Chopped Steamed Vegetable Salad

Name: Chopped Steamed Vegetable Salad
Prep time: 30

4.3

4.3 out of 5 stars (based on 12 reviews)

30 min prep

4 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

11 ingredients

Raw salads can be a problem during chemo. Problem solved! This really great Chopped Steamed Vegetable Salad can be changed up by using different veggies and herbs as the seasons turn. The salad will keep...

1 ½ cups cauliflower and/or 1 cup broccoli, all broken up into small flowerets
1 cup fennel bulb, cut into a small dice (reserve the feathery leaves, if you like, for garnish)
2 medium carrots, scrubbed, cut into a small dice
1 tart apple, cored and cut into a small dice, reserved in water with a lemon juice to prevent browning
1 celery stalk, cut into a small dice
4 inch piece of daikon radish, peeled and cut into small dice or 4 large red radishes, diced
2 scallions, finely sliced
½ cup toasted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds or slivered almonds
1 medium golden beet, peeled and cut into a small dice (optional)
A handful of pitted, oil-cured black olives, cut in half
About 1 cup dressing of choice (see Chef Tips)

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

104 cals

Fat

4 g

Saturated Fat

0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2 g

Monounsaturated Fat

2 g

Carbohydrates

16 g

Sugar

9 g

Fiber

5 g

Protein

3 g

Sodium

97 mg

Directions

Separate the vegetables into batches, putting together the softer ones like cauliflower and broccoli flowerets, and doing the same with harder ones, including the apple, fennel, celery, daikon, and carrots. Sprinkle with the scallions.
Steam the batches of vegetables, separately, over high heat for about 3 minutes per batch until they are all cooked. If you don''t have a steamer, blanch each batch of veggies separately by plunging them into boiling water for 3 minutes and removing them with a slotted spoon into a colander to drain. Whether steaming or blanching, it's a good idea to use a timer.
Mix the steamed vegetables together in a deep salad bowl with the sunflower seeds and olives. Add the dressing and mix well until all the veggies are coated. Use your hands if it's easier. Cover and leave in the fridge for an hour for the flavors to develop. Toss again before serving. Add a few well-washed parsley leaves for garnish.

Chef Tips

You can pretty much put anything into this mix, the ingredients list is just a suggestion. All the vegetables should be in a dice of about the same size, so if you’re using cauliflower or broccoli flowerets, they should be about the same size as the rest of the dice. Instead of discarding the smaller, tender stalks of the cauliflower, dice those up, too. Cooked beets are good to use as well, but they will turn the salad pink, so either add them at the end or use golden beets instead.

A tiered steamer makes short work of this. Put the tenderest veggies in the top basket for quick removal.
If you are on a neutropenic diet, wear gloves if you use your hands to mix the salad. Also, depending on your protocol, you may want to pass on the parsley garnish.

If you are pressed for time, you can use frozen vegetables, the harder ones like peas, corn, beans and carrots work best. Be sure to steam them straight from the freezer to conserve their taste and nutrients.

For dressing, try our Basic Mustard Vinaigrette or Sesame Remoulade!

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society