Seriously Delicious Detox Salad — Because the Garden Is the Whole Point

Brayden is one hundred and twenty-one weeks old. The Tulsa Farmer’s Market reopened for Saturday last week with the small first-Saturday-of-spring-planning-displays. Mama and I had a long conversation this week about her small backyard garden (a small ten-by-twelve plot she has been working since 2018). The detox-salad is the small mid-winter-yearning-for-spring dish I am writing about this Sunday.

The seriously delicious detox salad is the small fresh-vegetable salad — shredded kale, shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, shredded broccoli-stem, sliced almonds, dried-cranberries, a small lemon-honey-mustard dressing. The salad is bright, crunchy, fiber-forward, and the kind of salad that earns its “detox” name through volume of fiber and vitamin-content rather than through any quasi-medical claims.

The technique question on a shredded-vegetable salad is the shredding-mode. The kale needs to be massaged briefly with the dressing before serving (the massage breaks down the kale’s fibrous structure and makes it more tender). The cabbage and carrot can be shredded with a box grater or with the food processor’s shredding attachment. The broccoli-stem needs the peeler-and-shred approach.

Sunday I made a large bowl for the apartment. The salad will be lunch-portions across the week. Dustin had a generous helping. Brayden had a small portion of plain shredded carrot.

Aunt Linda’s small twice-weekly Tulsa-visits continue. She arrives at two PM. She stays for two hours. She holds Brayden (and later helps with both kids). She drinks the small cup of coffee I keep ready. We talk through the small week’s family-news. The small visits are the small social-thread that connects the Tulsa-apartment-life to the small Sapulpa-extended-family.

Brayden’s small developmental milestones have been arriving on the small typical-schedule. The pediatrician has been pleased at the small monthly check-ins. The small baby-and-now-toddler life continues to be the small foreground of the small family-of-three rhythm.

Seriously Delicious Detox Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (blanched or raw-tender)
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables. Trim and cut the green beans into bite-sized pieces. If you prefer them slightly softened, blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then transfer immediately to an ice bath and drain well. Otherwise, use them raw for maximum crunch.
2. Build the salad base. In a large mixing bowl, combine the green beans, purple cabbage, green cabbage, broccoli, shredded carrots, and cooled quinoa. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
3. Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, and minced garlic. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Dress and toss. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
5. Finish and serve. Top with sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and fresh parsley just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 235 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 120mg