In the spirit of Valentine's Day, here is a heart healthy meal you can share with your loved ones. This is what we ate for dinner last night.
The arugula, radishes, celery, and mustard in this dish all support your detoxification pathways. Chicken is a good source of sulfur which is needed to support a specific detoxification reaction called "sulfation." Detoxification is a nutrient dependent process requiring certain amino acids derived from protein, which the chicken also provides. Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C, containing more than an orange.
Sweets abound on Valentine's Day, but sugar doesn't do your heart any favors. An increase in sugar consumption is associated with an increase in cardiovascular disease. Think outside the chocolate box this Valentine's Day and feed your body with food that will love you back.
Here's the recipe...
"Hearty" Chicken Salad (gluten & grain free)
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
- 6+ cups arugula
- 8-10 ounces cooked chicken, chopped
- 2 red radishes, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar free mayo (Primal Kitchen is the only brand I have found that makes it sugar free. The best deal I've found on this brand is at Thrive Market)
- 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
- 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- Unrefined salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 - 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- Half an avocado, sliced or diced
DIRECTIONS
- Divide the arugula between two plates.
- Mix the chicken, radishes, celery, mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl until well coated. Adjust the dressing ingredients to taste.
- Lay the red pepper slices around the arugula in the shape of a heart.
- Divide the chicken salad between the two plates, filling in the heart shape.
- Top with avocado slices or drizzle with olive oil as desired.
- Eat to your "heart's" content!
References
Cline, J.C. (2015). Nutritional aspects of detoxification in clinical practice. Alternative Therapies, 21(3), 54-62
Hodges, R.E. & Minich, D.M. (2015). Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways using foods and food-derived components: a scientific review with clinical application. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2015. Retrieved from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2015/760689/
Welsh, J.A., Sharma, A., Cunningham, S.A., & Vos, M.B. (2011). Consumption of added sugars and indicators of cardiovascular disease risk among US adolescents. Circulation, 123(3), 249-257. Retrieved from http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/123/3/249.full
Yang, Q., Zhang, Z., Gregg, E.W., Flanders, W.D., Merritt, R., & Hu, F.B. (2014). Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults. JAMA Intern Med, 174(4), 516–524. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1819573
