This healthy, chopped veggie salad is great to make up on Sunday and have fresh and ready all week (if it lasts more than a couple days because it’s so good).  I had some fresh asparagus so I roasted for 2-3 minutes and added that to the salad. Don’t have any or don’t like asparagus, leave it out

The planning is so simple and minimal. Today for this one I pulled out some fresh veggies I bought in the last couple days and what I wanted to use up that I already had.  You can mix & match veggies in anyway you want.  Get them on sale if you are at the store and save a few bucks at the same time.

I store the salad in a glass jar, without the salt and dressing, so it is fresh and I can change up the taste with a different dressing or by adding fresh avocado or black beans and a spicier dressing.

I made some Cilantro-Lime Dressing to add to just the veggie salad. Tomorrow, I think I will add some black beans or fresh avocado and maybe try a Jalapeno-Cilantro Pesto or other just-a-little-bite-to-it dressing to change it up. Adding black beans, avocado or even grilled chicken or shrimp makes it more of a meal with the added protein.

Chopped Veggie Salad with Roasted Asparagus

• 1 cucumber, skinned and chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4 organic radishes, chopped
• ½ pint cherry tomatoes, cut in ½
• 1 small bunch asparagus (trim, drizzle with EVOO and pink sea salt – roast for 2-3 minutes on 400 – keep it crispy tender. Chop into smaller pieces)
• 1 green onion, chopped (including the green) OR 1 small purple onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/8 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/8 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Optional veggies to add:

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 poblano or jalapeno pepper (or both)

NOTE: If you are serving more than one, you may want to double recipe.

Combine everything in a bowl and refrigerate. I recommend you DON’T salt or add dressing until you are ready to use so it stays fresh longer. Also, add black beans, avocado, chicken or fish serving by serving, again for optimal freshness (especially the avocado).