4 of the Best Detoxing Recipes to Help You Restart, from Fresh Founder Ruth Tal
An extra day off work means we let our hair down in all departments, planning a few consecutive days of drinks and picnic food with your crew (I’m looking at you, Brooklyn pizza and PBR). It’s kind of the best thing ever, but when Tuesday rolls around we’re usually ready to get back on the health train (amiright?). If you’re anything like me, you actually enjoy kale salads and juices in hues like ruby red and lime green. Not to mention there’s a certain smugness that comes with being able list off the superfoods you’re consuming with the authority of an MD.
The ultimate ringleader in the health food domain, Ruth Tal, of Fresh Restaurants, knows all about that. “When I’m not eating properly and juicing, I feel sluggish, I feel bloated, my energy and my mental clarity is not there,” she says. “I break out really easily and that’s where I notice it. You can see it in my pallor. What you put in is what you get out. If you put good stuff in your body, you’re going to have a good level of energy. It’s premium fuel versus diesel.”
Here, we present Tal’s favourite recipes to hit restart.
Breakfast: Power Cookie Shake
Tal loves this protein-packed shake for its superfood content. Lucuma and maca are both high-protein, energizing plants and the former adds that sweet, cookie dough taste. “Also, what’s really cool about maca is it’s an adaptogenic herb, so it regulates female hormones. So if you’re having PMS issues, it’s a really, really great addition to a shake.”
3 tbsp raw pecans
1 tbsp maca root
1 tbsp lucuma
2 tbsp raw cacao nibs
3 dates, pitted
4 oz pear juice
4 oz almond milk
4 oz hemp milk
ice (optional)
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Taste, and adjust if additional sweetness is desired.
Lunch: Phytosalad
Packed with greens, this salad combines filling soba noodles with phytonutrients—the antioxidant-rich pigments found in vegetables and fruits. Topped with tofu, it’ll get you through the day. “I really like having the main meal being in the middle of the day when you’re your most active,” says Tal. “This is not a heavy meal, but it’s got everything you need to fuel your brain and your body.”
Serves 2
2 cups (500 ml) cooked soba noodles
2 cups (500 ml) shredded napa cabbage
6 tbsp (90 ml) frozen green peas, thawed, rinsed and drained
¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
4 cups (1 l) mixed long-stemmed sprouts and microgreens
¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
4 Marinated Tofu Steaks, cooked *recipe below
2 lime wedges
2 lemon wedges
¼ cup (60 ml) toasted mixed nuts (cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans)
¼ cup (60 ml) Crispy Onions **recipe below
2 tbsp (30 mL) mixed edible flowers
1 cup (250 mL) 3*6*9 Dressing
1. Divide soba noodles between 2 large plates.
2. Top each with equal amounts of napa cabbage.
3. Scatter green peas and sun-dried tomatoes overtop.
4. Fluff up sprouts and place an even amount on top of each plate in a high pile.
5. Arrange 2 tofu steaks on one side of each plate, and the lime and lemon wedges on the other side.
6. Top salads with mixed nuts, crispy onions and edible flowers.
7. Serve with dressing in a small bowl or ramekin on the side.
Crispy Onions
Makes 1 cup (250 ml)
1 cup (250 ml) thinly sliced onions
¼ cup (60 ml) flour of your choice (spelt, all-purpose, gluten-free)
Sea salt, to taste
¼ to ½ cup (60 to 125 ml) canola or sunflower oil, for frying
1. Toss onions in flour until well coated.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some onions and cook until browned (don’t crowd the pan).
3. Transfer cooked onions to paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining onions.
4. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container.
Marinated Tofu Steaks
Makes 16 tofu steaks
½ cup (125 ml) tamari
2 cups (125 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) ground coriander
4 tsp (20 ml) garlic powder
1 block firm tofu
1. Combine tamari, water, coriander and garlic powder in a bowl.
2. Cut block of tofu in half, then cut each half into four slices, and then cut those slices on the diagonal to form 8 triangular steaks. Add to marinade.
3. Cover and set aside for at least an hour, or overnight, to marinate (refrigerate if overnight).
4. To cook, either grill or pan-fry with a little bit of oil over medium-high heat until browned on both sides.
3-6-9 Dressing
Makes 2 cups (500 ml)
1 tsp (5 ml) sunflower oil
2 cups (500 ml) chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup (75 ml) raw tahini
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) 3-6-9 oil (or flaxseed, hemp or olive oil)
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 ml) tamari
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable stock
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) pure dark maple syrup
1. Heat sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened and starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Combine cooked onions and garlic, tahini, olive oil, 3-6-9 oil, lemon juice, tamari, vegetable stock, sesame oil and maple syrup in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Dinner: All-Star Salad
Yes, another salad, because what’s better than a bowl of veggies? This one has quinoa and beans, though, for an added protein punch. “When you’ve got a bean and a grain, you get a whole complete protein,” says Tal. If you had the Phytosalad for lunch, you can leave out the tofu steaks or swap in your favourite protein instead.
Serves 4
4 cups (1 l) shredded kale leaves
4 cups (1 l) cooked quinoa
1 batch Marinated Azuki Beans
20 grape tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) chopped cucumber
½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 Marinated Tofu Steaks (see recipe on previous page) OR your protein of choice
3 cups (750 ml) sunflower sprouts
4 tsp (20 ml) dried goji berries
¼ cup (60 ml) toasted mixed nuts (cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans)
1 grilled sweet potato
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. To assemble the salads, divide the shredded kale into each of 4 large bowls.
3. Top each bowl with equal amounts of quinoa, marinated adzuki beans, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, tofu steaks, grilled sweet potato, sunflower sprouts, goji berries and toasted nuts.
4. Serve with dressing of your choice.
Juice
Sip your greens to rejuvenate. The secret ingredient in green drinks? “The cholorphyll in plants is detoxifying,” says Tal. When she’s in a rush or doesn’t have time to eat, Tal makes sure to have juice on hand to curb hunger pangs.
Easy Green: kale, spinach, cucumber, mint, cilantro, green apple, pineapple
Urban Detox: kale, spinach, parsley, romaine, chard, green apple, lemon, ginger, cayenne
. It’s kind of the best thing ever, but when Tuesday rolls around we’re usually ready to get back on the health train (amiright?). If you’re anything like me, you actually enjoy kale salads and juices in hues like ruby red and lime green. Not to mention there’s a certain smugness that comes with being able list off the superfoods you’re consuming with the authority of an MD.
The ultimate ringleader in the health food domain, Ruth Tal, of Fresh Restaurants, knows all about that. “When I’m not eating properly and juicing, I feel sluggish, I feel bloated, my energy and my mental clarity is not there,” she says. “I break out really easily and that’s where I notice it. You can see it in my pallor. What you put in is what you get out. If you put good stuff in your body, you’re going to have a good level of energy. It’s premium fuel versus diesel.”
Here, we present Tal’s favourite recipes to hit restart.
Breakfast: Power Cookie Shake
Tal loves this protein-packed shake for its superfood content. Lucuma and maca are both high-protein, energizing plants and the former adds that sweet, cookie dough taste. “Also, what’s really cool about maca is it’s an adaptogenic herb, so it regulates female hormones. So if you’re having PMS issues, it’s a really, really great addition to a shake.”
3 tbsp raw pecans
1 tbsp maca root
1 tbsp lucuma
2 tbsp raw cacao nibs
3 dates, pitted
4 oz pear juice
4 oz almond milk
4 oz hemp milk
ice (optional)
Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Taste, and adjust if additional sweetness is desired.
Lunch: Phytosalad
Packed with greens, this salad combines filling soba noodles with phytonutrients—the antioxidant-rich pigments found in vegetables and fruits. Topped with tofu, it’ll get you through the day. “I really like having the main meal being in the middle of the day when you’re your most active,” says Tal. “This is not a heavy meal, but it’s got everything you need to fuel your brain and your body.”
Serves 2
2 cups (500 ml) cooked soba noodles
2 cups (500 ml) shredded napa cabbage
6 tbsp (90 ml) frozen green peas, thawed, rinsed and drained
¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
4 cups (1 l) mixed long-stemmed sprouts and microgreens
¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
4 Marinated Tofu Steaks, cooked *recipe below
2 lime wedges
2 lemon wedges
¼ cup (60 ml) toasted mixed nuts (cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans)
¼ cup (60 ml) Crispy Onions **recipe below
2 tbsp (30 mL) mixed edible flowers
1 cup (250 mL) 3*6*9 Dressing
1. Divide soba noodles between 2 large plates.
2. Top each with equal amounts of napa cabbage.
3. Scatter green peas and sun-dried tomatoes overtop.
4. Fluff up sprouts and place an even amount on top of each plate in a high pile.
5. Arrange 2 tofu steaks on one side of each plate, and the lime and lemon wedges on the other side.
6. Top salads with mixed nuts, crispy onions and edible flowers.
7. Serve with dressing in a small bowl or ramekin on the side.
Crispy Onions
Makes 1 cup (250 ml)
1 cup (250 ml) thinly sliced onions
¼ cup (60 ml) flour of your choice (spelt, all-purpose, gluten-free)
Sea salt, to taste
¼ to ½ cup (60 to 125 ml) canola or sunflower oil, for frying
1. Toss onions in flour until well coated.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some onions and cook until browned (don’t crowd the pan).
3. Transfer cooked onions to paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining onions.
4. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container.
Marinated Tofu Steaks
Makes 16 tofu steaks
½ cup (125 ml) tamari
2 cups (125 ml) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) ground coriander
4 tsp (20 ml) garlic powder
1 block firm tofu
1. Combine tamari, water, coriander and garlic powder in a bowl.
2. Cut block of tofu in half, then cut each half into four slices, and then cut those slices on the diagonal to form 8 triangular steaks. Add to marinade.
3. Cover and set aside for at least an hour, or overnight, to marinate (refrigerate if overnight).
4. To cook, either grill or pan-fry with a little bit of oil over medium-high heat until browned on both sides.
3-6-9 Dressing
Makes 2 cups (500 ml)
1 tsp (5 ml) sunflower oil
2 cups (500 ml) chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup (75 ml) raw tahini
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) 3-6-9 oil (or flaxseed, hemp or olive oil)
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 ml) tamari
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable stock
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) pure dark maple syrup
1. Heat sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened and starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Combine cooked onions and garlic, tahini, olive oil, 3-6-9 oil, lemon juice, tamari, vegetable stock, sesame oil and maple syrup in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Dinner: All-Star Salad
Yes, another salad, because what’s better than a bowl of veggies? This one has quinoa and beans, though, for an added protein punch. “When you’ve got a bean and a grain, you get a whole complete protein,” says Tal. If you had the Phytosalad for lunch, you can leave out the tofu steaks or swap in your favourite protein instead.
Serves 4
4 cups (1 l) shredded kale leaves
4 cups (1 l) cooked quinoa
1 batch Marinated Azuki Beans
20 grape tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) chopped cucumber
½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 Marinated Tofu Steaks (see recipe on previous page) OR your protein of choice
3 cups (750 ml) sunflower sprouts
4 tsp (20 ml) dried goji berries
¼ cup (60 ml) toasted mixed nuts (cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans)
1 grilled sweet potato
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. To assemble the salads, divide the shredded kale into each of 4 large bowls.
3. Top each bowl with equal amounts of quinoa, marinated adzuki beans, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, tofu steaks, grilled sweet potato, sunflower sprouts, goji berries and toasted nuts.
4. Serve with dressing of your choice.
Juice
Sip your greens to rejuvenate. The secret ingredient in green drinks? “The cholorphyll in plants is detoxifying,” says Tal. When she’s in a rush or doesn’t have time to eat, Tal makes sure to have juice on hand to curb hunger pangs.
Easy Green: kale, spinach, cucumber, mint, cilantro, green apple, pineapple
Urban Detox: kale, spinach, parsley, romaine, chard, green apple, lemon, ginger, cayenne){kind=link}