The holiday season is often busy, hectic and filled with family, friends, food and fun! Often having a vegan diet you may find that you don’t over indulge nor fall into food comas after Christmas dinner like others tend too! Nevertheless, starting the new year feeling fresh and renewed is always a lovely way to launch into January and can set the mood for the months to follow.
If you feel that a day or two of light, tasty, food would do you the world of good, follow these recipes below and treat yourself to some gentle time of self nourishment. Take some time out of your busy schedule, spend some time reading or go for a long walk, take a bath with epsom salts, drink plenty of fresh water and get to bed early. You will wake up feeling amazing! If you would like to continue for a few days of clean eating, stick to a diet of fresh, raw foods- lots of fruits and vegetables, small amounts of nuts and seeds and avocado, fresh juices, smoothies and simple snacks like seaweed or dried fruit. Try and steer clear of alcohol, caffeine, gluten, sugar, dairy and any processed foods.
You may experience some bouts of fatigue or feel a little achy or emotional. That will just be the body letting go of toxins. Be gentle on yourself and remember to have lots of water and down time. A colonic or enema will also assist to move stagnant toxins in the body and leave you feeling refreshed and renewed!
Eating a vegan diet generally means people are more conscious of their food choices. Meat and dairy are two of the most acidic foods you can place inside the body so already, having a diet that is void of these is a great benefit to your health! Enjoying a few days of lighter eating or juicing is always beneficial though for everyone and gives the digestive system a wonderful break, allowing the rest of the body to heal and rejuvenate.
Get ready for a great year ahead and enjoy these tasty recipes! There are enough recipes for two days or pick and choose your favourites for one day! The smoothie recipes are a single serve but the food recipes serve 2- you can either halve the recipes or keep half for later!
Tropical Delight Green Smoothie-
- ½ cup of frozen pineapple
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 kiwi fruit peeled
- 1/2 a frozen mango
- 3 kale leaves
- 1 tight handful of spinach
- 1 tsp spirulina
- 1 sprig of mint
- 1- 1 1/2 cups coconut water
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy, adding more liquid to reach your desired consistency.
Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.
The frozen fruit is optional, you can use fresh fruit but you may wish to add some ice for a rally cold smoothie.
Alkaline Green Smoothie-
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1/2 a small cucumber
- ¼ inch piece of grated ginger
- 1 small green apple
- 4-5 kale leaves
- 1 sprig parsley
- ½ a lemon juiced
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups of coconut water
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy, adding more liquid to reach your desired consistency.
Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.
If you would like to add a little more sweetness, feel free to add a small frozen banana.
Super Power Salad-
- 2 cups of baby spinach gently chopped
- 1 cucumber finely sliced
- ½ apple finely diced
- 1 avocado chopped into cubes
- 3 tablespoons of Inca berries
- 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds
- 1 red capsicum finely diced
- 1 fennel bulb finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon of dulse flakes
Dressing-
- 1 cup of fresh orange juice
- I small avocado
- 1 small inch of fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon of flax oil
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander
Mix all salad ingredients well in a large bowl.
Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender until well combined.
Place salad into two bowls and drizzle dressing over salads.
Clean Green Nori Rolls
- 4 raw nori sheet
- 4 tablespoons of macadamia butter
- 1 cup of fresh sunflower sprouts
- 1 avocado
- pinch of salt
Lay the nori sheets flat and fill each one with one tablespoon of macadamia butter, ¼ cup of fresh sprouts, 1/4 of an avocado and a pinch of salt.
Roll the nori up and eat fresh with your hands.
You can choose to add any fillings you like, but I find this particular combination so simple and so tasty.
Kale, Tomato and Basil Salad
Ingredients-
- 1 bunch of kale, stems removed
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 1/2 a ripe avocado chopped into cubes
- 2 stalks of celery finely sliced
- 1 cucumber finely sliced
- ¼ cup of soaked sun dried tomatoes finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- ½ a teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil
Chop the kale well and massage with the salt and lemon to soften and wilt slightly. Mix the massaged kale with all the remaining ingredients.
Place into serving bowls and serve with a wedge of fresh lemon.
The Best Gazpacho Soup
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1/3 bunch parsley and coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 chili
Blend all ingredients above until smooth and pour into 2 serving bowls.
- 3 tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 cucumber finely diced
- 1 red capsicum finely chopped
- 2 spring onions finely sliced
- 1 avocado finely cubed
- ¼ cup coriander chopped.
Evenly distribute these ingredients above into the bowls on top of the liquid base.
Serve fresh and enjoy!
