What's the best way to keep salads away from the realm of boring, flavorless, and raw?
How about adding some warm ingredients?
When I first came across this advice in a Cooking Light magazine a few months ago, I didn't try any of their recipes, which combined hot and cold vegetables for a variety of textures, flavors, and temperatures. I must admit, I was pretty skeptical. Grilling romaine, roasting brussel sprouts, and pan frying squash just to add to a leafy green salad seemed ridiculous to me. I figured it would wilt the beautifully crisp bed of greens, or the different temperatures wouldn't play well against each other, ending in a lukewarm amalgam in which no ingredient shone. Boy, was I wrong.
To get out of a salad rut (and besides that, to actually enjoy your vegetables), warm salads are the way to go. You still get plenty of crunch from the raw green leaf lettuce as a base of this salad, but the three toppers are what turn this salad into a full meal. Avocado, as always, lends creaminess and heartiness. The quinoa, dressed lightly with a balsamic vinaigrette, adds whole grains and protein to make this salad lunch-worthy. And the roasted sweet potatoes add a full-bodied sweetness that is unlike any other (and so easy to achieve!) Seriously, if you've never added roasted vegetables to a salad, please start now (with this recipe, of course!). They add a whole other layer to the sad world of salads, transforming them into something wonderful with very little extra effort. All you have to do is throw the roasting vegetables in the oven while you prep the other ingredients, and in about a half hour, you can assemble the salad.
I chose to dress the quinoa first and then assemble the salad. If you prefer, you could pour the dressing on last after adding all the ingredients to the bowl. The nice thing about warm salads is that each ingredient add so much flavor, so you need less dressing. The ingredients that top this salad are also far from dry, raw vegetables, so they hold their own pretty well.
Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Sweet Potato Serves 4
Ingredients 1 head green leaf lettuce, roughly chopped 2 sweet potatoes, cubed 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper 1 cup quinoa 2 cups chicken broth 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 clove garlic, minced 1 avocado, cubed
Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the sweet potato on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on the top rack and roast for about 30 minutes, flipping once, until it is cooked through and starting to brown. 2. Meanwhile, place quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered for 15 minutes, or until all the broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and remove from heat. 3. Add vinegar, salt, rosemary, pepper, and garlic to a bowl. Stream in the olive oil as you whisk the dressing together. Pour over the hot quinoa and stir well. 4. To assemble, split lettuce between four bowls. Add 1/4 the avocado to each bowl, 1/4 the sweet potato, and 1/2 cup quinoa. Serve immediately.
