Did the most wonderful time of the year leave you feeling sluggish, with a few extra holiday pounds? Once the dining out, socializing, and traveling of the holidays are over, it can be tempting to try some quick fix detox teas and elixirs.
Don’t fall for the hype. Most of those products have diuretics and natural laxatives that might make you feel a little thinner in the short term, but it’s water loss that can leave you dehydrated. Instead of restricting, focus on anti-inflammatory foods that will nourish your body, and support your body’s amazing detox systems that are working hard for us 24/7
How to Detox Your Body
There are lots of ways to support your body’s natural detox systems. Getting plenty of sleep, focusing on sweating/moving your body, good hydration, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant rich, phytonutrient rich plant based meals and high quality protein, and ratcheting back on alcohol can do wonders, and have you feeling well in just days
Who Should Detox
If you’re eating healthfully most of the time, and including lots of fluids, good sleep hygiene practices, getting plenty of movement, either sweating through exercise or sauna, managing stress, eating lots of phytonutrient rich plants, and minding alcohol intake, then there’s really not much more you need to do
If you’ve just come off of a vacation or holiday where you’ve left your self care routine behind, then it’s a good time to be mindful of the above habits, and focus on foods that are abundant in important nutrients that support your body’s detox systems
What Are Good Detox Foods
The ingredients in this Detox in a Pot Curried Turkey Chickpea Chili check all the boxes of spices, proteins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fermented foods, and fibers to include
Health and Detox Benefits of Curried Turkey Chickpea Chili
Ground Turkey – Amino acids from lean proteins help make neurotransmitters, supporting mood stability while detoxing from those holiday goodies. Amino acids from proteins, particularly methionine, play critical roles in helping the liver break down toxins so they can be flushed out by the kidneys and GI tract
Curry Powder – Curry powder’s main ingredient is turmeric, which has many biological activities, including helping the liver get rid of toxins, and providing antioxidants like flavonoids and vitamin C, that neutralize free radicals
Oregano, Cilantro, Kombu, Garlic, Scallions, Chipotle Chili – All herbs, spices, and sea veggies have therapeutic effects. Oregano is a natural antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antifungal, and also helps the GI tract run more efficiently, helping the body get rid of toxins through the GI tract. Cilantro and Kombu enhance mercury excretion. Kombu is also rich in iodine, supporting good thyroid function and metabolism. The fibers in Kombu support gut health, providing “food” for your healthy gut bacteria, and increase short chain fatty acids like butyrate to nourish the gut lining. Garlic and Scallions, and any sulfur rich foods in the onion/allium family inhibit inflammation by activating detoxification enzymes, and clearing free radicals. Chipotle Chilis, and other hot peppers, contain capsaicin, that act on the liver to reduce inflammation, protect against fatty liver, and reduce oxidative stress
Tomatoes and Bell Peppers – Contain powerful antioxidant compounds called carotenoids that, among many other benefits like protecting against fatty liver and decreasing oxidative stress, help upregulate the detoxifying enzymes in the liver
Chickpeas – Rich in soluble fiber, beans bind to toxins like a garbage collector, aiding in toxin removal through the GI tract, and grab onto toxin containing bile to make room for new bile flow
Yucca – Aka cassava, has anti-inflammatory antioxidants that protect the liver from free radicals, and resistant starches that feed good bacteria. It also helps control blood sugar, and boosts immunity
Greek Yogurt – Probiotic rich foods support gut health, help to filter out heavy metals from being absorbed, and break down xenobiotics
How to Make Curried Turkey Chickpea Chili – Instagram Tutorial
Curried Turkey Chickpea Chili
Ingredients
- 1 # ground turkey preferably organic
- 2 tbsp salt free curry powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Vidalia onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 Bell peppers diced
- 28 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes preferably organic
- 15 oz can chick peas with liquid
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 4 ” strip dried kombu seaweed
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo
- 1 tbsp unsulphured blackstrap molasses
Instructions
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In a dry, heated, heavy skillet, toast curry powder and oregano, stirring often, over low heat until aromatic – Be careful not to burn the spices!
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Add olive oil and Vidalia onion and garlic, sauté 5 minutes until onion is soft
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Stir in bell peppers, sauté 5 minutes until peppers begin to roast and soften
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Deglaze the pan with fire roasted tomatoes, then transfer to crockpot
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Set crockpot to high, add chickpeas, sea salt, kombu, adobo, and molasses
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Stir, cover crock pot, cook 4 hours, stirring occasionally
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Taste to re-season before serving, and consider optional garnishes and sides as noted
Recipe Notes
Optional: Garnishes e.g. chopped scallions, fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges, yogurt mixed with chipotle chili, garlic, apple cider vinegar, avocado slices
Optional Sides: Roasted yucca, rice, or corn
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