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It has been extremely cold this week, temperatures staying below zero all day and dropping into the negative double digits at night. Even for Minnesota that’s pretty brutal. With the weather so frigid, a rainbow salad may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but when you hear my reasoning I hope you’ll agree it’s actually perfect.
Winter weather has been late this year, so for that I am grateful, but now it really feels like it has arrived. A gloomy, pale blanket of clouds covers the sky. The trees look bare and lifeless. I feel a sharp bite pierce my lungs as I inhale, see a thick white puff in the air as I exhale. I clutch my coffee cup as I try to stay warm, even when inside.
These freezing temperatures demand cozy comfort dishes and warm soups. You may be wondering why I’m talking about salads. Don’t worry, I will definitely be posting soup recipes soon (update: like this one!). At the same time, right now I am also craving something, anything, to provide a pop of color among the dreariness.
This tangy pomegranate rainbow salad offers a refreshing color splash to contrast the dullness of winter. It’s bursting with just the right amount of natural sweetness, yet still doesn’t have too much sugar. The pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette dressing is sweet and piquant at the same time. Roasted pumpkin seeds lend a nutty crunch.
The combination of pomegranate arils, sweet bell peppers, crisp spinach, and creamy avocado provide a wide array of hues – red, orange, yellow, light and dark greens, purple – as well as textures. Only blue is missing, but there aren’t many foods in that color, and I thought it was already fruit enough without adding blueberries.
I decided that there are still enough different shades in this dish to call it a rainbow salad. The flavors of this salad compliment each other so well that nothing else was needed. It’s the perfect paleo salad to chase away the winter blues.
Rainbow Salad Recipe with Pomegranate Vinaigrette (Paleo, Low Carb):
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| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| servings | 10 minutes |
| Rainbow Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette (Paleo, Low Carb) This easy and healthy rainbow salad recipe with pomegranate vinaigrette is so quick to make. Only 10 ingredients including the dressing!
|
- 4 cups Spinach
- 1 medium Bell pepper (chopped) *
- 1/2 medium Avocados (cubed)
- 1/2 cup Red cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds (preferably roasted)
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Pomegranate juice
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Garlic salt
- Black pepper (to taste - optional)
- Place all dressing ingredients into a jar or airtight container. Shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Toss the dressing with spinach until evenly distributed. Add remaining ingredients and toss again to combine.
Net carbs per serving: 4g
*I like to use half of a yellow bell pepper and half of an orange one for more color.
You'll love my low carb cookbook & meal plans!
- LOW CARB MEAL PLANNING STARTER KIT: 7-day low carb meal plan, printable templates, shopping list, recipes, and more!
- 30 DINNERS IN 30 MINUTES COOKBOOK: 30 easy low carb recipes, all under 30 minutes to make and 10 ingredients or less!
Want more low carb, gluten-free ideas for salad? Try these:
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