Radicchio Salad with Pea Shoots and Fresh Mint

Have you ever used radicchio for a tasty colorful salad? If you are looking for some variety in your salads and are tired of the same old, same old,  you will find early summer produce at local farmer's markets often include radicchio and pea shoots. 

These are two vegetables that challenged me to figure out what to do with them.

They looked so fresh, healthy, and appealing at the farmer's market when I was shopping that I was tempted and did buy them. (the purple one is the radicchio) 

A little research indicated that radicchio is part of the chicory family, which means it can be slightly- but not too bitter. Therefore, I decided to use it with chopped red apple and fresh mint that would impart sweet overtones into my salad. 

Eat for Health and Immunity

Purple and blue produce such as radicchio, blueberries, purple cabbage, and purple onion contain anthocyanins which are anti-oxidants that research notes may have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and heart protective properties making them a desirable and necessary part of a healthy diet.

Green vegetables are good for us and provide calcium, detoxification, and help us maintain disease-preventing alkalinity in our bodies. 

This colorful salad is a delicious combination of both green and purple health-giving vegetables. 

I used the radicchio as my base, chopped red sweet apple, tender green pea shoots, small slivers of sweet purple onion, sliced Persian cucumbers, and then I collected fresh mint and stevia from my little herb garden. (I grow fresh herbs in pots on my deck)

mint, thyme, rosemary, oregano and not shown stevia and sage

The salad was exceptionally delicious, something different, and I felt good eating local (organic) and healthy produce that was just picked that morning or day before! So fresh. The longer produce sits, the more vitamins are lost. 

I was not in the mood for a salad dressing, although I could have used my easy (link) creamy avocado dressing, but instead I just added some slices of avocado and a splash of fresh lime on top of each  serving and it seemed to do the trick for me of adding some creaminess to the salad.

We tend to eat more salads in the summer and it's nice to mix it up and add some variety from local seasonal produce. What do you like to add to your salads? 

My Notes:

1. Nuts or seeds such as sunflower seeds, walnuts or cashews would taste good in the salad.