Why did I make this colorful summer arugula and cashew salad?
When my mother- in- law offered me a container of baby arugula, I couldn't refuse. It is one of our favorite greens, and I knew we would put it to good use with some of the cashews I had.
Arugula is a pungent green that looks like little pieces of wild spring lettuce.
Of all the salad greens, it is one of the most nutritious.
It is also a cruciferous vegetable which provides the some of the same protective health benefits as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages.
I decided to make a salad with tomatoes, red cabbage, cashews and raisins!
Arugula has a somewhat light peppery flavor and gives a salad a real pick me up. The raw cashews give the salad some protein and good fat, while the raisins sweeten up the bitterness of the arugula. The red cabbage adds crunch and additional antioxidants making this a nutrient rich meal.!
Salad Ingredients
I mixed the arugula with 2 cups of organic romaine lettuce,
1 cup of chopped purple cabbage,
2 chopped vine ripened summer tomatoes,
one chopped green tomatillo, ( which has a tangy flavor)
1/2 a chopped sweet red pepper,
1 cup raw corn from the cob ( in summer)
1 cup sliced baby persian cucumbers
1/4 cup each of raw cashews, raw walnuts ( opt), and plump dark organic raisins.
Easy to make mint and lemon dressing
I dressed the salad with my sister in law Joyci's dressing made with lemon, mint, parsley and red onion
The salad was stellar and tasted as good as it looked.
With some rice crackers and humus, my arugula salad served lunch to two hearty salad eaters.
You could be as creative as you like making this salad and use any vegetables that are seasonal. Personally, I love to include some purple cabbage in all my salads. It not only adds some incredible phytonutrients to the mixture, but it also adds some incredible color contrast. I love the purples, greens, and reds.
It's appealing, nutritious, gluten free and vegan.
This salad could be a perfect match with : Quick and Easy Hummus Bruschetta Appetisers or
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