Spring Cleansing Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Do you have an appetite for a spring cleanse?
Spring is in the air, and as our thoughts turn to clearing out and cleaning up the spaces around us, it’s also a great time for a little cleansing within. Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant foods have the power to leave you feeling spring clean, inside and out. You can also add some fibre-rich foods to your diet to help the body remove wastes and keep your digestive tract healthy. Here are some foods to include in your spring cleansing:
Avocado
Avocados are a great source of the good monounsaturated fat. They are also fibre-rich and offer anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, making them a great food to include in the diet to keep inflammation down and promote healthy digestion.
Kale
Kale is full of fibre, which is very beneficial for the digestive tract, keeping things moving along and removing wastes from the body. This amazing chlorophyll-rich leafy green also supports the liver and improves the detoxification process.
Parsley
Parsley is a lovely spring sprig, full of those anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Foods with these properties benefit the body immensely, helping reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Parsley is chlorophyll-rich too, helping keep toxins at bay.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fats, which combat inflammation in the body. These tasty treats are also a good source of fibre, again keeping that digestive tract sparkly.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can help you to keep it clean inside, by creating a healthy environment in your intestinal tract. It will fight off any overgrowth of candida – which can lead to digestive upset and other health issues – thanks to its antifungal properties.
Lemon
When life gives you lemons, make health! The zingy citrus fruits will cleanse your liver and promote healthy digestion. They are also high in vitamin C – a very important antioxidant that helps reduce oxidative stress in the body.
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
EVOO is another amazing anti-inflammatory food and will help reduce inflammation in the body. It’s best to enjoy this oil unheated or on a low to medium heat. Why not drizzle it on a spring salad?
Here’s a spring cleansing salad to help cleanse your body from the inside out!
Spring Cleansing Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Yields: 1 serving
Prep time: 15 minutes
Salad Ingredients:
½ head of kale, stems removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
½ avocado, sliced
¼ small red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup carrot, shredded
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
Dressing Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 pinch sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon organic Dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Tear kale leaves into smaller pieces and add to medium sized bowl. Drizzle with oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Massage kale for about 3 minutes or until it starts to soften.
2. Add onion, avocado, walnuts and carrot, and toss.
3. Place all dressing ingredient in a glass jar. Close jar and shake until fully combined.
4. Serve salad with desired amount of the Creamy Garlic Dressing.
Sources:
Avocados, whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5.
Kale, whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38.
Walnuts, whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=99.
Lemon/Limes, whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=27.
Olive Oil, Extra Virgin, whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=132.
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http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.845.9560&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Maroon, J C, and J W Bost. “Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil) as an Anti-Inflammatory: an Alternative to Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs for Discogenic Pain.” Surgical Neurology., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16531187.
Mota, A C, et al. “Antifungal Activity of Apple Cider Vinegar on Candida Species Involved in Denture Stomatitis.” Journal of Prosthodontics : Official Journal of the American College of Prosthodontists., U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25219289.
Yun, C H, et al. “Non-Specific Inhibition of Cytochrome P450 Activities by Chlorophyllin in Human and Rat Liver Microsomes.” Carcinogenesis., U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 1995, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7788866.