Detox & Cleanse Recipe
Viral Green Goddess Chopped Salad
This is the salad people could not stop making online: everything chopped fine, tossed in a thick, bright green herb dressing and scooped up like a dip. Our detox version keeps all of that crunch and flavor but swaps the cheese for creamy avocado, so it is dairy-free, gluten-free and packed with cabbage-family vegetables and fresh herbs. Make a big bowl on Sunday and you have crisp, green lunches ready for days.
The chop secret: Chop everything small, about the size of a pea. Finely chopped vegetables grab more dressing in every bite, which is why this salad eats like a dip. A food processor pulsed 4 or 5 times per vegetable makes it fast.
Ingredients
- ✓ ½ medium head green cabbage, cored and finely chopped (about 5 cups)
- ✓ 2 Persian or 1 English cucumber, finely chopped
- ✓ 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- ✓ 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ✓ Dressing: 1 ripe avocado, 1 packed cup fresh basil, ½ cup fresh parsley, 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- ✓ Juice of 2 lemons plus 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
- ✓ 1 small garlic clove, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and ¼ cup cold water
- ✓ 2 tablespoons hemp hearts or raw walnuts, plus sea salt and black pepper to taste
Optional add-ins
Add a handful of baby spinach to the dressing for an even deeper green, or toss in chopped broccoli florets and sliced radishes for more crunch.
How to Make It
- 1Make the dressingAdd the avocado, basil, parsley, chives, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, water, hemp hearts or walnuts, and a big pinch of salt to a blender. Blend until silky and thick. Add a splash more water if it is too thick to pour.
- 2Chop the vegetablesFinely chop the cabbage, cucumber and celery, either by hand or by pulsing each in a food processor. Slice the green onions.
- 3Drain the cucumberPat the chopped cucumber dry with a clean towel so the salad stays crisp instead of watery.
- 4Toss it togetherCombine the vegetables in a large bowl, pour over about two-thirds of the dressing and toss until every piece is coated.
- 5Taste and serveAdd more dressing, salt, pepper or lemon as you like. Serve right away with cucumber rounds, endive leaves or seed crackers for scooping.
Make It Your Way
Protein Bowl
Top with grilled wild salmon, pasture-raised chicken or chickpeas for a filling lunch.
Lettuce Wraps
Spoon the salad into butter lettuce or collard leaves and roll them up.
Nut-Free
Use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds in place of walnuts in the dressing.
Extra Herby
Swap half the basil for fresh dill or cilantro for a completely different flavor.
Why This Salad Works
- Cabbage: A cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli and kale, that contains natural compounds which support the body’s own detoxification pathways.
- Fresh herbs: Basil, parsley and chives bring chlorophyll, antioxidants and huge flavor with almost no calories.
- Avocado: Replaces cheese with creamy, heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and fiber.
- Lemon and apple cider vinegar: Bright acidity makes the vegetables taste fresh and helps the dressing keep its green color.
Dr. Colbert’s Detox Tips
Choose organic when you can. Celery and leafy herbs are often among the most heavily sprayed crops, so organic is worth it here.
Keep the dressing separate. For meal prep, store the chopped vegetables and dressing in separate containers and toss right before eating.
Eat the rainbow, too. Pair this green bowl with colorful foods through the day, like beets, berries and carrots, for a wider range of nutrients.
✦ From Dr. Colbert’s Table
There is something beautiful about eating food just as God made it: green, fresh and full of life. Every crunchy bite of this salad is a small reminder that He provides everything we need to nourish the bodies He gave us.
“And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.'” (Genesis 1:29, NKJV)
Go Deeper
Reset and Renew Your Body
Dr. Colbert’s Fasting Zone book walks you through a 21-day plan to reset your health and cleanse your body, with simple meals like this one.
Storage
Store the chopped vegetables and the dressing separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Once tossed, the salad is best eaten within 24 hours. Press plastic wrap right onto the surface of the dressing to keep it bright green.
Free Challenge · 21-Day Detox Challenge
Recipes like this one are the backbone of Dr. Colbert’s free 21-Day Detox Challenge, a full three-week plan to support your gut, rebuild your energy and renew your body from the inside out. Join the 21-Day Detox Free →
