8 servings
Ingredients
- ¾ cup barley, whole grain couscous, or quinoa
- 1 medium bulb fennel
- 1 bunch hearty greens, such as kale, chard, collard greens or beet greens
- 1 small beet
- 1 medium firm apple
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup nuts or seeds, such as pecans, almonds, or walnuts
- 1 medium lemon
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional Ingredients:
- 2 ounces cheese, such as blue, goat, or Cheddar cheese
Directions
- Cook grains following package directions. Transfer to a large bowl. Prepare rest of salad while you let grains cool completely.
- Rinse fennel, greens, beet and apple.
- Cut any long stalks and fronds off fennel. Quarter fennel and cut out core. Slice thinly.
- Remove stems from greens. Stack leaves together, roll into a thick log, and slice thinly.
- Peel and cut beet into ¼ inch cubes. Cut apple into ¼ cubes.
- Peel and mince garlic.
- If using, crumble cheese or cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- In a small skillet over medium low heat, add nuts or seeds. Cook until fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- Rinse and cut lemon in half. In a small bowl, squeeze juice. Discard any seeds.
- Add vinegar, minced garlic and mustard to lemon juice. Whisk with a fork to combine. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- When grains are cool, add fennel, greens, beet and apple. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the toasted nuts and cheese, if using.
Chef’s notes:
- Vary the vegetables according to what you have on hand and what’s in season. Carrots, cabbage, pears, celery and dried fruit work nicely.
- Add leftover cooked chicken, roast beef, or beans for added protein.
- Use any apples you like, such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Fuji.
- If your fennel comes with the feathery “fronds” still on it, you can finely chop and add some to salad to give it an extra punch of flavor.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
