Casa Lovina

Where do I start with this green smoothie?! It’s such a good one! Our bodies do a pretty great job of detoxifying thanks to our livers. But it never hurts to help out by including foods that naturally detoxify our bodies.

Kale is a great detoxifier, as are all cruciferous veggies. The glucosinolates in kale form isothiocyanates (ITCs) which help regulate detox activities in our cells. When you add kale to your green smoothies, you’re also adding great anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and anti-cancer benefits into your day. Kale also has heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids which help fight cardiovascular disease. Is there anything kale can’t do for our health?

Lemon juice aids the liver in flushing out toxins naturally and acts as a diuretic. Ginger aids in digestion and has numerous anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Two compounds found in high concentration in ginger, gingerol and shoga, may help the entire digestive tract to relief any discomfort from gas, constipation, diarrhea, and bloating. (Yep, I went there.) And now we come to turmeric, another natural liver detoxifier.

We most often find it in its dried, ground form. It is a root similar to ginger that is common in Asia and Polynesia. It lends a gorgeous yellow color to curries, mustard, and other foods we consume on a normal basis. But adding in a little extra turmeric into your diet adds big benefits.

The curcumin in turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory and has been used in traditional Eastern medicine for centuries to treat all kinds of maladies. Pineapple and mango add natural sweetness as well as fiber and loads of Vitamins A and C.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups kale
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups pineapple
• 1 cup mango
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
• ¼ to 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, to taste

Directions: Blend kale and coconut milk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

*Use at least one frozen fruit to make smoothie cold.

Source: Young & Raw

Turn up the heat with sweet and spicy island fare.
With two types of fish and a combination of delicious spices, this dish is a seafood lover's dream and total crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 pound Alaskan salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 pound red snapper fillet, skin removed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Garnish: fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Combine black pepper, red pepper, cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle salmon and snapper on both sides with spice mixture. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add fish, and cook 2 minutes or until browned.

2. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté 6 minutes or until vegetables soften. Add coconut milk, tomatoes, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer. Add fish; cover and simmer 3 minutes or until fish is cooked. Gently stir in cilantro leaves and lime juice. Garnish, if desired.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1.5 cups chopped onion (approx 1 medium onion)
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped (optional)
• 1.5-2 tablespoons curry powder 
• 1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste 
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, optional celery, and carrot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or so.

2. Add finely chopped garlic and stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.

3. Add curry powder. I started with 1.5 tablespoons. Now, add the rinsed uncooked lentils and 4 cups water. Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper, add in lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

4. When lentils are tender, I poured about half of the soup into my blender and I blended the soup for a minute. I did this to create a very thick texture. After blending, stir the soup back into the skillet/pot and you will have a very thick soup with some chunky pieces left from the soup you did not process.

5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Source: Oh She Glows

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 Minutes   |   Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, cut into large dice
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 lb eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes
• 3 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 20 fresh basil leaves, torn in half
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil to make the herb oil.

Preparation

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Add in eggplant and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Add in canned tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in bell peppers and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Blend basil and parsley with Olive Oil to make herb oil.
5. Serve ratatouille with herb oil poured on top.

source: Vega

Ingredients

• 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti 
• 6 thick hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
• 1 medium-size red onion, halved and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups firmly packed chopped fresh collards
• 3 large pasteurized eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1 large pasteurized egg yolk, lightly beaten 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 
• 3 cups (12 oz.) freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.
3. Sauté onion in hot drippings 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add collards; sauté 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add bacon.
4. Whisk together eggs, egg yolk, next 3 ingredients, and 2 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and immediately pour hot pasta into egg mixture; toss to coat. (The heat from the pasta will partially cook the eggs.) Add collard mixture; toss to combine. Stir in enough pasta water to reach desired consistency. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.