Good Grain Salads

Bon Appetit's June 2012 issue devoted an entire section to one of my favorite topics: grain salads. I already posted the recipe for one of the salads I made from this issue (Crunchy Brown Rice Salad), but there are a couple others I want to acknowledge. In a much earlier post I raved about grain salads - how they are a great go-to lunch that will keep you satiated and energized throughout your work day. And to boot, grain salads are an incredibly easy dinner and overall delectable meal...a one-bowl wonder. Unfortunately I did not have a lot of the ingredients called for in Bon Appetit's recipes, so I did what I do best...improvised with what I had. The result - two gorgeous grain salads that I will be sure to make again and again and again. What can I say? I love a good grain salad!

Curried Barley Salad (adapted from Curried Spelt Salad)

*please note that the only similarity between my recipe and Bon Appetit's is the spice mixture. I literally had NONE of the other ingredients...oh well, it still turned out fantastic!


Ingredients:
-1 cup uncooked barley
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
-2 teaspoons mustard seeds
-3/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
-3/4 teaspoons ground coriander
-1 sweet potato, diced 
-1/4 cup rice vinegar
-2 large shallots, sliced
-1/2 lemon, chopped with the peel
-1/2 block of tofu, cubed
-2 cups arugula
-salt and pepper to taste
**spices are only expensive if you buy them in a large grocery store in the baking aisle (total scam); go to your local dollar store, ethnic food groceries, or ethnic food aisles - spices in these places will usually cost you $1 


Directions:
1. Cook barley according to package
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; add curry powder, mustard seeds, cardamom, and coriander. Cook until you start to smell the spices and the mustard seeds have popped (about 3-4 minutes)
3. Add sweet potato to skillet and stir well to coat with spices; cook until sweet potatoes are tender and a fork can easily pierce through (10-15 minutes)
4. Add tofu cubes and stir until well coated; cook for 5 or so more minutes, until tofu starts to brown a little.
5. Add vinegar to skillet and cook until it evaporates; add shallots and lemon. Remove skillet from pan and keep stirring until shallots are wilted.
6. Combine barley and veggie-tofu mixture in a bowl; add arugula. Mix well. 


Great Grains Tabbouleh (adapted from Quinoa Tabbouleh)
*try this recipe with any kind of grain - the Bon Appetit recipe calls for quinoa, I used wheat berries, and traditionally tabbouleh is made with bulgur. Clearly there is room for creativity. 


Ingredients:
-1/2 cup wheat berries
-1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 English cucumber, diced (do not peel or take out the seeds)
-2 tomatoes, chopped
-1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
-1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
-2 scallions, thinly sliced
-salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook wheat berries (or any other grain) according to package
2. Whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl; slowly add the olive oil
3. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, scallions, herbs, and wheat berries in a bowl
4. Add vinaigrette to bowl and mix well, making sure to coat all ingredients
-Optional: add some crumbled feta cheese or chopped kalamata olives for an added kick!


Have you made any good grain salads lately?

Super Salads to the Rescue!

I have a question for you all: have you ever eaten a salad for lunch (you know the kind - lettuce, some carrots, a little tomato and maybe some cucumber) and thought to yourself "huh. that was alright, but when do I actually get to eat"? We all (hopefully) strive to eat healthier, and when we think of "healthy eating", more often than not, we think: salad. It feels like we're being healthy when we eat a salad, but we don't always feel satisfied afterwards. Eating a salad should not feel like punishment or torture. Eating a salad should be enjoyable (as all eating should be). Personally, I'm a huge fan of salads, especially for lunch. They're quick to make, portable, don't require any microwave/heating source, and store really well (fridge or no fridge..just use an ice pack!). However, I don't eat just any type of salad - I specialize in grain or bean based salads. I like to call them my super salads. 


But what do I mean? What is a "grain or bean based salad"? I mean that instead of using wimpy looking romaine lettuce (that originated in California and has been on the road for 5 days before it even reaches your supermarket) as your main ingredient, you should use grains, beans, or lentils as the base of your salad. Then, add a variety of vegetables (raw, sauteed, roasted, or even grilled), dried fruit, fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, or cheese, and you've got yourself a damn fine and filling lunch or dinner!


In preparation of this post I've eaten a different kind of grain-based salad for lunch every day this week. And I must say that I've felt incredibly satisfied each and every day. These salads are filling, but won't make you feel stuffed. They provide the perfect midday energy boost that our bodies need after a few hours of work, and they'll help keep you going for hours after you've eaten lunch. Here are the "super salads" I made this week (but by all means, when you make your own, use whatever ingredients you have in your fridge/pantry - don't feel constricted to the ones I used):


Monday: Quinoa Salad (1/4 cup dry quinoa - cook according to package; 1-2 cups chopped raw veggies - broccoli, sweet potato, mushrooms; 2 tablespoons dried cranberries; 1 tablespoon crumbled gorgonzola cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & balsamic vinegar)
Tuesday: Bulgur Salad (1/4 cup dry bulgur - cook according to package; 1-2 cups chopped raw veggies - broccoli, red pepper, avocado; 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper; 1-2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & 1/4 of a lime, squeezed)
Wednesday: Barley Salad (1/4 cup dry barley - cook according to package; 1 cup roasted veggies - acorn squash, sweet potato, broccoli; 1 cup sauteed kale; 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin/squash seeds; 1 tablespoon crumbled gorgonzola cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & balsamic vinegar)
Thursday: Brown Rice Salad (1/4 cup dry brown rice - cook according to package; 2 cups roasted veggies - fennel, broccoli, sweet potato; 1/4 cup canned beets, chopped; 1 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds; 1 tablespoon golden raisins; 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese; Dressing = a little olive oil & apple cider vinegar)...yes, I already made this salad tonight, in preparation for tomorrow's lunch. I'm a huge proponent of planning meals in advance. 


As you can see, super easy to make super salads, right? To make life even easier, make a big batch of whatever kind of grain (or bean/lentil) you want at the beginning of the week, then every day add a different combination of ingredients to that grain! This is a fun way to get creative with your lunch :) Trust me, all your co-workers will be jealous of your super salad, as you sit there feeling pleasantly satiated. So tell me, have you ever made a super salad? And if so, what did you put in it?