Warm, savoury grains and tender dressed greens, tumbled with blistered cherry tomatoes and salty crumbled feta - sounds like heaven in a bowl, right? This hearty and healthy salad is filling enough for dinner, but the leftovers are ideal for lunch the next day, too. You can easily adjust the recipe to the ingredients you have on hand, raiding the fridge for leftover veg such as roasted butternut squash or red onion.
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1 Nice Rice Chipotle rice pouch
- 2 large handfuls of kale (washed and thoroughly dried)
- 1 small punnet cherry tomatoes
- Half a block of feta cheese
- Half an avocado
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- Zest and juice of half a lime
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Sprinkle of flaked sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp cold water
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C in a fan-oven, or Gas Mark 4).
2. Wash the kale, then drain and dry thoroughly with some kitchen paper. Add to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Massage the kale with your hands for a couple of minutes to tenderise the leaves. Set aside.
3. Add the washed cherry tomatoes to a baking dish, carefully pricking the skins with a sharp knife to allow the juices to escape during cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, some salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then place in the oven for around 10 minutes until blistered.
4. Squeeze your Chipotle rice pouch to separate the grains, before tearing a 2cm opening at the top. Pop into the microwave on full power for 90 seconds until piping hot. Leave to stand for a minute before opening fully.
5. Halve the avocado then scoop out the flesh into a blender. Add the sour cream, the zest and juice of half a lime and a good drizzle of quality olive oil. Sprinkle in some flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add 4 tbsp cold water. Blitz until smooth, checking the consistency as you go. You may need to add a little extra water to achieve the desired consistency for a dressing.
6. To assemble the salad, mix the rice, kale, feta and tomatoes with all of their lovely juices in a large bowl. Tip out into a dish, then drizzle over the zingy avocado dressing and finish with a final crack of black pepper.
Now it’s time to tuck in to some changemaking grains - enjoy!