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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.
More Low Carb Recipes To Love
Rainbow Salad Recipe with Pomegranate Vinaigrette (Paleo, Low Carb):
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RECIPE CARD
Colorful Rainbow Salad Recipe + Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing
This HEALTHY colorful rainbow salad recipe with pomegranate vinaigrette dressing is so EASY and just 10 ingredients!
PrintIngredients
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Salad
- 4 cups Spinach
- 1 medium Bell pepper (chopped) *
- 1/2 medium Avocado (cubed)
- 1/2 cup Red cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds (preferably roasted)
Pomegranate balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Pomegranate juice
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Garlic salt
- Black pepper (to taste - optional)
Instructions
More TIPS about this recipe in the post above!
VIDEO + NUTRITION INFO + RECIPE NOTES below!
- 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.
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Recipe Notes
I like to use half of a yellow bell pepper and half of an orange one for more color.
Serving size: 1/6 of entire recipe
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
More Low Carb & Keto Support!
If you want to know more about how to start a low carb diet, want to substitute sweeteners, need a food list, or need support, check these guides:
Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan
Starter Guide 
Sweetener Conversion Calculator 
Keto Low Carb Macro Calculator 
Low Carb Keto Food List
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2 Comments
Kate Cordova
Yummy. Don’t skip on the pumpkin seeds. I forgot them on the first bowl. Added to the second bowl and even better!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it, Kate! Have a great day!