Guest Post: Broccoli and Goji Berry Antioxidant Salad

This salad made with fresh broccoli and antioxidant-rich goji berries is a healthy take on the traditional creamy broccoli salad. This recipe is mayo-free making it dairy-free and so much better for you! To make the sauce creamy, it is made with tahini and nutritional yeast, and instead of using raisins, it uses goji berries to pack your salad full of health benefits. Compared to the traditional broccoli salad, this salad is light and won’t weigh you down. Broccoli and Goji Berry Antioxidant Salad can also be enjoyed warm or cold.

Local broccoli is abundant at farmer’s markets in September. Broccoli has strong detoxification properties due to 3 glucosinolate phytonutrients that support the body’s detox process helping you remove harmful chemicals. Broccoli is also great for summer allergies because it contains a flavonoid called kaempferol that has the ability to reduce the impact of allergy-related substances on our body.

Broccoli and Goji Berry Antioxidant Salad

SaladsDairy Freegluten-freeKid FriendlyVeganVegetarian

☆☆☆☆☆ Rate this recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients  

• 2 heads of broccoli cut into florets and diced ends, about 6 cups
• ½ red onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup goji berries
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp mustard powder
• ¼ tsp tumeric
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• Water as required

Instructions 

• Thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl of water to soak until the rest of the salad is ready, this will neutralize the astringent flavor.
• Cook the broccoli in a steamer basket by gently steaming it over boiling water for 5 minutes or until just tender. Once the broccoli is cooked, submerge it in an ice bath to stop the cooking if you are not serving immediately.
• To make the sauce, place the garlic in a food processor and pulse until minced. Add the tahini, nutritional yeast, paprika, mustard powder, turmeric, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar and oil then pulse until silky smooth. The sauce should be quite thick, but if it is too thick add water 1 tsp at a time until you reach desired consistency.
• Place the broccoli and sliced onions in a large bowl and toss with the sauce. Top with the salad with goji berries and pumpkin seeds. Serve broccoli and goji berry antioxidant salad warm or chill before serving.

Made this recipe? Leave a rating and review — we'd love to hear how it turned out!

The goji berries do more than add a punch of colour and a tangy tasty to this salad. They’ve also got tons of antioxidant vitamin C and carotenoids to promote skin and eye health, as well as tons of powerful phytonutrients. Goji berries have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years for a wide variety of issues, so let your medicine be your food in more way than one and add them to your lunch!