If you are familiar with the content we post, then you know we laugh at the idea of a salad being a simple side dish. We direct the spotlight on the salad, allowing it to take center stage as the main course. You just need to pack it with plenty of cruciferous and colorful vegetables, heart-healthy nuts, savory beans, avocados, berries, and, most importantly, an incredible dressing. 

Make It Colorful

In order to make the perfect salad, you want to include as many nutrient-dense, filling ingredients as possible. If you can make it as colorful as possible, that is a bonus. The reason you want to include colorful foods, such as blueberries, purple cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, or bell peppers, is to diversify your antioxidant intake. This relates back to the concept of “eating the rainbow.” Eating this way not only ensures that you eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables, but also that you eat as many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients as possible. Continue reading to learn about other tips to make a great post-holiday detox salad. 

Start With The Greens

Greens will form the base of your salad, but you don’t have to be traditional with your choice of leaves. Some people enjoy crispy romaine, while others prefer the diversity of spring mixed greens. Kale makes for an excellent salad base, so long as you remove the thick stems and chop it finely. Arugula is a great choice if you water a peppery base, and shredded Brussels sprouts or cabbage work well as bases for slaws. The point is that green vegetables are some of the healthiest foods on the planet! Some people abide by the phrase, “The more you eat green, the more you get lean.”

Don’t Be Afraid Of Onions

Onions, garlic, and other members of the allium family, exhibit unique flavor profiles. They have a strong bite, but a lot of health benefits come with that intensity. For example, onions exhibit impressive anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties because of their sulfide compounds. The same compounds that make your eyes tear up benefit your health! If you need to tame the intensity of onions, soak them in a little sea salt and lemon/lime juice. You can also crush up fresh garlic to incorporate into your salad dressing. Fun fact: crushing the garlic actually releases the health properties!

Bring Legumes To The Party

Legumes are naturally rich in fiber and protein, two things that help fill you up. When you add them to salads, they add a starchy creaminess that is very hard to replicate. In fact, you keep aiming for black beans, kidney beans, or garbanzo beans bite after bite! Most beans are naturally rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, in addition to resistant starch. Plus, several studies found that they exhibit anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Dress For Success

Before you dig into your big bowl of greens, colorful vegetables and fruits, onions, and legumes, you need a proper dressing. You can go with a simple vinaigrette using olive oil, your favorite vinegar, and sea salt and pepper, or you can blend several ingredients into a dressing. If you prefer creamy dressings, consider blending avocado, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, and salt and pepper. Once your dressing is ready to go, drizzle it over your salad, toss to coat all the ingredients, and serve. When ready to eat, you can top with some almonds, walnuts, cashews, or other nuts and seeds of your choice. 

We regularly publish salad recipes on our website. If you need inspiration, you can click here to view all of our salad recipes. It’s a useful resource that can help you if you’re ever in a pinch.

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Who loves pesto but either has a nut allergy or cannot properly digest different nuts, such as cashews, pine nuts, or almonds? Almost all pesto recipes call for nuts, so we decided to create a unique raw vegan pesto recipe that uses sunflower seeds. They have a mild, nutty flavor and add a smooth and creamy texture to this pesto. We also added two tablespoons of hemp seeds for an added boost of healthy fats and proteins.

Although you can use a blender, it is better to use a food processor when making this pesto. It also works best to process all of the ingredients, except for the basil, until smooth and then add the basil at the very end. That will help keep basil from bruising as much. You can also drizzle in a little more olive oil while blending if the pesto is too thick for your liking. Just keep in mind that this pesto, unlike store bought pestos, will only stay fresh in the fridge for a few days. That means that you will want to eat it soon after making it. You can also freeze it, so consider making a double or triple batch so that you can enjoy some later.

For easy storage, put the pesto in silicone ice trays, freeze, and then pop out the pesto cubes to put in a freezer-safe plastic bag. You can defrost the ice cubes 24 hours before you want to enjoy it. The sunflower seed pesto works great as a dip for raw vegetables, or you can use it with raw zucchini noodles to make a filling raw entree.

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There aren’t many vegetables that are as versatile, nutritious, and addictive as roasted Brussels sprouts. If you disagree, then you have not had the perfect roasted Brussels sprouts. They can be tricky to roast, so you often end up with overly soggy, overcooked Brussels sprouts. You’ll be amazed at what a little olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper can do to your sprouts. The exteriors will caramelize and the interiors will be beautifully soft. Feel free to add a squeeze of lemon juice to the Brussels sprouts when you serve them.

Should you cut your Brussels sprouts in half before you roast them? Well, we’ve got all the secrets to cooking a great pan of Brussels sprouts. If you want your sprouts to have a crunchy exterior, you should cut them in half before you roast them. If they are very large, you can quarter them. Cutting them allows water to escape, which prevents them from being soggy inside. At 425 degrees Fahrenheit, roast your Brussels sprouts for roughly 18-20 minutes tops. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning or undercooking them.

Spread them out into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. If the Brussels are too close together or overlapping then thy will steam instead of crisping. Place them cut-side down to start the roasting process. About halfway through the roasting process, make sure to flip them to ensure an evenly crisp exterior. Once you remove them from the oven, you can serve them with your entree. These make for a great Thanksgiving side dish, and don’t contain the calories and fats that other classic sides have. Elevate the flavor with a little lemon juice or balsamic glaze. Please enjoy!

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Everyone knows when they are about to come down with a sore throat or cold. Be it the tickle in back of your throat or slight irritation in your nose, you just know. Once you start coughing or have difficulty breathing, perhaps you grab the decongestant and lather it all over your throat and chest. Some people put it under their feet and some want to really inhale the menthol, so they rub some under their nostrils. 

If you are congested and want to breathe easier, you may look to essential oils instead of a classic vapor rub. Some essential oils, including eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils, show particular promise, while others are not as effective at relieving sinus congestion. Other research indicates that essential oils may improve symptoms related to congestion. For example, some may help reduce inflammation, fight bacteria, and relieve pain. 

A Quick Note About Essential Oil Dilution

The key to using essential oils safely is proper dilution. For adults, a 5% dilution is generally safe. That means that 30 drops of essential oils per one ounce of carrier oil, or 15 drops essential oils per 10 milliliters (ml) of carrier oil. For pregnant or breastfeeding women, a 1% dilution is best. Six drops of essential oils per ounce of carrier oil, or three drops essential oils per 10 ml of carrier oil. You can use the same pregnant or breastfeeding dilution ratio for children. 

For this recipe, you will use a half-cup of olive oil, 1/8 cup of beeswax pastilles, and 150 drops of essential oils. You can choose the amount of drops you wish to use from the following list of essential oils that help promote decongestion. 

Peppermint Essential Oil

A lot of people find that peppermint oil has a cooling effect and may improve symptoms of sinusitis. Because it contains menthol, peppermint essential oil may open the airways by affecting mucus receptors in the nose. According to lab studies, peppermint oil may fight bacteria, a primary trigger of sinus congestion. You can try to add peppermint essential oil to a warm bath to help reduce stuffiness.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil contains alpha-sabine, a compound that exhibits anti-viral, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. Researchers believe that tea tree oil helps relieve sinus congestion by fighting bacteria and viruses in the airways. It’s also possible that tea tree oil reduces inflammation, which may bring down swelling in the sinuses. By reducing swelling you can relieve symptoms of congestion, such as runny or stuffy nose. 

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus essential oil is a common ingredient in chest rubs and other over-the-counter decongestants. It shows promise as an alternative remedy for sinusitis and congestion. Similar to peppermint essential oil, you can add eucalyptus essential oil to a warm bath to promote decongestion. Eucalyptus oil contains ceneole, which was proven to be safe and effective for sinus issues in several small studies. It helped to improve symptoms of sinusitis, including nasal obstruction, headaches, and runny nose. 

Essential Oil Chest Rub Decongestant

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 beeswax pastilles
• 150 drops essential oils of choice

Instructions:

• In the top of a double boiler over medium-low heat, melt the olive oil and beeswax together. Stir frequently to melt evenly. 
• When the two ingredients are fully melted, remove from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. You can put it back over the heat and add more oil if the mixture is too hard, or add more beeswax if it is too soft. 
• Add the 150 drops of essential oils (your selection) and mix well to combine. Immediately pour the mixture into a four-ounce mason jar. Cover and let cool at room temperature. 
• Apply to the chest and/or the neck area during a cold to help reduce coughing and promote better breathing. 

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These zucchini noodles are great no matter what time of year it is. Enjoy them as a refreshing side while grilling in the summer or let them satiate you as a nutritious entree during the fall. The spiralized zucchini noodles are tossed with fresh herbs, garlic, seasonings, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil, in which they marinated for a little while before serving. Marinating the zoodles helps to intensify the flavors and make the raw vegan entree that much more enjoyable.

In order to make this recipe, you need a spiralizer. You can use a handheld one, but the type with the hand crank is a little more durable and reliable. Once you have your zucchini noodles, place them in a bowl and toss with a couple pinches of sea salt. Allow them to sit like that for about 30 minutes, as this process helps to draw out the water. Naturally, while the zoodles are sitting in that bowl, you can prepare the marinade by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl. After those 30 minutes are up, drain the salty water and gently squeeze out the excess water from the zucchini noodles. Pat dry with paper towels.

Once your zucchini noodles are dry, you can transfer them to an airtight container with the marinade, mix well, and keep them in the refrigerator for an hour or so. You can also let them marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes and then enjoy. Although it may not seem like it, these noodles are actually quite delicious when served cold. You can even keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days!

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If you are new to our recipe section, please allow us to introduce you to the culinary marvel that is raw zucchini noodles. Commonly known as zoodles, zucchini noodles are a great low-carb pasta alternative that are easily digestible and friendly to your waistline. They are vibrantly green and curly beyond belief. One could say that they are a refreshing canvas for almost any pasta sauce. But we aren’t about to throw some processed, sodium-rich jarred sauce on these health bombs! These raw, nutrient-dense zucchini noodles call for a homemade arugula pesto!

The real talk star of the show is the raw vegan arugula pesto. This is not your average Italian grandmother’s pesto. No offense to all the nonnas out there, but we can’t be using the classic pesto recipe because it contains cheese. We hope this raw vegan, zesty, herbaceous, and peppery pesto is just as bold and flavorful as the classic pesto you know and love. Not only does arugula offer a peppery flavor, but it also provides lots of magnesium, potassium, iron, fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Now, pine nuts, especially raw pine nuts, can be a little pricey. If you do not have pine nuts, you can use raw cashews instead. The flavor will be slightly different, but not too much to really notice a vast difference. Add in the lemon zest and juice, garlic, sea salt, and rich olive oil and this pesto becomes exactly what you want it to be: delicious, luscious, and creamy. Toss the zoodles and slightly sweet and bright cherry tomatoes in the pesto to create a nutritionally dense raw entree that is full of flavor.

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A new study suggests that the key to a longer life may be in the types of fats you eat. Specifically, dietary fat from plants, not animals, proves to be much healthier for the body. For the study, researchers observed more than 400,000 adults over the course of two decades. The study began when the participants were 61 years old on average. During the study period, about 185,000 people died, and 59,000 of those deaths were attributed to heart disease. 

Researchers observed that participants who consumed the highest intake of plant fats were 9% less likely to die during the study period compared to those who ate the least of those foods. Participants who ate the most plant fats were also 16% less likely to die from heart disease during the study. People who consumed the highest amount of animal fats were 16% more likely to die of all causes. They were 14% more likely to die of cardiovascular causes than people who ate the smallest amount of animal fats. 

Benefits Of Plant Fats

The study was not a controlled experiment designed to prove how specific fats could be harmful or beneficial. There are, however, several good reasons to consume plant fats, one of which being that you are less likely to die from premature death. A person who consumes a higher percentage of plant fats tends to consume more plant-based foods than animal foods. That aligns with the fact that whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes can benefit heart health. 

Additionally, plant-based fats are unsaturated fats. Consuming a higher ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats has been associated with improved lipid metabolism and better cholesterol levels. When researchers examined plant fats and animal fats, they found that plant fats helped increase longevity. Plant fats come from whole grains and certain vegetable oils, such as olive or avocado oils. 

Benefits Of Vegetable Oils And Grains

During the study, people who got most of their fats from grains were 8% less likely to die of all causes. They were also 14% less likely to die of cardiovascular-related problems, especially compared to people who consumed the smallest amount of plant fats. Similarly, people who got most of their fats from vegetable oils were 12% less likely to die of all causes, and 15% less likely to die of cardiovascular problems. 

Olive oil, peanut oil, and avocado oil, in addition to others, are common in plant-based diets. The important takeaway is not to just use those oils with animal fats; rather, it is to consume less animal-based fats overall. Certain animal fats stood out in the study, particularly because they had a stronger link to premature death. Participants who consumed the highest amount of dairy fat, for example, were 9% more likely to die of all causes. They were also 7% more likely to die of cardiovascular causes than participants who consumed the least amount of these fats. 

Some sources of animal fats, such as red meat, have been linked to a higher risk of premature death. People who want to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke should limit their intake of red meat and avoid egg yolks, according to dietitians. Egg whites are acceptable, as they do not contain the cholesterol that exists in yolks. 

How To Increase Your Intake Of Plant Fats

Looking to reduce your intake of animal fats and increase your intake of plant fats? It is best to start off slow, for example, adopting a meatless Monday habit. You will only eat plant-based foods on Mondays, and you can build on that as you get more familiar with plant-based foods. Red meat and processed meats are linked to a wide variety of chronic health conditions that can reduce your overall lifespan. 

What does that mean for your diet? Well, keep in mind that you can still be unhealthy and eat plant-based foods. Increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and healthy plant oils. Use olive oil instead of corn oil. Replace ground beef with lentils. Put chickpeas in your salad in place of grilled chicken. Switching up your eating habits may just add years to your life!

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You may have heard of the FODMAP diet from a friend or article on a health website. This diet calls for people to eat foods low in FODMAP, certain sugars that cause intestinal discomfort. In theory, this diet should help people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) figure out which foods are problematic and which foods reduce symptoms. Think of this diet as a temporary restrictive eating plan, almost like an elimination diet of sorts.

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbs that the small intestine absorbs poorly. People with FODMAP sensitivity can experience cramping, diarrhea, stomach bloating, constipation, or gas after eating high-FODMAP foods. In the case of this lemon vinaigrette, you can enjoy it without worrying about experiencing those symptoms. That is because all of the ingredients in this dressing are low FODMAP foods.

Because this lemon vinaigrette is very citrusy and acidic, we recommend serving it with salads that contain tomatoes, cucumber, romaine lettuce, or kale. If you are not cleansing, serve this dressing with your buddha bowl or pour it atop your quinoa. It can even be a great dressing to use for homemade tabbouleh or Italian pasta salad. Be mindful of the foods you eat with this, especially if you are monitoring your intake of these types of sugars, or if you have a digestive disorder.

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Say goodbye to leafy greens for a minute, but don’t forget about them completely. Leafy green are integral to a healthy diet, as they provide nutrients that encourage optimal overall health. Ever salad, however, does not require leafy greens, and this recipe is one of those salads. Corn is a classic summer produce item that is quite versatile. You can grill it, sauté it, steam it, or boil it and add it to salads, stir-fries, fried rice, and other dishes.

Although corn is the primary ingredient for this recipe, the dressing is the real star of the show. Vibrantly green and herbaceous, this dressing contains mint, cilantro, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and pepper, and a touch of agave nectar for sweetness. This kiss of sweetness from the agave helps to balance the intensity, acidity, and brightness of the other ingredients. The mint really shines through and complements the corn, sliced green onion, and vegan feta cheese.

Just as a quick note, this salad is not cleanse-approved. First of all, it contains corn and uses red wine vinegar. Some people may call those ingredients “acceptable cheats” while cleansing, but a definite “no” is the vegan feta. There are several varieties of vegan feta, but Follow Your Heart makes an excellent one that tastes like the real deal. Try it for yourself and let us know! This will be a hit at your next summer potluck!

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If you can make a homemade rendition of a store bought classic, then you should absolutely do that. By making the homemade version, especially a salad dressing, you save yourself from all of the sodium, added flavors, unhealthy fats, and added sugars in store bought dressings. The great thing about this homemade Italian dressing is that it uses olive oil, not hydrogenated vegetable oils that increase the risk of heart disease. Add in the vinegar, garlic, and other seasonings and you have yourself an award-worthy dressing!

Unlike some other dressings that we’ve posted previously, this recipe does not require a blender. Grab the ingredients, a jar, and your best shaking skills, and you have yourself a dressing that is ready to go in five to 10 minutes. If using raw garlic cloves, we encourage you to use a microplane or garlic press. That will prevent your dressing from having large garlic chunks if your knife skills are not incredible. If you do not want to use fresh parsley, you can opt for dried parsley, but reduce the amount from 1/4 cup fresh parsley to 1 tablespoon dried parsley.

Unlike store bought dressing, this homemade Italian dressing does not keep fresh in the fridge for months, even years. This dressing will keep fresh in the fridge in an airtight jar or container for two to three days. It may separate, so make sure to give it a good shake to combine the ingredients before dressing your salad. You may love this version so much that you abandon store bought versions for good!

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