Quick Holiday De-bloat Plan + Detox Recipes: Just in Time For NYE-

Dear Margaret,

I hope you had a Merry Christmas! Your homemade apple cider post got me in the Christmas spirit too:) 

I don't know about you but I feel like a bloated little piglet after these past few days of celebration.. which means time to cut back a little and add some natural diuretics into my diet before trying to squeeze into a little New Years Eve dress:) I don't believe in extremes or deprivation, which always end up backfiring. I've found (through much trial, error, and struggles) that the best way is incorporating balance into your lifestyle for optimal well being and overall enjoyment. Therefore, here are some of my suggestions to quickly detox/de-bloat before NYE without any major lifestyle changes (I will never give up my morning coffee):

*Bumping up exercise and eliminating added sodium also help speed up the process...

Add these foods to your diet for a couple of days:

-peppermint tea, green tea, and ginger tea (drink your preference all throughout the day)

-Greek yogurt and fruits (I prefer Fage 2% Greek yogurt)

-asparagus

-cucumber

-watercress

-artichokes

-parsley

-fresh lemon (add to water, teas, and on salads)

-fresh ginger

..and here are a couple detox/de-bloat recipes for lunches and dinners:

Detox Salad:

-chop up watercress, cucumber, asparagus, and artichokes.. drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon. Can add organic chicken, tuna, hard boiled egg, or eat with yogurt for protein!

Ginger Carrot Detox Soup: (recipe courtesy of fitsugar.com)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 1/3 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Combine the olive oil and onion in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 10 minutes, until just starting to caramelize.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture. Stir in the carrots, potato, and the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots and potato are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan over high heat, lightly toast the pine nuts. Set aside to cool.
4. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
5. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth (or puree in a regular blender in batches). Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with a dollop of the yogurt mixture and some pine nuts.

xoxo,

Kara

picture courtesy of www.fitsugar.com