Here’s the vegetable salad I keep around constantly. It goes with absolutely everything.

The quantities of each vegetable are not exact.

I list the vegetables that I use in the standard salad then list others you can use to “lighten” it up, change the dominant tastes, or create a full meal according to your tastes.

Experiment with the amounts of the various vegetables to get the quantities that work for you.

Basic HVS
These vegetables make up the basic salad. This can last for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator without getting wilted.

Green cabbage
Red Cabbage
Red Pepper
Green Pepper
Celery
Tomato
Fresh Herbs (Cilantro, basil, thyme,

Additional vegetables
These vegetables can get soft or discolored quicker. That mean you have to eat the salad quicker. You can add these on any day to change the taste of the basic mix.

Lettuce/Spinach
shredded broccoli
cauliflower
zucchini
avocado

Toppings
Toppings are optional. This is what makes this salad versatile enough to be the base of a fully meal, 7 days a week.

Nuts or seeds
Raisons
Left-over meat, fish, chicken
Roasted vegetables
Rice
Cheese
Cooked vegetables
Whatever else you have.

Dressings
These go from simple to complex. The tastes are so good, you can eat this salad with no dressings. I started with bottled dressings and now use a simple squeeze of fresh lemon. Sometimes I add some Olive Oil. Another alternative is a great balsamic vinegar. Of course, you can use your favorite low fat dressing.

Directions:
Wash all of the vegetables and thinly shred them with a knife. This lets them come out in thin layers that are fun to eat. You can also shred by hand, chop in chunks or “break” some of the vegetables.

Use more or your favorites and change things up a bit. Try new tastes by adding other favorite vegetables I’ve forgotten here. If it’s something you eat raw, it can go into the basic salad. If it’s cooked, add as a topping for a special meal.

As a Side Dish
I serve a version of this salad almost everyday. You can add anything else in your meal. To make it a side dish, serve a portion with your cooked protein (meat, fish, chicken, beans). It goes with ethnic foods and vegetarian delights.

Keep this around on a regular basis. It’s crunchy and satisfying. Depending on other meals, you can use this and start to naturally lose weight by making it your staple meal of the day or by eating more of this than other, higher calorie foods.

Let me know how you like it.