Summer Salad with Fruit and Veggies

Now that summer is finally here, I am really in the mood for fresh produce.  And June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month!  So it seems fitting to toss together a salad that has both!

Basically this salad was created taking some of my family’s favorite fruits and vegetables, chopping them up, adding a citrus-y dressing and VOILA!  Not complicated, but so yummy!  It was really good with just the fruits and vegetables, and then I had the idea to add sunflower seeds for a little nuttiness (even though there is quite a bit of nuttiness in this family already hah!) and some fresh basil, and that made it GREAT!

Note, however, that the leftovers were a little disappointing.  Conclusion: This salad is better if eaten the same day it is made.  That can be a bit tough to swing during the week, since there is a lot of chopping involved.  I don’t know about you, but I am not really in the mood to do a significant amount of chopping after a long day at work!  One thing you can do is to chop each item the night before and refrigerate it separately, and then combine everything right before serving.

Believe it or not, even Thing 2 liked this (after he picked out the red bell pepper).  I actually included the grapes with Thing 2 specifically in mind, since he really loves grapes.

Thing 2 rating = (3 biscuits out of 5).  I consider that a big win since there was no pasta or bread of any kind in it!  I actually expected him to reject the entire thing completely, so it was a pleasant surprise when he ate it!

For a pretty serving suggestion, spoon out the desired amount onto iceberg lettuce leaves.  It looks so fresh and delicious!  I love the strips of basil, and the dressing adds just the right amount of tanginess to the overall salad.

You can serve this as a side dish or as the main entree for a light, meatless, oven-free meal.  Sometimes that is the best kind of dinner on a hot summer day!  You could also mix in cooked, chilled pasta to make it a little heartier if you wanted to use it as an entree.

Summer Salad (Fruit and Veggies!)

Print Recipe

Recipe Author: Kristin

Crunchy, tangy, and refreshing, this salad is delicious either as a side dish or a light entree on a hot summer evening!

CourseEntree

CuisineAmerican

Prep Time20 mins

Total Time20 mins

Servings4

Ingredients

• 2 medium cucumbers
• 8 ounces strawberries
• 8 ounces grapes
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 8 to 10 basil leaves (cut into strips)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh is best but you can use bottled instead)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 3 teaspoons sunflower seeds
• iceberg lettuce leaves (optional, for serving)

Instructions

• Chop the cucumber, strawberries, grapes, and red bell pepper into bite sized chunks and place in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, and salt.
• Pour the dressing over the fruit/veggie mixture and toss to combine.
• Add the basil strips and sunflower seeds and toss a bit more.
• Spoon the salad onto iceberg lettuce leaves for a fresh, pretty presentation.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 21.5% | Vitamin C: 97.9% | Calcium: 3.6% | Iron: 5%

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Enjoy!

 

 

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