Mini-Cleansing & Cleansing Beet Juice Recipe

I have been dragging lately - physically and mentally - something has just been "off" the last couple weeks. Then, when I woke up yesterday morning with a stomach ache and a serious case of the grumps, I knew, it was time for a mini-cleanse.

What I mean by mini-cleanse is a gentle reboot of my system. Out with the bad stuff and in with lots and lots of the good. I'm not doing any crazy master cleanse (which, for the record, I don't think is a good or healthy way to cleanse one's body), I'm basically doing a dialled-back version of a full on cleanse, which for me generally includes eating only organic fruits, veggies and non-glutinous whole grains, lots of rest, lots of exercise, loads of water and herbal tea, a trip to the infrared sauna, exclusively 100% natural soaps and no tv/computer.

So, since I'm in super busy, lead-up-to-midterms time at school, doing all of that is just not practical. So instead I'm simply getting rid of the bad stuff (wheat, sugar, salt, caffeine, alcohol) and eating all the fruits veggies and whole grains my body can handle (yum!). I'm also allowing myself trail mix, for when I'm on the go, but obviously salt free trail mix. I'm going to make a point to get better sleep, which I have not been doing very much of lately. Top that all off with lots of water and herbal tea, and hopefully I'll be feeling back to normal in a week.

One way I will be getting all those fruits and veggies in is with fresh homemade juice. One of my favourite juices (which is also very cleansing) is as follows:

Cleansing Beet Juice

1-2 inch chunk of ginger
1 medium beet, scrubbed
1 medium carrot
4 apples
10-20 drops milk thistle, optional

Juice the ginger first, followed by the beet, carrot, and apples. Add the milk thistle drops to the juice, if using, and stir. Serve and enjoy!

Both the beets and the milk thistle are very cleansing to your liver, and your liver is a very important organ! A lot of people associate liver problems with heavy drinking, which is true, but even if you are not a heavy drinker chances are your liver needs some extra tender lovin' care. Our liver is like our body's filtration system, and with all the processed junk we consume it can get pretty beat up.

That's why I love this juice. First off, it's delicious. Even if you are some crazy person who doesn't like beets, fear not, this is not very beet-y tasting. It is actually quite sweet, kinda like an earthy apple juice. Then secondly, it cleans your liver! It's like a delicious superhero. You can be sure I will be drinking this as my afternoon snack everyday this week.

Of course, this juice is good (and good for you) anytime, so no need to reserve it for your next (mini-) cleanse!

Enjoy!

Veg Jenski xo

ps. Here are some other resources you might find helpful:

I highly recommend jae steele's book Get It Ripe. Not only is it full of delicious vegan recipes, but it has really helpful tips on healthy cleansing. You can check out this post from her blog Domestic Affair, in which she talks about fasting, to get a feel for her. Also, I swear by the "Liquid Apple Pie" fibre drink recipe in the post when I'm cleansing (though I leave out the wheat bran and the bentonite clay).

Whole Living had a 21 day cleanse routine that they promoted this January. A friend of mine did it, and she really enjoyed it. Maybe you want to check it out?

If you are interested in juice cleanses, you can check out this post from My New Roots.

Cilantro-Lime Beet Burgers

This week at the Market I picked up a huge bag of local quebec grown beets for $2! I don't eat beets enough, but I have been meaning to use them more for quite awhile, so this seemed like the time to give it a go.

Beets are great - they are grown locally all year round, they're rich in potassium and fibre, and they boast that beautiful red colour that can also be used as a natural food colourant. Beets have a uniquely earthy/sweet flavour and are a lot more versatile than they often get credit for.

So, with my bag of beets in hand I rushed home to begin my beet adventure!

While trying to decide what to do with them, I thought of a restaurant in my neighbourhood that serves these crazy veggie burgers made of pureed beets, ground nuts and oatmeal - crazy good, that is. So, with their inspiration I decided to create a beet burger of my own.

These burgers are really quick and easy to throw together - and they are super flavourful, with only a handful of ingredients. They are also reminiscent of a ground beef burger in look and feel - well, reminiscent in a vegetable-y way - making big, thick, meaty patties.

Try them on a whole wheat bun, topped with sliced avocado (as pictured above) or even better, fresh homemade guacamole. Or, try them with your favourite go-to burger toppings - anything goes!

Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Beet Burgers


Makes 6 burgers


2 19oz cans white kidney beans, drained & rinsed
3 limes, juiced
1/8 cup water
A few large pinches of salt & pepper
2 1/2 cups grated beets (2-3 beets, depending on size)
3/4 cups chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350º

Combine the white beans, lime juice, water and a couple pinches of each salt & pepper in a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until heated through, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and mash until you have a nice thick white bean paste. Add another pinch or two of salt and pepper, to taste.

In a large bowl combine the bean mash with the beets and cilantro. Mix thoroughly.

With your hands form into 6 thick burger patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.

Top and enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

- The bean mash should make about 2 1/2 cups, and can also be enjoyed on its own as an alternative to mash potatoes, with a lime-y kick!
- Roll the limes on a table under your hand before juicing to get the most juice out of them