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Herbs & Health: Spring Herbal Detox

It’s time to clear out the clutter and lighten up!  We can finally take a layer off and enjoy the warming skies and cool breezes of spring.  Yes, we’re talking about spring cleaning, but perhaps not the kind you’re thinking of.  Spring cleaning is often associated with clearing out our closets, basements and other parts of our homes that have accumulated much too much in the past year.  But what about your liver, blood system, or my lord, lymphatic system?! Did you know many culinary herbs have powerful medicinal properties that while supplying your body with essential vitamins and minerals, aid digestion, and detoxification?  A simple at-home herbal detox can help you can raise your energy levels, stimulate your digestive health and improve your focus and concentration.  This spring, refresh, restore and rejuvenate your inner balance!

Here are some super simple, delicious, incredibly nutritious and easy to prepare recipes to get you started on your own herbal spring detox.  We’ve also included 2 recipes with spring time stars: wild harvested stinging nettles and ramps, available seasonally at your local farmers market…and don’t forget to exercise and drink lots of water!

Try these blended beauties on for size, and you may find that no closet or clutter has been left behind!

Gorgeous Green Juice Tonic
Serves 1 – 2 drinks

Feel free to use any of the other divine green leafy vegetables – dandelion greens, arugula, Swiss chard, or mixed greens would be delicious.

5 – 6 celery stalks, washed, bottom ends removed
½ English cucumber, washed & peeled
1 golden delicious apple, washed, cored, stem removed
1 kiwi (if available), peeled
2 fists full of spinach, washed
1 fist full fresh parsley leaves and stems, washed

Wash all ingredients well. Run all the ingredients through a juicer. Pour into a glass, garnish with mint and enjoy immediately.

Smoothalicious with Nettles & Mint
Serves 1

10 soaked almonds, soaked overnight & skins removed
4 soaked dates in 2 cups water, overnight & their soaked water
1 large banana, banana
½ fist full (gloved!) of tender, young nettle leaves*
½ fist full of fresh mint leaves
Blend all ingredients together for a thick smoothie, one you can eat with a spoon.  To thin add a little filtered water.

*Nettle leaves contain stinging hairs called trichomes, whose tips come off when touched transforming the hair into a needle that will inject several chemicals causing a sting followed by welts!  Once heated and cooked, the chemicals are inactive.

Spinach Bisque Soup (adapted from Raw Epicurean)
Serves 2-3

5 cups spinach, packed
1 cup filtered water
1Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh squeezed juice from ½ lemon
⅓ cup cashews, peeled & chopped
½ fist full fresh dill
sea salt & pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Sunchoke Ramp and Nettle Soup (adapted from norecipe.com)
Serves 4

1 lb sunchokes, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock (preferable home made)
1 lb ramps, roughly chopped
5 oz stinging nettles*, cleaned and blanched
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
salt & pepper to taste
dollop of crème fraiche for garnish

Add the sunchokes and stock to a stockpot. Cover and simmer over low heat for about an hour, or until the sunchokes are very tender.

Add the ramps, nettles, mint and parsely, and cook for another minute or two until the ramps are a bright green in color and the nettles are warmed through.

Transfer to a blender and blend the nettle soup until smooth and bright green. Salt to taste then pour the green soup into 4 small soup bowls.

Top with a dollop of crème fraiche per bowl and serve with some crusty bread, toasted and rubbed with a raw clove of garlic.