California Rainbow Salad Bowl
Roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, avocado and radishes are tossed onto a bed of peppery arugula and topped with a delicious sesame/tahini dressing! The perfect way to celebrate spring veggies by enjoying a quick salad!
A few weeks ago a book kept reappearing. It continuously popped up in conversation, on bookstore shelves as I passed by and even in my amazon recommendations. And for the final straw – my mom bought the book. So I took that as a nudge that I should read it. And so I did and to put it most simply, it blew and rearranged my mind – as it did my closet, room, purse and kitchen. The book is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Have you heard of it? I hadn’t until a few weeks ago. It’s not something I would normally pick on a whim to read; my tastes are a bit more singular – Unbearable Lightness of Being and Cutting for Stone, are my top two.
Yet, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up stuck with me, as I’m sure it does with most who read it. At the core of the book, you essentially rid yourself of all belongs that don’t cause a deep, resounding appreciation. Without realizing it, I nearly threw out 70% of my belongings. I guess I needed to hear that it’s actually okay to give away that 50lb purse that was a beautiful gift but so very impractical.
So after I read the book last weekend, I threw nearly all of my belongings out the window and then donated the rest. And that is what I did with this salad. I found everything I could in my fridge, baked most of it off and tossed the rest into a big bowl filled with California spring veggies. This is the style of salad that people should look to for a hearty meal. It’s more than just a plate of leaves – it’s a blending of quinoa, roasted veggies, plump avocados and crunchy radishes all wrapped in a sesame and tahini dressing. Now that is a real salad.
So if by any chance you have the book lying around, you should read it. And then you should make this salad as a little reward for all your hard work.
Happy weekend.
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes (Roast the Veggies)
Ingredients for the Salad:
- 2 sweet potatoes
-1/2 head of broccoli and cauliflower
- 1 radish
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup micro greens (optional)
- 2 cups arugula (or any lettuce)
- 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (recipe here)
- 1 lemon
- hemp seeds (optional)
Ingredients for the Sesame and Tahini Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tahini
Instructions:
Start by roasting the veggies (sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower) by using the instructions here in this post (but cook for 45 minutes instead of 30 at 400F). To make the dressing, simply mix all the ingredients into a small bowl. Once the veggies are cooked, toss every ingredient into a big bowl, pour the dressing over and mix well. Top with hemp seeds and a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy!
Your Turn!
How do you guys like your salads? Which lettuce leaves do you prefer as your base? And then the dressing! What's your favorite kind? I still love a good simple sauce with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of creamy tahini!
Similar Recipes!
Like this recipe? I have a feeling you will love this Simple Tabbouleh salad or this Hearty White Bean Salad or the all-time favorite on 8+L Chili Infused Chickpea Salad!
If you try it, let me know how it goes by commenting below!
Hope you guys love this recipe and be sure to tag me on Instagram - #8thandlake - so I can see your lovely creations! There's nothing I love more than seeing your photos and recreations of the meals you find here. Thats what they're here for :)
You can also find me on Snapchat with more photos and clips of my everyday life - username - marie8thandlake
Lots of love from the West Coast,
xx M