Are you looking for that summer salad that is not only healthy but can’t-put-your-fork-down scrumptious? Then this Healthy Broccoli Salad is going to become one of your favorites. This salad is packed with superfoods broccoli and cauliflower and dressed with an oh-so-flavorful sweet honey dressing. We add in some cholesterol-free cranberries and antioxidant-rich walnuts to give it a boost of extra nutrition. Some roasted red peppers add sweetness and a pop of red color. Doesn’t a colorful salad always seem much more enjoyable to eat?! This Healthy Broccoli Salad is the perfect example of a crisp, crunchy and nutritious salad that blends a variety of ingredients into an awesome flavor combination. Plus, we love that it’s super quick and easy to make and perfect for a side dish, lunch entree, or potluck picnic. A great healthy option for everyone.
Love your mayo in salads? The typical broccoli salad is loaded with mayo and–let’s not forget to mention–loaded with bacon too…yikes! Those other broccoli salads are not heart-healthy, to say the least. We promise you won’t miss the mayo with this dreamy dressing made with Greek yogurt and flavored with honey, oregano, garlic, dill and fresh lemon juice. It is a cinch to make; just whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Yes, it’s really that easy! And extra bonus points for the added protein, probiotics and calcium found in the yogurt. Yes, please!!
The main ingredients, broccoli and cauliflower, come loaded with anti-inflammatory components, vitamins, fiber and potassium, giving some powerful health benefits to the body. We love the crunch of the raw veggies in this recipe, but if you prefer them a bit softer, just blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes to soften. We suggest making the salad for the first time without cooking the broccoli and cauliflower, as the cooked vegetables do change the texture of the salad to a slight degree. Afterward, decide which way better suits you. But honestly there’s nothing like the crunchy goodness of this salad!
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Putting the Healthy Broccoli Salad Together!
Let’s check out how this Healthy Broccoli Salad comes together. The first step is cutting your broccoli and cauliflower into florets. Wash heads thoroughly and remove the stem with a knife. Using a small knife, cut where the stems branch into florets. What you’ll have is something that looks like a little tree. Continue cutting until the entire broccoli and cauliflower are trimmed down. Next, cut the little trees into separate bite-sized florets. (Tip: freeze stems to use later in soup stock)
Add the florets, cranberries, walnuts, and roasted red peppers to a large bowl. Give them a toss to mix it all up. Next, whip up that healthy dressing! In a small bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth. Add dressing to the bowl of salad ingredients and toss to coat. Place the salad in the refrigerator to chill for one hour. The chilling time allows all the flavors to marinate together into one delicious bowl heart-healthy goodness.
Have you made this Healthy Broccoli Salad? If so, we’d love to hear from you so leave us a comment below!
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Healthy Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 3 cups cauliflower flower
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup chopped roasted red peppers jar
- 1 ½ cup greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dill
- Juice of one fresh lemon
Instructions
- Wash broccoli and cauliflower thoroughly with water and remove the stems with a knife.
- Trim the broccoli and cauliflower down using a sharp knife, until you get stalks that look like little trees.
- Next cut the little trees into separate bite-sized florets. In a large mixing bowl, add the florets, cranberries, walnuts, and roasted red peppers.
- Toss to evenly mix.
- In a small mixing bowl combine Greek yogurt, honey, oregano, garlic, dill and the juice of one fresh lemon, whisking until smooth.
- Add dressing to the top of the broccoli mixture and gently toss to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- When you are ready to serve, remove the salad from the refrigerator, give it a gentle toss and enjoy!
