April 17 – The fear caused by the pandemic has led some people to indulge in non-ideal comfort foods. Stress eating is certainly one thing. The founders of the Boulder-based nutrition and wellness coaching company Conscious Cleanse have published a cookbook of the same name with more than 150 healthy recipes to revitalize the home cook’s culinary habits.
And it’s not all celery juice and flaxseed.
“What you will find in our cookbook is something for all types of eaters – paleo, vegans, pescatarians alike – in a vegetarian context,” said Jules Peláez, co-founder of Conscious Cleanse. “We recommend to our readers that anyone can be plant-based, whether you eat meat or not. Every time you eat your veggies in a more fun and creative way, you win and your body will thank you.”
While the healthy eating gurus have helped several local people embark on a beneficial food journey, their reach has blossomed beyond the front range. With praise from well-known makeup artist and entrepreneur Bobbi Brown, yoga pioneer Ana T. Forrest, founder of Pure Barre, Carrie Dorr, and many others, their influence continues to expand.
“When Jo (Schaalman) and I came together to create conscious cleansing, we were our own experiments, testing ourselves, and figuring out for ourselves what worked best,” said Peláez. “During this exploratory process, we found that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health and healing, but there are common denominators that almost all health programs agree on. One of those common denominators is, eat more vegetables.”
You will not find a point system like that of Weight Watchers in this program.
“The conscious part of conscious cleansing is creating a positive relationship with both food and your body,” said Co-Founder Jo Schaalman. “We believe food is medicine, and when you put the right food into your body, you thrive. We don’t count calories or step on the scales and believe that diet is individualized.”
The story goes on
While those seeking better health are drawn to the mealtime program, it is also the encouraging support from the founders and their team of health coaches that gets people involved.
“We also know that real change occurs when you feel like someone else has your back and believes in you,” Schaalman said. “We coach and bond with every single person who comes to our program so that they are responsible for achieving their health goals.”
Peláez remembered that during her childhood she was curious about certain foods and their physical and emotional effects on them.
“I was a sensitive little kid, so from a young age I started researching holistic health and wondering why certain foods made me tired and grumpy,” Peláez said. “I remember being about 9 years old and waking up under the dining table after an epic Thanksgiving dinner. I fell asleep under the table and woke up scratching my head why someone wanted to eat this way. Years later, I found out that this is what we call a “food coma” “.
For Schaalman, an almost fatal accident motivated her to investigate a lifestyle change related to diet.
“In 2004, I was hit by a 100 km / h truck while riding across the country on a coast-to-coast bike ride,” Schaalman said. “This was my fork in the road, as my mom always told me. My life path changed completely as I couldn’t go to medical school because I was told from doctor to doctor that I would be disabled for the rest of my life. This one Accident has taken me on a healing journey. I’ve tried every diet on the market thinking if I lost the 40 pounds that I gained I would heal and be happy. Nothing worked. After years of looking at my body hated and treated food Like the enemy I thought, what if I changed my thinking? What if food became medicine and my body became my ally? “
Schaalman and Peláez authored three books and served thousands of clients over the years.
“Jules (Peláez) and I have put together a program for us,” said Schaalman. “The premise was 14 days of real food, zero allergens, and lots of vegetables. Most shocking was that, while we shared these rationale, we both achieved life-changing results with relatively different eating plans. I ate meat. Jules didn’t. Jules ate grains. Me didn’t eat. Jules ate fruit. I didn’t eat. After two weeks my chronic pain went from nine to five. I lost 15 pounds and my depression finally began to lift. And that was the beginning of conscious cleansing. “
From vibrant and nutritious beet hummus to fish tacos with lime, the latest book’s offerings aim to treat both the taste buds and the body.
“My favorites right now are my fruit-free, super green smoothie, ginger salmon, bison Bolognese with zucchini noodles, and the chocolate and chickpea ice cream,” said Schaalman. “My kids love these recipes too.”
On Monday at 5:30 p.m., Peláez and Schaalman, together with the Boulder JCC, will run a virtual cooking class for only USD 10 per household.
“We’ll be making two healthy desserts from our newly published cookbook, Chocolate Dessert Hummus and Chocolate Tahini Energy Balls, and answering questions and sharing our favorite clean eating recommendations in real time,” Schaalman said. “You can cook with us or just watch. It will be an intimate evening full of cooking, chatting and fun.”
While some programs are limited, Schaalman and Peláez believe in abundance and contentment.
“Most people hear the word ‘clean’ and think of lemon water and cayenne pepper, juice cleansing, choking on expensive supplements, and chaining to the bathroom,” Peláez said. “This is not conscious cleansing. Conscious cleansing is not all or nothing, but a long-term plan for sustainable nutrition based on common sense and undisputed science. Conscious cleansing also deals with the inner game of eating. The mental ones and emotional reasons why we crave the foods we do. “
“The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook: 150 Recipes to Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Change Your Life” is priced at $ 17.84 on Amazon. On May 1st, Peláez and Schaalman will do a green smoothie demo through Zoom, hosted by Firehouse Books.
“Our goal in conscious cleaning has always been to make clean food available to everyone,” said Peláez. “Our goal with ‘The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook’ is to get readers into the kitchen. Cooking can be fun and, as we argue, it should be a joyful process. Not every attempt will result in a masterpiece, and that’s fine Just go to the kitchen, experiment, try new foods, and most importantly, pour the food you cook with love. “
