Giada's Feel Good Food (19 page)

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

for the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.

for the salad:
Put the goat cheese in a medium bowl and drizzle with just enough of the dressing to moisten. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wrap each beet in foil. Place the beets on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender, about 50 minutes. When the beets are almost tender, put the green beans in a pie dish. Add the oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the green beans until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove the beets and green beans from the oven. Unwrap the foil from the beets and set them aside until cool enough to handle. Cut each beet into 6 to 8 wedges.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce and arugula. Add the apple slices and green beans. Top with the beet wedges. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss until coated, and serve.

Wheat berries take a while to cook. So I make a batch on the weekend and then use it throughout the week. I love the slightly crunchy texture. This is my take on a rice salad but with new players. The citrusy dressing goes well with sweet strawberries and tangy goat cheese. Delicious at any temperature!
serves 4

for the wheat berries:
In a large saucepan, combine the wheat berries, broth, 4 cups water, and the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers, cover the pan, and cook until the wheat berries are tender, 60 to 70 minutes. Drain the wheat berries in a colander and set aside to cool, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a salad bowl.

for the dressing:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, oil, agave, mint, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the wheat berries and add the strawberries and goat cheese. Toss until all of the ingredients are coated.

Todd loves this tropical version of a chicken salad. The mango, beans, and nutty, tangy mayo-free dressing make it positively addictive. This is a tough one to put down—it's that good.
serves 6

for the salad:
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, mango, cucumbers, black beans, almonds, and mint leaves.

for the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, honey, mustard, mint, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add the almond butter and whisk until the dressing is smooth and thickened.

Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine. Serve chilled.

Topping this fresh, raw salad with chopped hard-boiled eggs turns it into a perfect lunch. The colors here are stunning: red radish, white fennel, green chives, yellow egg. This crunchy, refreshing salad is great in summer.
serves 4

Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces and put in a large bowl. Using a knife or a mandoline, cut the mushrooms, fennel, and radishes into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Add to the bowl with the lettuce.

Whisk the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to blend.

Divide the salad among 4 plates, top with the chopped egg, and serve.

This Southwestern-style salad was inspired by a recent trip to Arizona. Hominy is like large, puffy, white corn with a nice bite to it. If you love the flavor of popcorn and the texture of pasta, this is a great whole grain to check out. Along with beans, it's one of the few canned foods I really enjoy. The cumin adds warmth here and a hint of spice, and it goes well with bright lime and the slightly caramel flavor of agave in the dressing.
serves 6