How to Get your Body Beach Ready: Try the GOOP Detox Menu and Recipes

I was looking for a good detox to jump start my weight loss goals for summer and quite a few people told me about the detox that Gwyneth Paltrow has been using so I looked it up on her GOOP site and found it in one of her newsletters. The diet seems really nutritious and easy to follow. It does incorporate a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables so you will have to make a trip to the market for a large shop. The good thing is that a lot of the diet is just great food and leaving out carbs, dairy, red meat, and shellfish. If you can do that, this diet should be a snap. For those of you who are taking this diet to work, it may be a little challenging because there is a lot of cutting and juicing involved. Of course this diet is easy for Gwyneth because she probably has a staff that juices for her after she is done training in the am with Tracy Anderson. Anyhow, don't beat yourself up if you cannot do all this. Try the best you can. It will still be better than not doing anything at all.

Check out her diet menu and recipes here:

MENUS (bold indicates a recipe)

Adjust the time to your schedule and the meals to your taste but remember that there can be no dairy, grains with gluten, meat, shellfish, anything processed (including all soy products), fatty nuts, nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), condiments, sugar and obviously no alcohol, caffeine or soda.

DAY ONE

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
11:30am: Coconut water*
1:30pm (lunch): Salad with Carrot and Ginger Dressing
4pm (snack): A handful of mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds
6pm (dinner): Broccoli and Arugula Soup
*Make sure that the coconut water has no added sugar. Fresh is ideal but the brands Zico or Vita Coco are readily available.

DAY TWO

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Raspberry and Rice Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Detox Teriyaki Chicken and Steamed Greens
4pm (snack): Miso Soup with Watercress
6pm (dinner): Pea and Basil Soup (follow method for Broccoli and Arugula Soup)

DAY THREE

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Oatmeal (make with rice or almond milk instead of water so it’s a bit more substantial)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
4pm (snack): Cucumber, Lime and Basil Juice
6pm (dinner): Super Greens Juice / Miso Soup with Watercress

DAY FOUR

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Mango and Coconut Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Miso Soup with Watercress
4pm (snack): A handful of blueberries
6pm (dinner): Steamed Salmon and Greens

DAY FIVE

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Peach and Almond Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Raw crudite (carrots, green beans, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini) with Carrot and Ginger Dressing
4pm (snack): Beet, Carrot, Apple and Ginger Juice
6pm (dinner): Cucumber and Avocado Soup

DAY SIX

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Mixed Greens with Steamed Salmon, Olive Oil & Lemon Juice
4pm (snack): Super Greens Juice
6pm (dinner): Detox Teriyaki Chicken, brown rice, steamed zucchini

DAY SEVEN

7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
8am: Herbal tea
10am (breakfast): Raspberry and Rice Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
11:30am: Coconut water
1:30pm (lunch): Miso Soup with Vegetables
4pm (snack): A handful of almonds
6pm (dinner): Steamed fish, quinoa, roasted squash

RECIPES

Salad with Carrot and Ginger Dressing
Broccoli and Arugula Soup
Miso Soup with Watercress
Detox Teriyaki Chicken
Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
Beet, Carrot, Apple and Ginger Juice
Super Greens Juice
Cucumber, Basil and Lime Juice
Steamed Salmon and Greens
Cucumber and Avocado Soup

SALAD WITH CARROT AND GINGER DRESSING

This dressing is the jam! Great on salad and also as a dip for vegetables. This recipe makes enough dressing for two salads, so be sure to save the extra.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 5 minutes

For dressing:
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger	1 tablespoon sweet white miso 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seed oil 1/4 cup grapeseed oil 2 tablespoons water
For salad:
1 head of baby gem lettuce (or any greens), roughly cut	1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 avocado, diced

Pulse the carrot, shallot and ginger in a blender until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the miso, vinegar and sesame seed oil and whiz together. While the blender is going, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Combine the lettuce, onion and avocado in a bowl, drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

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BROCCOLI and ARUGULA SOUP

This is a clean, basic approach to soup that showcases the vegetable. You can make this with nearly anything – including peas and basil, zucchini, carrots and ginger. In this case, broccoli is made a bit more dynamic with a handful of peppery arugula. When you’re detoxing and drinking lots of juices and smoothies, it’s a nice change to have something warm. This recipe makes enough soup for at least two portions, but it’s easier to make it once and eat it twice.

SERVES: 2
TIME: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1/2 yellow onion, roughly diced 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 2/3 pound)

2 1/2 cups water 1/4 teaspoon each coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup arugula (watercress would be good, too) 1/2 lemon

Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for just a minute or until fragrant. Add the broccoli and cook for four minutes or until bright green. Add the water, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Cook for eight minutes or until the broccoli is just tender. Pour the soup into a blender and puree with the arugula until quite smooth. Be very careful when blending hot liquids; start slowly and work in batches if necessary (you don’t want the steam to blow the lid off). Serve the soup with a bit of fresh lemon.

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MISO SOUP WITH WATERCRESS

You can make the broth early in the week and add the miso as you eat. Also, you can eat this plain, with the watercress, or bulk it up with other thinly sliced vegetables (mushrooms, zuchinni, carrots, etc.)

SERVES: 4
TIME: 30 minutes

6 cups water (filtered is best) 50 grams dried bonito flakes 3 dried shitake mushrooms 4" piece of dried wakame

6 tablespoons miso paste (whatever kind you like—sweet white miso makes for a nice, light soup while aged barley gives a full, robust flavor) 2 cups watercress leaves

Heat the water in a small soup pot and when bubbles form around the edge, add the bonito. Turn the heat down and simmer for two minutes. Turn off the heat and let the broth sit for five minutes. Strain the broth into a clean pot, discarding the bonito. Add the shitakes and wakame to the broth and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the wakame and mushrooms. Discard the thick stems from the mushrooms, thinly slice the caps and slip them back into the soup. Chop the wakame into small pieces, discarding any thick pieces of stem, and return to the pot.

In a small bowl, combine the miso paste with a bit of the broth and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture back into the pot and let the soup simmer, being careful not to let it boil. Add the watercress at the last minute, just to wilt it, and serve.

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DETOX TERIYAKI CHICKEN

This sauce is detox-friendly because it doesn’t use sugar or soy, but it has a great depth of flavor and is the perfect consistency.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 20 minutes + time for marinating

For Sauce:
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup agave syrup 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper	1 teaspoon barley miso 1 teaspoon mirin 1 tablespoon water
Combine the balsamic, agave, ginger and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for ten minutes. Cool and then add the miso, mirin and water. For Chicken:
1 chicken breast Detox Teriyaki Sauce	1 finely chopped scallion 4 sprigs cilantro, roughly chopped

Marinate the chicken in the sauce (reserve a spoonful or two) for at least one hour–up to overnight.

Heat your grill to medium heat. Wipe off any excess marinade and grill the chicken for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve with the reserved, hasn’t-touched-raw-chicken sauce, cilantro and scallions.

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BLUEBERRY and ALMOND SMOOTHIE

This could easily be made with any fruit—raspberries, peaches, mango, etc. Also, feel free to substitute rice or coconut milk for almond milk.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 5 minutes

1 scoop of a complete nutritional, whey protein fortified powder (not soy protein) 1/2 cup blueberries

1 scoop of a ProGreens type of powder (preferably with probiotics) 1 1/2 cups almond milk

Blend everything together.

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BEET, CARROT, APPLE and GINGER JUICE

This juice is the most incredible color and is wonderfully sweet. Beets are said to lower blood pressure, carrots pack a super beta-carotene punch, apples are cancer-fighters and ginger just loves your heart.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 5 minutes

1 large or 2 medium beets, cut into wedges 1/2 lemon, zest and pith removed

2 large carrots 1 large apple, cut into wedges 1" piece of ginger

Juice everything into a glass, give it a stir and enjoy.

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SUPER GREENS JUICE

Health in a glass!

SERVES: 1
TIME: 5 minutes

1 cup tightly packed kale 4 stalks celery 1 1/2 pears, cut into large pieces

1" piece of fresh ginger 1/2 lemon, zest and pith removed

Juice everything into a glass, being sure to alternate the kale with the other ingredients to help it get through the juicer easily (I follow each small bit of kale with a celery stalk). Give the juice a stir before drinking.

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CUCUMBER, BASIL and LIME JUICE

This juice is especially refreshing when you blend it with a handful of ice cubes (use a whole lime if you do, as the acid is muted when it’s cold). Think of it as a detox-friendly mojito.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 5 minutes

1/2 cup fresh basil 1 English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 lime, zest and pith removed 1 apple, cut into wedges

Starting with the basil, juice everything into a glass, give it a stir and enjoy.

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STEAMED SALMON and GREENS

You could steam the fish on a bed of anything—thinly sliced fennel, lemon, even scallions or leeks.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 20 minutes

small handful (roughly 1/4 cup) of your favorite leafy herbs (parsley, basil, chervil, tarragon, etc.) 1 6 oz. organic salmon filet

a cup of your favorite fresh greens (kale, spinach, dandelion, chard, etc.) 1 wedge of lemon

Line your steamer with the herbs and rest the salmon filet on top. Steam for 11 minutes. Put the greens alongside the fish and steam for an additional 7 minutes. Squeeze the lemon over the fish and greens and serve.

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CUCUMBER and AVOCADO SOUP

Really light and refreshing, this soup is also incredibly satisfying because the avocado makes it so creamy.

SERVES: 1
TIME: 2 minutes

zest of 1/2 lime juice of an entire lime 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, roughly chopped 1/2 avocado, peeled and roughly chopped

Blend everything together until totally creamy and smooth.