Pre-Cleanse Preperation!

As Detox Season gets closer and closer, I start to get a lot of e-mails, each e-mail having a similar theme--How can I prepare for my cleanse? I tend to tell people to start eliminating caffeine and sugar, and start introducing lean meals as often as possible. Over this past weekend I created two recipes and several requests to share the recipes. The first is a great holiday-healthy Artichoke & Prosciutto Quiche, the second, Asian Turkey Cabbage Boats. Both of these are inspired by my mother who always made quiche for us in the morning after Thanksgiving and made the most delicious Asian Pot-stickers which the Cabbage Boats are reminiscent of. The quiche is quick and easy, fairly painless, however the Cabbage Boats are time-consuming and tedious if you don't enjoy a lot of chopping.

Artichoke & Prosciutto Quiche
Organic Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. avocado oil
  
• 1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
  
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped 
  
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced proscuitto, pulled apart
  
• 10 pasture-raised eggs, beaten
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Savory Spice Shop's Capitol Hill seasoning
  
• 1 Gluten-free, Dairy-free 9-inch pie crust (I used Wholly Wholesome)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake the crust for 5-7 minutes, then remove it from the oven. 

Combine eggs, Capitol Hill seasoning, coconut milk, and sun dried tomatoes in a large bowl. Saute quartered artichokes and prosciutto in avocado oil until prosciutto starts to curl. Remove from skillet and add to the large bowl with egg combo. Pour contents of bowl into pice crust and bake in oven for 30-35minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 


Health Benefits
This quiche is a powerhouse of fiber and protein. Eggs are high in protein and include all 9 essential amino acids. They are also one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D. Moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol and may actually improve an individuals lipid profile. Artichokes are high in fiber (more-so than prunes) and antioxidants including quercetin, rutin, anthocyanins, cynarin, luteolin, and silymarin, all beneficial for regenerating liver tissue and increasing bile flow. They are also known to help the digestive system, are a natural diuretic, and sworn by some as a natural "hair-of-the-dog" hangover remedy. If you're worried about your cholesterol, know that artichokes have been shown to reduce cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, raising your "good" HDL cholesterol and lowering the "bad" LDL cholesterol.

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Asian Turkey Cabbage Boats
Organic Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. avocado oil
• 1 lb. ground turkey breast
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. raw honey
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 jalepeno pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (red, orange, yellow, or green!)
• 6-8 Chinese cabbage leaves
• 1 tsp. hot pepper sesame oil
• 1 tsp. coconut amino acids

Coat a large skillet with avocado oil and set over medium-high heat. Saute turkey and ginger, stirring often until turkey is brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Spoon out or drain excess liquid from turkey mixture and place in a large bowl. Add onions, honey, mint, cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, oil, coconut aminos, and peppers. Toss thoroughly. Arrange leaves on serving platter. Spoon desired amount of mixture onto each leaf and serve.


Health Benefits
This is a great meal to help you get back on track after a Thanksgiving indulgence and I've actually adapted it from the American Institute for Cancer Research. Onions and garlic belong to the allium family of vegetables, known to lower the risk of stomach and colorectal cancer. The pungent herbs are full of vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Studies show a distinct difference between the intake of red meats and white meats. Turkey is high in protein and low on the glycemic index scale which can help keep post-meal insulin levels within a good range and is helpful for balancing blood sugar. Lastly, our high in fiber cruciferous cabbage is shown to provide cholesterol-lowering benefits and is high in sinigrin, one of the cabbage glucosinates which has received attention in cancer prevention research. To receive it's anti-inflammatory benefits, cruciferous vegetables are recommended to be in your diet 2-3 times per week. Overall, this is a great meal to support your digestive tract and cardiovascular health.

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