Summer Harvest Salad with Pear Vinaigrette

There are days when you do not want to cook anything, and a big bright bowl of greens and fruit is exactly the right answer. This one comes together in about 20 minutes with no heat at all, and it is generous enough to be the meal if you add a protein you have on hand.

The bowl is mostly leafy greens and colorful plants, which is where fiber and polyphenols come from, the parts of a meal that feed a healthier gut community. The blended pear in the dressing is the quiet trick here: a whole piece of fruit replaces any added sweetener and emulsifies the vinaigrette, keeping the sweetness modest and whole. Eating across this much color is what the produce aisle is for.

Lay the salad out with a little care, because a beautiful plate changes how the meal lands. Take a breath before the first bite. The few minutes of presence are part of the medicine, not separate from it.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 cups baby arugula
• 2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup baby kale
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 small yellow squash
• 1 small cucumber
• 3 scallions
• 1 Red Delicious apple
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 Medjool date
• protein of choice, optional (roast chicken, steak, or shrimp)

For the pear vinaigrette:

• 1 Bartlett pear, peeled
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 10 tablespoons water
• sea salt
• garlic powder
• onion powder

Method

Chop all of the salad produce and combine it in a large bowl: the arugula, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, parsley, yellow squash, cucumber, scallions, apple, blueberries, and dates.

Blend the whole peeled pear with the white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, water, and a little salt, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.

Toss the salad with 5 to 6 tablespoons of the dressing, adding more to taste. Top with a protein of your choice if you want it to be the meal. Serve cold.

*Adapted from asquirrelinthekitchen.com*

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