Grains and cabbage are in this season. We’ve paired spelt berries with cabbage and quinoa for a surprisingly upscale result: Winter Grains Thai Salad. For this recipe, bypass the packaged shredded cabbage—it just won’t have the same results or the price value. The trick? Buy a half or quarter head of cabbage and shave it ultra thin on a mandoline.
Tip: Punch up the crunch
Want a little added crunch in your salad? Spread some cooked quinoa on a baking sheet and toast it under the broiler for 5 minutes or more, stirring often, until it’s darkened and crispy but not burnt.
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Winter Grains Thai Salad
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Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 cup whole spelt grains soaked in 2 cups water overnight
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa white, red, black, or multicolored
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts drained
- 1 cup bean sprouts blanched
- 4 whole green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Peanut sauce
- 1/3 cup unsweetened smooth natural peanut butter
- 3 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- Generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Rinse and drain soaked spelt in cold water several times. In medium saucepan, combine soaked spelt with 2 cups fresh water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, or until some of the grains have popped and remaining grains are tender. Drain and place in large serving bowl.
- Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, place quinoa, a pinch of salt, and 1 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Add cooked quinoa to bowl with cooked spelt and toss grains with extra-virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp lime juice. Arrange shredded red cabbage, carrots, water chestnuts, and blanched bean sprouts on top.
- In medium bowl, whisk peanut butter and tamari or soy sauce together until smooth. Whisk in 1 Tbsp lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Add more lime or tamari/soy sauce to taste, if you wish. Drizzle over salad.
- Sprinkle salad with cilantro and roasted peanuts and serve.
Recipe Notes
Per serving: 374 calories; 14 g protein; 16 g total fat (2 g sat. fat); 49 g total carbohydrates (7 g sugars, 7 g fiber); 298 mg sodium
