Eat your veggies!

Call it a smoothie deconstructed; I got a cold, and ransacked the vegetable drawer looking for the makings of a meal that would give me a false sense of agency over my scratchy throat. What I ended up with was a dish that can be eaten hot or cold, any time of day (a small amount is quite nice with a fried egg on top for breakfast).

Kale, Beet, and Grain Salad

Serves 4

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked white rice
½ cup cooked wheat berries, farro, or barley
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon canola oil
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 roasted beets, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chopped fresh kale

For the dressing:
½ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ cup white miso
¼ cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Combine the quinoa, rice, wheat berries, and sesame seeds.  Season with salt and warm in a serving bowl.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the kale, garlic, and a pinch of salt and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until kale is wilted.  Add the beets and heat through. Toss in the dressing (use what you want; leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks).  Serve on top of mixed grains.