Ever have one of those weeks where you just don’t feel like being in the kitchen? Or just don’t have time to be fiddling around in the kitchen?
Last week was one of those weeks for me. And friends, when that happens sometimes I forget just how crummy I feel when I don’t eat well – or enough. On busy days (or beautiful 80 degree days when I just want to be outside!) I tend to under-eat, or just eat the “quick” stuff like a few bites of cold leftovers, a quick granola bar from the freezer, or a banana from the fruit bowl.
But I function much better when I eat better than that. Those are all good things in and of themselves – but our bodies need veggies! Minerals! Our bodies need protein and fat to balance out too!
During these busy, warm spring and summer months I like making jars of 5 minute salad dressing so quick bowls of salad are easy and do-able. Or a big bowl of coleslaw to keep in the fridge. I can scoop out what I want when I’m rushed and still get some nutrient rich vegetables in my afternoon.
It is important to rotate veggies as much as it is important to rotate any other food we eat, so I have a few quick, fresh salads to change things up during the week! I shared this spring coleslaw a couple weeks ago, and this Italian daikon salad is another favorite of mine.
Daikons spirilize so easily, and give a crisp texture with a noodle-like feel to the salad. I like to add chopped pecans for crunch, and if this ends up being all I have time for at lunchtime I add grated Parmesan and/or chopped local pepperoni. So full of flavor!
Cold salads like coleslaw and this daikon salad can also be piled up into a rice wrap.
Product links in this section are affiliate links. It does not cost you anything and helps maintain the free information on this site, as well as answer the questions of “what brand do you use?” Please know I never personally recommend any product I wouldn’t use on my own family.
And don’t forget the kids! I think spirilizing just about any veggie makes them more appealing to kids since it make them feel like noodles. It also makes them easier to chew and manage. I just love my spirilizer, and use it multiple times per week. I also like using my julienne peeler
for smaller veggies like carrots for making veggie “noodles”.
Italian Daikon Radish Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium daikon radish spirilized
(or use a julienne peeler
!)
- 10 stalks green onion chopped
- 3 roma tomatoes seeded and juices scooped out, cubed
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup chopped crispy nuts I like pecans in this the best!
- ¼ cup of my DIY Olive Garden dressing OR my <a href="https://www.raisinggenerationnourished.com/2014/04/diy-salad-dressings-5-recipes-whole-family-will-love/" target="_blank" title="DIY Salad Dressings :: 5 Quick Popular Dressings The Whole Family Will Love!">Italian dressing
- Sea salt/pepper to taste
- Optional sprinkle of grated parm and/or chopped pepperoni if you want to make it a meal!
Instructions
- Everything into a medium mixing bowl, toss together, and chill for at least half hour.
- This can be made ahead of time and sit in the fridge up to a few days. One side note on the diakon radish “noodles” – since the radish is so long, the noodles are quite long so I like to cut them a bit after I spirilize them to make them easier to manage while eating.
For more quick lunch ideas, check out my Lunch Ideas board on Pintrest!
More real food recipes you might like:
5 Quick POPULAR Salad Dressings
Oh yum! I can’t wait to try this. My kids love the veggie noodles.
Oh this dish looks so tasty. I haven’t tried those yet.
That looks amazing. I love radishes in salads and this makes for a great alternative to lettuce or spinach.
This look delicious. I love a good salad when summer comes around.
Wow, this looks so light and airy! A perfect little side dish to a more heavy meal or a great snack. Wonderful recipe!
Oh yum! This looks really delicious and perfect for summer.
I have never heard of this type of radish before. I’m not sure that I would like it. I do like the idea of eating cold foods like salad during the summer time.
I love radishes, but haven’t had a radish salad before. We are going to grow them in the garden this year.
This salad looks amazing. I need to try this and get out of my everyday lunch rut!!
I could see myself with my feet kicked up on my deck eating a bowl of this. It looks so light and tasty~!
Oh my! This looks scrumptious and delicious. It is almost lunch time and I needed some ideas for today.
This daikon radish salad sounds so good. I am interested in purchasing a spiralizer. Do you have any recommendations?
Hi Lee! Yes, I have this one and really like it! https://amzn.to/2EMRaBb