Spring Fresh Recipes For A Frest Start
Hit restart this spring with some flavourful salads. Holistic nutritionist Violet Gheletca shares three spring fresh side-salad recipes that will wake up your taste buds and are kind to your liver.
We may not often think about our liver, but this hardworking organ—the largest in the human body—is responsible for over 500 different functions. It acts as a filtration system by cleansing the blood and turning toxins into waste products, and the liver also metabolizes nutrients and medications. While it does a great job detoxifying the body, why not give it a bit of TLC with these liver-friendly recipes?
Detoxing Kale Spring Fresh Salad
Leafy greens are some of the best foods for the liver. They contain active compounds that help detox and protect this vital organ. Kale is not only low in calories but also loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that help protect the liver. It is also high in fiber, which binds to toxins and takes them out of the body. It is the perfect main ingredient for a liver-friendly salad.
INGREDIENTS
DRESSING:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
¼ tsp Himalayan Pink sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
SALAD:
5 cups packed chopped kale
½ English cucumber, chopped
4 radishes, sliced
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
3 Spring onions. finely chopped
3 tbsp red onions, sliced
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
1) In a small bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients.
2) Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and drizzle the dressing on top and mix to coat.
3) Plate and serve with your favorite toppings, such as olives, pumpkin seeds, or sundried tomatoes.
Spicy Seaweed Salad
Seaweed is high in nutrients due to its incredible capacity to store minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iodine, sulfur and vitamins including A and C. It is also high in protein so it is a great addition to any vegan or vegetarian diet. The high chlorophyll content makes it a powerful detoxifier. Sodium alginate in seaweed absorbs toxins from the digestive tract.
INGREDIENTS
DRESSING:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 red hot chili pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tbsp chopped spring onions
DIRECTIONS
1) Soak the seaweed in clean cold water for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well, drain, and set aside.
2) In a bowl mix together dressing ingredients.
3) Drizzle dressing on top of the seaweed and give it a good toss. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions and serve.
Dandelion, Arugula, and Fruit Salad WITH ORANGE GINGER DRESSING
Dandelions are more than just pesky weeds. The greens are a great tonic for the liver and are high in vitamins A, E and K. Its high antioxidant content makes the greens great at fighting free-radical damage and protecting the body at a cellular level.
INGREDIENTS
DRESSING:
1 orange, juiced, and zested
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey (or to taste)
¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced Pinch freshly cracked black pepper
SALAD:
1 bunch dandelion greens
1-150 g pack body arugula
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 kiwifruit, sliced
1 sweet tangerine, segmented
1 avocado, sliced
1 tbsp raw pecans
1 tbsp raw pistachios
1 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup fresh raspberries
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
DIRECTIONS
1) Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated.
2) In a large bowl, toss dandelion, arugula, onion, kiwifruit, tangerine, and avocado with the dressing until coated.
3) top with nuts, seeds, raspberries, and cilantro and serve immediately..
Photos By VIOLET GHELETCA Follow (@naturallycut)
