Roasted + Rooted Summer Salads

by Christina Meyer-Jax MS, RDN, LDN, Tastemaker in Residence

Who’s ready to trade in simple greens for a salad that is main entrée worthy? With seasonal veggies in prime time, it’s ideal to plus up the produce by using a mix of raw and roasted in your salad rotation.  I often find this combo is a people pleaser for both salad lovers and those who would rather pass.  Nutritious foods after all are only healthy if they are actually eaten.

Roasting vegetables provides a hearty flavor and texture that’s a fantastic match with fresh greens. It also allows for a versatile platform to play with different cuisine sauces and dressings.

The basic recipe below is a plant-based protein powerhouse but can easily pair well with other grilling protein favorites such as salmon, shrimp, chicken, or andouille sausage.  Feel free to also adjust by using one of your favorite sauces or dressings instead of the recipe below.  Another trick to make gains in the nutrition game is to get vegetables in a variety of colors.  This provides a different micro and phytonutrient mix that supports your overall health.

Cheers to sizzling and healthy summer eating!

Photo by American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash

Ingredients

Roasted Veggies

1 large sweet potato (chopped)

6-7 baby yellow, purple, and/or red potatoes (quartered)

2 whole carrots (orange, yellow, or purple) (halved and chopped)

2 Tbsp avocado oil

2 tsp curry powder or garam masala (divided)

1/2 tsp sea salt (divided)

1 cup chopped broccolini

2 cups chopped red cabbage

1 cup fresh green beans (trimmed and cut in half)

1 medium red bell pepper (sliced)

Sizzle Sauce (adjust per heat preference)

4-5 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)

1-2 medium serrano or jalapeño pepper (seeds + stems removed)

1 cup packed cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off)

1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley

3 Tbsp ripe avocado

1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)

3 Tbsp lime juice

1-2 Tbsp of Cholula hot sauce 

1 Tbsp maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice-omit if not wanting sugar)

Water to thin (if needed, start 1 Tbsp at a time)

Salad

4 cups mix hearty greens (spinach, kale, or mustard greens // chopped)

2 medium ripe avocado (chopped)

3 Tbsp hemp seeds

Fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, thyme, chopped and optional)

5-7 medium sliced radishes (I love red, daikon, and watermelon radishes)

1/4 cup Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (optional)

Instructions

If using grill: created foil packs and fire up the burners.

If using oven: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (fewer or more baking sheets if altering batch size).

1. Add the sweet potato, potato, and carrots to one baking sheet (or foil pack) and toss with half of the oil (or water), half of the curry powder garam masala, and half of the sea salt. Bake for 25 minutes total or until golden brown and tender. If grilling may go quicker  (~10 minutes) so check the pack.

2. To a separate baking sheet (or foil), add broccolini, green beans, cabbage, and bell pepper and toss with remaining half of the oil (or water), half of the curry powder or garam masala, and half of the sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes (less on grill) total or until golden brown and tender (place in oven or on side of grill once the potatoes have been cooking for 5-10 minutes)

3. In the meantime, make the sizzling sauce. Place garlic and pepper in a food processor along with the cilantro, parsley, avocado, salt, lime juice, Cholula and maple syrup. Process/mix until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Thin with water until a semi-thick (but pourable) sauce is formed.

4. Adjust flavor as needed, adding more pepper for heat, garlic for spice/zing, avocado for creaminess, salt for saltiness, lime for acidity, or maple syrup for sweetness. Transfer to a serving container. Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. 

5. Seal tightly or the sauce will lose its nice green color.

6. How to serve: Plate salad by adding mixed greens to a serving platter and topping with roasted vegetables. Arrange avocado along the edges, along with radishes and spoonful of hummus scattered on the edges). Sprinkle the top with hemp seeds and serve with dressing on the side. Garnish with chopped herbs if desired.  Add grilled optional proteins on top is desired

7. Keep leftover salad (without dressing on it) covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Eat cold or at room temperature, or reheat on the stovetop.