Party Season Prep: Detox Before the Holiday Festivities Begin!

This salad is built on a foundation of crunchy beets, which are loaded with phytonutrients that can protect your body from the (over)indulgences of the holiday season.

At Shreyas Yoga Retreat in Nelamangala, India, vegans, vegetarians, and raw foodists will find a little slice of nirvana.

It's an annual inevitability: The month of December, the most indulgent time of the year. Before the holiday flood of celebratory parties--and their attendant cookies, cocktails, and decadent hors d'oeuvres--bolster your health from the inside out (and give your liver a head start!) by eating seasonal foods loaded with healthy phytonutrients. 

Beets are one of season's tastiest option. They're also pretty to look at, and replete with nutrients, including heart-protecting anthocyanins, folate (Vitamin B9) for healthy adrenal function, and potassium (also bountiful in another autumn favorite, sweet potatoes). 

This light and refreshing salad is a seasonal favorite at Shreyas Yoga Retreat, a vegetarian getaway in the foothills just outside of the high-tech hub of Bangalore, India. Can't manage a pre-holiday-season detox at Shreyas? This recipe is the next best thing.

Indian Beetroot & Star fruit salad
Serves 4

2 medium beetroots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 star fruits, sliced horizontally
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

For the dressing: 
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch sugar
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

To Prepare
1.    Gently toss the onion and beets with the rosemary and star fruit.
2.     Mix all the ingredients for the dressing.
3.    Toss the salad with the dressing and serve chilled.