Sample Menu Recipes Spring Cleanse These recipes are written for 2-4 people. The food is delicious you can share it with your family even if they are not doing the cleanse with you. The portions of the vegetable dishes are large, you can eat as much as you want. If you have left over eat them for lunch the next day instead of a salad. This menu is level 2 without beans. Add beans to the vegetables dishes or salad if you like. The only snack I have included into the prep is Raspberry Lemony Chia Pudding, which can also be eaten for breakfast. The liver tea is written here to prepare on Sunday if you can get the herbs. Alternately buy a liver cleanse tea (Yogi is a good brand) or dandelion tea. Prep on Sunday for Sample Menu Soup Creamy Asparagus Soup Dressings & Hummus Tangy Parsley Dressing Zucchini Hummus For Snacks (Optional) Raspberry Lemon Chia Pudding Additional Prep (Optional) Liver cleanse tea
Sunday Prep Recipes Creamy Asparagus Soup One of the first foods that signal the start of spring is the appearance of fresh asparagus at local farmers markets and grocery stores. In addition to the fiber and minerals in asparagus it contains chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. It is a good source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. Asparagus is listed as the vegetable with the least amount of pesticide on EWG list Dirty Dozen / Clean 15 Fruits and Vegetables It is fine to buy non-organic. 4 servings 2 Tb coconut oil 2 cups chopped onion (1 large yellow) 2 celery stalks, chopped ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt 3 cloves garlic, chopped 4 cups cauliflower, chopped (1/2 large head) 2 lb asparagus, trimmed (5 cups) ¼ tsp cayenne (optional) 4 cups vegetable, chicken broth or water Fresh pepper to taste ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped Trim the tough ends off of the asparagus. Cut tips 1½ long and set aside. You should have about 1 cup. Cut the remainder of the asparagus into 1 pieces. It will be about 4 cups In a medium soup pot heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery and salt and cook for 3 minutes until softened Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more Add cauliflower and asparagus, (except for the 1 cup of tips you saved), cayenne and broth Bring soup to a boil
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered until the cauliflower is cooked about 12 minutes. In the meantime boil some water in a small saucepan. Add the asparagus tips and blanch for 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain and set aside. Once the soup is done, let it cool for a few minutes so it is easier to work with and you don t burn yourself. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend on high until smooth. You may have to do it in 2 batches depending on the size of your blender. Pour back into the pot. Add in the cooked asparagus tips and chopped parsley. Season with additional salt to taste and fresh pepper. Heat through. Serve. Zucchini Hummus 2-4 servings ¼ cup sesame seeds ground into a powder, if you don t have a spice grinder soak the sesame seeds for 4 hours in water and drain ½ -1 tsp Celtic sea salt (start with ½ you can always add more) 2 cloves chopped garlic (2 tsp) 2 cups chopped zucchini 1/2 cup tahini ¼ cup lemon juice 1 ½ tsp ground cumin 2 Tb olive oil Pinch cayenne Put sesame seeds, sea salt and garlic into a food processer. Process into small pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Serve wrapped in romaine leaves or with celery sticks, endive or flax crackers.
Tangy Parsley Dressing This is an easy dressing to make. There is hardly any chopping to do. If you have a high-speed blender you don t even need to chop the garlic or parsley. You can switch out the parsley with cilantro for an Asian flavor. Makes 3/4 cup ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar 2 tsp raw honey ½ cup parsley leaves, coarsely chopped 1 small clove garlic, chopped ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt or more to taste Pinch of black pepper Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You will have a nice green sauce. Taste to adjust salt. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Optional Prep Recipes Raspberry Lemon Chia Pudding 4 servings 6 Tb chia seeds 1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries 1 3/4 cups almond milk or nut milk of choice ½ tsp lemon zest 2 Tb lemon juice ½ tsp vanilla 1-2 Tb maple syrup or 6 drops stevia, or more to taste Put chia seeds into a medium size bowl. In a blender, blend the raspberries, almond milk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla together on high till smooth. Add stevia or maple syrup to taste. Pour the liquid over the chia seeds and stir. Let sit about 2 hours stirring every 5 minutes for the first 15 minutes. It will be very thin at first but the chia will thicken the liquid creating a perfect pudding texture. Add additional almond milk if you like it thinner. You can put this in the refrigerator overnight to eat for breakfast or snack. The pudding will last about 3 days.
Liver Cleanse Tea This tea is a combination of a decoction and infusion. For the week make 2x this recipe and store it in the refrigerator. If you don t have access to an herb store the Yogi Detox Tea tea is a good substitute or dandelion tea. 1 tsp rose hips 1 tsp burdock root 1 tsp dandelion root 1 tsp nettles 1 tsp peppermint In a medium pot add the rose hips, burdock root and dandelion root with 4 cups of water Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add nettles and peppermint. Cool and let stand overnight or for 8 hours Strain and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Warm individual cups as needed or drink at room temperature.
Juices & Smoothies Wonderful Green Juice 1-2 servings 1/2 bunch celery 3 handfuls spinach or other dark green leafy vegetable like kale, swiss chard or romaine 1 cucumber 1 lemon peeled if not organic 1 green apple 1 handful parsley Put everything in through a juicer. Enjoy immediately or store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for later. This will stay for 2 days. If you don't have a juicer you can blend everything and put it through a nut milk bag or cheese cloth to extract the juice. Add 1 cup of water and peel the lemon first.
Blueberry Hemp Smoothie Hemp seeds are really powerful. They re high in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid that has been proven to naturally balance hormones. Hemp seeds are considered the perfect protein, because they contain all 20 amino acids, 9 of which our bodies cannot produce. They have more protein than chia or flax seeds. 1-2 servings 2 cups coconut water 1 cup frozen organic blueberries 1 cup Swiss chard, romaine or spinach 2 Tb hemp seeds Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy Enjoy!
Pink Power Strawberry Smoothie I like this smoothie because of it beautiful bright pink color. Beets stimulate the production of bile and decongest the liver. Beets are rich in betaine, which restores liver cell function and protects the liver and bile ducts. Betaine is essential for proper liver function, fat metabolism and to help promote the flow of bile. Betaine can actually help protect the liver from the impact of alcohol on the liver, making beets (or betaine) an excellent food for detoxification. Use the part of the beet that attaches to the leaves, it has the most amount of bataine The avocado along with the rest of the ingredients will fill you up and keep you going for hours. 2 servings 1 cup water or coconut water ¼ medium avocado, pitted 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 4 large romaine leaves, chopped 1 cup organic strawberries (frozen preferred), hulled if necessary 1/2 small organic beet, washed trimmed and roughly chopped 1/2 lemon, juiced 2 Tb ground flax 4 drops stevia, if you like additional sweetness 1 scoop vegan protein powder (optional) Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Adjust sweetness if desired. Beet - cleanse the liver, purifies the blood, anti-inflammatory, source of iron Avocado helps lower blood pressure, lubricates joints, anti-inflammatory, loads of healthy fats, high in fiber and protein Strawberries high in antioxidants, rich source of vitamin C, benefits digestion Celery acts as mild diuretic, promotes feeling of fullness, rich in B vitamins and fiber Lemon antibacterial properties, aids digestion, high in Vitamin C, detoxifies and alkalizes, mild diuretic Romaine - is a complete protein! That means that it has all 8 essential amino acids
Day 1 - Lunch & Dinner Recipes Romaine Wraps with Zucchini Hummus 6 very large romaine lettuce leaves 2 ripe tomatoes chopped Sprouts Shredded carrots 1 recipe Zucchini Hummus Prepare the lettuce leaves by washing them and then patting dry. Divide the zucchini hummus among the leaves, top with, tomatoes sprouts and carrots wrap them over and keep them secure with a toothpick! Coconut Curried Broccoli and Carrots Yield: 4 servings 1 Tb coconut oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced 2 tsp curry powder or turmeric (if you don t like spicy) 1 head broccoli, tops cut into florets, stems peeled, chopped (about 4 cups) 1 cup carrots, cut into half moons ½ cup water ¼-½ tsp Celtic sea salt (depending on if your curry powder has salt) 2 cups cabbage, very thinly sliced (kale is also good here) 1 ¼ cups whole canned coconut milk Heat the coconut oil a skillet on medium-low heat. When the pan is hot add the onion and cook, stirring until onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add curry, stir. Add the broccoli, carrots, water and ¼ tsp sea salt. Cook, covered, for 3 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green and most of the water is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage, and coconut milk, turn up the heat until it begins to boil, then turn down to a simmer to cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Taste to adjust salt. Serve warm
Day 2 - Lunch & Dinner Recipes Fresh Pea Soup with Cilantro Peas are one of my favorite spring vegetables. Now is the time to pay honor to peas with a silky smooth pea soup. I use only a few simple ingredients to let the taste of the peas come through. Spring onions (if you can get them) and shallots provide a savory taste. The fresh taste of cilantro and parsley enhance the pea flavor. I add in a little bit of cashews for a creamy taste. Peas are a high protein and high fiber vegetable with just under 9 grams of protein per cup. This is not as much as edamame with 22 grams per cup but way more than broccoli with only 2.6 grams per cup. 4 servings ¼ cup cashews, soaked 1 Tb olive oil 1 spring onion chopped, (or small white onion) 2 shallots chopped ½ tsp Celtic sea salt fresh pepper 3 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth 6 cups organic frozen green peas ½ cup cilantro leaves ¼ cup parsley leaves chives or scallions for garnish (optional) Heat oil in a soup pot over medium low heat. Add the onion and shallot. Cook until the onions are clear and soft (about 5 minutes). Stir frequently so they don t brown. Add the salt, pepper and broth and bring to a simmer. Rinse peas in a strainer under hot water to defrost slightly Add peas to stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain the cashews. Transfer the soup to a blender. Add cashews, parsley and cilantro. Blend until it is silky smooth. Add a little more broth if you like it a little thinner. Transfer back to the pot. Taste to adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with thinly sliced spring onion greens, scallions or chives
Braised Dandelion Greens 4 servings 1 lb dandelion greens, (or broccoli rabe), bottom stems cut off 1 large red onion cut in half and thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced ¼ tsp red pepper flakes ½ cup vegetable stock, chicken stock or water 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil (optional) Celtic sea salt Lemon wedges Wash and coarsely chop the dandelion greens Bring a pot of salted water to boil add dandelions. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes until just tender. Drain. Heat stock or water in a sauté pan on medium low Add onions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Water sauté on medium-low 5 minutes until softened Add dandelion greens. Cover and simmer 3-5 minutes to further soften the dandelions. If they are small leaves simmer less, big leaves more. Add additional stock or water so they don t dry out. Taste, add salt if necessary Finish with a drizzle of 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil (optional) Serve with lemon wedges. Cooks' note: Dandelion greens can be boiled 3 days ahead. Chill, wrapped in paper towels, in a sealed bag *When not cleansing, sauté onions and garlic in 2 Tb olive oil instead of stock.
Day 3 - Lunch & Dinner Recipes Sautéed Kale with Mushrooms and Carrots The tender greens of spring cleanse our body from the heavier foods we ate during the winter. Our body is craving these greens right now. In this recipe I sauté mushrooms with the kale to give it a woodsy flavor. I add carrots and onions for a little sweetness to balance the bitter greens. Yum! 4 servings 1 head kale, stems removed (lacinato is best) ½ large yellow onion, chopped 4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, sliced (about 1 ¼ cups) 2 large carrots 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tb olive oil or coconut oil Celtic sea salt Red pepper flakes (optional) One at a time, grasp the stems of the kale in one hand and strip the leaves off with the other. (keep the stems for another use such as a smoothie or soup). Working in batches thinly slice the kale. Chop onions, slice mushrooms, mince garlic. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice on an angle to make half moons 1/8 thick Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium low Add onions and mushrooms. Sauté on medium low until mushrooms are beginning to soften about 3 minutes. Add carrots, sauté 2 minutes until carrots are almost tender 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes if using. Add garlic, stir and sauté 1 minute until garlic is fragrant. Add kale, stir with tongs until the kale wilts. Sauté 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until kale is tender and bright green. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Day 4 - Lunch & Dinner Recipes 2-4 servings Cauliflower Risotto with Saffron and Peas 1 ¼ cups vegetable or chicken stock, more as needed 1 pinch saffron (about ½ tsp) 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 5 cups) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 small leek, white and light green part, thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt ¾ cup peas, fresh or frozen (I like frozen baby peas) ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional) Fresh pepper Heat 1¼ cup of stock in a saucepan. Turn off the heat. Add the saffron threads and let steep for 30 minutes. Chop the cauliflower into small pieces. Add the cauliflower to a food processor. Pulse to create a finely chopped cauliflower that resembles a grain, such as quinoa or rice. Heat 1 Tb of olive oil in a large saucepan on medium low heat. Sauté the leeks and garlic for a few minutes, until softened. Add the cauliflower, salt and 1 cup of the saffron-vegetable broth. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is softened. Add more vegetable broth as it is cooking if the pot starts to get dry. Rinse and drain the frozen peas. Add peas and remaining broth to the cauliflower. Let cook 2 minutes until the peas are heated through. Add parsley and a little fresh pepper. Stir. Taste to adjust salt. Serve in bowls with the olive oil drizzled on top.
Day 5 - Lunch & Dinner Recipes Beet & Cauliflower Soup I love the color of beets and the fabulous creaminess of cauliflower in soups. Traditionally, beets have been used as a folk remedy for liver disorders. Beets support healthy bile flow. Cauliflower gives soups the kind of density that we usually find in flour or potatoes. They combine perfectly to make this rich red soup that will benefit your liver. 4 servings 1 Tb ghee or coconut oil 3/4 chopped onion (1 small) ¼ cup celery chopped 1 cloves garlic minced 3 cups cauliflower, coarsely chopped 1 ½ cups red beets, peeled, chopped (2-3 small beets) 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt 2 Tb coarsely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish Fresh Pepper Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat, and add onion and celery. Sauté until just translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, sauté 1 minute. Stir in cauliflower, beets, stock and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until beets and cauliflower are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, Let soup cool 10 minutes, Transfer to a blender, add dill, puree until smooth. Return soup to pot, and heat through. Season with additional salt and fresh pepper to taste Serve garnish with dill sprigs. The soup will stay for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.