Sometimes I eat something and immediately feel my body expressing gratitude. That might sound crazy, and maybe it actually is crazy, but it’s this sensation that I’m giving my cells what they need to repair, reenergize, and conquer the amazing tasks they have to do each day. This salad did exactly that. Full of antioxidants and phytonutrients, it was almost as if these veggies were running through my body and cleaning up the mess from intense workouts, environmental toxins, stress, etc. And it tastes good too!

If you’ve never eaten beets before, they can make a bit of a mess. Just don’t wear anything special while you make this salad. Most often, I steam or roast them before peeling and eating, but here they are shredded raw. I give them a really good scrub under the water and might peel any roots or hairs dangling, but I don’t worry too much. A pass through the shredder of the food processor and they’re good to go. The other possibly unusual addition is the radicchio. This bitter lettuce adds some lightness and buoyancy to the salad and is worth seeking out, but it’s a bit pricey so if you want to skip it, that’s okay. I also ended up adding some chopped parsley. I was really going for red veggies, but I like the grassy flavor parsley provides and truly, it was beautiful with the green too. Just don’t tell the title that.

If you are looking to start the year off with a fresh and vibrant outlook along with some delicious raw veggies, then this salad is a lovely way to ring in the new year! I hope you enjoy it!

Vibrantly Red Salad

1/4 head of radicchio, very thinly sliced

1/4 head of purple cabbage, very thinly sliced

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

2 small to medium beets, shredded (I used a food processor)

1/2 cup red grapes, cut into sixths

Dressing

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 – 1/2 tsp. salt

fresh cracked pepper

2 Tbsp. parsley, optional

Directions

1) Make sure all of your vegetables are thinly sliced or shredded. This can be done with a food processor, a knife, and/or a box grater. I used a knife for everything except the beets which are cleaner and easier to shred in the food processor.

2) Put all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to bring them together. Pour over the salad and toss well to combine.

3) Taste the salad and adjust ingredients – more salt or pepper, a little more olive oil or vinegar – depending on your taste. Add parsley if you wish and toss again. Eat and live vibrantly!

Note: I found that the grapes added just the right amount of sweetness for me, but feel free to add a drizzle of honey to the salad dressing if you want more (not Whole30 though).

Serves 4

*Thanks to my dad for referring me to a salad by Dale Pinnock in The Medicinal Chef that inspired this variation.