Megan Hutson from @mamaofwholelittles was trying to find a new family recipe packed with healthy veggies that her kids would love when she came up with this Rainbow Fruit & Veggie Salad The result is a simple yet totally delicious summer salad, perfect for serving to guests at your next grill out!
As long as I can remember, I have loved Sweet Bell Peppers paired with ranch dressing, but I had never really experimented with them in many other recipes. Once I started incorporating more whole foods into my family’s mealtimes, I knew I had to step out of my comfort zone and try some of my favorite foods with different flavor combinations.
Sweet Bell Peppers are something I pick up at the store year-round, but they are especially good for summertime. Not only are they a good source of carbs, fiber, and vitamin C, but they also offer great hydration on a hot, summer day. Whether you are grilling out for friends or spending the day at the zoo with your kids, there’s nothing like a little taste of fresh sweetness from these greenhouse grown peppers.
If you’re like me, you may have one or more picky toddlers to please for mealtimes, and sometimes raw veggies can be the hardest thing to get them to like.
My kids love snacking on Pure Flavor® Uno Bites™ Nano Cucumbers, especially paired with date mustard or vegan cream cheese, but I opted for medium sized Mini Cucumbers for this salad because they’re slightly less crunchy and juicier. While my kids can eat cucumbers all day, I have struggled to get them to like peppers just as much as I do! With this recipe for Rainbow Fruit & Veggie Salad, I think I’ve found a great pepper recipe I can make over and over for my family.
I knew that I wanted to make a tasty summer salad recipe using cantaloupe because it offers that perfect middle ground sweetness, kind of like Bell Peppers. I knew right away these two sweet ingredients would complement each other well. However, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make a salad that was more savory, adding red onion, or take it in a sweeter direction by adding more fruits. Then, once I realized that my produce list was looking more like a rainbow, I added mango into the lineup and my mind was made up!
Mango is a fruit that my oldest – and pickiest, as it so happens – little one has loved since first bite. Mangoes are low in calories, but high in nutritional value, offering you another big dose of Vitamin C in addition to the Sweet Bell Peppers.
Once I mixed all my chosen fruits and vegetables, I knew that this salad needed a little extra flavor, so I decided to puree some more mango to make a sweet and tangy dressing. When you let the Sweet Bell Peppers and Mini Cucumbers soak in the mango dressing over night, you will wonder why you haven’t made this recipe before!
Let’s talk about how to pick your produce for this salad, because of course the final taste will be a result of how well you selected the freshest produce at the store. I have to say that when it comes to the Mini Cucumbers and Sweet Bell Peppers, Pure Flavor® is hands down the most consistent in their products year-round. They’re able to grow all their delicious veggies inside a controlled greenhouse even in the winter.
While you are at the store, the cantaloupe (and mango, if using fresh) are the ones that you want to give the smell test. Yes, I am the weird lady in the grocery store sniffing the melons! If you smell that sweet smell, it’s the best way to know that you are getting a good and ripe one full of flavor. As for the blueberries and grapes in this Rainbow Fruit & Veggie Salad, you want to pick packs that have a deep color and uniform shape. I always wash my produce with a fruit and vegetable wash as soon as I get home from the store too, just to make sure I am getting rid of any potential fruits that are trying to ruin the whole bunch.
Once your produce is washed and the cantaloupe, peppers and cucumbers are cut, you’re ready to mix and create a dish as beautiful as the rainbow! Then, toss the leftover mango into a high-speed blender along with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, date syrup, and a touch of salt. In no time you’ll have the perfect sweet and tangy dressing to tie the salad altogether.
Serve this salad at your next family grill out or pack it for a hydrating snack after a day at the pool. I promise you will be glad that you did! Enjoy!
To see the full Rainbow Fruit & Veggie Salad recipe, click here.
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