I am a longtime fan of Provenance Meals. In fact, it was ten years ago this summer that I met Caroll Lee and Sarah Hebbel-Stone back in Brooklyn. At the time, I was transitioning from one stressful job to another, and I knew I needed nutritional support before making the jump. Cut to 2019, when the team asked me to record my experiences during a Five-Day Detox, and Provenance was there for me again during a stressful week working in venture capital.
Well, a lot’s changed between then and now. I’m typing this from a bungalow on the east side of Los Angeles, where I’ve lived since the beginning of the pandemic, running my consultancy, Beginners. While I was settling into SoCal, so was Provenance. In short time, the company has established itself as a go-to provider of delicious, healthy meals in LA.
Sunday - Delivery Day
I recognized the reusable bag on my porch mid-afternoon and shuffled everything into my fridge. One thing I love about Provenance is that, unlike other meal delivery services, they pick up the bag and ice packs on the return delivery. No cardboard boxes means no big breakdown, stuffing, and dry ice to deal with—and no wondering whether the ice packs go in the trash or recycling bin.
I also got a handy little packet with a detox guide, tea sachets, and protein powder to support me during the week.
Monday - Day One
I didn’t anticipate my detox would coincide with a five-day course of antibiotics and prednisone, but here we are. A lingering summer cold — which probably started in a pool with my niece and nephews on a hot July day back home in Louisiana — was hanging on and leaving me feeling run down.
I also had to take my dog, George (a star of the previous detox) to the vet for a monthly injection early Monday morning. After a successful appointment, and a couple hours of work, I opened the fridge looking for a comforting lunch.
The Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry was exactly the right choice. I don’t have a microwave, so I popped the ingredients into a small pan on my stovetop and heated everything for a couple minutes with a splash of water. The rice, chickpeas, and creamy sweet potatoes were amazing. Provenance meals are deceptively simple, but the flavors were complex. This curry had a kick, the way I might season it.
Around 3 o’clock I popped four tablespoons of Camu Cacao Superfood Protein Powder into my vintage Provenance shaker with some almond milk. I forgot how incredible this powder is. Wow.
Tuesday - Day Two
As my meds began to kick in, and I spent more and more time in bed, I was relieved to have all of my meals taken care of for the week, but also a bit concerned. Would the “detox” be a bit too much for my body as it fought off the infection?
As a vegetarian, I thought back to some of the other plant-based programs I’d ordered from and stopped because the meals just didn’t have enough substance. A sprinkle of tofu on a giant pile of arugula and other bird food was not going to cut it this week.
On day two I started to realize that I wasn’t going to have that problem. After focusing on consuming fluids for breakfast, the highlight of my day was Kung Pao Tofu. Hot and satisfying, it didn’t make me feel deprived in the least.
Wednesday - Day Three
Kitchari for breakfast! After waking up at 4am to cough my brains out, nothing would have tasted better before a new business Zoom. Even with my stuffed nose, the complex spices came through.
After eating the kitchari, it occurred to me that one myth worth busting about “detox” diets is that you have to give up all grains. Part of what made the week not just doable but enjoyable for me is that every meal included rice, quinoa, or another grain designed to really fill me up. The Hummus and Falafel plate, a perfect late lunch, testified to this. The last thing I wanted to be was sick and hungry.
Thursday - Day Four
I had not realized I hadn’t dug into one of the best meals, the Cheesy Mac and Vegetables. After taking George for his morning walk, I immediately heated it up on the stovetop for yet another lunch-as-breakfast and was not disappointed. There’s something about perfectly steamed vegetables that are hot, soft, and retain their crunch that really hits when you’re sick.
Though I have yet to mention them, the tea pouches in my kit – Detox and Nightcap – were also huge supporters during the entire sniffly week.
Friday - Day Five
I added some of the Vanilla Protein Powder to my Vitamix with some usual friends (frozen bananas, soy milk, hemp seeds, and cinnamon) to give myself a little boost for the final day of the workweek.
I spent most of Friday propped up in bed with a laptop on my knees and a box of tissues at my side until it was time for another one of my faves, the Cauliflower Steak. This is one of those recipes that I have tried time and again to get right in my own kitchen and never seem to manage it—here it was simply executed and perfect.
Saturday - Day Six
My body kept asking for the good stuff as soon as I woke up, so I kept saying yes. The final day of my detox started with a Buddha Bowl for breakfast. I am now committed to a savory breakfast lifestyle.
What I Learned
My experience with the Provenance detox program felt way different this go-round for a couple of reasons. First, the obvious: I was sick. And I’m here to tell you, there is no need to wait until “the perfect time” for you to be “ready” for a program like this.
The beauty of the Provenance Meals 6-Day Detox is that it’s not designed to make you feel like you’re lacking anything. Fortifying, plant-forward, hot meals with protein—and lots of fab beverage options—are exactly what you need during a cold.
Secondly, and selfishly, I think my experience of this detox may have felt different, even easier, because a lot of the lifestyle changes I made around the time of my first have really stuck. I’ve been a vegetarian for a decade and don’t eat a ton of processed food. I gave up alcohol almost three years ago, and my caffeine consumption is pretty much down to a cup in the morning. These are all habits Provenance helped me set in place, and for that, I’m so grateful.
So, a second reason to dip back into the detox might be to see if your body responds differently than it did the first time. A pulse check, if you will. And hey—you might like what you find out.
ABOUT LESLIE
Leslie Campisi is the founder of Beginners, the agency for people who start things. She has spent her career supporting entrepreneurs as a marketing and communications professional and through health and wellness programming as an NBC-HWC. A long-time New Yorker, Leslie now lives in Los Angeles with her dog, George.
Find out more about her at lesliecampisi.com.