Summer "Grain" Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

This summer “grain” salad with lemon tahini dressing makes for an awesome summertime dinner. I like making it ahead of time, so we can eat it cold after it’s chilled in the fridge, but it can be eaten warm as well. It is so delicious and the simple, fresh dressing is perfect. I think I could eat this salad, or a variation of it, everyday!

Also, I’m back from NYC as of last Friday night and apparently, brought the warm weather back with me. I was gone for 10 days and the whole time I was away, the weather was cold, rainy, and crummy here in Portland. It was the exact opposite in NYC, so thankfully, I missed out! Now, our nice summer weather has returned, so more salads are called upon.

Meanwhile, you can catch me making this recipe next Wednesday, June 28 on KATU Afternoon Live. Watch the replay of my segment HERE.

Cheers and enjoy!

Summer “Grain” Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

• 4 cups golden beets, diced into 1/2″ pieces
• 2 cups asparagus, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 5 oz clamshell baby kale
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 Tbsp filtered water
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 large lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place beets and asparagus on a large baking sheet, and drizzle with coconut or avocado oil. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once done, set aside.
2. *Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Continue to cook chicken, but don’t break up the chunks of meat as you normally would. Cook until chicken is browned and no longer pink, about 6-7 minutes, but do not overcook. *Note, if your ground chicken is really lean, you may need to add a little oil to the pan. Set aside once done.
3. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic. Add sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside.
4. Next, add the cooked ground chicken to the food processor bowl with the pan drippings. Pulse about 4-5 times until chicken forms smaller crumbles and resembles grains. Be careful not to over-process.
5. Pour the chicken into a large mixing bowl. Add the parsley, roasted vegetables, green onions, and baby kale (you may have to work the baby kale in bit-by-bit). Pour dressing over top and stir well. Continue to add the baby kale (if you didn’t add it all at once), until it’s all worked in. Taste, and add more sea salt and/or black pepper, if desired.
6. Serve right away or let chill in the fridge and serve cold.