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Rainbow Chopped Salad with Apples and Avocados

    A bright and colorful salad full of chopped vegetables and fresh herbs tossed in a lemon-avocado vinaigrette.

    Rainbow Chopped Salad with Apples and Avocados - The Lemon Bowl

    September is a magical time of year here in Michigan because apples are in season but the farmers markets are still bursting with produce like peppers, zucchini and fresh herbs. This rainbow chopped salad is perfect for using up whatever fresh fruits and vegetables you have on hand.

    California Avocados - The Lemon Bowl

    One fruit I’ve been having trouble getting my hands on? A perfectly ripe, buttery, light green California avocado. For whatever reason, the avos sold in my local grocery stores are never from California which means they are rarely worthy of purchasing.

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    After making a casual joke on Facebook about the lack of good avocados, my beautiful cousin Sabrina OVERNIGHTED a box from her local farmers market in Berkeley. I was so happy I almost started crying. We are heading to Berkeley in February and I plan to stock up!

    Rainbow Chop Salad with Avocados and Apples - The Lemon Bowl

    One of my favorite tricks for dressing a salad is to use a chopped avocado in lieu of oil. As you toss the salad, the acid (lemon juice in this case) and the kosher salt break down the avocado. As it breaks down, it emulsifies into a rich, buttery and creamy vinaigrette packed with heart-healthy fats.

    Thank you for my beautiful avocados, Sabi! I love you.

    Your fork is waiting.

    Rainbow Chop Salad with Avocados and Apples - The Lemon Bowl

    Rainbow Chopped Salad with Apples and Avocados

    4.67 stars average
    A bright and colorful salad full of chopped vegetables and fresh herbs tossed in a lemon-avocado vinaigrette.
    PREP: 15 mins
    TOTAL: 15 mins
    Servings: 8

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 apple (cored and diced)
    • 2 carrots (diced)
    • 1 yellow pepper (seeded and diced)
    • 3 celery stalks (diced)
    • 1 large zucchini (diced)
    • 1 red onion (diced)
    • 1 avocado (cubed)
    • 1 cup fresh herbs – minced ((i.e. basil, parsley, cilantro))
    • 1 juice of lemon
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss until combined. As you continue to toss the vegetables, the avocado, salt and lemon juice will emulsify into a creamy and delicious vinaigrette – no oil required.

    Notes

    Salad can be stored in the refrigerator dressed for up to 3 days or 5 days undressed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 11.7gProtein: 1.9gFat: 3.4gSaturated Fat: 0.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.7gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 324mgFiber: 4.1gSugar: 5.1g

    SHOW AND TELL ON INSTAGRAM!Show me your creation and rate it below! Mention @thelemonbowl or tag #thelemonbowl! I would LOVE to see!
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    Liz DellaCroce

    Liz Della Croce is the creator and author of The Lemon Bowl, a healthy food blog. Since 2010, Liz has been sharing delicious recipes that just so happen to be healthy. By using real ingredients with an emphasis on seasonality, Liz has built a growing audience of loyal readers who crave good food for their families. Click Here To Subscribe to my newsletter:

    39 Comments

    1. This looks absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try it! Question: How do you keep your avocados from spoiling when you “stock up”? I’m fortunate enough to live in CA, but can’t keep an avocado for more than 2-3 days or they turn brown inside. Any tips would be soooo helpful!

      1. Oh umm… I don’t stock up. Good avocados are really hard to find around here. I’m in Michigan and it’s rare that I can find CA avocados. So I don’t have much advice for you other than eat them with wild abandon when you get a good ripe one – haha. :)

        1. Haha! Got it, Liz. I think that those of us in Cali forget how lucky we are – at least I know I do. Will add that to my gratitude list!!

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