This Lemony Broccoli Salad is the perfect way to detox and restart after you’ve indulged a little too much!
Heads up! I originally published the recipe for this Lemony Broccoli Salad in January 2013. Photographs have been updated.
It’s okay if you feel like you need to hit the restart button after the holidays. I know I do. A few too many heavy foods, too much sugar, not enough activity. This salad is helping me with that. Starting over. I’m all about fresh starts.
I’m calling it a Restart Salad. Really, it’s a Lemony Broccoli Salad and it’s full of nutrient-dense foods that will help your body detox. Raw broccoli, seeds, raw garlic, lemon, olive oil, turmeric. These are all foods that will help promote the flushing out of toxins our bodies so desperately need this time of year.
So you all know my husband Tim isn’t the biggest vegetable guy. He’s come a long way since we got married, but it’s been work getting him to eat more vegetables. Mostly, for him to enjoy them they have to be roasted or cooked in a stir-fry. You won’t find him munching on raw veggies very often. At a party, he’s not the guy you’ll see at the vegetable tray.
I had to work some magic to get him to try this salad. I pleaded with him and he finally agreed to try one bite. He ended up finishing the bowl. As he was eating it, he looked at me accusingly and said, “The only reason this tastes good is because of the dressing. Vegetables are not good plain.”
I don’t care if it took a tangy lemon dressing for him to eat this salad, because I’ve never seen him eat raw broccoli before. In my book, that’s a win.
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Lemony Broccoli Salad
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A perfect salad for kicking off the New Year right, this Lemony Broccoli Salad (AKA Restart Salad) is full of nutrient-dense foods that will help detox your body. Make it vegan by using maple syrup instead of the raw honey.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets (from one small head)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 apple, diced
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- 1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
For the Dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayo or good-quality real mayo (I used Earth Balance Mindful Mayo with olive oil)
- 2–3 tablespoons raw honey
- juice and zest from one small lemon
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together well.
- In a medium bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Drizzle the dressing on top and stir to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
*The recipe was doubled for the photographs in this post.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of salad
You’ll notice I called the avocado and raisins optional. Tim said he prefers the salad without those contrasting textures, but I really like them. It’s up to you if you include them or not. Have a great week!
If you make this Lemony Broccoli Salad Recipe, or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Please take a pic and share it on Instagram or the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page and tag me @happyhealthymama ?
Also, if you try it, would you mind rating the recipe? It’s VERY helpful for me and other readers if the recipes have ratings and reviews. I appreciate you!
If you’d like to save this recipe for later, here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!
This is my go to salad when I’m feeling like a need a healthy boost. But is so good, you won’t know it’s healthy.
★★★★★
Love that!
Just made this and it’s the second recipe of yours that I’ve made today. I specifically went to buy broccoli so I could make this 😂 it was totally worth the trip! Thanks again for another awesome recipe!
★★★★★
You’re welcome! 🙂
This salad is so delicious. I just made it for lunch and am swooning. I love veggies but don’t normally like raw broccoli. With this dressing it is just delish. Thank you for all your hard work and happy new year!
do you think i can make this salad with slightly steamed broccoli (cooled)?..i just can’t see myself eating raw broccoli..thanks
Yes, you definitely can make this with lightly steamed broccoli. My husband was the same way, though, and loves it raw!
I keep coming back to this salad! Both my husband and I love it because it tastes good AND is really healthy, it’s a rare combination. Thanks!
You are welcome! We love this one, too.
Yummy. I skipped the pepper. It is great.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know!
I just made this for my after- workout meal and it was so satisfying! My favorite part is the creaminess of the avocado tossed in there. Since it was one serving, I cut down on the quantities and then added about 2 tablespoons of the dressing and it was perfect 🙂 Thank you for this salad recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I’ve been making it every week-I can’t get enough!
Yum! I definitely feel like I need this 🙂 The contrasting textures sound amazing to me!
Seeing as how I had rice krispie treats for breakfast yesterday, yes, I’m thinking I could use some ‘restarting.’
This looks fantastic! I liked the husband’s commentary. Nice work getting him to eat broccoli!
He thought he was proving me wrong or something. 🙂 So funny.
This looks delicious. I’m going to pin it right now!
Interesting that it has turmeric in it. That is not a spice that I use often, though my doctor said I should due to its medicinal properties. Definitely going to have to make this soon.
Thanks for the pin. 🙂 I used turmeric specifically for its medicinal properties here. That it adds some flavor is a bonus.
Maryea – I always LOVE your recipes. They are so inspirational!! Craig and I have decided to do a cleanse until our wedding in February and we’re basically no sugar, no wheat, no dairy (except yogurt). I made spaghetti (out of spaghetti squash and fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, basil and peppers) then added some avocado mashed with nutritional yeast for the creaminess that we’d get from the parmesan cheese. It was delicious!
I noticed your comment about turmeric and wanted to share with you the first recipe I have ever made with turmeric in it. It’s so hearty on a cold winter day! I hope you enjoy!!!
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/recipes/spicy-vegetarian-harira/article650067/
Thank you Sara! I haven’t had spaghetti squash in a long time. I need to change that! Thanks for the recipe link; I am excited to check it out.
This definitely looks like a fresh start to the new year! Love the colors, Maryea. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, too, Alex!
I’d call that a win! He ate it and didn’t push it away- it’s harder with the older ones that are in control of their own actions. …..That dressing does sound pretty great!
He’s as much of a challenge as Meghan is sometimes. 🙂