Rainbow Detox Salad

Chopped salads are a favourite in our households because they are quick and easy to make and most importantly delicious. This Rainbow Detox Salad is packed with colourful veggies and bursting with fresh flavours. It’s a nutrient-dense, raw salad featuring cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot, with a creamy avocado and tahini dressing that ties it all together. Perfect for a light, refreshing meal or a side dish, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

This is a salad that often appeals to salad resistant kid and also toddlers because it’s texture is very different to eating the vegetables in their whole form. My daughter actually calls this ‘baby food’ salad because I often gave it to them when they were little (before they loved whole salads like they do now).

Why is it healthy?

The Rainbow Detox Salad is loaded with antioxidants, fibre, and vitamins. Broccoli and cauliflower both belong to the family of vegetables known as brassicas. They possess compounds that support both phases of liver detoxification (including the specific enzyme systems that processes known carcinogens).

Carrot, garlic, avocado, parsley, coriander are antioxidant rich and also support liver detoxification pathways. Pomegranate is a rich source of antioxidants. The fats in the avocado and tahini are anti-inflammatory and help to support the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. And the lime juice (or lemon juice) is rich in vitamin C.

There is 10g fibre, 7g protein per serve. Pair this salad with about 100g chicken, steak or tuna which adds about 25-30g extra protein making this a very nourishing meal.

Ingredients

This salad calls for fresh veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots, paired with herbs like parsley or coriander (cilantro). The creamy dressing is made from avocado, tahini, garlic, lime, and a touch of honey or rice malt syrup for sweetness. The pomegranate seeds on top add colour and flavour, making it a feast for the senses.

How to make this rainbow detox salad

To prepare, pulse the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, and parsley in a food processor until finely chopped, being careful not to over-process. Then, blend the dressing ingredients—avocado, tahini, garlic, lime juice, and water—until smooth, adding water gradually for the desired consistency. Toss everything together and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds for a delicious and detoxifying salad.

Serving suggestions and how to store

Serve this rainbow detox salad immediately to enjoy the fresh crunch and vibrant flavours. It pairs wonderfully with grilled fish or chicken for a complete meal. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day, but note that the dressing is best enjoyed fresh.

Vary this rainbow detox salad to suit

You can easily modify this salad to suit your dietary preferences. For a garlic-free version, swap the garlic for grated ginger. If you need a sesame-free option, use almond butter instead of tahini. To make it fructose-friendly, opt for rice malt syrup as your sweetener instead of honey.

Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.

For lots more plant based recipe inspo, take a look at my hugely popular ebook ˜Well Nourished Sides and Salads’– where vegetables become the hero of the dish! It’s great value at just $9.95, click HERE to take a look.

For more delicious, healthy, easy to make salads click HERE.

Rainbow Detox Salad

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Total 15 minutes minutes

Serves: 2

This Rainbow Detox Salad is one nourishing salad - it truely is food as medicine without compromising on deliciousness. 

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Ingredients

• ¼ head/s cauliflower -florets and stems
• ¼ head/s broccoli -florets and stems
• 1 carrot/s (large) roughly chopped
• ¼ bunch/s fresh parsley leaves -or coriander leaves
• ½ pomegranate -seeds (can sub raisins, craisens or fresh grapes), see method below for tips on removing the seeds from the pomegranate very easily

Dressing

• 1 clove/s garlic
• ½  avocado/s -flesh
• 1 tbsp hulled tahini 
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ground black pepper
• ½  lime/s -juice (or lemon)
• 1 tbsp rice malt syrup or honey (optional)
• 60 ml water (¼ cup approx.)

Method

• If your cauliflower and broccoli are small, use a half a head. If they are large stick with quarter.
• Place the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, parsley or coriander in a food processor and pulse until just chopped. Set aside.
• If using a Thermomix, I use the turbo pulse button in short bursts. Please watch the consistency closely as you go (over-processing can result in a detox juice rather than salad)!
• You could also chop/grate by hand, obviously a bit more labour intensive.
• Now make your dressing. Personally, I don't bother to rinse my processor to make the dressing. Mix all of the ingredients (except the water) together until combined (if using a Thermomix 5-10 seconds, speed 4). Now add the water gradually until you get a thick consistency that can be drizzled over the chopped salad.
• Top with pomegranate seeds. The easiest way to remove the seeds is to cut the fruit in half, holding the cut side facing down in your palm. Bang the skin side of the fruit with a large metal spoon, the seeds should just fall out leaving the white pith behind.
• Drizzle over the dressing, toss and serve immediately.

Variations

Garlic-free

Replace the garlic with a 2cm piece of ginger root, finely grated.

Sesame-free

Replace the tahini with almond butter or simply omit. 

Fructose-friendly

Choose rice malt as your sweetener. 

 

 

Love to hear if you and your family like this delicious and very nourishing salad? Please post a comment below.

Course: Salad

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