🥗 Garden Fresh Salad
This vibrant and nutritious salad bursts with fresh flavors and crisp textures. Ideal as a light lunch or a side dish, it’s loaded with hydrating veggies and topped with a zesty dressing to awaken your taste buds.
📝 Ingredients:
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 2 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, romaine, etc.)
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup radicchio or red cabbage, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (white wine or apple cider vinegar work great)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
👩🍳 Instructions:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the halved tomatoes, chopped cucumber, mixed greens, sliced red onion, and radicchio.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
- Serve immediately or chill for 10–15 minutes for flavors to meld.
💡 Notes:
- You can substitute radicchio with purple cabbage or omit if unavailable.
- Add protein like grilled chicken, chickpeas, or boiled eggs to make it a meal.
- Use a mandolin slicer for uniformly thin onions.
🌟 Tips:
- For extra crunch, top with nuts (like almonds or walnuts) or seeds (like sunflower or pumpkin seeds).
- Chill your vegetables before preparing the salad for maximum crispness.
- Add a sprinkle of feta or goat cheese for a tangy twist.
🍽️ Servings:
- Serves: 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side
🔢 Nutritional Info (Per Serving – Side Salad Size):
- Calories: ~120 kcal
- Protein: 2g
- Carbs: 7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Fat: 10g (mostly healthy fats from olive oil)
- Vitamin A, C, K: High
- Folate & Potassium: Moderate
✅ Health Benefits:
- Hydration: Cucumbers and tomatoes have high water content.
- Antioxidants: Tomatoes and red cabbage are rich in lycopene and anthocyanins.
- Heart Health: Olive oil supports healthy cholesterol levels.
- Digestive Support: Leafy greens and onions promote digestion and gut health.
❓ Q & A:
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
A: Yes! Prep all veggies and store them separately. Add dressing right before serving to avoid sogginess.
Q: Can I use bottled dressing instead?
A: Absolutely, but fresh lemon juice and olive oil elevate the flavor and nutrition.
Q: What’s a good protein add-in for this?
A: Grilled chicken, canned tuna, boiled eggs, lentils, or even cottage cheese work great.