Healthful recipes for food-based detox

Sauteed Kale With Peanut Sauce

Just when you thought kale had achieved its zenith, here's a different and winning way to prepare it quickly. The sauce does not have the expected Asian flavor, which we found to be a nice change.

2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons liquid aminos (may substitute low-sodium soy sauce)

¼ cup no-salt-added vegetable broth, or more as needed

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch chili powder

Pinch ground cumin

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/3 large yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

Leaves from 1 bunch kale (no stems; about 8 ounces)

Whisk together the peanut butter, liquid aminos, broth, coriander, chili powder and cumin in a medium bowl. The consistency should be that of heavy cream; if it's thicker than that, add more broth.

Heat the oil in a large, nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion and garlic; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened, then add the kale. Cook for about 3 minutes or just until the leaves have wilted.

Add the peanut sauce; toss until the kale is thoroughly coated. Serve hot. Serve with grilled chicken or fish.

Serves 4

Nutrition | Per serving: 120 calories, 5 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar

Adapted from "The Endurance Training Diet & Cookbook," by Jesse Kropelnicki (Harmony Books, 2017).

Braised Chicken Thighs With Tomatillos

With a slight refinement in the recipe's original directions - breaking up the tender cooked chicken so it stays moist in the sauce - this Mexican-inspired, one-pot dish is officially ruled a keeper. This tastes even better after a day's refrigeration; skim off any congealed fat (from the chicken skin) before reheating in a pot on the stove top.

If you have trouble finding boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, buy bone-in thighs and see how to remove the bones in the note below.

8 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (see note)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut into quarters

1 medium jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (seeded, if desired)

2 cups no-salt-added chicken broth

½ cup chipotle-flavored mayonnaise, for serving

Finely grated zest and juice from 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves, plus a few leaves for garnish

Flesh of 1 avocado, cut into chunks

Season the chicken thighs with the cumin, salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, top sides down. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes or until browned then turn them over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (The chicken won't be cooked through.)

Stir in the onion and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes or until softened, then add the tomatillos, jalapeño and broth. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Uncover; remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, stir together the chipotle mayonnaise, lime zest, half the lime juice and the chopped cilantro in a medium bowl, until well blended.

Use large forks or a couple of table knives to shred/break up the chicken in its sauce. Discard the chicken skins. Add the remaining lime juice and half of the avocado, stirring until the sauce gets a bit creamier. Taste, and add salt as needed.

Divide chicken and sauce among individual wide, shallow bowls. Top each portion with a dollop of the chipotle mayo, cilantro leaves and the remaining avocado chunks. Serve warm, with lime wedges.

Note: To remove the thigh bones, invert the thighs so they are skin side down. Use your fingers to locate the main bone that runs through the thigh. Use a small, sharp knife to scrape away the flesh from either side of the bone, clearly exposing the bone but keeping the flesh intact as much as possible (do not shred it away in pieces). Finally, cut away any cartilage or flesh to release the bone, which should not have any flesh on it.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nutrition | Per serving (based on 6): 410 calories, 52 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 200 mg cholesterol, 510 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

Adapted from "The Eat Fat, Get Thin Cookbook: More Than 175 Delicious Recipes for Sustained Weight Loss and Vibrant Health," by Mark Hyman (Little, Brown and Co., 2016).

Egg Roll Bowls

Here, the textures and flavors you might find inside an egg roll fill dinner bowls instead.

You can save some prep time by picking up shredded carrots and sliced mushrooms from the supermarket salad bar.

7 ounces ground pork (may substitute lean ground chicken)

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

½ small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon peeled, freshly grated ginger root

3 cups packed, thinly sliced napa or green cabbage (from less than ½ head)

2 cups thinly sliced baby bok choy (from 2 pieces)

½ cup loosely packed shredded carrots

2½ ounces stemmed, sliced shiitake mushrooms (may substitute mushrooms of your choice)

1½ teaspoons mirin or dry sherry

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 scallion, sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and half the soy sauce; stir-fry for about 3 minutes, breaking up the meat.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger; stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

Add the cabbage, bok choy, carrots and mushrooms, then the mirin or sherry, the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce and the toasted sesame oil; stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cabbage and bok choy have wilted a bit yet still retain some texture.

Divide among wide, shallow bowls. Sprinkle each portion with scallion slices. Serve right away.

Makes 2 or 3 servings

Nutrition | Per serving (based on 3): 190 calories, 24 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 490 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar

Adapted from "Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes," by Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones (Clarkson Potter, 2016).

Black Rice, Banana and Coconut Breakfast Bowls

Because black rice is high in fiber, this is a warm and comforting dish that may keep you feeling satisfied longer.

Black glutinous rice is the unprocessed whole grain of traditional sticky rice; it's lower in calories and carbohydrates than white and brown rice. You'll find it in some health food stores and Japanese markets and online. We tested this recipe with Lotus Foods brand Organic Forbidden Black Rice as well, and that's an acceptable substitute.

The rice needs to be soaked overnight. It can be cooked, cooled, covered and refrigerated a day in advance.

¾ cup black glutinous rice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 coin (quarter)-size slice peeled fresh ginger root

1 cup coconut water

½ cup cold water

½ cup unsweetened plain fresh almond milk (from the refrigerated case)

1 banana, sliced (may substitute a fruit of your choice)

2½ tablespoons pomegranate seeds (arils; optional)

2 tablespoons low-fat coconut milk

A few mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with water. Let soak overnight.

Drain the rice and rinse it until the water runs clear, then place it in a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon, ground ginger, fresh ginger, coconut water and cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then give it a stir, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover tightly and cook for about 30 minutes or until tender. Not all the liquid will be absorbed.

Uncover; stir in the almond milk and increase the heat to medium; after the rice begins to bubble at the edges, cook for about 5 minutes, then discard the slice of fresh ginger.

Divide between bowls. Top with the banana, the pomegranate seeds, if using, and the coconut milk.

Garnish with the mint leaves, if using; serve warm.

Serves 2

Nutrition | Per serving: 360 calories, 9 g protein, 82 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium, 7 g dietary fiber, 14 g sugar

Adapted from "Skinny Soups: 80 Flavor-Packed Recipes of Less Than 300 Calories," by Kathryn Bruton (Kyle Books, 2017).

Dump Ranch Dressing

This is a "clean" (read: no sugar, no preservatives) version of the salad dressing Americans love most.

You'll need a wide-mouth quart-size jar with a tightfitting lid. The recipe calls for a raw egg. If you are concerned about the risk of salmonella, use a pasteurized shell egg or egg product, available in select supermarkets.

By blending the herbs in with the other ingredients, you'll wind up with a pale green dressing. If you'd rather keep it "ranch white," blend the ingredients without the herbs. Chop them finely and stir them in.

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 cup olive oil, preferably light (light in flavor)

½ cup full-fat coconut milk, well shaken

½ cup packed, chopped fresh cilantro, parsley and/or other herbs

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon onion powder

¾ teaspoon granulated garlic (garlic powder)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine the egg, oil, coconut milk, herbs, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper in the jar. Use an immersion (stick) blender to blend for 1 minute, until well incorporated. The yield is 2 cups.

Use right away, or seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Serves 16 (makes 2 cups)

Nutrition | Per 2-tablespoon serving: 140 calories, 0 g protein, 0 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar

Adapted from "The Whole30 Cookbook: 150 Delicious and Totally Compliant Recipes to Help You Succeed With the Whole30 and Beyond," by Melissa Hartwig (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016).