The Beauty Detox Solution (42 page)

BEAUTY SOUPS AND VEGGIE DISHES

RAW RED PEPPER AND TOMATO SOUP

YIELD:
about 4 servings

This light soup is filling and can be enjoyed on its own or with a salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 organic red pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped

3 medium-sized, organic, vine-ripened tomatoes

½ organic celery stalk

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

1 Tbs. nutritional yeast

3/4 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

1 very small garlic clove

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Blend everything until smooth in a blender and serve. This is where the Vitamix is really helpful, as you can make this soup and clean up in less than 5 minutes!

CAULIFLOWER ENERGY SOUP

YIELD:
about 4 servings

 

Cauliflower lovers, you will be in heaven with this soup! I never really considered myself a hard-core cauliflower lover until I started making this delicious soup. Whenever I make it, I slurp it up pretty fast! The turmeric, besides its wonderful health and detoxifying properties, gives the soup a nice yellow hue, so it doesn't come out a pasty white or ugly gray color!

If you are new to raw soups or it is wintertime, you probably won't want to eat this soup super cold right out of the fridge. You can heat it over the stove at the lowest possible temperature, stirring well. Remember that you don't want the temperature to get near 118 degrees, which is the temperature that would destroy the enzymes in this raw soup. So warm very gently and slowly!

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head cauliflower, with outer green leaves removed and chopped into pieces

3 Tbs. organic, unpasteurized miso paste

½ ripe avocado

2 cups filtered water

Juice of 1 lemon

2½ Tbs. of Bragg Liquid Aminos or nama shoyu (raw, unpasteurized soy sauce)

½ tsp. turmeric

Chopped parsley, as a garnish

1 tsp. Himalayan sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If you'd like a thinner texture, try adding a bit more water. Enjoy!

DELISH SQUASH BISQUE

INGREDIENTS

YIELD:
about 6 servings

1 medium acorn squash

1 Tbs. coconut oil or vegetable broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large sweet onion, minced

1 tsp. grated ginger

½–1 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan

sea salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3 celery stalks, cubed

2–3 carrots, cubed

2 cups water

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the acorn squash open, remove the seeds and the peel, and cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes.

Heat the coconut oil or vegetable broth in a large cooking pot. Lightly sauté the garlic, then add the onion and the grated ginger. Do not overcook! Use medium rather than high heat. Add salt and black pepper and stir in.

Add the rest of the vegetables and gently cook over low heat, until they start to soften. Add water and cover, simmering the vegetables for 30 minutes or so, or until tender. Pour the mixture into blender and puree. Add the unsweetened almond milk. Return the soup to the cooking pot and keep on low heat. Serve and enjoy!

EAST-WEST BAKED VEGETABLES

YIELD:
about 4 servings

 

Sometimes baked veggies are so yummy! As long as we are having plenty of raw greens and veggies every day, it is okay to have some baked vegetables in the mix. This dish is especially delicious in wintertime, when we naturally crave warmer foods.

INGREDIENTS

3–4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks

1 small cauliflower, cut into ½-inch florets

2 large zucchini, cut into

1-inch cubes

5 cups bok choy, chopped into 1-inch pieces

3 Tbs. fresh parsley

1 Tbs. dried rosemary

1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or nama shoyu

1/4 cup raw coconut oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place all the vegetables and the rosemary, mixed up, in a glass ovenproof casserole dish with a lid. Add the coconut oil and the Bragg Liquid Aminos or nama shoyu and coat the vegetables.

Cover and bake in the oven for about 55 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add a bit more Bragg Liquid Aminos or nama shoyu to taste, if desired, and serve with a salad.

BASIC YAMS

YIELD:
2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds organic yams

1 Tbs. coconut oil (or to taste)

1/8 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash the yams and cut them into 1½-inch pieces, which is small enough to ensure the yams cook well. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours, or until the outer part of each piece of yam is golden brown.

Top with coconut oil as desired, as well as the salt. Enjoy following or along with a large green salad.

ITALIAN-STYLE SWEET POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

YIELD:
about 2-3 servings

2 pounds organic sweet potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks

2 Tbs. grapeseed oil

1 Tbs. dried oregano

1 Tbs. dried rosemary

Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

½ tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with the grapeseed oil, oregano, rosemary, cayenne pepper and sea salt in a glass baking dish. Bake in the oven for about 1½ hours, or until cooked through well and crispy on outside. While baking, check occasionally and gently stir as needed.

GANESHA'S SWEET POTATOES

YIELD:
about 2-3 servings

 

A personal favorite! The combination of the sweet potatoes with the coconut oil and Indian spices makes this an especially mouthwatering treat! Whenever I am craving Indian food, I make these sweet potatoes, and my taste buds are completely satisfied. Of course, my tummy is happy that I decided to forgo the cream, heavy oils and copious amounts of table salt that are part of many traditional Indian food dishes.

Leftovers are great to pack for lunch the next day, to top your large green lunch salad!

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds organic sweet potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks

2 Tbs. coconut oil

1 Tbs. curry

½ tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt (or to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with the coconut oil, curry, turmeric and sea salt. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours, or until cooked through well and crispy on outside.

BEAUTY GRAIN DISHES

MILLET “COUSCOUS” SALAD

YIELD:
about 6 servings

 

This makes a great light lunch. Or to add more bulk to a dinner, you can top some of this couscous salad over a green salad. Millet is used to replace bulgur wheat, as it has a similar, harder consistency. We cleverly avoid the gluten by opting for a higher quality alkaline-forming grain, and we won't even miss it!

INGREDIENTS

6 cups water

2 cups dry millet

2 large zucchini, diced

10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large sweet onion, diced

1-2 cups finely chopped fresh basil (depending on how much you like!)

1 cup finely chopped fresh mint

1½ Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-prep:
Be sure to soak the millet overnight in water, and rinse well before using.

 

In a saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, and then add the millet and simmer until the millet has a softer texture, around 15 to 20 minutes. Pour the millet through a strainer and set it to the side to let it cool down.

In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, tomatoes, onions, basil, mint, oil, sea salt, black pepper and lemon juice and mix well. Stir in the millet, and mix again really well. This is meant to be served on the cooler side, so it is a good idea to refrigerate it for an hour or two before serving. Great on salads!

VEGGIE-TURMERIC QUINOA

YIELD:
4 servings

 

Sometimes you just gotta have some hot food! This dish gives me my Indian food kicks, along with Ganesha's Sweet Potatoes. This is as basic and easy a stir-fry as you'll ever find, and it includes my two favorite Indian spices: curry and turmeric. Thankfully it is possible to get those Indian-style flavors without the cream, table salt and overcooked veggies and legumes that make Indian food so heavy and difficult to digest—and cause all the burping and bloating! I love this dish in the winter. I eat a salad while I'm making the quinoa, then toss the dish together so I can eat it right away, when everything is piping hot. Yummy and satisfying!

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups water

¾ cup dry quinoa

1-2 Tbs. coconut oil

1 medium onion, diced

1½ tsp. Celtic sea salt (or to taste)

1 Tbs. curry

½ tsp. turmeric

1 red bell pepper

2 cups broccoli or cauliflower, cut into little pieces

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-prep:
Be sure to soak the quinoa overnight in water, and rinse well before using.

 

Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the quinoa and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent and soft (about 10 to 15 minutes). Pour the quinoa through a strainer and set it to the side in a bowl.

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet. Add the diced onions, and lightly sauté for a few minutes, adding the sea salt, curry and turmeric. Add the other vegetables and lightly sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they become softened (but not overcooked). Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet and stir everything together. Adjust the flavoring to how you love it! Some like it with a stronger curry flavor than others!

RAINBOW STUFFED PEPPERS

YIELD:
6 servings

 

My love of stuffed peppers first started at sleepaway camp when I was ten or eleven years old, as they used to serve them in the mess hall every so often. I used to be so happy on those days! Then, while in my first semester studying abroad in Australia, I lived in a dorm, and the cafeteria there served stuffed peppers often, which I loved. Of course, they always used white rice, and there was cheese involved—not Beauty Detox foods! I like using quinoa in this recipe because it is pretty soft. The quinoa is a good contrast to the peppers, which we won't boil to death, in order to preserve the nutrition, unlike the way that I have had them in the past!

INGREDIENTS

6 red, yellow, orange or green peppers, or a combination

1½ c ups water

¾ cup dry quinoa

2-3 Tbs. raw coconut oil

6 garlic cloves

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 cups of broccoli florets

4 cups finely chopped kale

2 medium carrots, diced

1 cup minced basil

2 tsp. Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

¾ tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. oregano

2 Tbs. low-sodium tamari

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-prep:
Be sure to soak the quinoa overnight in water and rinse well before using.

 

Instructions For Preparing The Peppers:

Make an incision at the rounded top of each pepper, about 1 to 1 ½ inches from the stem.

Cut all around the stem in an even circle. Then pull out the stem and the seeds. Discard stem, and save the rest of the pepper top to chop and add to the filling. If necessary, clean out any remaining seeds from inside the pepper and discard.

 

Place water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the quinoa and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent and soft (about 10 to 15 minutes). Pour the quinoa through a strainer and set it to the side in a bowl.

Sauté the garlic in the coconut oil until gently cooked, then add the onions, and stir until the onions become translucent. Add the broccoli, kale, carrot, chopped pepper tops (from preparing the peppers) and basil, and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the sea salt and other seasonings to the veggie mixture and stir it up! Add the cooked quinoa and mix everything together well.

Adjust the seasonings to your taste. The mixture should taste slightly saltier than your taste, as the seasoning will be less concentrated when we stuff the plain bell peppers. Once you are satisfied with your filling, spoon it into each pepper, right up to the top.

Place the peppers tightly together in a glass baking dish so they remain upright. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil just before serving.

ALKALINE-GRAIN VEGGIE BURGERS

YIELD:
about 7 patties

 

Most commercial veggie burgers you buy in the frozen section of supermarkets are made with processed soy or textured vegetable protein (TVP). We say no thanks to those! These delicious veggie burgers are made instead with actual vegetables (!) and the alkaline-forming grains millet and amaranth.

This makes a delicious dinner. Even my dad likes them, and he has had his share of beef burgers in his day!

INGREDIENTS

1½ c ups water

½ cup dry millet

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 Tbs. raw coconut oil or grapeseed oil, divided