Garlic Herb Salmon and Chopped Salad

Have you ever had a salad that you got excited about? There is something about eating a fresh salad filled with vegetables in every color of the rainbow. Chopped vegetables salads are a favorite of mine, but when you add a succulent piece of salmon and place it on a mound of chopped salad, it is next level deliciousness. This salad is quick, healthy, flavorful and full of nutrients. 

A good friend of mine made me a chopped salad that was similar to the way I make mine, but her addition of avocado, olive oil, sea salt and lemon was a great complement to the Kale, Spinach, radicchio and all of the other colorful vegetables that make this such a satisfying salad. I like to add as many vegetables as possible, so this salad has kale, spinach, radicchio, purple cabbage, red leaf lettuce,orange bell pepper, Persian cucumbers, carrots, fresh garlic, green cabbage, radish, cilantro and I like to add fresh chopped tomato or dried cranberries to balance out the flavors. 

Kale is full of great nutrients and it does not get soggy like Iceberg or Romaine

Spinach marries well with Kale and adds a nice balance

I love a crunch salad and red cabbage adds that perfect crunch

Carrots also add a hint of sweetness and crunch

Radicchio is slightly bitter, so just a hint of it is needed

I find that Persian cucumbers seem to stay crunchy longer than the traditional ones and love how they taste in the salad

Finely chopped cabbage adds a little more flavor and texture

Any type of bell pepper is perfect for this salad, but I like the flavor and color from the orange bell pepper

 A large creamy Avocado is delectable in this salad

And this is what all of those yummy vegetables look like in a chopped salad. Even without meat, this is a very satisfying salad and the fresh lemon, avocado, vinegar and salt bring out the brightness of the salad and add such a great flavor dimension that salad dressing is unnecessary. If you decide to add a little salad dressing, you will not need a lot if it.

This makes quite a bit of salad, so invite a few friends over or munch on this for a few days. The great thing about Kale and Spinach, is that they hold up well even with a light dressing on it. So are we ready to make this amazing chopped salad? Lets Go!

Salad Ingredients (serves 6-8)

1 Bunch of Kale

1/2 Head of Cabbage of small bag of chopped green cabbage

1/2 Head of red cabbage 

1 Bag of fresh spinach leaves

2 cups red leaf lettuce

1 small bunch of radicchio

2 carrots

1 orange bell pepper

1 bunch of radishes

1/4 cup cilantro

2 Persian cucumbers

1-2 fresh garlic cloves

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

1 avocado

1/2 Fresh Lemon

Dried Cranberries (optional)

 

Directions :

Wash all produce and then chop the salad ingredients finely and toss in a big salad bowl. Cut the avocado into small pieces and add to salad. Squeeze a fresh lemon all over the salad greens. Mix olive oil and Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and then drizzle all over salad. (add more if needed) Sprinkle with a little sea salt and begin tossing the salad and making sure avocado, oil and vinegar is thoroughly mixed into the salad. Place a generous serving on a plate and top with a freshly cooked piece of salmon or your choice of meat. This salad will keep for a few days in the fridge, but is best eaten right away.

Salmon Directions:

Add olive oil to a frying pan. Lightly brush salmon with oil and sprinkle with garlic and herb seasoning. Sear until blackened and cooked through.

Note: One or two pieces of salmon is enough to go with the 6-8 servings of salad. Slice the salmon into several slices and place on each serving of salad.

 Bon Appetit!