Broccoli as a salad base? Yes, and we can honestly say that it’s quite refreshing to enjoy a salad that embraces unique ingredients. Forget the lettuce or field greens and get ready to crunch on a variety of textures and flavors. While there are some slaw recipes that utilize broccoli stems in shredded form, this salad embraces the florets, giving you a unique salad experience.
Raw broccoli seems to taste better with a creamy dressing, which is why people often pair it with ranch. Unfortunately, ranch is very fattening and filled with unhealthy ingredients. The dressing in this recipe is creamy, luscious, and boasts bold flavors that coat every nook and cranny of the florets. The dressing also plays a great companion to the crisp apple, tart blueberries, and sweet dried cranberries. A quick note about cranberries: make sure that you buy the ones that are free of sulfur and added sugars. Most dried cranberries contain copious amounts of sugar and preservatives, and you cannot enjoy those during your cleanse.
It may surprise you to see blueberries in this salad, but they pop with subtle tartness when you take a bite with other ingredients. Dried cranberries complement that tartness, while also offering a subdued sweetness. This salad really hits all the notes: crunchy, crispy, tangy, sweet, and chewy. We just hope you like it as much as we do.
- Prep Time:10m
- Total Time:10m
- Serves: 2 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Salads & Dressings, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 3/4 c raw cashews
- 1/4 c filtered water
- 2 tbsp. grade A maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- black pepper, to taste
For the Salad
- 4 c broccoli florets, finely chopped
- 1 c blueberries
- 3/4 c apples, diced
- 1/2 c red onion, diced
- 1/3 c dried cranberries (no sulfur or added sugars)
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz until you get a smooth consistency.
- Taste and season accordingly if it needs more sea salt or pepper.
- Set aside while you make the salad.
For the Salad
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and toss gently to combine.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to thoroughly coat all of the ingredients. Serve and enjoy.
- This is also a great meal prep salad if you want to portion out two meals and two small containers for the dressing.
- Keep in mind that you should consume it within three days, though.
