Recipe & Photos by Rocio Graves of Let it Be Cosy and Sima Morrison
Written by Julie Magnussen
In the last 15 years of researching and practicing every nutritional theory under the sun, the most important thing I’ve learned about maintaining a healthy mind and body is balance. Not only balance itself, but balance without shame. In Taoism, the core philosophy is rooted in living in balance. However, it’s not so known that Taoism also teaches the importance of feeling-out extremes in order to understand what balance looks and feels like. When we indulge in that pink strawberry cupcake, it’s important to be present, feeling happy, and loving every little morsel of that fluffy treat knowing that we are helping our body understand what that indulgence feels like. And when we have indulged, it’s just as important to give the same loving energy into our next healthy meal that floods our cells with nutrients we need to come back to homeostasis. We partnered with one of our favorite chefs, Rocio Graves of Let It Be Cosy, to create and an incredibly delicious yet oh-so-simple detox soup to offset any imbalance so we can show up as our natural thriving selves!
When we think detox, our mind goes straight to cilantro. Cilantro is not only packed with vitamins and minerals (hello superfood!) but it is also a chelator. This means it has an incredible ability to scavenge our fat cells for deeply embedded heavy metals, particularly mercury and aluminum, and flush them out of our system. Evidence also suggests that cilantro’s rich phytochemical content actually offsets oxidative stress and elevated glucose levels, giving the body the extra help it needs to scrub away any damage from food stressors like sugar and processed chemicals.
We added dates for a hint of sweetness and also to include a rich source of magnesium. Magnesium is a macro-mineral (meaning we need it in large amounts) that serves as an important co-factor in hundreds of chemical reactions in the human body. See it as the electricity that turns the lightbulb on. Consuming magnesium is basically giving your body the power it needs to carry out all the thousands of functions that go into nurturing our cells, ridding the body of toxins, and digesting food.
We absolutely LOVE this simple soup, blended into creamy perfection. Blending your food actually jump-starts the digestive process, giving the body one less chore to assimilate nutrients efficiently bringing it back to balance. To add a bit of crunch and and extra boost of nutrients, we topped our Detox Soup with sprouts (any variety works great) and chlorophyll-rich pistachios. Try this nutrient-dense detox soup the next time your body needs some extra lovin’ post indulgence!
Detox Soup
1 big head of broccoli
1 medium bunch of cilantro
2 Tbl hemp seeds
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 medjool date, pitted
1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt
cracked black pepper
150ml (about 2/3 cup) water to blend (or more depending on how thin you like your soup)
Garnish:
a handful of pistachios
a handful of sprouts
a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil
Start by steaming the broccoli in small pieces until tender but still vibrant green
Throw in a blender the steamed broccoli, cilantro, hemp seeds, lemon juice, medjool date, salt, pepper, and hot water. Blend until smooth, taste, and season accordingly. Add a little more water if needed for desired thickness/consistency.
Serve in a bowl garnished with sprouts, chopped pistachios, and a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil.
Julie Magnussen is a photographer and content creator for health and wellness businesses. She has spent the last 15 years studying and practicing holistic health modalities as a nutritionist for Whole Foods Market, a Plant-Based Private Chef, and the owner of Healthy Julie. Julie now finds herself expressing her passion for everything health through her words and camera lens. She earned her Bachelors Degree in Science in Health Psychology and is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.