This simple grape salad has everything you need for a quick salad with minimal effort. If you love crunchy salads, then this is what you need right now!
Hi lovely, Fall is the best season for enjoying freshly harvested grapes. They're at their best when ripe, and you can choose varieties with different flavors.
What better way to marry grapes and cucumbers in this salad before the cucumber season ends? This salad contains phytochemicals like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help your body reduce inflammation and support your health.
You'll love making this salad just for its simplicity, but don't get me wrong, this grape salad will load you with high nutrients that will nourish you at a cellular level!
Along with cucumber, I love kicking this salad up with ginger. Ginger is excellent for digestion, and it reduces gas and bloating. If you add it to this salad, you'll enjoy ginger's antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Are grapes good for you?
Some people avoid grapes because they are high in sugar, especially those with diabetes, and eating grapes alone on an empty stomach will indeed raise your blood sugar!
However, pairing whole grapes with high-fiber vegetables can slow how quickly sugar enters the bloodstream.
Another point to consider is which grapes you choose. As I mentioned earlier, grapes come in different varieties. Choose the less sugary ones whenever possible.
But you may be surprised to learn that whole grapes are antidiabetic. Some of the grapes' phytochemicals improve the function of the pancreas, which is the organ that produces insulin.
According to many studies, grapes offer health benefits such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-cancer properties; they can help prevent and treat cardiovascular disease and modulate the gut microbiome.
Grapes have chemical compounds like polyphenols, which are distributed differently in the grape; the seed contains the most polyphenols. Therefore, choose grapes with seeds.
You might have heard that drinking red wine is good because it has resveratrol (I'm not recommending it). Resveratrol can help promote health and manage diseases like heart disease, eye degeneration, and aging.
Resveratrol is found in grapes' skin, and eating whole grapes will confer these health benefits.
I added walnuts to this grape salad for healthy fats, and fat enhances resveratrol absorption from grapes. Since grapes are sweet, opt for nuts or seeds that are lower in sugar. In this salad, walnuts suit perfectly.
Walnuts are a source of Alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fats are well known to improve health and reduce inflammation.
To keep this salad simple and healthy, I make a vinaigrette using cold-pressed olive oil and non-pasteurized apple cider vinegar. This vinegar adds new probiotics (living microorganisms) that support gut health.
When buying your apple cider vinegar, read the bottle to make sure it's non-pasteurized and non-filtered.
I hope you enjoy this grape salad now that you have all the info to eat more grapes.
Please share by pinning this recipe. By doing so, you support my work.
Till next, stay safe and remember, you have the power to heal yourself.
Sending you my love. Githu.
Enjoy more healthy salads
- Creamy butter beans with cucumber
- Radish mango salad with nutritional yeast
- A super simple beet salad with butternut
📖 Recipe
Simple grape salad with walnuts
Equipment
- kitchen knife
- Chopping board
- Salad bowl
- food grater
- Salad spoons
- small mason jar
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber
- a handful of grapes
- a few walnuts (about 10)
- a small piece of fresh ginger root
- fresh herbs of your choice. Here I used basil.
Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 tablespoon non-pasteurized apple cider vinegar or balsamic
- a pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette
- Mix the ingredients in a small mason jar with a lid
- Close it tightly and shake it vigorously. Set aside.
Prepare the grape salad
- Clean the ingredients apart from the walnuts
- Dice the cucumber into small cubes or slices
- Cut the grapes into halves
- Grate the ginger root with the food grater
- Chop the fresh herbs or pick only the leaves
- Combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl
- Pour the vinaigrette on top of the salad
- Use salad spoons to mix the salad. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can opt to make this grape salad in advance. The grapes will give out their juices. If you don't want that, use whole grapes instead.
- I like using unpasteurized ACV with mother for probiotics; you can use balsamic for more flavor.
Comments
No Comments