This one’s for all the moms who, like me, have been having a little too much fun this summer!
With my young adult daughters working at sleepaway camps, my husband and I have taken to the highways and airways and spent most of our summer following our bliss, seeing loads of live music and having a grand old time!
However, all of this music, food, fun, travel, and, yes, tequila has me at my breaking point.
This 55-year-young body of mine just isn’t cut out for that level of partaking! After our trip this past weekend to New Orleans (my husband’s idea, I swear!), I literally feel like I’ve been run over by a Mac truck. Brain fog, carb cravings, fatigue, I had it all and then some!
Luckily, I know a thing or two about resetting my blood sugars and amping up my body’s natural detoxification, so I reached into my nutritionist handbag and pulled out this beautiful and delicious salad, and let the healing begin!
Sometimes just one clean, fiber-filled, and nutrient-dense meal is all we need to feel a little better, and this salad certainly didn’t disappoint! Packed with a colorful rainbow of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and healthy fats, it’s truly a detoxifier’s dream come true!
While I wouldn’t recommend this level of partying for anyone regularly, especially myself, I firmly believe that fun is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle! Now that I’ve had my fill, for a while at least, I’m happy to be home and back to my healthy habits!
Whether you, like myself, need a little nutritional reset or you’re just in the mood for some wholesome crunchy goodness, I hope you enjoy my Summer Detox Dream Salad as much as I did!
Summer Detox Dream Salad (serves two main course salads)
- ½ large or one whole small red cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced
- ½ -1 tub pre-washed baby arugula
- 1 cup shredded carrots (I used pre-shredded)
- 1 large beefsteak tomato, cubed
- 4-5 baby cucumbers, sliced
- 2 jammy soft-boiled eggs, sliced in half
- 1 avocado, cubed
- Leaves from 1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped (use ½ of the cilantro for the dressing and ½ to add to your salad)
For the dressing:
- Whisk ingredients together in a bowl to combine or shake in a tightly sealed jar.
- Leaves from ½ bunch organic cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 TBSP of fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the protein: I used seared wild salmon, but any lean protein source would work great in this salad, such as grilled or baked chicken breast, grass-fed beef tenderloin, or even wild-caught canned tuna or salmon. Try chickpeas or your favorite beans to add protein to a plant-based meal.
For the jammy soft-boiled egg: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. With a slotted spoon, slowly lower the eggs into the boiling water. Cook eggs for about 6 ½ minutes at a low boil, then immediately transfer eggs to ice water to cool down for about two minutes. Peel and slice in half to serve on the salad.
Putting the salad together:
Add all your veggies to a large salad serving bowl. I like to keep each veggie separate, but it works as long as it’s all in there! Top with the eggs and your protein of choice, drizzle with some dressing and serve the rest on the side. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro, serve, and enjoy!
Our world is full of toxins that are difficult to avoid, so whenever possible, I buy organic produce to help reduce my total toxic burden. That being said, groceries are insanely expensive right now! A great way to balance your budget and still eat organic is by consulting with the Environmental Working Group. The EWG puts out yearly lists called the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15, which list foods you’re better off buying organic (the Dirty Dozen) and ones you can feel safe purchasing conventionally grown (the Clean 15).
