Jodie Ponto Photography

Finding myself in a mouth-watering food haven like Vancouver while on this wee protest against my usual sugar/dairy/flour/alcohol/coffee addiction has taken concocting delicious dishes free of the above vices to a whole new level (to check out photos from the first two weeks click here).

Millet Breakfast Surprise Soaked with Almond Milk & Strawberries

Scrambled Egg & Vegetable Slice-Up Surprise

Vegetables That Are Really Only a Surprise if You’re Colour Blind

Herb Surprise

Raita Surprise

Spaghetti Squash Surprise

Sesame Fried Green Bean & Asparagus Tip Surprise

Tossed Tabouli Surprise

Spring Salad Feast Surprise

Even More Spring Salad Feast Surprise

I thought it was hard to find new foods to photograph during the first week of Cleansey McCleanse … and then the second week happened.

In addition to various combos of all the foods I posted photos of during Week One (Check out photos here), this is what Week Two looked like:

Tea Overdose Surprise

Red Quinoa Surprise

Beeterrific Borscht Surprise

Steamed Green Things Surprise

Scavenger Supper Surprise with Soft-Boiled Eggs, Asparagus, Barley, and Homemade Guacamole

White-Fish Fry-Up Surprise Topped with Homemade Pesto & Salsa

After a week of taking a break from my usual relationship with food I’m finding it harder and harder to find culinary delights that I haven’t already photographed. Nevertheless, here are some plate portraits from Day Six & Seven. To check out Days One through Five click here.

Plainer Than Plain Yogurt Breakfast Surprise with Apples, Seeds,  & Flax

Zucchini Surprise

Onion Surprise. Or, The Base Flavour Ingredient For Everything Surprise

Supper Surprise with Barley, Raita, and Moose Steak Medley

Leftover Lunch Surprise with Cold Steak, Parsnips, Salad, and Cauliflower Pretending to be Mashed Potatoes

Parsnips are fun.

Here are some plate portraits from Day Five of this ol’ cleanse (check out Day One & Two here , Day Three here, and Day Four here):

Millet Breakfast Surprise with Apples, Walnuts, and a Hearty Handful of Flax

Double Leftover Surprise. Or, 2 Dishes 1 Leftover

Krakus – Prince of Poland Bitter Beverage Surprise. Or, Roasted Barley, Rye, Chicory, & Beet Root Coffee Substitute Surprise.

Overflowing Grain Cupboard Surprise

Moose Steak-fest Surprise

Besides sniffing chocolate & cheese packages in the grocery store and almost succumbing to the spinach bread bowl at an evening art sale here’s what Day Four looked like (check out Day One & Two here or Day Three here):

Krakus – Prince of Poland Bitter Beverage Surprise. Or, Roasted Barley, Rye, Chicory, & Beet Root Coffee Substitute Surprise.

Leftover Fridge Vegetable & Moose Meat Soup Surprise

Yet Another Salad Surprise

Roasted Beet Treat Surprise

Delectable Delicata Surprise (to see a previous ode to Delicata click here)

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m attempting to deal my ravenous sugar addiction a lethal blow with a little (okay, big) dietary change. If you have no idea what the hell Madame Cheese/Chocolate/Wine-Face is talking about click here to fill yourself in.

Here’s what day three looked like:

Leftover Quinoa Goulash Surprise with Vegetables & Moose Meat

Unsweetened Almond Beverage Surprise

Organic Local Buffalo Sausage Surprise

Lemon Ginger Herbal Tea Time Surprise

Vegetable Stir-Fry Medley Surprise

More Vegetable Stir-Fry Medley Surprise

Quinoa Dessert Surprise with  Unsweetened Almond Beverage Surprise, Blueberries, & Nuts

For more than half of the past year I have been living on the road in some form and I’m starting to feel the effects. I guess I shouldn’t be shocked that I’m trudging around like an unhealthy lump when my exercise regime consists of getting in & out of a minivan and walking to the nearest coffee shop and when my diet is mainly composed of chocolate, cheese, wine, beer, and bakery delights.

I’ve decided to take advantage of having a couple months at home to do something about my current state – that is to say, I’m going on a cleanse. Now, I don’t mean one of those colon scrubbing herbal numbers you can buy off the shelf and leave you camped out beside a toilet in misery for a week. In my case it’s just an extreme (for me) 3 week-ish dietary change that eliminates everything I’ve come to know & love (sugar, flour, dairy, alcohol, coffee) and will hopefully deal my ravenous sugar addiction a fatal blow and leave me feeling like a shinier, happier, & healthier human.

Here’s what the first two days have looked like:

Breakfast Surprise with Kale, Fresh Grated Ginger, Pumpkin Seeds, and Poached Eggs

Bulk Nut Surprise

Salad Surprise with Greens, Tomato, Avocado, Apple, and Seeds

Plainer Than Plain Yogurt Surprise with Berries

Double “A” Snack Surprise

Raw Vegetable Snack Surprise

Seed Surprise

Zucchini & Egg Frittata Fry-Up Surprise

Spring Supper Surprise with Zucchini & Egg Frittata Fry-Up, Steamed Broccoli, and Sesame-Cilantro-Cabbage Salad

Good Old Fashioned Water Surprise

Cashew & Blueberry Creamed Surprise

In the alley right across from my house lies a little French-Canadian bakery who’s daily schedule has the rare power to rouse me out of one of my favorite states of being – lounging in bed in the morning. The first day I discovered Au Soleil Levant (located at 281 Herridge Lane in Nelson, BC) I gathered some pals, spread a blanket on my floor, and spent a gluttonous afternoon picnicking on fresh baguettes, cheese, and wine à la every day I’ve ever spent in Europe. Since then I’ve noticed my life has started to revolve around Au Soleil Levant’s schedule and the days of the week have come to have meaning only in relation to what day it is at the bakery.

I love Tuesday because it’s Squash-Corn bread day. I love Wednesday because it’s Apricot-Hazelnut bread day. I love Thursday because it’s Rye-Caraway bread day. I love Friday because it’s Dark Chocolate-Pear-Sunflower-Almond Brioche day. I love Saturday  because it’s Dark Chocolate-Date-Orange bread day. I love everyday because it’s baguette, focaccia, and cheese day. I don’t love Sunday and Monday because the bakery is closed.

Oh hello entire loaf of Dark Chocolate-Pear-Sunflower-Almond Brioche right out of the oven!

Behold the fruits of a festive baking rampage (in preparation for the Orphan Family Christmas Party)!

The Ambrosia Salads

(You can read more about the infamous Ambrosia salad here)

The Birthday Cake