The 7 Healthiest Plant Foods on the Planet

There are so many “healthiest foods” to choose from, especially in the plant kingdom; this list could be a mile long!  But if I had to pick just 7…

Quinoa
Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free grain, often called an ancient grain because it’s grown on earth for thousands of years.  In fact, quinoa is not a grain at all but a seed that can be ground into flour.  Quinoa is rich in protein – it’s actually a complete protein which means that it contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also rich in fiber and minerals like iron, magnesium and calcium plus phytonutrients like quercitin, an antioxidant.

Here are some great quinoa Reboot recipes:
Quinoa and Teff Pizza
Spicy Bean and Quinoa Chili
Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
Quinoa with Lentils and Roasted Veggies 

Walnuts
Walnuts boast many important health promoting nutrients like fiber, protein and omega-3 fats.  Walnut oil has been shown to help lower high triglyceride levels.  Walnut oil also provides anti-inflammatory activity being studied to help treat rheumatoid arthritis.  Walnut’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds are also being examined for the prevention of breast cancer.

Add walnuts to your favorite Reboot salad, like:
Roasted Beet
Perfect Summer Salad (for all our Aussie friends!)
Portobello Salad with Fennel, Orange and Scallions

Avocado
Avocados are densely packed with vitamin E, potassium, folate and anti-inflammatory, healthy fats.  They are being studied as a potential treatment and preventive agent for osteoarthritis.

Try these yummy Reboot recipes with avocado:
Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad
Reboot Sushi Wraps
Sweet Potato Sliders
Island Green Smoothie

Kale
Bet you knew kale would be on this list!  Kale is rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K and contains protein. Drinking kale juice has been shown to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and raise antioxidant levels in the blood.

SO many reboot recipes include kale, here are a few goodies to try:
Mean Green Juice
Kale and Avocado Salad
Stuffed Delicata Squash with Kale, Leeks, and Chickpeas
Great Green Fruit Blend

Turmeric
Turmeric is a staple in Indian diets and used in the Indian Ayurvedic medicinal tradition for its cleansing and purifying properties.  It has been shown to have multiple forms of anti-cancer activity in prostate, ovarian, colon, uterine, and breast cancer cells.  It also has many anti-inflammatory effects.

Enjoy these reboot recipes spiced with turmeric:
Garam Masala Spiced Collard Greens
Quinoa with Lentils and Roasted Vegetables
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Coconut Curried Sweet Potato 

Garlic
Garlic is among the oldest known horticultural crops. Egyptian and Indian cultures referred to garlic as many as 5000 years ago. Garlic has been used to treat many aliments, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and even the common cold.

The phytonutrients allicin and alliin in garlic inhibited tumor cell invasion and angiogenesis in tumor cells.  In population studies, researchers have found that the more garlic people eat, the greater the decrease in risk of developing some types of cancer.

Try these garlicky reboot recipes:
Bruschetta Juice
Herbed Marinated Grilled Veggie Skewers
Green Vegetable Soup
Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushroom and Sage

Ginger
Ginger root reduces nausea, pain and inflammation, and provides heartburn relief.  Ginger is used in traditional Asian medicine to treat stomachaches, nausea, and diarrhea.  It is also used for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and joint and muscle pain.

You’ll find many reboot recipes that include ginger, here are a few favorites:
Carrot Apple Ginger Juice
Vegetable Stir Fry
Reboot Moussaka
Ginger Soy Honey Dressing