Do yourself a big favor and boost your immune system with this ultra healthy salad. It tastes so good you will ask for more.

I love salads and make them often. It is so easy to put together a quick meal using only few ingredients and pre-made dressing. I hardly ever use store-bought dressings anymore– I like to know exactly what I’m eating. Because most homemade  dressings last about a week I usually make extra and keep it in the fridge. Recently, I got a bit bored with the typical green salads so I started creating salads using less common ingredients.

My Red Cabbage and Jicama Salad with Honey Lime Dressing is so refreshing and healthy! It’s full of flavor thanks to cumin and lime juice, crunchy and slightly sweet.

Jicama, called sometimes Mexican yam, is packed with health benefits. It provides a big dose of vitamin C, iron, potassium and vitamin B6 as well as calcium and fiber.

Raw red cabbage is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants too. It has no cholesterol or saturated fat and very few calories per cup. It has significant amounts of vitamins: C, K, A and B6 as well as zinc, iron, manganese and calcium. It really is one of the healthiest vegetables and should be consumed frequently, especially before and during the flu season. It’s important to prepare your immune system before you catch a cold so your body is strong enough to fight it off easily.

Start preparing the salad by thinly chopping the red cabbage. Use a sharp knife or mandoline. Cut the cabbage in half, place it the cut side down and very thinly slice. Place the sliced cabbage into a bowl. Squeeze a bit of a lemon (about 1 tablespoon of juice) over it and gently massage the juice into the cabbage to soften it. The cabbage will shrink a bit during the process  ( just like spinach will during wilting) so slice more of it.

Next, cut the jicama in half and peel one half. Store the other half in the fridge, wrapped in a damp paper towel to preserve it for another time. Grate the jicama on a grater using the side with biggest holes. Since jicama is surprisingly juicy, place the grated bits onto a paper towel and gently squeeze. Otherwise, you will have a significant amount of liquid on the bottom of your serving bowl. Add the grated jicama to the bowl with cabbage.

Prepare the orange by cutting off the peel and white pith. Next, cut out the segments leaving the membranes intact. Cut each segment into 3-4 pieces. Add to the chopped vegetables.

To make the dressing, whisk together lime juice, honey, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Pour over the salad and gently stir. Let the flavors combine for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 4       Prep time: 15 minutes      Ready in: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 small red cabbage head, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 jicama, peeled and grated, juice squeezed out (apple would be a wonderful substitute here)
• 1 orange, any kind ( I used Cara Cara), peel and pith cut off, membranes cut out
• A handful of sprouts

Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch of pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Cut the cabbage in half and very thinly slice using knife or a mandoline. Place it in a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over it. Gently massage a few times to soften the cabbage.
2. Prepare the jicama by peeling and grating it. Place the grated jicama onto a paper towel and gently squeeze the liquid out. Add to a bowl.
3. Prepare the orange by cutting off the peel and white pith. Using a sharp knife cut the segments out leaving the white membrane attached to the center of the orange. Cut each slice into 3-4 pieces. Add to salad.
4. Add a handful of sprouts to the salad.
5. Prepare the dressing by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together. Adjust the seasonings. Add to the salad. Gently combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
6. Stir and serve.

Enjoy!