vegan avocado and grapefruit salad

with dijon cumin dressing

Avocados are one of my favorite things to eat and, in my opinion, the best way to enjoy it is to cut one in half, sprinkle it with salt, and eat it out of the shell with a spoon. To me, this simple act is one of the most pleasurable things in the world. I wish I could do eat them every day (damn all those calories and fat!).

Sometimes though you just want something different. I had an abundance of both avocados and grapefruits as well as organic baby greens so I googled those ingredients for some inspiration and found many salads. Rather than follow a recipe, I just threw a bunch of stuff together and was rather pleased with myself when the results turned out delicious.

I used to hate all varieties of mustard and refused to eat anything with honey mustard dressing. However, over the past few years my tastes have changed and I've really grown to love all mustard varieties, the spicier the better. Now, my favorite type of dressing is a balsamic vinaigrette with a lot of Dijon in it! This Dijon dressing, flavored with cumin and cinnamon, really enhances the avocado and grapefruit.

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
makes 4 big salads

• 8 cups of baby lettuce greens
• 2 avocados
• 2 sweet red grapefruit
• a small handful of sliced almonds

1. Throw lettuce into a huge bowl.
2. Dice avocados and add to bowl.
3. Peel grapefruit, segment, remove membranes and add to bowl.

Dijon and Cumin Salad Dressing
makes enough for 4 salads

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons agave
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Blend all ingredients together or whisk furiously to emulsify.
   

vegan lentil and wild rice salad

cool and composed

Recently at work, I shared a salad of greens, grain, legumes, and crunchy bits, dressed with a light, citrus mustard dressing. I was thrilled when many of my co-workers requested the recipe! The salad features a healthy dose of protein: nine grams per cup of lentils, seven grams per cup of wild rice, plus a couple of grams in the other goodies. Mâche, a tender, mild salad green, has a protein content similar to baby spinach (a little less than one gram per cup).

While I think that wild rice is the perfect grain for this salad, the other components can easily be switched up based on the legumes, greens, nuts and seeds in your pantry and fridge. My last rendition included field peas, shredded kale, and chopped segments of fresh tangelo. The simple, bright dressing will flatter any combination you can dream up!

In a composed salad, like the one pictured above, the elements are plated separately instead of being tossed together. In addition to being an elegant presentation, this technique is advantageous: the hardy ingredients can be dressed in advance, while the delicate greens and crunchy seeds can remain pristine, retaining their distinctive textures. While composed salads lend a classy touch to special meals, it's more practical to prepare a tossed salad when serving a group. I prefer the latter, casual approach; the results are just as delicious!

All of the ingredients in this recipe can be purchased at Trader Joe's; in fact, you can find fully-cooked wild rice and lentils there! If you go the fully-cooked route, this salad becomes a fantastic option for an at-work lunch and other impromptu occasions.

Lentil and Wild Rice Salad
makes four generous servings

• 1 cup cooked, cooled wild rice
• 1 cup cooked, cooled green lentils
• 1 cup broccoli slaw
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 2 handfuls loose mâche or baby spinach
• pinch of salt, generous grind of pepper
• Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning or other neutral seasoning blend

Citrus Mustard Dressing

• Juice of one large orange
• Juice of two lemons (about 1/2 cup juice total)
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. First, prepare the dressing in a small mixing bowl. Combine citrus juices and mustard and whisk together. Gradually add olive oil in a slow drizzle, whisking constantly to form an emulsion.
2. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the wild rice and lentils, breaking up any large clumps. Add 1/2 cup of Citrus Mustard Dressing and salt, pepper, and seasoning. Toss to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, toss broccoli slaw with remaining dressing. Place 1/4 cup of broccoli slaw on each of four plates.
4. Top each portion of broccoli slaw with 1/2 cup of lentil and wild rice mixture.
5. Add bunches of mâche around the edge of the plates. Sprinkle each plate generously with raisins and sunflower seeds and serve.

Variation: Tossed Lentil and Wild Rice Salad: Follow steps 1 and 2 as written. Add broccoli slaw to the mixture and toss to combine. This mixture may be chilled for several hours before serving. Immediately before serving, add raisins, sunflower seeds, and remaining dressing. Add mâche, toss gently, and serve.