I'm pretty sure broccoli slaw fits the bill for any menu, anytime of year, but it's especially good over the summer months when picnics and outdoor excursions are in full swing. When it comes to slaws, I tend to be partial to less creamy varieties. The nutritional upside of vinegar-based dressing outweighs the dietary disaster in processed mayo-based dressing hands down.
Every single ingredient in this slaw has an incredible benefit, whether it's detoxifying or fortifying. Here are a few of my favorites:
Broccoli: A cruciferous vegetable, broccoli does an amazing job pulling toxins out of our body. It's a good source of vitamin K, C, B6 as well as folate. Little do many of us realize, but folate is a superpower in the detox department. It's also a good source of fiber! Because this recipe calls for the broccoli to be marinaded for at least two hours, the digestibility is much greater. If you have a problem with eating raw broccoli, it's less likely to happen when it's prepared this way.
Onion: Don't skip this all-important ingredient. Onions contain high levels of polyphenols, which not only aid in preventing disease, but helping you look and feel more youthful, too. If you've got achy joints, or suffer from chronic infections of any kind, onions can help as they do an amazing job keeping inflammation at bay.
Caraway Seeds: This seed is simply amazing. Caraway seeds help to balance out our detoxification. If you've ever gone through a detox and felt somewhat sick (or even sicker than when you began), caraways sends have the ability to lessen the impact. What's more, caraway seeds do a great job reducing bloating and gas. A little bit of caraway goes a long way.
Cleansing Broccoli Slaw
Serves 6
Slaw
6 cups broccoli, shredded, including stalks
2 cups carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 teaspoons caraways seeds
Dressing
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of black pepper
1. Using a food processor, shred the broccoli, including the stalks. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a sharp knife instead. Place shredded broccoli in a large mixing bowl.
2. Using a hand shredder, shred carrots. I opted to use a hand shredder instead of a food processor because my food processor tends to make smaller shreds. I wanted mine to look a little bigger, and have more texture. If this doesn't matter to you, go a head and add the carrots to the food processor along with the broccoli. Add the carrots to the bowl of broccoli.
3. Dice one cup of red onion and add to vegetable mixture.
4. Crush and mince fresh garlic. Add to vegetable mixture.
5. Add caraway to vegetable mixture and set aside.
Dressing
1. In a small bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, sea salt and black pepper. Whisk thoroughly.
2. Pour dressing over vegetable mixture and toss until all vegetable are covered.
3. Cover slaw and refrigerate for at least two hours.
4. Serve and enjoy!
Need a little more help figuring out what’s right to eat for your body? The Belly Burn Plan has a nutrition plan, not a diet, that’s right for your body type! The book starts with a simple, short cleanse and moves into a combination fitness and meal plan. You can pick it up here.
