Support Your Gut Health with This Crunchy Chopped Salad

The C’s rule in this Crunchy Chopped Salad! Crunchy antioxidant-filled cabbage, carrots and cucumber and creamy protein-rich chickpeas create the foundation for this chopped salad—and add fiber-filled gut benefits. Spicy red onion and herby fresh cilantro add more layers of flavor that are all brought together in the dressing that has the perfect balance of acidity and umami flavors. The white miso tames the strong tanginess of the vinegar and saltiness of the soy sauce while also complementing the warm brightness of the ginger. Keep reading for our expert tips, including the best way to grate ginger. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• When you grate fresh ginger, its inner oils will release and create a more intense, bright flavor. Wrap your ginger in plastic and keep it in the freezer so it's easier to work with. You can scrape off the ginger peel using a spoon, if you wish, and the best tool for grating ginger is a microplane. Alternatively, you can use a box grater, but be careful of your fingers while grating.
• To cut down on prep time, use pre-cut vegetables.
• You can swap the green cabbage for red for a nice pop of color, or even use chopped radishes in place of the onions for a peppery addition.
• Make a Thai-inspired peanut dressing by adding peanut butter and more soy sauce. Then, use chopped roasted peanuts as a salad topper.

Nutrition Notes

• All the veggies in this salad, including cabbage, contribute fiber, which has many benefits. Fiber keeps things moving through your GI tract and helps you stay regular. It may also help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. And it acts as a prebiotic, which is food for your beneficial gut bacteria—because even bacteria need to eat to live! Besides fiber, cabbage is also rich in vitamin C, which supports healthy immunity and skin, and vitamin K for healthy blood clotting and bones. 
• Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a type of legume. Like all legumes, chickpeas are loaded with fiber, complex carbohydrates and plant protein. Chickpeas are also rich in folate, iron and potassium. 
• While cucumbers aren’t as high in fiber as some of the other vegetables, leaving the skin on them will increase the amount. Cucumbers have some other amazing benefits, too, like reduced cancer risk. The mineral called silica in cucumbers is connected to collagen synthesis, helping to keep your skin smooth and firm. 
• Besides gut-friendly fiber, carrots are rich in vision-protecting and immune-boosting vitamin A. There is also evidence connecting regular consumption of carrots to a healthy heart, brain and skin.