Recipes for Detox Diet

You'll find a variety of recipes for detox diets on the Internet. These recipes are designed to help people cleanse their bodies and lose weight.

Detox Diet Basics

People typically choose to go on a detox diet to rid their bodies of various toxins. These toxins can come from within the body or from outside in the environment. Basic goals of a detox diet include the following:

• Focus on foods that will give the body plenty of natural vitamins and nutrients.
• Provide foods that serve as a natural antioxidant.
• Reduce the amount of chemicals in the body.
• Eat foods that are high in fiber and water-this encourages the body to rid itself of toxic wastes.

People turn to a detoxifying diet to not only cleanse the body of chemicals, but to also gain more energy and lose weight. Many also believe that cleansing the body through a detox diet can restore health to a certain degree.

What to Eat

There are a variety of detox diets available, and just as many detox diet recipes. You can create your own menu if you know what foods work best on this diet.

Foods to Eat

• Vegetables-raw or fresh
• Fruits-raw or fresh
• Brown rice
• Brown noodles
• Beans
• Potatoes
• Yogurt
• Unsalted nuts
• Herbal tea
• Fresh fish

Foods to Avoid

• Breads
• Red meat
• Eggs
• Chicken
• Butter
• Dairy products
• Sugar
• Chips (and any other junk food)
• Processed foods (includes coffee, tea, alcoholic drinks, lunch meats, dressings, sauces, condiments, and fast food).

Create Your Own Recipes

You can create your own recipes by using any of the above foods. For example, create a stir fry using brown rice and vegetables, or make a delicious vegetable soup. Use your imagination and your list, but be sure you avoid any of the foods on the "do not eat" list.

Recipes for Detox Diet

The following detox diet recipes are simple to create.

Baked Apples

• 4 fresh apples
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 8 almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups water

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Rinse the apples, core each one, leaving the bottom of the apple in place and cutting the tops off. Fill the core of each apple with 1/4 of each ingredient, add water, and replace the top. Bake apples for 40 to 50 minutes until done.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 sweet potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 cans (12 to 15 oz.each) diced tomatoes
• 12 cups freshly cooked black beans
• 2 jalapeños, chopped and seeded
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 2 cups chopped cilantro (to be used as a garnish)

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add garlic, salt, red pepper, and onion. Cook until tender, 4 or 5 minutes. Add sweet potato chunks, lime juice, cocoa, chili powder, and cumin. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a large pan at medium heat. Add a garnish of cilantro with lime.

Lentil Soup

• 2 cups raw lentils
• 4 sliced carrots
• 4 chopped celery stalks
• 2 minced onions
• 6-10 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Rinse the lentils and add them to a large pot of boiling water. Add the additional ingredients and cook until all ingredients are tender, typically for 30 to 40 minutes.

Corn and Sweet Potato Soup

• 1 medium sweet potato diced
• 1 lb corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 finely crushed onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 8 cups of vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

Fry onion in olive oil in a large pot until tender. Add garlic, cooking another 2 or 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock to pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and cumin, cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Then, add remaining vegetable stock and corn, cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add seasoning to taste. Take half of the soup and blend until smooth. Then, return blended mixture into the remaining soup and stir.