Big Salad With Grains
There's no true recipe for a big salad, but for this robust green meal, you will want to keep a few rules in mind. Skip the soft lettuces, which tend to get squashed in a big salad, and start with sturdier greens, like kale or escarole. Add fruits and vegetables, a protein, like a hard-boiled egg, and a starch or two. You want a total of six to eight ingredients, before toppings. Too few, and it could get boring; too many, and the bowl gets crowded and confusing. Finish it off with a substantial dressing, like avocado, yogurt or tahini, and add a couple of toppings, like chives or chopped nuts. Serve with a side of whole-grain bread for a filling and healthy meal.
- Total:
- Serves: 1 person
Ingredients
- 2cups sturdy salad greens, such as romaine, iceberg, escarole or kale
- ½cup cooked grains, like quinoa, farro, bulgur wheat or barley
- 1cup roasted vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes or winter squash
- ¼cup thinly sliced raw vegetables, like bell peppers, celery, carrots, fennel, mushrooms, onions, radishes, snap or snow peas, summer squash or tomatoes
- ¼cup salad dressing, like yogurt, tahini or a vinaigrette, plus more to taste
- ½avocado, thinly sliced
- 1hard-boiled egg, peeled and halved
- 2teaspoons snipped chives, plus more to taste
- 2teaspoons sliced or chopped nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts, plus more to taste
- Whole-grain bread, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Place greens in bottom of serving bowl. Add grains in an even layer over greens. Repeat with the roasted vegetables, then the raw vegetables.Step 2
Top with dressing, and toss gently. Fan out avocado on top on one side of bowl.Step 3
Place hard-boiled egg pieces on the side opposite the avocado. Top with chives and nuts. Serve with whole-grain bread.