Ever since I quit abusing my liver with alcohol and pills (thank you Jesus!), I have been trying to slowly nurse it back to health. One thing I noticed is that it is very sensitive to the foods I eat now! I can’t eat like I used to! Whenever I eat a bunch of refined sugar, additives & preservatives, trans fats and other such garbage, I feel as if I have been run over by a massive truck!
A few months ago, I did a lot of research online about liver health and foods that are essential for maximum liver performance. In case you didn’t know, the liver is the largest organ in your body and it acts as a filter for your body. It is essential to digestion and total body function, because It breaks down chemicals and produces bile, which breaks down fat. Whenever your liver is full of toxins, your whole body is out of wack, and you begin feeling fatigued, achy, grouchy, headaches, insomnia, etc. A lot of psychiatric ills are also linked to poor liver function.
That’s when I decided to start eating better! Within a week I noticed my health skyrocket! I had more energy than I had had in a long time. My mood was better. Everything felt better! But…as with many other good things in my life…I got lax…and slowly, but surely found myself eating a bunch of garbage again. My new position as a VISTA and my other obligations require a lot out of me right now, and I had begun feeling really, really run down.
So, last night I recommitted myself to eating healthy! I went to the market and bought a bunch of fresh, healthy produce, cold water fish, and whole grains.
This is my first liver-friendly meal:
Spiced Vegan Stew
with Roasted Beet & Feta Cheese Salad
Snip the greens off of a bunch of fresh beets and wash them well. Slice them in strips. Shred cabbage and carrots and add them to the mix. Finally drain a can of chick peas and a can of black beans and dump them in! (Note: You can substitute any greens and beans you’d like, depending on preference.)
In a large, covered microwave-safe casserole dish, add 4 cups of water, 1 cube of Knorr vegetable bouillon, 2 pods of fresh crushed garlic, the juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon, 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder, several crushed black peppercorns, and a few generous dashes of Kosher salt. Cover and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes until it begins to boil. Add the greens and beans mixture, recover and microwave on high for another 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, stir 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch into a cup of cold water until it makes a smooth paste. Stir into the broth until evenly incorporated and microwave on high for another 1-2 minutes, or until the broth has thickened nicely. Let it cool, then enjoy!
As a yummy companion to this dish, I made a salad of baby field greens (spring mix) with a homemade citrus vinaigrette. The vinaigrette simply consists of extra virgin olive oil, juice of ½ Meyer lemon, juice of ½ grapefruit, 1 pod crushed garlic, fresh crushed peppercorns and a dash of Kosher salt. Finally, I topped the salad with crumbled feta cheese and some sliced beet roots that have been roasting in my convection/toaster oven all this time.
Yum! It feels (and tastes) so good to be back on track!
More liver-friendly recipes to come. :)
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