Sorghum, Kale and Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad

[Aretaeus Cappadocia]

I make this salad about once a month and sometimes I make a double batch. It's easy to make, versatile and nutritious.

The main part of this recipe is sorghum, roasted cherry tomatoes, a robust green, and the dressing. I find that kale is the best green to use but I've also used arugula, beet greens, mixed baby greens and finely chopped broccoli. I've supplemented the greens with green onions, bell pepper (any color), celery leaves and stalks, and fresh parsley. Sometimes I throw in pepitas, craisins, walnuts and/or sunflower seeds. Often I don't have feta cheese available so I will increase the parmesan.

This recipe was based on a similar one: www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/how-to-make/roasted-cherry-tomato-arugula-and-sorghum-salad-recipe

Ingredients

Sorghum

• 1 cup Sorghum Grain, rinsed
• 3 cups Water
• ½ tsp salt (optional)

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

• 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Sea Salt

Lemony Dressing

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 tsp fine grain Sea Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I don't measure, but maybe 1-2 tsp)
• 1-2 clove Garlic pressed or minced
• 1/4 cup crumbled Feta

Everything Else

• 3 cups kale, finely chopped (or other sturdy green) - if you finely chop them, you can use the stalks too
• 2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 14 oz can Chickpeas rinsed and drained (optional)

Instructions

• Cook sorghum, salt (if using it) and water in a pressure cooker for 30 min. Allow 5 minutes or more of slow release then fast release rest of pressure whenever it’s convenient. Release timing is not critical except don’t let it sit long time because it will get gummy. [Alternatively, combine rinsed sorghum and 3 cups water in small pot. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until sorghum is pleasantly tender but still has some chew to it, about 55-65 minutes. You can wait until sorghum is halfway cooked before proceeding with next steps.]
• Preheat oven to 400 F. Line small, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Toss whole cherry tomatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle of salt. Roast until tomatoes are soft, plump and starting to burst open, about 18 minutes.
• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified.
• Once sorghum is done cooking: Drain off excess water, allow to drain in strainer for 5-10 minutes, then pour into serving bowl. Pour in dressing, cherry tomatoes and their juices, arugula*, feta, Parmesan and chickpeas (optional). The order of additions doesn’t matter except don’t let sorghum sit by itself for extended time because it will get gummy.
• Toss well and serve. This salad is good cool but I like it better when it is still warm.

 

[Scott Adams]

This looks like a healthy meal!

[Harris]

That actually sounds really good, I wouldn’t have thought to mix sorghum with kale but it makes sense. The roasted cherry tomatoes probably bring a nice bit of sweetness to balance everything out.

I’ve been trying to find more simple gluten-free meals that don’t feel boring, and this feels like something you could make ahead and just keep eating through the week.

Did you add anything else to it, like nuts or cheese, or keep it pretty simple?

[Aretaeus Cappadocia]

It's kind of funny that before my celiac diagnosis I did a lot more "functional eating" where I just needed a meal and wasn't so worried about how interesting/delicious it was, just needed to eat something. After my diagnosis I've become a dedicated cook and I am very tuned into flavor and novelty.

In answer to your question, I find the recipe very forgiving for trying add-ins. I've supplemented the greens with green onions, bell pepper (any color), celery leaves and stalks, and fresh parsley. Sometimes I throw in pepitas (pumpkin seeds), craisins, walnuts and/or sunflower seeds. One thing I tried that didn't really work was currants. I think that maybe it's because they are too small and too sweet. I haven't experimented with cheeses beyond the 2 in the recipe. I would guess that grated hard cheeses would work, medium hard cheeses (like swiss or cheddar) might work, and soft cheeses would not.