I’ve been loving this salad and I know you will, too. It’s overflowing with flavor and phytonutrients from a variety of greens, like parsley, mint, arugula, and spinach.
The wild rice and cauliflower add texture and heartiness while avocado, olives, olive oil, and sheep’s milk feta offer satiating fats. High-quality, unfiltered olive oil is an excellent source of polyphenols, supporting better cardiovascular, gut, and immune function. It’s one of the most commonly used oils in Blue Zones, the areas around the world with the longest-lived populations.
Serve it alongside any of your favorite proteins, like chicken or salmon, or add some tempeh on top for a complete meal.
I hope you enjoy!
Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, MD
Ingredients:
Rice
- ¾ cup wild rice, rinsed
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large segments
- ½ a shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Dressing
- ½ shallot, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Avocado Cream
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 medium avocado
- 1 garlic clove, microplaned
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 medium cauliflower, very thinly sliced
Salad
- ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley
- 3 ounces baby arugula
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- ¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts
- 10 Castelvetrano olives, quartered
- 4 ounces sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled
Method:
1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the rice, carrots, shallot, garlic cloves and salt along with 3 cups of filtered water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. When rice is ready, remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes.
2. Drain liquid from the rice using a colander. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the rice onto the baking sheet, spread the rice into an even layer. Pick out all the vegetables and discard.
3. Make the dressing by combining all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl, whisk and set aside.
4. Make the avocado cream by adding olive oil, vinegar, fish sauce, lemon juice, avocado flesh, garlic, parsley, and sea salt into a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, adding 1-2 tablespoons of filtered water as needed for a smooth consistency. Toss the thinly sliced cauliflower with the avocado cream and set aside.
5. Assemble the salad: combine the mint, parsley, arugula, spinach, pine nuts and olives in a large mixing bowl. Add the salad dressing and toss to combine.
6. Transfer to a serving platter and top salad with the wild rice, followed by the avocado cauliflower, then the crumbled feta over top. Eat immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories: 323, Total Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 989mg, Carbohydrates: 26g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 11g, Net Carbs: 19g