Happy Tuesday!

Sort of. Yesterday was my first day back at work after having been off for the last 10 days. A much needed break, I spent time at the beach with good friends, did LOTS of cooking, lots of drinking beer, lots of suntanning. I’m currently doing a “dry” week…. No alcohol, LOTS of veggies, lean meats only. I already limit my dairy and gluten, but I think I may cut that out altogether. I feel as though I came back a dry, crispy potato. I need a detox.

There’s a lot of conflicting information about detoxing. Though juice cleanses and teas sound really effective, the best way to detox your body after a period of greasy eating or heavy drinking is simply to get back to your routine (assuming you eat somewhat healthy). A few things I’m doing to get back on track:

• No Alcohol: this one STINKS, but I’ve decided to lay off the libations for a week or two. I love beer, love wine. It’s a nice treat to have on weekends, or occasionally with dinner. However, after this past week…. I need to take a breather. Increased alcohol intake can lead to inflammation of your digestive tract, dehydration and can alter your blood sugar levels. To feel your best, ditch the alcohol for a week, then another, a few months if you’re strong. The decreased carbohydrate intake can also lead to a few less calories, meaning you may even shed excess weight.

• No Dairy: Depending on what sources you ask, humans should not have dairy. I could live without milk, but I adore cheese. I don’t have it often, but I’ll be darned if I’m passing up a charcuterie board with some good mustard, good goat cheese/manchego and some delicious salami. So…. When we had a ton of cheese down at the beach, I ate it. We ate all the cheese.

• More dark, leafy greens: I love my kale salads! When done right (with a nice acidic dressing), kale can be filling and tasty. I love a good ginger/lime based dressing, or even my Garlic Tahini Kale Salad.  That and more spinach, arugula, and spring mix in general.  With some berries, a good dressing and some sliced almonds, pecans or walnuts, it’s a filling salad. You can even throw some chicken on there, too

• Lots of WATER: I ended up getting a gallon YETI container. Is it practical? Yes and no. It’s heavy, people roll their eyes when I use two hands to drink my water, but I have 64 oz here at my desk without needing to get up to refill. It certainly helps. Side note – I had a very nice aesthetician tell me I’ll keep my tan longer if I drink more water. I believe that, and that’s all the motivation I need to drink water! (PSA – if you’re reading this, wear sunscreen)

• Re-up my probiotics: A healthy, balanced diet should contain enough nutrients to keep your microbiome regular, but finding the right probiotic is good support if you need it, especially with bloating from vacation. I  like Ora Organic probiotics. They’re freeze-dried so you don’t need to refrigerate, and they’re vegan and gluten-free. It comes in a powder and a capsule form.

All the serious stuff aside, I must share with you the most amazing turkey burger recipe I created. I think the best things I make are from happy accidents or random experimenting, and this was no exception. My friend is on a AIP diet intended to lower her histamines, so a few substitutions were made. These burgers are egg free and the whole thing comes together and is SO delicious. I added some chimichurri sauce (recipe here!!) and a slice of grilled red onion, with lettuce as a wrap. Feel free to add your own burger twist, the more the better! This recipe makes a lot of burgers, but you can freeze them and save for later.

Cajun Turkey Burgers with Artichoke (Paleo, Egg-free!)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 12-15 min

Makes 12 burgers

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground turkey

• 1 heaping tbsp Cajun seasoning (link)

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp dried parsley

• 1 heaping tbsp flax seed

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 ½ tsp ground sea salt, plus more if preferred (be generous with your salt!)

• 1 6oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped (I like Native Forest Artichoke Hearts)

• Optional toppings: slices of grilled red onion, spicy mayo, lettuce, tomato, bacon, or gluten free/sprouted grain buns

Directions

1. Preheat your grill or griddle pan to medium high heat, ~375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix all of your ingredients and let stand for 5-10 minutes to allow flax to absorb.
3. Taking about 6-8 oz of burger mixture, shape into patties and pat thin, making a divet in the center (as burgers tend to “puff” up when cooking). Your mix should make about 12 medium sized burgers.
4. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side, until browned. Flip, and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes. Once at temperature, turkey tends to cook fairly quickly, so keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook.
5. Remove from heat and cover, letting rest for approximately 5 minutes. Serve immediately, and top with your preferred toppings.

Enjoy!

-S