Last fall two companies reached out to me to try their products. The timing was impeccable. It was within a month of our move to Colorado, our kitchen in New York was in shambles, and I really needed a little help.
The first was Cooler Cleanse Juice For a Day.
I was a little concerned about accepting the invitation to sample and review the product because I’m not a juice-fast fan (I’ve done them in the past). Don’t get me wrong, I love juicing but I now drink juice as a snack, not as a meal. I decided to sample it when I read about their one day approach “get a 24-hour mini-cleanse that has an energizing, clarifying and brightening effect.” I actually didn’t juice for a day – I enjoyed these juices over several days, drinking them in between meals.
The juices are delicious. The six juices – sweet, citrus, green, spicy, veggie, and hemp – are to be consumed in that order. The citrus and hemp were my favorites (and I’ve been juicing similar drinks since) and the two green juices (green and sweet) and the veggie juice are pretty much exactly what I juice on a regular basis, so of course I loved them. The spicy is pretty much like a master cleanse drink (water, lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup) but with a lemon / lime combo and agave syrup. I loved the flavor.
I have a juicer and make a good number of these juices on my own, so I can’t say Juice for a Day is something I would need to order on a regular basis but I would definitely order it when I’m traveling for work for an extended period of time – or when I’m living in kitchen limbo!
I was also invited to sample and review a vegan meal delivery service Fresh N’ Lean.
Meals for several days? I was in! I received this big food delivery one morning
and immediately had the oatmeal (I forgot to take a picture); it was great!
Over the next few days I enjoyed terrific meals.
Mediterranean Pasta
Three Bean Chili
Hearty Granola
Roasted squash with quinoa (I added roasted grapes)
Asian Cabbage Salad
I absolutely enjoyed the ease of reheating (or, if raw, simply opening a package) fresh, plant-based foods. I did at one point write my contact at Fresh N’ Lean to ask how they made their beans because, um, I found the bean dishes a little distressing on the tummy. They were cooked, not canned, so I wonder if the issue had anything to do with how they cooked them?
Overall, I enjoyed the Fresh N’ Lean meals and appreciated that they were lightly seasoned, leaving the salt and spice decisions to the consumer.
Thank you Cooler Cleanse and Fresh N’ Lean for providing me products to sample in return for my honest review.
12 thoughts on “When in kitchen limbo: Drink Juice for a Day and eat Fresh N’ Lean meals”
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Great reviews, JL 😀
Better late than never, right, @53a272087c092eca770dbd972b15cb31:disqus? I totally blame the move + the book manuscript due date 🙂
I’ve actually been fascinated by the idea of a juice fast/cleanse, but without a juicer it’s not something that’s easy for me to try. One of these days I’ll get around to it. 🙂 Thanks for these rviews!
Some people swear by juice fasts, @betterwithveg:disqus! I’ve tried it twice, both in the context of a broader 14-day whole foods meal plan under the advisement of a nutritionist. I was hungry when I drank my meals 🙂
These Fresh ‘N Lean meals look really good. A wide variety of stuff too! The juices sound good too. I happen to really be enjoying the Blueprint Cleanse juices too, although I use them to supplement my diet and not to cleanse. Good reviews! Cool haircut!
Oh, @facebook-100003858333601:disqus, I love the Blueprint Cleanse juices, too!
Great reviews, JL! I treated the Cooler Cleanse juices precisely the way you did, since you know my thoughts on “cleansing.” And I’m still finishing up the Fresh n’ Lean meals, but have enjoyed them immensely.
@facebook-100001600461823:disqus, you helped educate me on “cleansing” and I am forever grateful!
You know, I really like the idea of getting a bunch of fresh juices sent over to enjoy throughout the day. I’m also not a huge juice feast/fast person, but I love the boost they can add to an already wholesome diet. Thanks for the reviews. I’d never heard of Fresh N’ Lean before.
I have to agree, @google-e7fd187259ad0cf16bdd5da50f70007c:disqus. Though juicing is “easy”, to have all of those yummy juices over a few days it’s a LOT of juicing, pulp and mess! LOL
I never thought about it before but I love the idea of ordering a juice cleanse to make working in a veganically challenged area easier. Sometimes when I am in the US I find sorting out the evening meal okay but the breakfast and lunch options awful, especially if I am on site with a client and can’t just head out for an hour to scour for food. I tend to raid a wholefood store and eke out the supplies but having a juice or two to brighten the day up too would be a great improvement!
I’m glad you liked the idea, @twitter-18117578:disqus!