Happy New Year, everyone! It's that time of year when many of us have the motivation to truly kick in a few healthy changes into our lives. I know we all know that most resolutions don't last very long, but it is very possible (and not always difficult) to keep a good thing going 365 days of the year and beyond. Don't get overwhelmed by the things you should do. No one is perfect. Rather than biting off more than you can chew, choose two or three things that you can commit to for at least two weeks, then add on another layer of change.
If eating more vegetables is on your list, and perhaps the word "detox" has come up as something that might be good for you, then this salad will be a home run. A couple things before you jump on the detox bandwagon.
First of all, I wrote a book involving the subject and believe most, if not all of us, could use a healthy detox every now as then. Recently I've come across a bunch of articles that suggest detoxifying diets are a bunch of bunk. After all, our bodies should be able to manage the job of detoxification just fine. I beg to differ. If our organs were in perfect condition, then yes, we should be able to detox no problem. But add in a refined diet, alcohol, smoking, stress, medications and unhealthy air...well, things don't run so smoothly anymore.
One caveat to detoxification that I believe is important to remember is for those who are very ill. If you're already sick with a chronic condition, like cancer, don't detox until your body is healthy enough to get rid of all the toxins that could start looking for a way out. If you've even done a detox, like my 3-Day Cleanse, you may have had headaches, breakouts or fatigue.
Regardless, this salad is good for nearly anyone. Kale is very high in vitamin K, so if you're taking a blood thinner, this is not a salad for you. The dressing is also incredible creamy and delicious. If you like lime and avocado, double up the recipe and divide the dressing to keep for a vegetable dip.
New Year Detox Salad
Serves 6
Salad Ingredients
6 cups kale, stemmed, then cut or torn in small pieces
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup red onion, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 avocado, chopped (save until ready to serve)
Dressing Ingredients
1 avocado
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Preparation
1. Combine all salad ingredients, except the avocado, in a large bowl.
2. Combine all dressing ingredients, and blend at high speed with a blender or an immersion blender for one minute.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
4. Finally, sprinkle the chopped avocado over the top of the salad and serve.
