Pick-a-Grain Trail Mix Salad with Honey Yogurt Dressing
One cup of most dry grains yields approximately three cups after cooking. Variances will be about a half cup, more or less, so feel free to choose other grains that you enjoy or have on hand. This recipe provides an excellent framework to experiment with new grains in a tasty, familiar, and healthy way.Yields 4-6 servings.
1tablespoonolive oil (a fruity variety is delicious; may substitute another neutral-tasting oil)
1teaspoonkosher salt
For the salad
1cupuncooked Bob's Red Mill sorghum (pictured) or quinoa, millet, bulgur (not a gluten-free option), or grain of choice (see notes)
1/2cupmix of seeds and nuts (sunflower and pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, etc.)
1/2cupmix of dried fruits (chopped apricots, dried cranberries or cherries, golden raisins, etc.)
1cupshredded cabbage or chopped spinach
1cupdiced apple (about 1 small)
Optional: 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese and/or an extra dollop of yogurt for serving
Instructions
For the dressing: Whisk the yogurt, honey, apple cider, olive oil, and salt together in a small bowl. Take care to fully distribute the honey as it may firm up a bit when coming into contact with the cold yogurt. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
For the salad: Cook the grain according to the package directions. For the sorghum (which I used in the pictured version) rinse and drain, and then add to 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 50-60 minutes or until the grains are tender but still have a slight al dente quality to them. Drain the excess liquid. The grains may be cooked in advance, cooled slightly, and then covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked grain with the remaining salad ingredients. Pour the dressing over the top, and toss to throughly coat. Enjoy immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. The salad will keep 4-5 days in the fridge.
Notes
I made a version of this recipe using 1/2 cup (uncooked) each of quinoa and sorghum. The cooking times are different, so this is a little more cumbersome, but the combination is delightful and I highly recommend. For easy meals, try cooking several different grains when you have a few extra minutes. Cool, cover and store them in the fridge for combining later in this and other salads using your favorite vinaigrettes and add-ins.