Cauliflower Broccoli Detox Salad
Self care comes in a lot of different forms. Meal prepping is one of the ways I regularly practice self care. Actually, to be honest, it's one of the only forms of self care I practice regularly! (Note to self - work on practicing more self care 😁 ).
By meal planning and prepping my food I set myself up for success in the coming week. Life can be so flippin' busy, and meal prepping ensures that I'll be fuelling my body with healthy, nutritious food all week long (which translates into more energy and better moods!).
This salad is amazing for a couple of reasons.
First and foremost - it lasts all week without getting soggy, so it saves me from having to prep more than one lunch for the week.
Secondly, it's ingredients have very impressive nutritional profiles!
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage top the charts in natural body detox. They help clean the gut, improve liver function and support our immune system naturally. They are also good sources of antioxidants, potassium, calcium and vitamin-C which help replenish body with key nutrients.
Also, parsley and cilantro are incredible detoxing herbs. They help the body rid itself of heavy metals, reduce water weight, balance blood sugar, fight cancer and can improve memory with their brain protecting vitamins and minerals.
Cilantro specifically helps to improve digestion and guards against the onslaught of free radicals that speed aging and promote disease.
Meanwhile, parsley helps eliminate salt that has built up in the kidneys, thereby purging the body of accumulated poisons like mercury, cadmium, and lead.
For these reasons, I try and add these herbs to as many dishes as possible.
Finally, lemon juice is a powerful little addition to this salad all on its own!
It aids in digestion and detoxification (by keeping food moving through your body smoothly);
It's high in vitamin C (which is vital for immune system function and protects cells from oxidative damage);
It rejuvenates your skin (the antioxidants found in lemon juice fight damage caused by free radicals and keep your skin looking fresh!);
And it helps you shed pounds (lemons contain pectin, a certain type of fibre that helps you feel fuller longer).
So, now that I've (hopefully!) sold you on the ingredients, try throwing them all together and making this delicious salad!
Note: I got the original recipe from chefdehome.com but tweaked it a bit by adding a few more herbs and extra veggies! I hope you enjoy!
CAULIFLOWER BROCCOLI DETOX SALAD
Source: chefdehome.com
INGREDIENTS:
Salad:
1 head of cauliflower
1 head of broccoli
2 cups shredded green or purple cabbage
2-3 large carrots
3 green onions, chopped
3-4 leaves of kale, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup almonds or pine nuts (or both!)
3 tbsp cranberries or raisins (unsweetened)
Option to add about a 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
Dressing:
1 inch ginger
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
For Dressing:
In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined. Taste and adjust as necessary. Set aside until ready to use.
For Salad:
Chop cauliflower, broccoli and carrots in a food processor (until very small).
Chop kale leaves, cabbage, green onions, parsley and cilantro by hand into small pieces.
Toast nuts in a frying pan on low until browned.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well to combine.
Toss salad with dressing until everything is coated.
NOTES:
This salad also works well with raw pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds and walnuts. Use whatever you have on hand (just make sure that the nuts you use are in their raw form and haven't been roasted or salted or have had any oils added to them).
When I'm feeling lazy, I skip making the dressing and simply toss the salad in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
This salad will keep in the fridge for up to 6 days. It’s a great salad to make at the beginning of the week so that you have healthy lunches on hand all week!
