AIP summer grapefruit, kiwi, and avocado salad, no-cook

A run of roasted roots and simmered broths starts to look the same after enough weeks on this protocol, and a plate needs color again at some point, not just nutrients. This salad is the fastest way there: grapefruit, kiwi, and avocado, no stove involved, on the table in about 15 minutes.

Vitamin C in this bowl comes mostly from the grapefruit and kiwi, useful for immune function and for how your body builds collagen, and magnesium comes from the avocado, a mineral wrapped up in hundreds of enzyme reactions and in a nervous system trying to settle. Raw, barely touched by heat, these ingredients arrive on your plate close to how they started.

Supreme the grapefruit properly instead of just peeling it, fan the kiwi instead of dicing it into a pile, and scatter the chives last. Set it down and actually look at it before the first bite. One note worth carrying: grapefruit can interact with some medications, so check with your prescriber if that applies to you.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 kiwi
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 small head Bibb lettuce
• 1 tablespoon minced chives

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of sea salt

Method

Supreme the grapefruit: cut away all the peel and white pith, then slice the segments free from the membranes and dice them small.

Peel and thinly slice the kiwi. Peel, pit, and cube the avocado, then toss the cubes briefly in the lemon juice with a little salt so they hold their color.

Tear the Bibb lettuce into bite-size pieces. Combine everything gently in a large bowl so the avocado stays intact.

Whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt together, dress the salad lightly, garnish with chives, and serve right away.

This is a no-cook dish, so it needs no appliance variation. It pairs well alongside grilled meat or fish.

*Adapted from asquirrelinthekitchen.com*