anyone wants to weigh in on some questions I have:
    
     Canned foods?  Beans?  Tomatoes?  They're processed, but whole food.
     Vegetable broth?  I suppose I could make my own, but let's get real.
     If my milk is local, organic, and minimally processed, could it be considered clean?
     What about tea for caffeine?  Some are still drinking coffee but no cream? No way.