Are you ready to meet your new favorite summer salad?

A salad you'll want to make over + over + over again. Last week I ate this 3 days in a row and the only reason I stopped is because I ran out of romaine.

Get your grills ready, people.

Not only are we grilling the lettuce, we're grilling every single topping that goes with it.

Yes, you can grill chickpeas and for that matter you can cook almost anything on the grill that you bake/roast/cook in your oven. I have yet to try baking a cake in my grill, but don't put it past me.

There are a few tricks when grilling romaine.

Numero UNO: Leave the stem end ON the head after you slice it in half. Otherwise your leaves will not hold together.

Number TWO: You want to thoroughly wash the head after you slice it in half. These suckers trap a lot of dirt! And then, you want to be sure and dry it as best you can. I like to gently shake it out over the sink, let it drain over a towel on the counter, and then dry the leaves carefully with a towel. No one wants soggy lettuce. I learned this lesson after grilling the first half. It was gross.

Number THREE: You want medium/medium-low heat. No hotter! So, about 325* and you only want to grill for 2 minutes per side. Because again, no one likes limp lettuce. You should see nice grill marks and the ends of the leaves slightly wilted.

The "dressing" for this salad is the easiest thing ever. All you do is rub the leaves down with olive oil, sprinkle the leaves with salt + pepper, and give a good squeeze of lemon.

If you want a little garlic infusion you can rub a halved clove on the cut side of the romaine before grilling. After it's all grilled add another squeeze of lemon and fresh herb of your choice.

I chose oregano, which I am currently addicted to. I've never had an oregano plant before and am absolutely l.o.v.i.n.g. it.

The lettuce is actually the last thing you grill along with the avocado.

Yep, grilled avocado.

Print this!

Grilled Romaine Salad

gluten-free, vegan // yields 2 entree-sized servings

1 large head romaine lettuce, with stem end attached
2 portobello mushrooms, or a handful of large baby bellas/button/etc.
1 large head broccoli, chopped into small florets
1-1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained + rinsed
1 avocado, halved + pit removed
1/2 red onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 lemon
olive oil
salt/pepper
fresh herbs, garlic, cheese, optional

Heat your grill over medium. ~350* F -- If you want to keep the veggies warm while waiting for everything to cook, preheat your oven to 250* F and have a large baking sheet ready. As veggies come off the grill add them to the pan and place in the oven to keep warm. I like to eat this salad slightly warm, so I forgo this step.
Halve your romaine lengthwise and discard any brown or broken leaves. Wash + dry the leaves thoroughly, being careful not to break them from the stem.
In a bowl toss the broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil and generous sprinkle of salt + pepper. Toss to coat, making sure the broccoli feels coated with oil. Spread on a grill pan.
Repeat step 3 with the chickpeas. Feel free to add a pinch of garlic powder and/or other dried herbs when tossing.
Spread on a grill pan [I like to keep them divided on the pan] and grill for about 15-20min, stirring once or twice while cooking. Broccoli should be lightly charred, tender, but crisp. Cook chickpeas longer if you want them crispier.
While those are cooking lightly oil, salt, and pepper the avocado, onion, and mushrooms. You're salting everything, so don't go crazy.
Grill the onion for about 3-4 minutes per side as well as the mushrooms. Remove from the heat and turn your grill down slightly around 300-325* F or just under medium.
Place the avocado on the grill [cut side down] and grill for about 3 minutes, until you see grill marks.
While those are grilling, brush or rub the romaine leaves [getting under all the layers] with a light coating of olive oil. About 1 tablespoon [or so] per 1/2-head. Squeeze a bit of lemon over top then sprinkle with salt + pepper. Rub the cut side with a halved clove of garlic if desired.
Grill cut side down for about 2 minutes, flip and grill another 1-2 minutes until just slightly wilted and grill marks are on both sides.
Serve as is with toppings alongside, or chop the lettuce first then serve. Give another good squeeze of lemon over the leaves before serving and top with fresh herbs. Add parmesan cheese or chopped nuts if desired.

notes: Feel free to grill any vegetables of your choosing alongside this salad. Bell peppers + zucchini would also be great options. I used a very large head of romaine for this. If using the small heads of romaine that come in bags you'll need about 3-4.

Serve with a side of quinoa, millet, or brown rice as an additional topping option!

Summer salad obsession complete.

Happy Monday.

Ashley

Chopped Kale Salad

gluten-free, vegan // yields 3 meal-sized salads or 6-8 side salads

1/2lb asparagus

1 head kale, de-stemmed + finely chopped

3 cups chopped cabbage

3 radishes

2 bell peppers

1 green zucchini

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, chilled

1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed + drained

1-2 avocados, sliced

red onion, thinly sliced

2-3 portabella mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Make the dressing recipe first to allow flavors to develop while preparing the salad.

Trim the asparagus ends, chop into bite-sized pieces, and steam until just tender. About 7 minutes depending on the thickness. Place in an ice bath to chill, then drain + pat dry.

For the mushrooms: Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Once hot, place the sliced mushrooms in the pan and add the 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Cook until tender, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place on a plate and let cool fully.

Thinly slice then chop the radishes, pepper, and zucchini.

Place the kale and cabbage in a large mixing bowl and toss with desired amount of dressing. Massage until tender.

Add the chilled asparagus, radishes, pepper, zucchini, quinoa, and chickpeas in the bowl and toss with the greens. Add more dressing if needed.

Serve in large bowls with cooled mushrooms, sliced avocado, sliced red onion, pepper, sesame seeds, etc. Add more dressing if desired.

Creamy Almond Ginger Dressing

5 tablespoons creamy almond butter

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 teaspoons gluten-free tamari, or soy sauce

2 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated garlic

1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 tablespoons water

Place all ingredients, excluding the water, into a jar and shake with the lid on until fully combined and creamy. It is important to use grated ginger + garlic, not minced. I use my microplane zester for this.

Add water slowly to thin out and shake to combine. Dressing will thicken as it sits. Taste and adjust if needed.