Oh how I love the crisp morning air and cool nights this time of the year! Although summer hasn’t quite ended yet – we’ve been enjoying plenty of sunshine here in Belgium – my body is already preparing for fall. This is the best season for a gentle detox cleanse to prepare your body for wintertime, especially if you’ve been feeling a bit tired or sluggish lately and you want to protect yourself against the flu and colds. A detox cleanse can be really easy: just enjoy plenty of green juices, smoothies, fresh fruit, soups and salads like this Detox Salad with Broccoli and Asian Sesame Dressing. It’s filling, really flavorful and perfect if you want something warming at night but nothing too heavy.
The healthy fats from the avocado will help you to burn fat and curb cravings, the fiber and protein from the beans will keep you full and help you to build lean muscles, and the minerals from the greens and the broccoli will support your body’s natural cleansing process. By adding some cayenne pepper or fresh chili to the dressing, you’ll give your fat-burning metabolism a nice extra boost too!
Detox Salad with Broccoli and Asian Sesame Dressing
SERVES: 2 people
EQUIPMENT: steamer, glass jar
INGREDIENTS:
Asian Sesame Dressing
3 tablespoons Shiro miso
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 ½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
½ tablespoon maple syrup, or more to taste
Lime zest
Cayenne pepper or fresh chili
Detox Salad with Broccoli
1 large head broccoli
4 handfuls seasonal greens
½ medium cucumber, sliced or cubed
1 small jar adzuki beans (or lentils, chickpeas, black beans…), rinsed and slightly heated with some coconut oil
½ large ripe avocado, sliced or cubed
Toppings of your choice: nuts, seeds, dried fruit…
DIRECTIONS:
Asian Sesame Dressing
Combine miso, lime juice, sesame oil, tamari and maple syrup in a glass jar. Add lime zest and cayenne pepper to taste. Close the lid and shake well.
Detox Salad with Broccoli
- Cut your broccoli into florets and steam them until just starting to get tender. This way you’ll preserve most of the precious vitamins and minerals. Leave the broccoli to cool for a minute.
- Combine greens, sliced cucumber, broccoli and adzuki beans in a nice serving dish or bowl.
- Add avocado and other toppings of your choice. I used pumpkin seeds, mulberries and goji berries.
- Drizzle with Asian sesame dressing or serve on the side.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- This detox salad will stay fresh for 2 days or longer in an airtight container in the refrigerator, especially if you store the dressing in a separate container. Chilled, the Asian sesame dressing should stay fresh for at least one week.
- Not a big fan of legumes? Replace them with cooked quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, rice noodles…
Now I would love to hear from you! Have you ever tried a detox cleanse before? What were your experiences? Did you notice any changes in your concentration, weight, sleep…? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
