Tropical Chopped Salad

Some nights just call for dinner that feels like a mini vacation — think juicy mango, buttery avocado, all tossed with crunchy greens and a zippy lime vinaigrette. The salad stands alone but if you're leaning hearty, it's especially designed to pair with companion recipe for Tropical Pork Tenderloin, just tender pork seasoned with a distinctive rub and roasted. (Would some grilled chicken or a handful of shrimp or some seared scallops work too? Brilliantly!) From quick prep to no-fuss elegance, this is the kind of salad that makes you wonder why dinner ever needs to be complicated.

Memorable Homestyle Whole Food, Mere Minutes to the Table. Another Quick Supper, a Kitchen Parade Specialty. Fun Picnic Food. Easily Adapted to Your Family's Tastebuds. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep. Perfect When Cooking for One or Two But Also Potluck & Party Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real. Naturally Gluten Free. What're you waiting for?! So Good!!

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On My Mind: Moms Power-Walking & Dads Strolling

To honor Father's Day and all those who father, dads and not, this short 2006 essay ...

Is it the same in towns and cities everywhere now’days? In my neighborhood, especially on the weekends, fathers push strollers as much as mothers.

Weekdays, the Mom Parade starts about nine, mostly power-stroller-walking two and three abreast, faces taut and determined, filled with triple-tasking purpose: If we walk and talk fast enough for an hour, the baby will get out, our bellies will firm up, we’ll forget we’re sleep-deprived.

Weekends, the dads some times line up in pairs and an occasional trio too. But their guffaws, their strides, exude relaxed satisfaction, reminding passersby why strollers, indeed, are for strolling.

How is it that a man is his most masculine, most like a real guy’s guy and a real man’s man, when he’s parenting?

I’m not sure except to be certain: Lucky kids. Lucky moms. And most especially, lucky, lucky dads.

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Recipe Overview: Tropical Chopped Salad

• This Tropical Chopped Salad is a "concept" recipe for a mixed vegetable and fruit salad, bright with citrus and tropical fruits like mango, papaya, orange or even banana. (Be sure to include plenty of fruit, that's what makes this salad special.) It's a magical combination of flavors and textures. "Every bite is different," someone said recently when I made a triple batch for an impromptu family supper.

• When to Serve = I really do love to serve this salad with a matched meat, the wonderful roasted Tropical Pork Tenderloin. For a large gathering, I cook the pork ahead of time and chill, then slice it thin with an electric knife. People gobble this stuff up!
• Diet Needs & Choices = The salad itself is vegan, which makes it an extra-good choice when some family members don't eat meat (so just the salad) but others do (so the salad plus the matching Tropical Pork Tenderloin or another protein). The salad is also gluten-free but please, if you're cooking for someone with celiac or a gluten sensitivity, be extra cautious about both reading ingredient labels and cross contamination (your hands, your fridge environment, your counters, your knives, your bowls, your stirring spoons, your serving plates and utensils).
• Salad Ingredients = Napa Cabbage + Spinach + Red Bell Pepper + 2 Different Wet Tropical Fruits (mango, papaya, orange, banana, say) + Dried Currants
• For the Lime Vinaigrette = lime zest & juice + mustard + sugar + curry powder + salt & pepper + olive oil
• Hands-On Time = Allow about 20 minutes to put this on the table.
• Tasting with our Eyes = This is such a colorful salad, all on its own, no garnish needed.
• Texture = So many textures here, the dry-ish bitter greens and dried currants; the wet Napa cabbage (which is a lot like iceberg lettuce), bell pepper and tropical fruits; the creamy avocado.
• Taste = Again, so many tastes here, the bitter greens; the concentrated sweetness of the dried currants; the slightly sweet and sour fruits; the rich avocado.
• Time Friendly = This is a time-friendly recipe, on the table in a flash.
• Watching Our Waistlines = This is a calorie-friendly recipe, at least for a big salad supper. If you'd like to save a few calories (maybe for a summer dessert?) just skip the avocado.
• Makes = Four large supper servings, more smaller servings for side salads, say.
• Small Households = This recipe works especially well for those Cooking for One or Two, that's because it's easily scaled down. I usually make the full batch, we have it for supper salads the first night (and only tossing the Lime Vinaigrette into what we're eating that night) and side salads after that.
• So good! I hope you love it!


• If you like big salads with lots of flavors in a single bite, definitely check out my other chopped salad recipes, including Big Italian Chopped Salad.
• Not quite what you're looking for? Check out my other salad recipes.

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What Makes This Salad "Tropical"?

• The Lime Vinaigrette — When the miracle of our world-wide food distribution is almost taken for granted, it's easy to forget that limes, lemons and other citrus fruits grow in tropical and sub-tropical climates.
• A Small Touch of Curry — There's a touch of curry in the vinaigrette. The curry flavor is quite subtle but it's a time-honored ingredient for tropical cuisines in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka and India.
• The Choice of Fruit — For a real treat, do highlight tropical fruits such as mango, papaya, orange, pineapple and banana. These are the tropical fruits common in everyday grocery stores but are tempted to stop into an international grocery with a produce department, you might find lychee, dragonfruit, guava, mangosteen, passionfruit and more. Just look at this list of tropical fruits! I've only even heard of twenty of them! (And oh, my. I'm remembering the incredible tropical fruit juices at hotel breakfasts when visiting Capetown, South Africa some years back ... )

Why I Love This Recipe & You Might Too

• SIMPLE INGREDIENTS IN A SURPRISING COMBINATION All the ingredients are recognizable, just fruits and vegetables, yet are unexpected in the same bowl.
• EVERYDAY INGREDIENTS All the ingredients are easy to find and inexpensive to purchase in a grocery store produce department.
• USEFUL It's no everyday salad, a real amalgam of tastes and textures.
• Ready to get started? Here's your recipe!

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QUICK SUPPER: TROPICAL CHOPPED SALAD

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes
Serves 4 for main dish salads, about 8 for side salads

LIME VINAIGRETTE
• Zest from 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 - 3 limes)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or sugar or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon curry powder or ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (assumes Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

SALAD
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped or cut in thick matchsticks
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried dates or dried currants
• 4 cups (100g) thin-sliced Napa cabbage
• 4 cups (100g) baby spinach or mature spinach, chopped
• 2 different "wet fruits" such as mango, papaya, orange, pineapple or banana, cut in slices or bite-size pieces
• 1 avocado, in slices or bite-size pieces, optional but delicious
• A sprinkle of good salt, over each plate, optional

OPTIONAL PROTEIN
• Top with warm or chilled Tropical Pork Tenderloin or grilled or rotisserie chicken, sliced, or roasted shrimp or boiled shrimp or seared scallops or ...

LIME VINAIGRETTE Whisk all the Vinaigrette ingredients except the olive oil. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking to emulsify. Makes about a 1/2 cup. May be mixed in advance, just refrigerate but return to room temperature before dressing the salad.

SALAD In a large bowl, combine the pepper and currants. (Stop here if prepping more than 30 minutes in advance.) Stir in the cabbage, spinach, fruit and avocado. Toss with Lime Vinaigrette (you might not use it all).

TO SERVE Arrange salad on serving plates, sprinkle with a little salt if you're into that kinda thing. If you're serving a protein too, arrange it on top of or beside the salad. Serve and enjoy!

ALANNA's TIPS Observant cooks will notice less oil in Kitchen Parade salad dressings. It’s more healthful, of course, but also helps other flavors shine. Am I the last to discover Napa cabbage? It’s unlike waxy green and purple cabbages, more like lettuce with crunch. Its crinkly leaves chop up for salads or slaws or stir fries in no time. To prevent peeled bananas and avocados from browning as they will after a few minutes in open air, wet with a splash of citrus juice or drop briefly (no more than a couple of minutes) into what’s called "acidulated water", that's kitchen code for adding a tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of water.

FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more. Confused about salt, these days? No wonder, it is confusing. Check my FAQs for an explanation. If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2006/06/tropical-supper-salad.php .

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Lime Vinaigrette Only Per Tablespoon: 39 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 94mg Sodium; 2g Carb; 0g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 0g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 1 & PointsPlus 1 & SmartPoints 2 & Freestyle 1 & myWW green 1 & blue 1 & purple 1 & future WW points

Lime Vinaigrette + Salad Per Serving (assumes 2T dressing, without/with avocado): 234/291 Calories; 7/12g Tot Fat; 1/2g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 157/160mg Sodium; 44/46 g Carb; 7/10g Fiber; 32g Sugar; 4/5g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 4/5 & PointsPlus 6/8 & SmartPoints 11/13 & Freestyle 6/8 & myWW green 6/8 & blue 6/8 & purple 6/8 & future WW points CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = omit the avocado, dress 1/9th of the salad with 1T Lime Vinaigrette.

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Seasonal Eats: Early Summer Across the Years

KITCHEN PARADE
Savory Rhubarb Chutney Fish with Herb Butter Quinoa & Black Bean Salad Tropical Chopped Salad Chicken Greek Salad Ten-Minute Foolproof Red Chile Sauce Ten-Minute Enchiladas Cold Shrimp in Creamy Dill Sauce with Capers Easy Shrimp Bites Mint Julep Pork Chops with Sugar Snap Peas Spiced Pickled Red Onions Light & Lemony Crab Salad
~ more Recent Recipes ~

A VEGGIE VENTURE
How to Roast Carrots Brushed Eggplant Shredded Zucchini with Thyme Green Bean & Radish Salad Roasted Pepper, Cheddar Soufflés New Potatoes with Browned Butter Pan-Pickled Beets Farro with Asparagus & Green Onion Sauce Garlicky Bok Choy Buttermilk Garlic Ranch Salad Dressing <--- total fav! Homemade Cobb Salad Pickled Beet Dip Southwestern Potato Salad Weight Watchers Spinach Dip Vegetables 101: What Is Jicama? Beet Smoothies <-- such color! Sweet Potato Curry with Red Lentils, Roasted Peppers & Spinach Asian Slaw with Sugar Snap Peas & Almonds Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for June Vegetables 101: How to Revive Fresh Greens
~ more Recent Recipes ~

If you like Kitchen Parade's recipes, you'll love A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables with more from-scratch recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, home to the famous Alphabet of Vegetables and vegetables in every course, seasonal to staples, savory to sweet, salads to sides, soups to supper, simple to special.

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My Summer Favorite: A Hearty "Salad Supper" Meal

• THE RECIPE Easy-Easy Hummus Salad Another Quick Supper, just a light, loose hummus topped with chickpeas, fresh summer vegetables and feta. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Chicken Greek Salad with Simple Hummus Rotisserie chicken with cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives and feta with a lemony vinaigrette.

• THE RECIPE Southwestern Chicken Taco Salad Plates A summery Quick Supper, no cooking required, just assembly. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Mexican Chicken Salad Rotisserie chicken tossed with lime-yogurt vinaigrette, black beans, jicama, corn and tomato. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Cold Shrimp in Creamy Dill Sauce with Capers Shrimp in a "creamy" dill sauce that tastes much richer than it is. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Shrimp Salad Recipes A concept recipe, good for supper, better still the next day.

• THE COLLECTION Favorite Summer Salad Recipes From sides to suppers, make-ahead to eat-it-now, simple to sumptuous, all special for summer. (PIN This)
• AND ANOTHER Favorite Summer Soup Recipes Gazpachos, summer chowders, cold soups, raw blender soups, fruit soups, so many soups! (PIN This)

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Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ bell pepper ~
~ currant recipes ~
~ cabbage recipes ~
~ spinach recipes ~
~ mango recipes ~
~ orange recipes ~
~ banana recipes ~
~ avocado recipes ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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