This quick salad is full of bright color and vital nutrients. It’s so easy to put together that it can be a great lunch option when you are in a pinch. It also uses some unique ingredients, including rainbow chard, radishes, and parsley (though maybe they’re just unusual ingredients in my kitchen!).

This salad is based off of the Mediterranean Chard Salad from Feasting At Home.

The Recipe:

1 serving

For the salad

• 1 cup rainbow chard
• 1/2 cup mixed power greens
• 1/3 cup parsley
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 small radish
• 1/2 cup chickpeas
• 1/3 beefsteak tomato
• 1/4 english cucumber
• 1 tsp pepitas
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 grated garlic clove
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• Kosher salt + pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients together in a bowl. Mix dressing ingredients together and drizzle to taste. Save any excess in an airtight container for about a week.

Why It’s Good:

• Avocados provide healthy fats that help preserve joint and organ health and keep you full longer
• Rainbow chard packs a Vitamin K punch! Just one leaf contains 4x your daily recommended value. As a dark, leafy green it is also packed with essential vitamins and antioxidants, including fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, calcium, copper, choline, and riboflavin. The CDC has dubbed chard a “powerhouse vegetable.” This tasty roughage received an 89.27/100 for nutrient density in the same study.¹
• Chickpeas are an awesome source of plant-based protein. Adding them to the dish also contributes to satiety and helps muscles repair the microtears that come from working out.

This is definitely a recipe that is going to make it into my frequent rotation. In fact, I just picked up some more rainbow chard today to make it again!

Make one for yourself? Snap a pic and tag us on Instagram @runningbysix so we can show you off!

Sources:

• 1. Di Noia J. Defining powerhouse fruits and vegetables: A nutrient density approach. Prev Chronic Dis. 2014;11:E95. doi:10.5888/pcd11.130390