What's the best salad to eat?

Any salad that meets the goal of "eating the rainbow." Why? Because it provides fiber and a diversity of antioxidants and phytochemicals to improve health. Sounds weird, I know. But health restoration happens within our tissues and cells. The color of food matters! These nutritive and non-nutritive compounds are anti-inflammatory and stop free radical damage. Inflammation and free radicals are common with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune conditions. This Easy Rainbow Salad has the colors green, red, purple, white, and orange.

What are some other variations of this rainbow salad?

There are different variations of this salad where you can swap out jicama for cauliflower (both white). You can also add broccoli for more cruciferous vegetables. Add some shredded beets to boost nitric oxide-producing compounds. Heirloom tomatoes and avocado are an excellent combination to toss in. If you prefer a sweeter salad, you can add fresh fruit like diced apples, pears, or berries. One of my favorite things to do is add kimchi—a fermented cabbage with probiotics.

While there is protein in vegetables, you can easily add 1/2 to 1 cup of chickpeas, black beans, lentils, ancient grains , quinoa, or farro. Alternatively, pairing this salad with a cup of Amazing Lentil Soup or North African Chickpea Soup are also excellent options for added protein.

Should you eat 30 plants a week?

Diet plays a key role in a healthy gut microbiome. According to a 2018 study, American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research , "Plant consumption was also associated with a reduction in certain antibiotic resistance genes. Individuals who consume more than 30 types of plants per week compared to those who consume ten or fewer plants per week had significantly reduced abundance of antibiotic resistance genes..."

Rainbow Salad

Name: Rainbow Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups of mixed baby salad greens; 1/2 cup shredded beet; 1/2 cup shredded carrot; 1/2 cup shredded purple or green cabbage; 1/2 cup chopped tomato; 1/2 cup sliced cucumber; 1/2 cup sliced or chopped jicama; 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper; 1/4 cup sliced radish; 1/4 cup sliced onion; 1/2 cup broccoli sprouts; Dressing of choice: Easy Green Goddess Dressing, Walnut Salad Dressing, Creamy Tahini Ginger Dressing, Vegan Creamy Italian, Epic Tahini Lemon Garlic, Toasted Pecan Balsamic Vinaigrette; fermented vegetables (kimchi, sauerkraut); ancient grains; beans or lentils (black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, brown/green lentils); seeds (hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)

Description

Eat the rainbow with this fiber-fueled rainbow salad. This anti-inflammatory salad is jam-packed with nutrient density. Loaded with antioxidants, beneficial compounds, and over 25 different plants, this salad is good for gut health.

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups of mixed baby salad greens
1/2 cup shredded beet
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup shredded purple or green cabbage
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup sliced or chopped jicama
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced radish
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup broccoli sprouts
Dressing of choice: Easy Green Goddess Dressing, Walnut Salad Dressing, Creamy Tahini Ginger Dressing, Vegan Creamy Italian, Epic Tahini Lemon Garlic, Toasted Pecan Balsamic Vinaigrette

Optional Additions

fermented vegetables (kimchi, sauerkraut)
ancient grains
beans or lentils (black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, brown/green lentils)
seeds (hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)

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Instructions

Combine all veggies into the largest bowl you have on hand.
Add dressing and optional additions (if using), and enjoy!

Notes

EQUIPMENT / SUPPLIES

Knife
Cutting board
Measuring cup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Category: Lunch/Dinner Entrée
Cuisine: American