I’ve always been wary of detox diets. I’m an everything-in-moderation kind of eater, so the idea of fasting, juicing, and otherwise keeping my caloric intake to a minimum in hopes of flushing my body of toxins strikes me as extreme. My idea of detox is nothing more than “clean eating” with a focus on whole foods without a lot of processing. These detox recipes are all about fruits and veggies, grains and lean proteins that can help kickstart deliciously healthy eating, three meals a day.
Breakfast Detox Recipes
Last year I stumbled upon a juice joint that served a smoothie bowl and I’ve been a convert since. Treating your smoothie like a bowl of porridge and topping it with fruit and nuts? Yes, please, starting with this Banana, Fig, and Chia Smoothie Bowl from The Cool York.
If you’d prefer your smoothies the old-fashioned way, try one of these 5 delicious detoxifying smoothies that we found last year, right around this time. Coincidence? You decide.
These Almond Butter Banana-Blueberry Tortillas at Healthy Recipe Ecstasy is a super tasty twist on a piece of toast with almond butter and banana, a go-to quickie breakfast in our house.
Lunch Detox Recipes
Even when I’m not super focused on clean eating, I’m a sucker for lunch salads. I love that this Detox Salad from Back to Her Roots combines veggies with plump blueberries, and the tahini dressing looks to-die-for.
This Detox Tabbouleh (pictured above and top) at Oh She Glows is a genius recipe that substitutes chopped cauliflower for bulgur or grain. If the tabbouleh isn’t enough on its own, pair this Middle Eastern salad with a piece of toast topped with hummus.
Nothing is more filling or satisfying than a baked potato, and this Baked Sweet Potato With Greens from Whole Living is a super healthy version of the classic. Bake a bunch of potatoes at the beginning of the week to have on hand for quick and easy-packed lunches throughout the week.
Soup is another favorite lunchtime meal, especially in winter, and this Vietnamese Hot and Sour Tamarind Soup spied at Feasting at Home is at the top of my must-make list. I feel detoxified just looking at this tasty bowl!
Creamy and detox aren’t words that you’d think would go together, but the Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup at Simple Bites proves otherwise. The creaminess comes from pure coconut milk and the rest is pure green veggie goodness.
Dinner Detox Recipes
This Lemon Chicken Stew from Foodie Crush was not developed as a detox recipe, which might be why I like it so much. This tasty combination of ingredients makes a simple, but totally delicious and filling, one-pot meal.
Coconut curry sauces are a great way to clean cook lean protein and veggies with seriously big flavor like this Green Thai Fish Curry from Taste.com.au. If you don’t have the specified veggies, substitute whatever you have on hand. This recipe is endlessly adaptable.
Soup is great for lunch, but soup with noodles, pasta or rice is what I crave for dinner. If your family loves Japanese flavors, they’ll love this Miso Shiitake Soba Soup from Love & Lemons. If you don’t have dried kombu (a type of seaweed) to make the dashi, substitute veggie broth or the quick vegetarian dashi from my own site, One Hungry Mama.
Lentils are a super ingredient on their own, but unstoppable when paired with high-protein quinoa like in this Quinoa Lentil Salad at The Fresh Direction. The dressing calls for antioxidant-rich hemp seeds, but can be made without them if you don’t feel like searching for them at the health food store.
Keep dinner hearty without meat by making these Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers from Prevention RD. Enjoy them on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomato if you’re going super light or sandwich them on a delicious hamburger bun with ketchup and mayo for a more traditional burger dinner.
Tofu can be hard to cook since it doesn’t have a whole lot of flavor on its own, but it’s a flavor powerhouse when paired with a bright herb pesto like in this Grilled Tofu with Cilantro Pesto recipe from The Blender Girl. Bland doesn’t stand a chance against the combination of basil, cilantro, garlic, and ginger.
Thanks for the shout-out to my detox smoothie bowl! Can’t wait to try some of these other recipes.
x
Amanda | http://www.thecoolyork.com