Greens, greens the wonderful food! There are many benefits from eating leafy greens, especially from the Brassica family, which is why I always try to incorporate them into my daily meals. I go a little crazy if I haven't had any greens in a day and actually crave them when I wake up after certain late nights... I highly encourage you to try incorporating some of these other greens into your diet instead of the basic leaf lettuce.
The brassica (latin name for cabbage) family include kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, collard greens and cauliflower. In addition to being packed full of vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron, they contain several phytonutrients known for their cancer fighting properties and liver detox functions. One I want to highlight is I3C (indole-3-carbinol) that gets converted to DIM in the body to aid in phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification and estrogen balancing. You can take this in supplement form but why not get it from food as best you can. Brassica greens also contain flavonoids which act as an anti-oxidant to fight inflammation. Broccoli, and broccoli sprouts contain sulforaphanes which are powerful nutrients to not only support the liver, but kill H.pylori and other unwanted bacteria in the gut, and is a potential cancer treatment. I could go on but lets get to the recipe!
Ingredients: (serves 2)
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar (great for digestion!)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 3 cups shredded kale
- 1 cup shredded brussels sprouts
- 1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 large shallot, sliced and caramelized
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted
- 2 tbsp hemp hearts
- 1/4 avocado, sliced
- 1 soft-boiled egg, halved
- handful broccoli sprouts - optional (learn how to sprout here)
Directions:
- In a small blender/magic bullet emulsify the olive oil with the apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard. It should end up slightly creamy and a light yellow colour.
- Mix shredded kale, brussels sprouts and cabbage together in a bowl. Dress the greens with the dressing, only adding enough to lightly coat the greens, then massage the kale mixture to soften the kale. Add a pinch of salt, then more dressing if needed.
- Top with hemp hearts, caramelized shallots, toasted sunflower seeds and broccoli sprouts (if using) and gently mix. Top with sliced avocado and egg, adding a pinch more salt. Delicious!
Look out for recipes like these in my 10-Day Fall Detox Program! Want to get back on track with your health after the summer months? The program starts October 10th but sign up today to claim your spot!