At the Thanksgiving table, it can seem as if so many things are pureed: mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry. As an alternative or an accent, consider this Thanksgiving salad recipe from Chef Jon Rollo of Greenleaf Kitchen and Cocktails, which has several SoCal locations.
One handy thing about this recipe is that you can do the roasting and chopping (and even cook the quinoa) the day before. Chill it in the refrigerator, then combine everything when you are ready.
Even easier, the dressing comes from the restaurant’s gourmet market. It is bottled by Greenleaf, and is vegan, sugar free and gluten free, so it’s the next best thing to homemade. That gives you one less thing to worry about on Turkey Day.
You can order it online and pick it up (or have it delivered) from any of their locations. You can also order this salad ready-made, and pick up plenty of other goodies from Greenleaf if you don’t want to DIY it.
Roasted Cauliflower and Wild Arugula Salad From Greenleaf Kitchen and Cocktails
Serves 6-8
12 ounces shaved Brussels sprouts
12 ounces cauliflower florets
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces arugula
6 ounces golden beets, diced
6 ounces quinoa
3 ounces green apples, diced
One 8-ounce bottle Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette
3 ounces almonds, toasted
3 ounces dried cranberries
3 ounces herbed goat cheese
3 ounces fresh pomegranate seeds
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and toss again. In a separate mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and toss again.
Spread the Brussels sprouts onto a sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet. Spread the cauliflower onto a separate sheet pan. Place both pans into the oven and roast for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to brown.
While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the quinoa according to package directions, set aside to cool, then refrigerate.
When the Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are roasted, remove the pans from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool, then refrigerate.
When ready to serve the salad, combine the cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, arugula, beets, apples and quinoa in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds and crumble the goat cheese on top. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds and serve.
