something old/something new

Recipes for Spring Cleaning

Everyone can benefit from a good dietary "spring cleaning" to help sweep away unwanted toxins and perhaps unwanted fat. Toxins, which enter our systems through our food, air and water, and the accumulation of toxins in the environment, need to be cleansed or "detoxified" from our bodies.

The following recipes call for foods (including an abundance of high-fiber, antioxidant-packed vegetables and fruits) which support a cooler and cleaner you.

Break-fast Salad

This salad is a great way to add deliciously cleansing vegetables and fruits to your diet, including raisins which rate extremely high in the ORAC scale--a measurement for the antioxidant levels in foods. Peaches, too, are high in antioxidants; they are carotenoids-- a type of antioxidant that lowers the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer, and helps to strengthen the immune system. The added fiber “topping” helps maintain a clean digestive system.

Dressing for the salad is not needed or missed because it satisfies every taste bud. The salad can be eaten any time during the day and can even replace a regular breakfast. Keep prepared ingredients refrigerated for easy assembly.

2 green leaf lettuce leaves, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 stalk celery, diced
1 peach or persimmon, diced
2 bananas, sliced
4 small radishes, diced
1 avocado, diced
Garden of Life Super Seed
1 slice red cabbage, shredded
1 tomato, diced
1 plum or pear, diced
¼ cup raisins
8 dates, diced
1 apple, shredded
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Garden of Life DetoxiFiber

Layer ingredients in listed order. Arrange salad to include all the ingredients for a colorful display on a white dinner plate. Sprinkle Super Seed and DetoxiFiber over the salad. Serves 8.

ALT
ALTs (avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes) are made with vegetable-based wraps and contain avocados--a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid (shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer), the carotenoid lutein, and significant quantities of the antioxidant vitamin E. The lettuce and tomatoes also add fiber and antioxidants.

Flaxnaise:

¼ cup golden flaxseeds, soaked or ½ cup Garden of Life Super Seed
1 cup filtered water
2 tsp. ground mustard powder
¼ cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Garden of Life Lehua Honey
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Filling:

2 avocados, sliced
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
Mrs. Dash seasoning, to taste
2 cups mixed greens
2 tomatoes, sliced

Equipment needed: Vita-Mix blender

Prepare filling ingredients. To make flaxnaise, grind flax seeds to a meal or use Garden of Life Super Seed. Blend ingredients in a Vita-Mix. Texture should be smooth and not a jelly-like texture. Add filtered water to prevent thickening. Fill wraps with filling and drizzle immediately with Flaxnaise. Serve wraps for a light meal. Serves 8.