RECIPE - The Anti-Salad

Spring Vegetable Salad with herbed rice. The perfect anti-salad.

Who decided that LETTUCE should be the main ingredient in a "salad"? No one really enjoys lettuce, we all just put up with it because, hey, no calories. No more!

The only times lettuce is acceptable is: on a cheeseburger or blt sandwich, on some fancy sandwich (but only arugula or some frou-frou lettuce), or on P.F. Chang's gluten free lettuce wraps (which are awesome, btw).

But ALL other times, lettuce should stay away.

Yes, Romaine, I'm talking to you.

That's why I love the idea of the anti-salad, made with brown rice as its base. The taste is better, the brown rice is more filling and contains more protein than lettuce, and the salad stores easier and actually tastes better after a day or two. And with some simple gluten free ingredient swaps (like gluten free tamari soy sauce, and fresh or dried herbs instead of packaged rice mixes) you'll want to make about 10 lbs of this salad and share with all your friends.

Here are my two newest versions of the ANTI-SALAD:

Spring Vegetable Salad (pictured above)
makes: a lot
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1 red onion, cut for roasting
1 fennel bulb, cut into 6 or 8 pieces
1 large zucchini, quartered
10 spears of asparagus, trimmed
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
6 or 7 large mushrooms, cut into thick slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp dried or fresh parsley
1 tbsp dried or fresh thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

Directions:
Place these veggies (or any other spring vegetables you want! get inspired here) on a roasting pan and lightly coat with olive oil, salt and pepper: red onion, fennel, zucchini, asparagus. Roast in a hot oven for about 30 minutes, until all veggies are nicely browned. Once cooked, let cool and then chop into bite-size pieces.

While the veggies are roasting, make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, vinegars, herbs, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Blanch the peas in boiling water for just a minute or two. Let cool and pat dry.

Assemble the salad: mix all veggies in a large bowl (including peas, mushrooms, and roasted fare). Add in rice and gently stir until fully mixed. Add half the dressing, mix, and add the other half.

Non-Fried Fried Rice Salad. To make it real fried rice, reheat and add sliced omelette or shrimp.

Non-Fried Fried Rice Salad
makes: a lot
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1 lb edamame, cooked and removed from shell
1 1/2 cups snow peas, cut in half
4 scallions, finely sliced
2 cups broccoli, roasted (I roasted with veggies in recipe above)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, blanched and cooled
1/2 cup gluten free tamari soy sauce (I use San-J reduced sodium)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp hot sauce (try sriracha)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp agave syrup (a little more if you don't like spicy foods)
2 inches ginger root, sliced

Directions:
Mix all veggies (including edamame, snow peas, scallions, broccoli, corn) in a large bowl. Add in rice and gently stir to mix.

To make the dressing, mix gluten free soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, sesame, agave, and ginger in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. If you like, remove the ginger before adding to salad (I like to keep it in as a "surprise").

Add half the dressing to the salad and mix, add other half and mix again. Enjoy!