i am -gasp- hounded OUT!

[thejulia]

after a serious food binge in vegas, i'm just exhausted and don't want anything to do with the normal holiday goodie train. sadly, i have family coming in tonight so i know we'll be cooking and eating all sorts of treats.

i yearn for some simple flavors- crisp raw vegetables, clear broth... i've been having cucumbers, miso soup and sorbet.

what are everyone's hound recovery techniques for when your belly and tastebuds want a break from the foie, the fried, and all that is fatty?

[BellaDonna]

I think I lost my steam for cooking right before Christmas. I cooked Christmas dinner for 13 people and that was about it. It's been mostly simple meals and eating out for the past 2 weeks or so.

As far as "heavy" or "fatty" foods are concerned around the holidays, that really does not affect me. I do more damage around the non-holidays.

[krissywats]

Nuts and fruit and loads of fiber and water and a dose of olive oil. Whole foods/meditteranean diet is the best way to go - little meat, very little dairy, loads of veggies and fruit and fish and nuts and you'll be back to your self in no time.

Tomorrow (heavy food weekend for me, too) I'm going with oatmeal with walnuts, almonds & fruit, salad with lean turkey, total fage yogurt with fruit, vegetable soup with lentils, probably another handful of nuts later in the day, a good long walk, and some working out and I know by tomorrow night I'll feel better. Right now I feel every morsel of cheese and meat and butter and sweets weighing me down!!

[Candy]

I am so #$&*@^ tired of cooking. I have been pretty much cooking and baking non-stop since late Oct. Newspaper event to prepare for, charity event to bake for, my DH's staff Dec. cookie meeting to bake for and then Christams etc. Tonight was tortilla soup and it was welcome but I had to make it. I am sooooooo ready for someone to cook for me. Even if for one day. I am just so tired. 'course I have a gourmet club dinner in 2 weeks, a fund raiser I work on, Art of Chocolate which I co-chair...no I don't cook for that, some of our best local chefs donate thier best chocolate creations, but I am baking again for a Girl Scout fund raiser a few nights after that. It is and has been non-stop. Drowning!

[jenniebnyc]

How about going out to dinner? The night before xmas we went out and it was the best thing I had done since before Thanksgiving!!! Although, I just finished cooking a pot of lentil soup for dinner tonight and poached some shrimp and made cocktail sauce for tomorrow's festivities. It never ends.

[Candy]

I keep suggesting that and I end up cooking. Luckily(?) I managed to shatter my glass cooktop today.....I still cooked. I Made pea soup in the microwave and biscuits in the oven. No matter what, I still end up cooking. I really am f%$#&*g tired of it at the moment.

[Moonpie]

Years ago, I volunteered for a festival that resulted in fast food and carney foods for 2 weeks straight.

I would always crave fresh fruit, tomatos and brocolli afterwards.

[hotoynoodle]

i'm with the sushi camp. i've also been eating a lot of chopped salads, and at least 2 apples each day.

[laylag]

Greek salad. It's what I always crave when I've just had enough or too much. Romaine, cucumber, grape tomatoes, onions, a little bit of kalamata olives and some low fat feta with a greek style vinaigrette. Sometimes I add some pepperoncini, other times not. If I'm needing some extra protein I throw on some grilled chicken breast. That's it. It's clean simple tastes that work well together and it's light. I think I'll be eating that all through January.

[orangewasabi]

I hear you Julia, we're at the end of a 3 week holiday in Paris. Yesterday, we had to finally break down and have Thai food (we normally have asian food 3-5 times a week).

Then I had sorbet and water for supper.

As soon as I get home, I am having a week of lettuce salads with perhaps a head of brocoli or two.

Then on to a week of spicy cooked vegetables -- I agree with Jacey that spices do help clear you up.

[thejulia]

the walks really settle my stomach!

i'm easing back into normal houndness again. Seafood soondubu chigae and grilled mackerel for dinner. Still pretty light, but a bit more heft!

[amandine]

I pretty much have given up hot food (as in hot-temperature). everything i eat is straight out of the fridge. lots of salads, raw veggies, hummus, cold hard boiled eggs, cold meat, cold leftovers. i find food less.... cloying that way.

Take brisk walks in the cold, at night if it's not too cold. The fresh air in your lungs does wonders.

Be careful with broth diets... you don't want to set yourself up for a late-night rebound.

[Jacey]

To cleanse:

Sreamed veggies spiced up
cottage cheese with cinnamon and a little splenda
braised cabbage
egg white omlette or steamed eggs
chicken breast with sliced peppers, pour salsa over it and bake

Anything that has a little spice to it helps cleanse you. I try to stay aqay from most soups because the salt content does not help this process

[adroit_minx]

I always make a big pot of Sopa De Lima (non-tortilla version) with extra veggies and sprinkle a bunch of chopped cilantro in each serving. It's like detox in a bowl.

[amyzan]

I eat fruit first thing in the mornings. All the fiber and water and natural sugars sort of jumpstart the digestive system, ahem. Tea and lots of water. As for the rest of the day: simple salads with vinaigrette, broth based soup, sometimes with noodles or brown rice, eggs, and seafood or sushi for dinner.

[andreas]

Green and/or herbal tea. Clear soups. Rice, flavored sparingly.
I know of what you speak.

[Walters]

The Julia, Hey, Chowhound, toughen up. Grab a chunk of Foie Gras, some Kobe Beef and a Jolt Cola and give 2007 a proper Chowhound welcome...

[thejulia]

I was feeling a little bit less peckish until I read that and imagined a chunk of wagyu stuffed with foie and marinated in cola... Now I'm nauseous ;)

[greenstate]

That's grapefruit campari sorbet...

[greenstate]

Blue Moon grapefruit capmari sorbet. When that is gone I'll switch to their pear ginger sorbet.

[melly]

I've been craving water! Also, light soups and of all things, V8 juice with lemon in it!

[bill_in_dunn]

During a Gourmet Death March in Vegas, I go to Noodles in the Bellagio every day or two for a nice big serving of their steamed veggies. Also try to do a lot of walking.

[Glencora]

With a house full of leftover ham, cookies and candies I'm craving mangoes and pomegranates. I'm also drinking lots of green tea and hot lemon water.

[saticoy]

Last night, with a fridge full of yummy, fatty leftovers, I wound up making some quinoa with lightly steamed snow peas and rell bell pepper, and heated some frozen black beans I had made (with onions, garlic only)....used a little crunchy fleur de sel over it all and it was the perfect antidote.

[jenniebnyc]

salad
chilled fruit
sushi
broth type soups

[The Jeff Next Door]

I love miso soup with tofu and scallions, along with a cup of light green tea.

Another favorite is lentils and vegetables (whatever is handy) on basmati rice.

[chef chicklet]

For me, I reach a point where I simply cannot handle one more heavy meal, and thank goodness what I crave is not fattening.

What I will want is a plain pita pocket stuffed with lots and lots of sprouts with an assortment of crunchy veggies, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and doused with alot of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Or I will also use a plain bagel and load it with the same.

My other favorite is a flour tortilla barely warmed and loaded with ice cold shredded napa cabbage, jalapenos,cilantro, green onion and lime juice, salt and pepper slaw.
Although there is a lot to be said for the crunchy, cold thing going on with me, it is slmost like I need to cleanse my palate of anything with fat or with oil in it. I find it is so tasty and refreshing, the red wine vinegar just works miracles for me and the more the better!

[MaggieB]

I'm so with you guys. I've been on an eating bender for a little over a week now and my stomach is really starting to revolt.

Last night, my SO and I boiled some frozen potstickers from the Asian market and ate them with cold shrimp and a little cocktail sauce. Perfect.

Though I killed it with Chipotle for lunch (had a free coupon, figure why not? Big mistake!).

[thejulia]

I'm thinking grapefruits and fennel now.

[Das Ubergeek]

Funny, I just made a salad of Cara Cara oranges (a mix of red grapefruit and orange), fennel, grilled chicken, avocado and sesame dressing... I just couldn't face anything heavy today.

[marlie202]

I always find simple is best--make a nice soup (veggie or chicken) and homemade bread -warming and nice

[HillJ]

clear soups def
smoothies
I tend to go liquid :) for a few days after a major holiday

[ciaobella]

I find "spa water" quite refreshing and cleansing after holiday binging- just add some sliced cucumbers, mint leaves and tangerine segments to a large pitcher of water. Kep it int he fridge and enjoy a cool glass often.

[annimal]

MMMM agua fresca!

We have a great local Mexican restaurant that does all kinds of combinations. The last time I went it was Lemon basil, though I've had strawberry and various herbs, etc. I do love the cucumber.... And I've got mint and nothing else to do wth it. Maybe I'm having some Agua fresca!

[chef chicklet]

I make my own spa water with mint. I used to pay next to $2 per bottle and I now make it myself. SOOOOO good!!!

[Andiereid]

If I used our mint for that, my husband would have a fit. He thinks the huge mint patch in the herb bed is his alone, reserved for mojitos!

[choctastic]

You should tell him that if he's not careful that mint patch will take over the entire garden and thus you are helping him out by taking a little. besides what is he worried about mint grows like a weed.

[swissfoodie]

A good Vietnamese soup (Pho). Big mixed salads. Ratatouille. Baked fish with steamed vegetables and vinaigrette.

[BostonZest]

A simple soup with Asian stock and white poached chicken.

[Dommy]

Yup! That is what we are having tonight... first night post recovery was soup as well (A light meatball and spinach soup)

--Dommy!

[annimal]

i always want salads with a really vinegary vinaigrette. raw veggies, like you said as well. This year I'm eating carrots and celery with Annie's Goddess dressing (love the tahini/garlic combo), and vinegary salads. Though admittedly, today's wasn't exactly low in fats and oils (wilted spinach with bacon, gorgonzola, and egg). But it was good!!

[cheryl_h]

Lots of simply cooked veggies, grains like couscous or bulgur, fresh salads.

The cravings will return though.

[HLing]

clear cabbage soup, salt & pepper.

[Andiereid]

For breakfast - Oatmeal or toast and coffee.

For lunch - cottage cheese and some saltines

For dinner - a crisp salad with vinaigrette, a simple broth or tomato-based soup, and some crusty bread.

Oh - and LOTS AND LOTS of WATER.

[Bostonbob3]

I CRAVE sushi at the end of the holiday season.

[Andiereid]

You and my husband. He made a beeline for the sushi place as soon as all the festivities were over.