Pre-biotic Salad (Raspberry Pear Balsamic & Basil Olive Oil)

This salad is chock full of gut feeding goodies!

Bitter greens are on the top of the list for great pre-biotics. The problem with bitter greens is ... they are BITTER. So adding rich nuts, dried fruits and tossing in a warm raspberry basil dressing to slightly wilt the leaves will take care of that.

We used dandelion greens which can be found in abundance at most farmers markets. We also used radicchio which is a cultivated variety of chicory leaf, a good source of pre-biotic fiber. Finally, basil is one of the herbs noted for potential gut-feeding benefits so we use basil olive oil as the base for the fruity salad dressing.

1. Wash and pat dry fresh dandelion greens and torn radicchio leaves and place in a salad bowl.
2.  Cook raw sunflower seeds, raw pine nuts, and dried cranberries in a bit of extra virgin olive oil until nuts are toasty brown and toss in with the greens.
3. Whisk equal parts basil infused olive oil & raspberry pear balsamic vinegar until creamy. Then warm the dressing in the micro-wave.
4. Toss greens, nuts and fruit in the warm dressing.
5. Serve warm with a very light dusting of shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese.

This surprisingly perfect blend of bitter and sweet with satisfy your pallet and your healthy gut!