The season has hit us in all its vibrant glory, and as we wedding hop our way around the city, navigating through the snaking traffic lines and hoping the venue will not be too cold and chill us to the bone, please let me help you choose some cleansing recipes to help combat all the grease and excessiveness of the weddings and the dawats that follow.

These are simple and easy to make with ingredients you don't have to bore a hole in your pocket for. These recipes will hopefully set the tone of your body clearing out toxins and helping you truly enjoy the wedding bonanza… guilt free!

MIXED ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 kohlrabi (olkopi), peeled and chopped

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp virgin coconut oil

2-3 cups vegetable broth (boil some carrots, radish, celery, and potatoes, with salt)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1-inch ginger knob, peeled and grated

Juice from ½ of a lemon

Pinch cayenne pepper or regular black pepper

Fresh parsley Greek yoghurt, black sesame, coconut flakes, to serve

Note — You can omit the coconut in case you think it is too heavy and replace with olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add carrots, kohlrabi, onion and garlic, then season with turmeric and cayenne, drizzle with coconut oil and toss to coat evenly. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and transfer into a blender with the vegetable broth, lemon juice and ginger. Blend ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour the soup into serving bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, sesame and coconut flakes, drizzle with Greek yoghurt and serve warm.

Serving

Use multi-bread croutons with some cinnamon and olive oil.

Health benefits

Not only is coconut oil good for reducing heart ailments and lowering blood pressure, it also helps turn bad cholesterol into good cholesterol.

BEETROOT WITH VINEGAR

Ingredients

4-5 beetroots, boiled and peeled

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup blanched bok choy

Pinch of chopped garlic (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped mint

Drizzle of olive oil

Method

Peel the beetroots and cut them into round slices, then douse them in olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Add the blanched bok choy and mint, then mix well. Refrigerate overnight or you can even serve it warm.

Health benefits

Beetroots are a great source of fibre, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C, while being known to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow

APPLE GREEN TEA

Apples and green tea are a famous combination, but to have it as a chutney or side dip adds a twist to this popular duo.

Ingredients

1-2 apples, sliced into halves

A pinch of mint

1-2 large sticks of cinnamon

1 whole lemon (try to get a yellow one but any other will also do)

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbs sugar (or according to your taste)

1 cup green tea (you can use tea bags or regular tea leaves but keep it at medium strength

Method

Slice apples and boil them with the juice of lemon, cinnamon sticks, sugar, salt and pepper, for about 3-4 minutes.  Add the green tea and brew it together for a minute. Take it off the burner and cool to room temperature. You can reach a certain consistency depending on your preference.

Serving

Refrigerate before serving but add the mint to it while in the fridge.

Health benefits

Full of antioxidants, green tea is also known for improved brain function, fat loss and a lower risk of cancer.

TURMERIC CLEANSING SOUP

Raw turmeric does not taste like its powdered version added in food as a condiment and this soup can offer you its "otherness." 

Ingredients

1 piece of raw turmeric, peeled

1 lemon, or 1 large orange

1-2 carrots

About 100g of pumpkin

A pinch of roasted sesame seeds

Salt to taste, 1 tsp olive oil

Method

Peel the turmeric and slice it thinly. Add all ingredients (except sesame and lemon/orange) in a pot and cook for about 2 hours or on about 7-8 whistles in the pressure cooker. Add the lemon or orange juice towards the end and do not boil after that. Cool the soup and then blend it.

Serving

Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and serve with some additional garnishing of coriander or mint leaves.

Health benefits

Antioxidant rich, blood cleansing, and fabulous for the skin are known benefits of turmeric, but it also works wonders for arthritic problems as it stops inflammations.