Detox Kale Salad

There’s a lot of buzz around cleanse and detox. Truth be told, I’m not a fan of either. There’s a stigma around these words that assumes one can guzzle a drink for X amount of days and detox the body or press reset. Poof – just like that! Toxins out. Joking aside, our livers provide our bodies with the natural form of detox it needs without the need for a diet made of liquids that don’t taste good and leave you feeling sick and miserable. If and only if you are looking to clean things up, it’s wise to do so with nutrient dense foods and NOT juices that leave us with starvation camp type caloric intake. Not okay in my book. And really, not necessary!

From time to time, we could all use a cleanse; whether it’s too much fast food or too much Facebook. It’s good to get things back on track. If you are in need of some nutrient dense foods to get your body feeling good, I have just the trick! Adding a nutrient-rich salad to your diet is a great way of giving your body a break from processed foods. While donuts certainly have their place in my program, a detox salad helps your body replenish its vitamin levels.

What about this salad make it a “detox” salad? Kale, cabbage, bell pepper, parsley, and carrots are chock full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, which help cleanse your system and prevent disease. They are also filled with vitamins and minerals, which help refuel, and heal your body. The avocados and walnuts in this salad provide a balance of healthy fats and protein, making this a wonderful salad to eat as an entrée. Putting all of these vibrant ingredients together results in an immune-boosting power salad, which keeps you energized and satisfied. Perfect!

I promise this doesn’t taste like barf either. The dressing is light and sweet and with all of the “crunchies” in the salad, there is tons of flavor going on. The creaminess of the avo, the crunch of the nuts and seeds, you’re sure to enjoy something. It’s okay to also make this ahead but I would wait to toss the dressing if you can set that aside for just before consumption.

Truth be told, I enjoy salads. I don’t need a fancy label or the word “detox” to eat them either. Plus, who doesn’t love something that takes 7 mins to prepare?!

Detox Kale Salad

Serves 4

Clues

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside until ready to use.

Add the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl.

Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated.

Add the parsley, diced avocado, sesame seeds and walnuts and toss again.

Grill or pan sear your protein of choice and top warm over salad.

Serve as an entrée salad or as a side salad to your favorite meal.

Ingredients

For the dressing

⅓ cup avocado oil

½ cup lemon juice, fresh

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (dried as a sub is okay)

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

For the salad

2 cups kale, spines removed, thinly sliced

1 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 avocados, peeled and diced

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup pecans or nuts of choice

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

protein of choice, (salmon, chicken or steak)