Spring Detox Slaw
Spring has sprung! Along with the change of seasons, we feel a change that ignites within us; more energy, clearer thinking, and a more upbeat perspective on life. It is indeed an exciting time of year as we welcome the warmer, longer days. The term “spring cleaning” does not stop in the home; your body naturally begins to cleanse itself this time of year as well. This detox slaw is a current favorite of mine! It is packed full of potent detoxing ingredients to help make the body’s natural cleansing process more efficient. This makes a large batch so you can eat it over a couple of days, or feed many mouths at once.
Kale, cabbage, radish, and broccoli are all in the brassica family. Vegetables from this class are powerful disease preventing weapons, which are great to add to your diet. Brassicas are loaded with vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin K. However, what really makes them stand out is their phytochemical content. Phytochemicals are non-nutritive substances that provide us with protective health benefits. Some to mention are sulforaphane, indoles, and dithiolthiones. These block certain hormonal and metabolic pathways that have been linked with the formation of cancerous cells.
Bell peppers are known for their high vitamin C content. In fact, 1 cup of bell pepper provides you with 157% of your daily vitamin C! Along with vitamin C, bell peppers are full of antioxidants that give you protection against free radicals and inflammation.
Parsley is classified as a “chemoprotective” food. This is thanks to one of the volatile oils that naturally occurs in parsley called myristicin. This oil helps glutathione (the master antioxidant) attach to free radicals more effectively, making sure they can not cause harm within our systems.
Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which plays a vital role in immunity, fertility, and skin health. Pumpkin seeds have also been used to help expel intestinal worms since they contain high amounts of a chemical called cucurbitin. This chemical helps by paralyzing the worms and prevents them from attaching to the wall of the intestines as they normally would during bowel movements.
Walnuts are packed with protein and omega 3’s. They also contain l-arginine, an amino acid that is particularly beneficial for those who have heart disease or an increased risk of heart disease.
Ingredients
For the slaw:
- 2 cups purple cabbage, diced
- 2 cups broccoli finely chopped
- 2 cups kale finely chopped
- 5 radishes thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ yellow bell pepper diced
- ½ cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
For the dressing:
- ½ cup tahini
- ¾ cup filtered water
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 TBSP grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
- 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Set oven to 350 degrees
Chop walnuts into small pieces, toast until golden, about 8 min.
Cut up all other vegetables and add to large salad bowl
Once walnuts are toasted, add nuts and seeds into the mix
Add all dressing ingredients into blender, blend for about one min
Add dressing, toss until salad is well coated
*Please note: Vegetables from the brassica family have goitrogenic properties and should not be consumed raw in large quantities if you have an under-preforming thyroid gland.
