My Name is Carrie Weiss; I live in Wyckoff, NJ – a suburb located 45 minutes from midtown Manhattan. I’m married to Jeff and have two sons, Joshua (21) and Zachary (18).
I’m a consultant to the food and restaurant industry. I also give cooking classes and “perform” at charity events, where I demonstrate healthy recipes and share tips for “effortless entertaining.” My specialty is the cuisine of Provence, France, where I lived with my family for several years starting at the age of 14. I return to France each year to soak up a little joie de vivre, visit friends and spend time in different restaurants. I am certain that I was French in another life time!
This past January, I felt run down. I simply wasn’t myself. I was bloated and my skin had lost its luster. Activity, and my usual dieting techniques weren’t working. At young the age of 54 I wasn’t ready to accept looking and feeling tired, nor to resort to plastic surgery.
I read Dr Junger’s book, Clean, and decided to give the Clean Cleanse a try. My husband Jeffrey joined me, and with the help and guidance of the Clean team we completed the cleanse. My vibrancy returned and friends commented that I looked great. But best of all, through my texts with Dr. Junger and his team I was miraculously diagnosed with a major health issue that over time would have wreaked havoc on my internal system! I was so grateful that I flew out to the west coast to give them all a hug…and to cook them a halibut feast!
Since then I have incorporated elements from the Clean Cleanse and Wellness into my everyday cooking, as well as the menus I create for clients’ restaurants. Currently I am collaborating on a new “clean-style” restaurant that will be opening early next year in my town!
Day 1
Woke up at 6 am and undertook 5 minutes of qigong breathing.
This practice of belly breathing increases the blood circulation in the blood vessels that nourish your internal organs. I try to do this every morning upon waking and again before going to sleep. It also helps to do it any time I am stressed. For me, it is all about the exhale!
Went downstairs and had some warm water with lemon.
After driving Zach to school, I returned home and did a twenty-minute meditation. The meditation helps me to be “present” and get myself focused for the rest of the day.
Then I visited Linda Strobeck, a top-notch colon hygienist. I had a colonic, which is a marvelous way to detoxify, and afterwards I felt like a million bucks! Linda is also a nutritional counselor and always shares sage advice on how to eat and stay clean.
Back home, I had a green shake and took my probiotic and supplements including a multi-vitamin, vitamin D and some digestive enzymes.
I spent the rest of the day in my test kitchen to perfect a new recipe for the restaurant: Moroccan stuffed cabbage leaves filled with the most delectable ingredients and then simmered in a citrus broth.
Later, I drove an hour to Brooklyn to meet my husband for an early dinner at Sun in Bloom, a fabulous raw vegan restaurant created by Chef-owner Aimee Follette. The food is really fresh and worth the long drive! I have a pleasant addiction to the homemade coconut kefir, the best organic non-dairy yogurt substitute I have ever tasted. The meal was a fantastic way to end the day.
Day 2
After my morning routine I went to a Kundalini Yoga class, a practice that incorporates postures, meditation, breath work and relaxation. I love how I feel when I leave there: energized and elevated with a renewed sense of balance.
Next, I headed over to my CSA, Hesparides Organica, to pick up my final share of the season. These vegetables are grown on a black dirt farm in Florida, New York, about an hour north from where I live. The farmer, Lisa Vandenberg, pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a farmer seven years ago. I have decided that this is her best crop ever! Tomorrow I’ll use these tasty treats to make a luncheon for my friends to celebrate the harvest!
I went home and began preparing a roasted cauliflower and squash soup that will be served at my luncheon. The aromas filled my home.
While the soup simmered, I went into the den for a 20-minute meditation. Afterwards I went through a mental check-list of what needed to get accomplished before my guests arrived the following day. (Entertaining is of course not entirely effortless!) At 4PM I lit some candles. I always try to wind down from the day and start the evening by lighting candles and playing some relaxing music. My husband works in NYC and the relaxing atmosphere at home helps him leave the stress of the city behind him.
I listened to a new album called Of Heaven & Earth by J’ai-Jagdeesh. The sitar music is wafting in the background and I am transported to another place.
Early to bed- I make sure I get at least 7 hours sleep, which is something I find to be very important!
Day 3
I woke up extra early to set the table and to prepare the rest of the meal for my 9 guests. I was pleased with the menu and all of my recipes. I believe that when one takes the time to make food with fresh ingredients, love and mindfulness, it always will be a culinary hit!
I welcomed my guests and as we sat down to eat I reminded them that life is all about people, and I let them know how important each of them is to me. They say that you have as many personalities as you have friends, in which case I am blessed with multiple personalities!
The Menu:
Cauliflower- kabocha soup with coconut cream
Miniature Moroccan fish cakes with miso sauce
Assorted, raw vegetables served with cashew cheese dip with garlic and herbs
Avocado chiffon
Beets infused with coconut vinegar
Mixed green salad with sun dried black olives and garlic lemon dressing
Fruit cup with berries, pineapple and fresh mint
Cherry clafoutie made with 80% clean ingredients
After dessert I asked everyone to close their eyes, and I used a singing bowl to help them to relax. I encouraged them to think about someone or something in their lives that they couldn’t live without….and to give thanks. I offered them parting gifts of the handmade hair bands and terrariums from their place settings.
I ended the afternoon with a stroll outside. It was good to feel the earth under my feet and to see the last bit of color on the trees before winter’s grey shadows fall upon us!
I am Carrie Weiss and this is My Way.
Carrie is very open to sharing her recipes with you. She can be contacted by email.
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