Re-set your body with a healthy salad made of romaine, broccoli, carrots, celery, apple, blueberries, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Chop it all up, toss with a Lemon Ginger Dressing, and eat it with a spoon!
My version of De-Tox Salad is not only awesome because it’s chopped (go ahead and eat it with a spoon), but also because it’s packed with some of my favorite, super-duper, healthy ingredients! Whole Foods sells a Detox Salad, which is where I first discovered it, but you can easily make this at home. Best of all, you can make it ahead and use it for several lunches!
Why is this salad called “De-Tox” Salad?
The term “De-Tox” can mean giving your body a break from toxins (such as alcohol, chemicals, and heavy metals) that may be taxing your body in some way. When someone needs to wean off of drugs or alcohol, they enter a detox program.
On a lighter note, de-tox, to me, can also mean cleansing your body of overly-processed foods or “junk food”, and instead, enjoying foods that are whole and natural. I don’t buy into all the “cleansing” diets and products that are out there. But, I do believe in the power of healthy food. When you eat more of it, it just makes you feel better!
This De-Tox Salad is packed with nutrition so it’s my go-to when I’m craving a break from all the “junk”. It’s the perfect recovery meal after the holidays or any other time of over-indulgence!
The Ingredients
7 healthy ingredients full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber! If possible, buy organic to minimize pesticides and chemicals.
- Romaine Lettuce: I love the crunch of Romaine lettuce. If you desire, swap in Spinach or Kale.
- Broccoli Slaw: Instead of buying a head of broccoli and a bunch of carrots, simply pick up a bag of Broccoli Slaw and save yourself some work.
- Celery: One of my most favorite, crunchy, low-calorie veggies.
- Green Apple: I love the tartness this apple adds to the salad.
- Blueberries: A superfood that adds just a bit of sweetness. Fresh is best, but dried blueberries will work too.
- Slivered Almonds: Almonds add some healthy fat and protein.
- Raw Shelled Sunflower Seeds: I enjoy these by the handful, but they’re also a perfect addition to any salad. For this salad, stick to raw and avoid roasted and salted seeds.
The Lemon-Ginger Dressing can be made with just 5 simple ingredients. To make life easier, you could just pick up a Lemon Dressing from the grocery store. Trader Joe’s sells an Almond Butter Turmeric Salad Dressing (located in the refrigerated section) which has very “clean” ingredients and would be great on this salad!
- Lemon Juice: I’m all about shortcuts and saving money. Instead of squeezing lemons, I love to use Organic Lemon Juice when a recipe calls for a lot of juice. The only ingredient in Santa Cruz Organic is lemon juice. Handy to keep a bottle in the fridge for pre-cut apple slices, etc.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A healthy oil to use in all your homemade salad dressings.
- Raw Honey: There are more health benefits in Raw honey vs. Pasteurized. Pasteurized extends the shelf-life but destroys many of the nutritional benefits.
- Ground or Fresh Ginger: A tasty spice that aids digestion and fights inflammation.
- Ground Turmeric: Another spice with powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Turmeric will turn the dressing a golden yellow.
Easy Prep
You’ve got some chopping to do… but it’s not too bad, especially if you use the OXO Salad Chopper (see below)! Your work will pay off because this recipe makes a big batch which will last for several meals throughout the week.
Equipment: Gather a very large bowl, a cutting board, a knife for chopping, measuring cups and spoons, a mixing spoon, and a whisk.
One of the best kitchen tools I own is the OXO Salad Chopper and Bowl (affiliate link). If you like to make chopped salads it’s worth buying. I don’t chop everything in it, but it works especially great for lettuce and other hard veggies. The best part is the huge 5.5-quart capacity of the bowl.
1. Chop the Romaine and Broccoli slaw.
2. Add Chopped Apple, Chopped Celery, and Slivered Almonds
3. Add Blueberries and Sunflower Seeds and Stir to Combine.
4. Prepare the Dressing, or use Store-Bought. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a week. No need to worry about the salad wilting because it’s hardy enough to hold up well to the dressing and remain crunchy. In fact, I think this salad tastes better as time goes on and all the flavors have time to come together.
Enjoy!
De-Tox Chopped Salad is perfect for lunch or as a side with dinner. The lemon in the dressing really shines as it provides a clean, fresh flavor. I recommend eating this salad with a spoon!
On its own, this salad is very satisfying because it’s packed with fiber. Just be sure to drink a full glass of water, or a cup of tea, to aid with digestion! For extra protein, you could top the salad with a scoop of tuna or shredded chicken.
Since this recipe makes such a large amount, and it keeps so well in the fridge, I’ve got lunch pre-made for me and my husband for the week! I pack it up in my favorite Easy Lunchbox containers (affiliate link) and add some low-sodium crackers and a serving of dark chocolate (86% Cacao).
Give this salad a try, or make it your own by using any variety of fruits and veggies that you love!
EASY DE-TOX CHOPPED SALAD with Lemon-Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 7 oz Romaine lettuce, washed
- 1 (12) oz bag broccoli slaw
- 6 stalks celery
- 1 large green apple
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or dried
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Lemon-Ginger Dressing
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (or 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated)
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- Rinse and dry all ingredients.
- Chop the Romaine lettuce and broccoli slaw into small bites and place in a large bowl (5-quart capacity).
- Chop and dice the apple and celery. Add the apple and celery to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the blueberries, slivered almonds, and sunflower seeds to the bowl and stir again to combine.
- Make the dressing by adding the lemon juice, evoo, honey, ginger, and turmeric to a 1-cup measuring container. Whisk to combine. *Tip: Using a 1 tbsp measuring spoon, measure the honey after the evoo, so the honey will easily slide right off the spoon.
- Add the dressing to the salad and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Recipe Notes
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