Roasted Vegetable Kale Salad With Wild Rice 14.jpg

The inspiration for this salad came from a long drive home from California. Eating on a road trip can be interesting for me . . . mostly because I don't eat like the majority of America. My options are usually 1) eat food my body hates, 2) starve, or 3) make food ahead of time. None of the above are much fun and my polished procrastination skills leave me little time to plan ahead. Thank goodness there's a Starbucks at every corner in the middle of nowhere, because if there weren't, I would be forced to make some bad decisions ;).

After our eight hour drive from California (it's normally six), I was hot, hungry and exhausted (see why here). Luckily, I was able to grab a bistro box from Starbucks. I noticed a new one I hadn't tried before, Hearty Veggie & Brown Rice Salad Bowl. I was seriously surprised at how fresh and delicious it tasted! There were things I knew I liked about it and things I couldn't wait to change and try for myself. Never did I think I would get recipe ideas from Starbucks, but here it is, my little Starbucks experiment that is now Marek's "favorite salad ever."

WHAT YOU NEED

INGREDIENTS

2 beets
2 carrots
2 tomatoes
2 parsnips
9 cups kale or greens of choice (I mixed kale & spinach)
2 cups wild rice, cooked
olive oil
salt & pepper

Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing:

4 T water
3 T tahini
3 T lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T honey
1/4 cup loosely packed parsley
1 T tamari soy sauce
1/4 t cayenne

PRINTABLE RECIPE

RECIPE

Roasted Vegetable, Kale + Wild Rice Salad Bowl

VEGAN + GLUTEN FREE

serves: 3

total time: 55 min

PRINT OR DOWNLOAD RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

Salad:

9 cups kale or greens of choice (I mixed kale & spinach)
2 cups wild rice, cooked
roasted vegetable mix
lemon tahini dressing

Wild Rice:

prepared per instructions

Roasted Vegetable Mix:

2 beets, quartered
2 carrots, chopped
2 tomatoes, quartered or chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
olive oil (to taste)
1/4 t salt & pepper

Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing:

4 T water
3 T tahini
3 T lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T honey
1/4 cup loosely packed parsley
1 T tamari soy sauce
1/4 t cayenne

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In mixing bowl, mix vegetables, salt, pepper and olive oil until all vegetables are coated. Line roasting pan with parchment paper. Spread mix on paper and cover with foil. Roast for about 45-55 min.
While vegetables are roasting, cook rice.
Mix salad dressing. I used the magic bullet to blend ingredients.
When vegetables are cooked, peel beets.
Mix desired amount of dressing on greens and toss.
Create layered salad. Rice on bottom - top with greens - then roasted vegetables.
Optional: Garnish with more wild rice, dressing and/or parsley. Enjoy!

Yum

How To Layer The Salad

1.

2.

3. MAKE AHEAD TIP

Make dressing and rice ahead of time. I like the vegetables roasted fresh, but one could roast them ahead of time as well. Assemble when you're ready to eat!