Detox with Food

Spring has sprung, and if you are feeling sluggish after winter, there are some remarkable foods that you can eat, which will help you detox from the inside out.

Lemons and grapefruit are a good place to start. Add some fresh lemon to your water and you will notice a difference in the way you feel.

Adding brussel sprouts, broccoli, spinach, and kale to your diet will help aide in digestion and contain high levels of vitamins. This coupled with calcium and iron will help aid natural detoxification.

Legumes like beans, lentils, and peas are loaded with protein that can help with cell function.Because of the complex carbohydrates, you will fuel your body throughout the day with much needed energy, not to mention the dietary fiber, which helps with digestion.

An apple a day really does keep the doctor away. Apples are rich in fiber and contain folic acid and vitamins E and C.

Green and red onions contain amino acids and can help you flush unhealthy toxins out of your body.

Full of antioxidants, carrots work well when combined with apple, honey, and aloe Vera juice.Juice up the
concoction every morning, and you will start to see the cleansing benefits almost immediately.

Instead of expensive creams and cleansers, try using foods such as sweet potatoes, salmon, and turkey
for healthier looking skin. By adding these vitamin-boosting foods to your diet, your skin will start to glow.

Keep your tresses shiny and healthy by consuming walnuts, spinach, Greek yogurt, and blueberries.
Lean cuts of beef and poultry are loaded with protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B, and will help your strands become stronger and more plentiful.

Natural springtime foods are abundant and very affordable. Start your detox by combining all that nature has to offer with pure and natural food.

Try these recipes for natural detoxing:
photo credit: thezartorialist.com via photopin cc

Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts
Serves 4.
Ingredients
•    24 small Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
•    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus Spray
•    fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
•    1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice Parmesan
•    2 tablespoons Toasted chopped almonds
Directions
Cut in sprouts in half from stem to top keeping it intact then toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the Brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Spray pan with olive oil and place the Brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 2-3 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning.
Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes. Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a spatula to toss them once or twice to brown on the rounded side. Season the sprouts with more salt and pepper then sprinkle with grated cheese and toasted nuts.


Kale, Farro & Bean Salad with Apple Cilantro Dressing
Serves: 6-8   Prep Time: 20 min. Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
Salad:
•    2 cups Farro, dried
•    6 cups water
•    1 can Black Beans, drained
•    1 can Great Northern Beans, drained
•    1 bunch Lactino Kale, chopped
•    ½ cup carrots diced small
•    ¾  cup Radish, sliced ¼ inch thick
•    ½ Cup Green Onions sliced thinly
•    2 cloves garlic minced
•    ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
•    Salt & pepper to taste
Dressing:
•    ¼ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
•    ¼ cup Fresh Lemon Juice
•    1 each Granny Smith Apple, Peeled, cored, diced
•    ¼ cup Olive Oil
•    ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
•    ¼ cup Fresh Shallot, chopped
Directions
Combine the water and farro in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool.
Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and emulsify.
When Farro is cold add the beans, kale, carrots, radishes, green onions, garlic and cilantro and tossed well with dressings. Taste the salad and Season with salt and pepper.