To prepare for the holiday bloat, this vibrant Green Goddess Salad is a refreshing way to balance out the season's heavier indulgences. With crisp green cabbage, fresh cucumbers, and a creamy herbaceous dressing, it’s a dish that brings lightness to your festive table. Perfect as a pre-holiday cleanse or a side dish to complement richer meals, this salad ensures you savor the season while keeping things in balance.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 small head green cabbage (or lettuce of your choice)
- 3–4 baby cucumbers (or 1 large cucumber)
- 1/4 cup chives
- 1 bunch green onions or scallions
For the Dressing
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small shallot
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 small avocado
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup nuts of your choice (raw, unsalted cashews or walnuts work well)
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Any extra chives on hand (optional)
Directions
- Prepare the Salad. Wash and finely chop all salad ingredients to your preferred size (confetti-sized pieces work great). Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Blend the Dressing. Add the liquid dressing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, rice vinegar) to a blender. Then, add the remaining dressing ingredients, including avocado, basil, spinach, garlic, shallot, nuts, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until the dressing reaches a thick, pourable consistency.
- Combine and Serve. Pour the blended dressing over the chopped salad ingredients. Mix thoroughly to coat everything evenly. Serve immediately and enjoy how the refreshing flavors complement our "Day 4" advent wine!
🎄 Chef’s Tip: This salad can be made ahead—just keep the dressing and salad separate until serving to maintain maximum crunch!