Summer Rainbow Lettuce Cups- Whole food plant based
Salads are a great way to eat whole plant foods, as long as you watch the quality and quantity of the dressing. This recipe is a light, crisp, super fresh salad loaded with summer flavors. Rainbow of colors from various plant foods, reflect the diverse spectrum of nutrients present. Sweet and addictive mango, with the healthy fat and fiber from avocado bring in an enjoyable creaminess. Cucumber, corn, and cherry tomatoes are delightful in each bite. A hint of spice along with lime is much needed. Find the cutest, freshest lettuce you can. Add generous amount of salad along with a bit of super easy sweet and spice sauce that is oil free and date based. You will have a wonderful summer appetizer, snack on your hands. No cooking involved.
From a nutrition stand point, mangoes are rich in Vitamin A and potassium. Avocado gives you plenty of fiber, along with unsaturated fats and potassium too. Cucumber is low calorie vegetable that adds more fiber points. Bring in more antioxidants from tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and onion. A good dose of herbs rounds up the dish.
Kid loved, fresh, fast and healthy whole plant food to enjoy this summer.
Summer Rainbow Lettuce cups- wholefood, plant based
Equipment
- Blender to make sweet and spice sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Fresh Mango – chopped – 1/2 inch size atleast
- 1 Avocado medium ripe- chopped into small cubes
- 1 Cucumber- chopped into 1/2 inch size pieces
- 8 cherry tomatoes – sliced
- 3/4 cup corn – can use fresh corn cooked or frozen and thawed
- 1/2 red onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 10 mint leaves finely chopped
- 1 deseeded jalapeno finely chopped can use just 1/2 of it if spice intolerant
- 1/4 cup grated carrots- optional
- 1/4 cup purple cabbage finely shredded- optional
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 bunch Butter lettuce leaves
Sweet and spice sauce
- 8-10 dates soak in 3/4 cup water
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger fresh roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 jalapeno or chipotle pepper can just use chipotle or paprika powder instead
Instructions
- Take a wide bowl, and add red onions, jalapeno, mint, cilantro, tomatoes, grated carrots, and cabbage. Toss to mix. Then add the mango and avocado pieces. Follow it with corn.If using frozen corn, just stick them in microwave for 45 sec or so. Or use cooked fresh corn. Toss to mix while making sure the avocado does not get too mushy. Now add lemon juice, salt, pepper per your taste and mix gently.
- Get your lettuce leaves ready by just cutting from the base of butter lettuce. Smaller leaves work for little hands and make great cups. Wash them well and pat dry.
Sweet and Spice sauce
- Add 8-10 dates to 3/4 to 1 cup water and microwave for 2 min so that they soften. Now, add all the ingredients mentioned above, including the softened dates along with the water in a blender and blitz into a smooth paste. If too spicy, add in one or two more dates. If you need more heat, add another half of a pepper or a tsp paprika/ chipotle powder. You can store this sauce in the fridge for upto 2 weeks in an air tight container.
Assembly
- Take a lettuce leaf. Hold it in our palm shaping it like a cup. Add the fresh salad filling followed by a small spoonful of sweet and spice sauce. Fold and bite for explosion of rainbow of flavors and freshness in your mouth..
