So here I am on day 6 of my detox and I have to say that I have had a few surprises. It has definitely been the last two days that I really felt the "loss" of my addictions. Yesterday I desperately missed coffee and today I desperately missed sugar. And ok tonight, since it is my Friday, I also desperately missed wine. It is my normal routine to pour myself a glass of wine to celebrate my "Friday" and cook a nice dinner, but 1 out of 2 isn't bad. I made a nice dinner.

I do have to say on the positive side of the detox, I have never slept better in my entire life. I fall asleep easily, I sleep soundly, I dream, I wake up rested and I feel good in the morning. I also have a certain clarity on this detox. I can't totally explain it, but my head just feels clear. And I definitely celebrate the small wins when it comes to food and eating.

For example, my running coach, who sucked me into this hot mess of a detox, told me that Rice Chex is gluten free and hence detox friendly. So I can't even tell you how excited I was to have cereal with almond milk this morning. #win


While at work today, I snacked on carrots and ate leftover tuna salad. However, tonight was actually cold and rainy, a rare event in sunny So Cal, so I decided to make soup. I made Cooking Light's Spiced Chicken Soup with Peppers and Avocado Relish. It was reminiscent of a tortilla soup, just minus the tortillas. The spice blend consisted of chili pepper, cumin, coriander, pepper, oregano and salt and it packed quite a punch, this soup was zesty. Both the peppers and the chicken were cooked in this spice mixture so the entire soup was permeated with spice, which really gave it a lot of good flavor. The chicken made it very hearty, comforting and cozy. And I also really liked the avocado relish as it added a nice fresh finish to the soup.

To begin with, make the spice mixture.


Next saute the chicken and spice mixture in a pot, cooking for approximately 8 minutes. One of my critiques of this soup has to do with the chicken. The recipe calls for the chicken to be cut into slices, however I realized after the chicken was in the pan, that it is cut again once it was cooked. I probably would have just cut the chicken into pieces and then cooked it, to save myself some time, but that is just me. When the chicken has been cooked remove it and let it cool.



Next saute the onion, peppers (all 3 colors), garlic and corn if you are using. Corn is not on the detox, so you can decide to omit that, it doesn't detract in any way from the soup. Add the spice mixture to the vegetables and cook until tender.


Add the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. I have to admit I forgot to add the lime.


For the avocado relish, combine the avocado, cilantro, green onion and lime zest in a bowl. I also added a little salt and some lemon juice, which added a nice salty and tart combo to the relish.

Once the soup is done, serve it in bowls, topped with relish and enjoy the heat permeate your body. I had the heater on, but after I ate the soup, I quickly had to turn it off for fear of heat exhaustion.

Here is the actual recipe for the soup:

Spice blend:
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Soup:
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips $
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 (32-ounce) carton fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I forgot this)

Relish:
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
3 ounces queso fresco, crumbled  (I left this out because it is not part of the detox)
1 diced peeled avocado
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Preparation

1. To prepare spice blend, combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.
2. To prepare soup, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons spice blend over chicken. Sauté 8 minutes or until done; cool. Chop chicken; set aside.
3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat; add onion, bell peppers, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with remaining spice blend; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in chicken, corn, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add lime juice.
4. To prepare relish, combine chopped cilantro and next 4 ingredients (through avocado).
5. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into bowls; top with 1/4 cup relish. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

I am going to enjoy some more amazing detox sleep. Sweet Dreams!