We are still in the middle of a cold winter, but I am already preparing for my seasonal detox. Before I move into a more structured detox program I usually start adding detoxifying ingredients into my daily recipes at the end of February. Bitter greens and herbs are my food of choice in accordance with the ancient principles of the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western herbalism.
A Very Fruity Radicchio Salad
Bitter taste is associated with cleansing and detox. Bitter plant compounds stimulate salivary glands and liver, improving digestion and elimination. Bitters are often considered to be anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. They help remove excess mucus from the body and increase the production of digestive juices.
My radicchio salad comes with incredible health benefits. It is rich in flavonoid antioxidants such as zeaxanthin and lutein; vitamins such as B vitamins, especially B5 and B 6, vitamin K, and C; minerals such as manganese and potassium; enzymes and other plant compounds beneficial to health.
The ingredients
Ingredients:
for the salad:
- 1 medium large radicchio, shredded
- arils of 1/2 pomegranate
- supremes of 2 Mandarin oranges
- 1/2 snow pear (nashi), sliced
for the dressing
- 2 Tbsp freshly pressed Mandarin orange juice
- 2 Tbsp freshly pressed pomegranate juice
- 1/2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup virgin olive oil (or any cold pressed oil of your choice)
- 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (add more if you prefer)
- 1 tsp raw honey (optional)
A Very Fruity Radicchio Salad
Method:
- Whisk a salad dressing using all the dressing ingredients. Add more black pepper if you prefer. Black pepper promotes intestinal health and helps improve digestion.
- Gently mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix again.
- Serve the salad as a main course or as a side dish and enjoy it in good company!
Tip: I did not add any herbs to this salad since I considered radicchio to be perfect in itself, but you may want to experiment a bit. You can also skip the Mandarin oranges and add some chopped purple onion for an even more detoxifying action. The taste will change completely when you add some chopped walnuts and use cold pressed walnut oil as a base for the dressing. Whatever you decide to do, have fun!
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
The ingredients
To learn how to de-seed a pomegranate please click here
To learn how to supreme citrus fruit please click here
Dominique Allmon©2015
*Information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or cure a disease.