BIG SALAD WITH GRAINS

Big Salad With Grains image

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.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories dinner, easy, lunch, quick, weekday, salads and dressings, main course

Time 10m

Yield 1 serving

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

2 cups sturdy salad greens, such as romaine, iceberg, escarole or kale
1/2 cup cooked grains, like quinoa, farro, bulgur wheat or barley
1 cup roasted vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes or winter squash
1/4 cup thinly sliced raw vegetables, like bell peppers, celery, carrots, fennel, mushrooms, onions, radishes, snap or snow peas, summer squash or tomatoes
1/4 cup salad dressing, like yogurt, tahini or a vinaigrette, plus more to taste
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and halved
2 teaspoons snipped chives, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons sliced or chopped nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts, plus more to taste
Whole-grain bread, for serving

Steps:

Place greens in bottom of serving bowl. Add grains in an even layer over greens. Repeat with the roasted vegetables, then the raw vegetables.
Top with dressing, and toss gently. Fan out avocado on top on one side of bowl.
Place hard-boiled egg pieces on the side opposite the avocado. Top with chives and nuts. Serve with whole-grain bread.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 998, UnsaturatedFat 45 grams, Carbohydrate 100 grams, Fat 59 grams, Fiber 19 grams, Protein 25 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 80 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams