Is Little Gem lettuce about to be your new favorite salad green? Foodies consider this sweet, compact leafy green to be a notch above romaine, green leaf, and spring mixed green lettuces. You may have noticed that Little Gem has found its way onto many restaurant menus. It offers a sweet flavor with a lovely, crunchy texture and the little nooks and crannies in these leaves capture the salad dressing. That makes every bite better than the last.
The star of the show is the watermelon radish. This beautiful, vibrantly colored root vegetable is like a magnet for your eyes. You can’t stop admiring their beauty! The watermelon radish offers a crisp texture and clean taste, occasionally offering peppery spice. It comes from the heirloom Chinese Daikon radish and doesn’t taste anything like a watermelon. The name stems from the physical appearance. It is naturally rich in magnesium, manganese, zinc, vitamin B6, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin K, and riboflavin.
Simply put, this salad is basic in that doesn’t consist of many ingredients. The ingredients it does have, however, exhibit powerful flavors that will take your taste buds on a culinary journey. If you feel like adding more pizzazz to your salad, incorporate sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes into the mix. These ingredients are completely optional, but they add additional flavor and nutrients.
- Prep Time:10m
- Total Time:10m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Salads & Dressings, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 2 tsp. lime zest
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
For the Salad
- 4 small heads Little Gem lettuce, chopped
- 1 c watermelon radish, thinly sliced
- 1/2 c shredded carrots
- 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3 c red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 c chopped avocado (optional)
- 1/2 c chopped cherry tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Set aside while you assemble the salad.
For the Salad
- Rinse the heads of Little Gem and roughly chop them.
- To achieve thin, even slices for your watermelon radish, it is best to use a mandoline. Peel the radish first and then carefully shave it with that kitchen tool.
- Add the lettuce, radish slices, shredded carrots, cilantro leaves, and red onion to a salad bowl and toss gently to combine. You can also add the optional avocado and cherry tomatoes at this time.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat all of the ingredients. Serve and enjoy.
