Summer is an incredible time to take advantage of all the garden-fresh, raw produce that is available in many parts of the world! I created this mouthwatering gazpacho recipe as an easy way to enjoy the delicious, seasonal fruits of the summer. It is a great way to share a meal with friends or family while detoxifying. Keep reading below for the recipe and to find out why eating seasonal fruits and veggies have so many benefits over store bought produce. Farmer’s markets are an amazing way to get the freshest, healthiest food while supporting local economies. U-pick farms can also be a very nourishing experience outside in nature picking food right from the tree or plant! Since so much of our social connection is involved around food, it can be a fun way to share an activity with friends or family out in nature, without the temptation to eat foods that increase acidosis and congestion in the body that ultimately compromise health!
Benefits of Eating Local and Seasonal
Not only do tree-ripened fruits and fresh picked vegetables sold at local farmer’s markets taste better than store bought fruit and veggies, but they have the power to heal the body in ways that supermarket produce lacks. Fruit that has traveled hundreds or thousands of miles, only to sit on the supermarket shelves for days or more, has started to degrade and can sometimes lack the vitality to deeply heal a person. It is often either too ripe and fermenting, or is underripe, both of which are acidic to the body. If it is not organic, there are pesticide or herbicide residues which are neurotoxic and increase the acidic burden of the body as well. The taste of raw fruits and vegetables goes deeper than just flavor and pure enjoyment - The mouth is the beginning of the GI tract and ripe fruit not only communicates pleasure to the taste receptors, it digests and absorbs better in the small intestines! Good tasting produce is also a sign that it is full of nutrients, electromagnetic energy, and chemistry that carries the alkalinity and astringency to go deep into the body and heal the congested, obstructed, hardened, and acidic areas that are ultimately the cause of all diseases. The peak of nutritional and electrical benefit that the fruit offers to the cells and tissues of the body—like the alkaline minerals, hydration, polyphenols and other plant compounds, is at its fullest when at its most ripe, just before it is picked. The nervous system definitely needs this higher state of energy in order to heal. Human beings have the most complex nervous systems of any species on earth and require the high vibrational energetics of fruit right from the living tree (or as close as one can get.) I personally remember once visiting my mother-in-law who had a banana tree in her backyard. The first time I ate a banana right from the tree - I was in heaven! I could feel the energy of the fruit go through my entire body, waking up each and every one of my cells and invigorating my nervous system! Since I was struggling with constipation issues for the longest time and bananas hadn't helped me with this issue in the past - I was suprised when eating a single tree ripened banana immediately helped me go to the bathroom! I’ve seen this phenomenon over and over again with my own clients - for those who initially struggle to heal on conventional, supermarket produce; when they switch to fresh picked, tree-ripened, organic, farmer’s market produce, their healing is accelerated, and the results are remarkable - their bodies become stronger and able to eliminate wastes more efficiently!
Sharing Seasonal Fruits and Veggies Can Nourish the Spirit
Depending on where you live, summertime is a blessing during detox! It not only brings the fresh raw fruits and vegetables with the highest electrical power needed for the body to heal, but it can make going out to social occasions and sticking to detox easier. It is an opportunity to share raw foods with friends and family. When it might feel strange to bring cut up oranges or freshly pressed apple juice to a winter holiday gathering, most people would welcome sweet, juicy watermelon to a summertime get together on a sweltering day! Detox can be an isolating time to some as it takes real strength, commitment, drive and energy to stay on the healing path to heal the body and spirit, and there may be many friends and family that won’t fully understand one's detox journey. The fresh foods of summer can offer plenty of opportunities to connect with loved ones while feeling more included. Social connection decreases stress levels and helps support the health of the adrenal glands when one is feeling isolated or lack of connection with others. The adrenal glands are key players in encouraging healthy kidney filtration of lymphatic wastes. Of course, other people might still be eating BBQ or less than ideal foods, but at least you can make a chopped cucumber salad, or bring this delicious gazpacho to enjoy with others without sacrificing detoxification. You won’t be the odd one out with mangoes or grape juice or need to stay at home!
Raw Vegan Gazpacho Recipe:
2 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Optional ingredients:
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin powder
Cilantro for garnish
Pink Himalayan Salt to Taste
Instructions:
Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Add optional ingredients if appropriate for your level of detox. People who are struggling with sulfur deposits in their body might want to avoid sulfur rich vegetables in the allium and cruciferous families like onions, garlic, broccoli, kale, cabbage and cauliflower during detox. Once the body has healed and sulfur deposits have been removed from the body, eating these vegetables once in a while shouldn’t aggravate the body.
To accompany this gazpacho, or for a delicious vegan dish to share with friends or family, my Guacamole Lettuce Boats Recipe or Taco Salad Recipe can be a healthy and gentle way to introduce them to raw vegan eating!
These recipes and more are in my new ebook, Master Your Detox The Transition Guide where I share how to safely transition into detox and offer recipes perfect for every level of detoxification. Having loved ones around who can share delicious meals can enhance connection and emotional wellbeing during your detox, a very important aspect of healing.
Until next time,
Happy Healing!
-Ailin Duran D.S.
To Work with me one-on-one on your healing journey, visit our Services page!