Chop the cucumber, strawberries, grapes, and red bell pepper into bite sized chunks.
2 medium cucumbers, 8 ounces strawberries, 8 ounces grapes, 1 small red bell pepper
Chop the basil leaves.
8 to 10 basil leaves
Juice the lime. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, and salt.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 lime, ½ teaspoon salt
Place the chopped fruits, vegetables, and basil in a large bowl. Add the sunflower seeds.
2 to 3 teaspoons sunflower seeds
Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss to combine everything thoroughly.
Spoon the salad onto romaine lettuce leaves for a fresh, pretty presentation.
romaine lettuce leaves
Video
Notes
Make sure you pat the produce dry after washing. You don't want any extra liquid in the finished salad.
This dish is best eaten right after preparing it. If you need to, chop the fruit and veggies ahead of time and then store in the refrigerator. That way you can quickly combine everything right before serving.
If you need to make the fruit and veggie salad and then transport it to a picnic, it's a good idea to leave the sunflower seeds out until right before serving so they don't get soggy during the trip.
If you don't have a lime, you can use about 2 ½ tablespoons of bottled lime juice instead.
Mix in some cooked chilled pasta for a heartier salad.
Substitute celery for cucumber, raspberries for strawberries, or carrot for red bell pepper, if your family would prefer any of those.