Kick off day one with a nutrient-rich and filling green smoothie. How clichéd. Not quite. Smoothies as opposed to juices contain the whole fruit and vegetable, adding fiber and reducing the amount of waste that is generated from juicing. Continue day one with a completely vegan menu that includes a creamy nutritious turmeric cauliflower soup followed by a fortifying spaghetti squash with kale pesto.
Green Machine Smoothie
serves 1
- 2 cups kale leaves
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger, sliced
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup ice
Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Top with bee pollen or additional chia seeds, if you wish.
Ginger and lime add a nice zing and boost the immune system, chia seeds add protein, fiber, and omega 3s, and dark leafy greens give this smoothie plant-based calcium as well as Vitamin A.
Creamy, dreamy, and 100 % guilt-free, this vegan roasted cauliflower and turmeric soup will satisfy and reset. Turmeric can be found in powder or in root form and can be of benefit in treating digestive problems and reducing the body’s inflammatory response. Turmeric's medicinal properties work best when paired with black pepper.
Roasted Cauliflower and Turmeric Soup
makes about 5 cups
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tsps lemon zest + juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups dark leafy greens such as spinach, baby chard, or baby kale
- Garnishes: raw or roasted pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, olive oil, microgreens
Preheat oven to 400. On a parchment paper-lined sheet tray, toss the cauliflower with garlic, turmeric, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until golden. In a large pot over medium heat, bring stock, bay leaf, rosemary, and cauliflower to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, transfer soup to a blender, and puree soup in batches until smooth. Place a handful of greens into a serving bowl, ladle in soup, garnish with lemon juice, lemon zest, and touch of olive oil, microgreens, and pumpkin seeds.
Feeling peckish? Reach for a fiber, protein, and healthy fat filled snack that will sustain you and tie you over until your next meal. Adding cinnamon to a carbohydrate helps to stabilize the increase in blood sugar which occurs naturally when consuming any form of carbohydrate. In this case, the apple is the source of the carb.
1 small apple, sliced (the size of a baseball) + 1 tbsp all natural sugar-free nut butter + a light dusting of ground cinnamon.
Missing your holiday pastas? Don't feel deprived. Fill the pasta void with spaghetti squash and top it with vegan kale pesto loaded with nutrients from the dark leafy greens. Spaghetti squash is rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, is gluten-free, and is the perfect alternative to pasta. Wondering where to get your protein? Top your pasta with raw hemp seeds, which are a plant-based protein that also contain heart healthy omega 3's.
Spaghetti squash + vegan kale pesto
2 servings + additional pesto for snacks
- 1 medium size spaghetti squash
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- freshly ground black pepper
kale pesto
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed
- 1 cup cilantro or parsley or a blend of both
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup raw or toasted walnuts
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish: hemp seeds and microgreens
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Split squash in half length-wise and scrape out seeds. Rub coconut oil, paprika, and black pepper on both inner halves of the squash. Place squash flesh side down on the sheet tray and roast for 30-40 minutes until the prongs of a fork easily pierce the flesh. Remove from oven, cool slightly. Using a fork, scrape the flesh of the squash away from the skin.
As the squash roasts, boil a pot of lightly salted water. Have an ice bath on hand. Toss in kale for 30 seconds and immediately transfer to an ice bath. Using a dish towel or your hands, squeeze out as much water as you can from the kale. Place kale, herbs, chili flakes, garlic, walnuts, and lemon juice into a food processor. With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil until all ingredients are well blended and a pesto is formed. Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper, taste, adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon pesto over spaghetti squash, and garnish with hemp seeds and microgreens.
Check back tomorrow for day two!