After the holiday rush, winter turns into the season of detoxification. There’s the lifestyle detox: We set our sights on the new year and let go of what’s no longer serving our goals. And there’s the physical detox: Many women want to give their body a reset after indulging all throughout December.
It’s possible to support your body through a gentle detox without fasting, juicing, or special food prep. These methods aren’t for everyone and can cause additional stress on the body.
One thing we recommend is to eat light and early dinners and go to sleep feeling almost hungry. This way you are off-loading the liver as it processes toxins overnight.
As luck would have it, root vegetables are the seasonal stars of winter produce and are the perfect ingredients for creating a variety of satisfyingly light meals that support detox. This Detoxifying Root Vegetable Soup brings together three of my favorite root vegetables: celeriac (celery root), beets, and rutabaga.
Let’s take a closer look.
All of these root vegetables are high in antioxidants, which assist in the body’s natural detoxification processes by fighting free radicals that can cause distress and disease in the body.
Root vegetables are also high in dietary fiber while being low in calories – meaning this soup will support digestion and regularity, and help you feel full longer without overwhelming the digestive system.
Beets offer an extra detoxification benefit: they contain betalains, a group of phytonutrients that support Phase II of liver detoxification. (1)
To make this soup even better, top it with a big handful of fresh broccoli sprouts. Unless you’re new here, you know we love broccoli sprouts for their high content of sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is a potent antioxidant that helps with estrogen metabolism to support natural estrogen balance. It’s also rich in glucosinolate, a sulfur-rich compound that supports liver detoxification and can help relieve symptoms of menopause. (2)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large peeled and sliced shallot
- 2 peeled and minced cloves garlic
- 1 pound peeled and chopped beets
- 1 pound peeled and chopped rutabaga
- 1 pound chopped celeriac
- 6 cups low sodium organic chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh roughly chopped dill, plus extra for serving
- 1 cup broccoli sprouts, for serving
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for serving
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add shallot and sauté 3-4 minutes until transluscent. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer, until fragrant and transluscent.
- Add beets, rutabaga, celeriac and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until root vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice, dill and sea salt.
- Working in two batches, ladle soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot, taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.
- Serve hot, topped with broccoli sprouts, extra dill, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Find even more hormone-balancing recipes in Overcoming Estrogen Dominance
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, my goal is to empower and give you the tools to take control of your hormones and health.
More than 70% of women experience estrogen dominance. The symptoms range from lumpy and fibrocystic breasts to thyroid nodules, hot flashes, fibroids, uterine polyps, painful, heavy, or irregular periods to infertility and miscarriages, from mood swings to insomnia, weight gain to fatigue.
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, I give women a roadmap to reverse estrogen dominance using food, herbs, supplements, and natural protocols to rebalance hormones. You’ll also find easy, hormone-balancing recipes that are free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and nightshades. These recipes are highly anti-inflammatory, low in sugar, and made with powerful medicinal ingredients to help heal your body naturally.
To get your copy of Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, go here.
Resources
- Clifford T, Howatson G, West DJ, Stevenson EJ. The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease. Nutrients. 2015;7(4):2801-2822. Published 2015 Apr 14.
- Vanduchova, Alena et al. “Isothiocyanate from Broccoli, Sulforaphane, and Its Properties.” Journal of medicinal food vol. 22,2 (2019)
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