5 Easy Recipes To Keep Your Liver Happy

Most people don’t think about their livers until something goes wrong. However, since the organ holds about 13 percent of the body’s blood supply at any given time and regulates most of the chemicals in the blood, you should definitely pay attention to your liver. The good news is that you can keep your liver healthy with a few easy recipes.

5 Liver-Healthy Recipes

1. Super Green Smoothie

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups banana

2 cups orange juice

1 ½ cups dinosaur or curly leaf kale

¼ cup parsley

¼ cup fresh cilantro

¼ cup mint leaves

Method:

1. Blend all ingredients together for 10 to 20 seconds or until the greens completely blend in.
2. You may need to add more or less of the liquid to get it blended well.
3. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

2. Avocado Salad

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste)

1 ripe avocado

1 bulb fennel (trimmed and thinly sliced)

¼ small red onion

Freshly ground black pepper, optional

Method:

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1. In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit and cut the avocado into slices or cubes without cutting the peel.
3. Push the peel over the bowl and toss to coat the avocado with dressing.
4. Trim off the root end and the green stalks of the fennel.
5. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise and lay the halves cut-side-down.
6. Slice crosswise as thinly as possible.
7. Add the fennel to the bowl.
8. Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Rinse the slices in cold water then pat them dry.
9. Add them to the bowl.
10. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly with the dressing. Add black pepper and more salt to taste.
11. If you reserved some fennel fronds, use them as a garnish.
12. Serve the salad immediately, or cover and chill for a few hours.

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3. Watermelon Salsa

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed

1 cup red onion, small dice

⅔ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

½ cup fresh mint, chopped

2 jalapenos, finely diced 

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Method:

1. Toss together all the prepared ingredients.
2. Serve immediately or chill.

4. Chicken Stir Fry

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced to 1/8-inch thick

2 cups broccoli florets, cut to bite-size

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth or water

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons cornstarch

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4 teaspoons cold water

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a small bowl whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, and honey.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat then add broccoli and carrots cooking until tender.
3. Remove the broccoli and carrots from the pan and transfer to a plate.
4. Wipe pan with a paper towel and heat another drizzle of oil in the same pan over high heat then add the chicken pieces and a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
6. Add garlic to the pan for 30 seconds.
7. Add the vegetables back to the pan until heated through.
8. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and cold water until no lumps are remaining.
9. Pour the chicken broth mixture into the pan and cook for 30 seconds followed by the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
10. Serve immediately.

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5. Vegan Paella

Servings: 6

Ingredients

½  teaspoon saffron

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 ½ cups diced yellow onion

1 cup diced red bell pepper

3 tablespoons minced garlic 

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 cups arborio rice

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup quartered, marinated artichoke hearts, marinade reserved 

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup frozen peas

Method:

1. In a small bowl, combine the saffron with the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until softened. Add paprika and salt and toss.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat and lightly toast the grains. Add the vegetable broth, saffron, and lemon juice. Stir well.
4. Bring broth to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the grains are tender and the liquid is fully absorbed.
5. Test the rice after 20 minutes to ensure it’s cooked. If it needs more time, add ½  cup water and cover again for a few minutes. When the rice is tender, turn the heat off. 
6. Add the artichoke hearts, 2 tablespoons of artichoke marinade, tomatoes, and peas then toss gently. Cover for 2 minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust as needed. Add more salt to taste, artichoke marinade for acidity, or smoked paprika for smokiness. 
7. Serve immediately.