Pear and Fennel Salad

Some days you want something fresh and quick that asks almost nothing of you, and this is that dish. No stove, no oven, 20 minutes of cutting and tossing. Eating well does not always have to mean effort, and a salad this simple proves it.

What you are feeding yourself here is colorful, living produce. Fennel and pear both carry fiber, one of the things that helps feed a healthier gut community, and the pomegranate seeds are a gentle source of polyphenols, plant compounds studied for their role in a calmer inflammatory response. It is light food that still does quiet work for a body managing Autoimmunity.

Let this one be beautiful. The pale green of fennel, the soft gold of pear, the deep red of pomegranate against cool cucumber is a plate worth looking at before you eat it. Take a breath, notice the color, and slow down for the first bite. The care you bring to the table is part of how the food serves you.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon diced shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt

For the salad:

• 2 lb cucumber, diced or julienned
• 1 bulb fennel, diced or julienned
• 2 medium pears, diced or julienned
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Every ingredient is already elimination-friendly, with nothing to swap. There is no black pepper, cheese, or nuts in this one, so nothing needs to come out. The dressing can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to toss the salad.

Method

• Blend all the dressing ingredients until smooth.
• Toss the cut cucumber, fennel, pear, and pomegranate seeds with the dressing.
• Serve right away or chilled.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*

*Lower-sugar note: the sugar here is the pears, not added sweetener. For less, use a smaller amount of pears and lean the bowl toward the greens and lower-sugar berries.*