Summer has finally arrived. Summer is the time of year when most people take the longest vacations. We travel to another country, go to the beach, sightsee, go camping, hike, attend a festival, etc. While the many parties, concerts, picnics, and other social events may result in eating more unhealthy food than usual, having a few more drinks, and indulging in other bad habits, summer vacations also give us the opportunity to take more time for ourselves and to take care of our bodies.
As one of the best ways to take care of yourself is to eat healthily, we have prepared some delicious nourishing summer detox recipes that will help you lose a pound or two and feel confident in a bikini, boost your energy and immunity, and cleanse after the few unhealthy indulgences. These recipes contain lots of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, and proteins, plus, they are very tasty! Bon appétit!
Breakfast and Smoothie Recipes
Oatmeal With Fruits
Oats are high in fiber and antioxidants. They are whole grain, gluten free, and completely vegan. If you add some chia and flax seeds, which contain lots of healthy omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, proteins, and have numerous health benefits, and some vitamin and antioxidant-packed fruits, you have yourself a very healthy and delicious breakfast.
Find our printable recipe on our blog
Green Detox Smoothie
This smoothie is a great way to sneak some healthy greens and vitamin-rich fruits into your meal. It is perfect to cleanse your body after a long summer night, to balance, restore, and boost your immune system.
Find out our printable recipe on our blog
Summer Banana-Berry Detox Smoothie
Bananas contain many important nutrients, including fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, copper, and magnesium. They also contain nutrients that regulate blood sugar, improve digestion, support heart and kidney health, and promote weight loss. Berries, on the other hand, are incredibly rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. They are known to improve insulin response, reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol levels, and protect your body against aging and age-related illnesses (including cancer and heart disease).
Find out our printable recipe on our blog
Lunch Recipes
Super Summer Detox Salad
When it comes to light, tasty, and healthy summer dishes, salads are the way to go. The more different varieties of vegetables, leafy greens, legumes, fruits, and nuts you add, the better, both in terms of health and taste. This recipe is loaded with incredibly healthy ingredients, such as farro (or quinoa), kale, artichokes, chickpeas, onions, cherries, and walnuts. It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare and it will fill your body with fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Both farro and quinoa are considered very healthy and weight loss-friendly grains. Kale and artichokes have strong cleansing properties, fight free radicals, lower cholesterol, promote heart health, improve digestion, and may even have anticancer effects. Chickpeas are a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, cherries are packed with vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, and walnuts promote brain health and gut health, decrease inflammation, and prevents aging and age-related diseases.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions press here.
Summer Garden Detox Salad
This is a tasty blend of some of the healthiest vegetables that will detox and nourish your body. It contains cucumbers, which are low in calories yet full of antioxidants, vitamins, and other important nutrients, promote hydration, digestion, and weight loss, and help regulate blood sugar, cherry tomatoes, which help fight free radicals, onions and garlic, both of which are considered strong natural antibiotics, vitamin-packed lettuce, bell peppers, and radishes. The dish is seasoned with apple cider vinegar, which is known for promoting weight loss, regulating diabetes, and improving heart health, olive oil, which is loaded with healthy monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, parsley, salt, and pepper.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions press here.
Indian-Spiced Black-Dal-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
While this dish may make you feel full for a while, it is actually quite low in calories. Herbs and spices that are often used in Indian dishes, such as turmeric, ginger, curry, and cayenne pepper are known for their amazing healing properties. Curcumin, one of the main ingredients in both turmeric and curry powders, for example, is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound, which may help prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and several degenerative conditions. It is full of antioxidants and it has been shown to fight depression, arthritis, and age-related chronic diseases. Black lentils are loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals and sweet potatoes are full of vitamins (one cup of baked sweet potatoes with skin provides 65% of the daily value of vitamin C and 769% of the daily value of vitamin A) and antioxidants. As such, this is an incredibly healthy lunch choice.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions press here.
Dinner Recipes
One-Pot Healthy Zoodles Pasta Recipe
Zoodles are a hit, especially in the summertime. Zoodles or zucchini noodles are some of the healthiest, lightest, and most refreshing noodles. Instead of flour, the main (and only) ingredient in zoodles is zucchini, or in this case zucchini and yellow squash. Zucchini is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and offers numerous health benefits, while yellow squash (also known as summer squash) is high in vitamins, magnesium, fiber, folate, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, and other healthy nutrients. Top it up with protein-rich chicken breasts, detoxifying asparagus, other vegetables, herbs, and a bit of cheese to emphasize the taste and you have a tasty yet healthy dish.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions press here.
Glowing Grilled Summer Detox Salad
Not only is this dish full of healthy nutrients, but it is also ridiculously tasty. Shrimps, which are one of the main ingredients, are low in calories yet rich in healthy nutrients, such as protein, selenium, iodine, vitamin B12, iron, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, magnesium, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. Shrimps are high in cholesterol, however, a study has shown that shrimps promote beneficial HDL cholesterol and decrease the bad triglycerides. Make sure to opt for high-quality wild-caught shrimp, instead of farm-raised ones that are often treated with antibiotics. Other ingredients include lettuce, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, and healthy herbs. The dressing contains cilantro, which has been found to enhance the excretion of certain toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions press here.
Detox Friendly Cauliflower Pizza
Who said that pizza is junk food? Well, this one sure isn’t. On the contrary, this pizza is one of the healthiest dishes ever. The crust is made of cauliflower, ground almonds, oregano, and an egg, instead of dough, which makes it way lighter and much healthier. For the sauce, you will need tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, basic, and a bit of olive oil. For the topping, you can actually choose whatever you want, however, in this case, they suggest selecting spinach, artichoke hearts, zucchini, mushrooms, and red peppers, which are all packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and incredibly healing properties.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions press here.
Desserts, Snacks, and Drink recipes
Raspberry-Peach Sorbet
If you think you can’t have a healthy detoxifying dessert, you are wrong. This delicious raspberry-peach sorbet will prove it to you. The name may sound appealing yet it tastes even better than it sounds. Plus, it is full of incredibly healthy ingredients. Peaches are high in vitamins, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants, they have been proven to boost digestion, promote heart health, protect you from diseases and toxins, and reduce allergy symptoms. Raspberries are known for their many healing, immune-boosting, and detoxifying properties, vitamins, and antioxidants. You compliment the two with freshly squeezed orange juice, a bit of lime juice, honey, and some pineapple and you get an incredibly healthy and savory combo.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions click here.
Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter
This is a quick and simple fool-proof recipe. This dish will quench your hunger, satisfy your sweet tooth, and fill you with unbelievably healthy ingredients. You will only need three ingredients (an apple, almond butter, and a pinch of ground cinnamon) and a few minutes of your time. Apples are loaded with soluble fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that aid digestion and detoxify the body. Almond butter is high in monounsaturated healthy fats and known for lowering the bad LDL cholesterol and increasing the good HDL cholesterol, thus promoting heart health. Cinnamon has powerful anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and antifungal properties, is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, and has been shown to reduce blood pressure, aid digestion, and lower blood sugar.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions click here.
Summer Cooling Watermelon Detox Water
What about healthy detoxifying drinks? We’ve got you covered! Refresh your summer days with this tasty yet healthy detox water. It will only take a few minutes of your time but the health benefits are quite astonishing. You will need water, a watermelon, a lemon, some mint leaves, fresh ginger, and perhaps some ice cubes. Watermelon promotes liver and kidney health and helps the body flush out impurities. It has also been shown to lower inflammation and oxidative stress, protect us against diseases and improve digestion. Lemons are known as one of the healthiest foods of all. They support heart health, protect against anemia, kidney stones, and even cancer, boost digestion and immunity, and cleanse our bodies. Like lemons, ginger can also act as a powerful antibiotic. It promotes weight loss, heart health, gut health, and reproductive health, lowers cholesterol, helps control blood sugar, prevents age-related diseases, and decreases inflammation. Finally, mint has been found to aid digestion, boost brain function, improve cold symptoms, and much more. This delicious detox water with its powerful combination of beneficial ingredients will flush out toxins in no time.
To see the full list of ingredients and the instructions click here.
Pro Tips
To get the best results (regardless if you wish to lose some weight, detox your body, increase your energy levels, boost your immune system, or feel healthier in general), make sure to also follow the few simple pro tips listed below.
- Drink lots of water
The first rule of detox is to drink as much water as possible. Simply drinking lots of pure water will remove waste products and detoxify your body. It will also regulate your body temperature, aid nutrient absorption, lubricate your joints, and much more. Make sure to drink an adequate amount of water (125 ounces or 3.7 liters for men and 91 ounces or 2.7 liters for women). Also, make sure to avoid alcohol, minimize caffeine, and start your day with a large glass of warm lemon water, which will fill your body with vitamin C, improve digestion, promote weight loss, and detox your body.
- Eat mainly plant-based
Most plant-based foods, especially leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits, are known for their healing and detoxifying properties. As such, it’s important to stick to plant-based foods as much as possible. Processed foods, fried foods, sugary foods, red meats, and salty snacks should be avoided.
- Switch your lunch and dinner recipes
If you follow the old saying “Breakfast like a king; lunch like a prince; dinner like a pauper” and make your first meal the biggest and the last one the smallest, you will allow your body to restore, detoxify, and heal during the night. As such, consider switching your lunch and dinner recipes, at least for a week, and notice how you feel.
- Exercise
Regular exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of many diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure. It reduces inflammation and boosts our natural detoxification system. Consider doing 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week or half the amount of more intense activity. Sweating will flush the toxins right out.
- Get enough sleep
Your body as well as your natural detoxification system will only work properly if you get enough sleep. During sleep, our bodies can recharge, restore, and remove toxic waste, which has accumulated during the day. To cleanse and restore your optimal health, make sure to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
- Relax
Last, but not least, relax! Stress not only prevents the body to successfully flush out toxins, but also causes countless other health issues. As such, it is of utmost importance to take a few moments every day to relax. Summer is the perfect time to connect with nature, meditate, do some yoga, get a massage, or find a relaxing hobby. Enjoy!
