Do you ever have one of those grocery trips where you walk into a health food store like Whole Foods or Sprouts Farmer’s Market and fill your cart with every shade of green and every vibrant fruit and vegetable you can find? You’re determined to stick to those five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, just like you’re supposed to. You plan out the week’s menus in your head, leave the store feeling almost an inch taller and a pound lighter, and imagine all the healthy meals you’re about to make.

And then reality sets in. The week flies by, the fruits turn mealy, the vegetables start to shrivel, and that carefully planned menu never quite makes it out of your head.

Unless, of course, you have foodie friends who go the extra mile and share their favorite recipes, giving you just the push you need to turn good intentions into actual meals. This colorful and delicious salad is one such recipe, shared by my friend Aparna L. It genuinely inspired me not just to shop better, but to actually commit to planning an entire week of leafy greens and vibrant fruits.

This salad was part of Monday’s dinner, and I’m hoping that the momentum carries through the rest of the week as well.

Ingredients

  • Purple cabbage, shredded – 1/4
  • Green cabbage, shredded – 1/4
  • Carrot, shredded – 1
  • Red capsicum, de-seeded and cut into fine long shreds – 1/2 small
  • Green capsicum, de-seeded and cut into fine long shreds – 1/2 small
  • Green apple, cut into 1-inch long pieces with skin intact – 1
  • Persimmons – 2 medium (optional)
  • Dry roasted peanuts, crushed – 1/4 cup
    (Add more if you prefer extra crunch)

Dressing

  • Orange juice – 1/4 cup
  • Salt – to taste
  • White pepper – 1/4 tsp
  • Sugar – 1/2 tsp
  • Red pepper flakes – 1/2 to 1 tsp

Method

  1. Combine all the shredded vegetables and fruits in a large salad bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the orange juice, salt, white pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss gently.

Crunchy, tangy, lightly sweet, and subtly spicy, this salad is a refreshing reminder that healthy eating doesn’t have to feel like a chore—it just needs the right inspiration.