Menu

Legacy of Passion

Rainbow Broccoli Rabe Power Salad

Power up! Fuel yourself naturally with this Rainbow Broccoli Rabe Power Salad. Nutrient-dense, this powerhouse salad touts loads of fresh produce, tons of flavor, fiber and more. Its vitamin and mineral-rich broccoli rabe leaves are the stars of this salad, cut into a chiffonade, allowing their tender nature to shine through. Toasted quinoa, roasted edamame and avocado add texture and richness to this dish. A creamy blood orange vinaigrette gives this salad a lovely citrus finish. Serve this salad with soup and toasted bread for a delicious meal.

Serves: 4-6
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins

Ingredients

Rainbow Broccoli Rabe Power Salad

  • 5 cups broccoli rabe leaves, cut into a chiffonade
  • ½ cup broccoli rabe florets
  • 2-3 red or purple kale stalks (any variety will do), stem ribs removed and leaves cut into a chiffonade (about 1 cup)
  • ½ cup red or purple cabbage, shredded
  • ¼ medium beet, (such as Chioggia; though any color beets will do), peeled, julienned (about 1/3 cup)
  • ½ medium carrot, peeled, julienned (about 1/3 cup)
  • 2 oz. sugar snap peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1 blood orange, thinly sliced (peel cut away)
  • 1 medium avocado, sliced (pit and peel removed)
  • toasted quinoa (see below)
  • roasted edamame (see below)

Toasted Quinoa

  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Roasted Edamame

  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp low-sodium tamari
  • ¼ tsp pure maple syrup

Blood Orange Vinaigrette

  • 1 tsp vegan Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ½ of a large shallot, peeled (approximately 0.5 oz)
  • 2 tbsp blood orange juice
  • ½ tsp blood orange zest
  • dash of sea salt
  • ¼ tsp plus 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Place the shallot on a piece of aluminum foil; drizzle with ¼ tsp olive oil. Enclose the shallot tightly in the foil and set aside. 

3. Place the edamame in a strainer or fine mesh sieve. Run lukewarm water over the top of the edamame for a few seconds to lightly thaw; pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.

4. In a small bowl, gently mix the edamame with the sesame oil, maple syrup and low-sodium tamari. Turn the edamame out in an even layer onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Add the foil wrapped shallot to the baking sheet.

5. Roast the shallot and edamame together in the oven for 25 minutes; move the edamame around every 5-10 minutes for even browning. After 25 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Allow the edamame and shallot to cool to room temperature. Once the shallot is cool, remove it from the aluminum foil.

6. While the edamame and shallot are cooling, prepare the toasted quinoa.

7. Warm a cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tsp of olive oil to the skillet then add the cooked quinoa. Stir the quinoa frequently and occasionally shake the skillet to move the quinoa around as it begins to brown. Once toasted (about 5 minutes), remove the quinoa from the skillet. Place the quinoa in a small bowl and set-aside. (The quinoa will start to sizzle and become fragrant as it toasts.)

8. Make the dressing. In a food processor, blend the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, roasted shallot, blood orange juice, blood orange zest and salt. Whirl away until mostly smooth (it’s okay if the shallot isn’t completely blended). Then add in the olive oil, blending a bit at a time until the mixture has fully emulsified.

9. Assemble the salad. In a large bowl toss together the broccoli rabe leaves, kale, cabbage, beets and carrots. Top the salad with sugar snap peas, roasted edamame, avocado, toasted quinoa and broccoli rabe florets. 

10. Plate the salad and drizzle the blood orange vinaigrette over the top as desired. (As an alternative, you may also wish to toss the salad with the dressing prior to topping with sugar snap peas, avocado, edamame, etc.) Enjoy!