Best. Salad. Ever.

Well, I've done it. It's done. You don't have to look any farther. Below is the recipe for the best salad ever. Who would have thought... I'm proud to share it with you.

This is based off a grilled portobello salad from a cookbook called Veganomicon. It's freezing outside and a great night to make the kitchen smell like roasted mushrooms. I threw some chickpeas onto the pan to get them nutty and crispy and paired it with a grapefruit vinaigrette. It's rich and bright, it's crunchy and filling and full of flavor. I love mushrooms!! They can be so decadent, especially when roasted.

Roasted Mushroom and Chickpea Salad

 

Half head of romaine lettuce

A couple handfuls of spinach

Handful of sliced red onion

Handful of dried cranberries

Handful of pecans

Half of a red pepper, sliced

1 avocado sliced

3 portobello mushrooms, sliced thickly

1 lb of assorted mushrooms (oyster and shitake are great, white and baby bella good too)
1 Tbls garlic minced
Half can of chick peas
Plenty of good olive oil

Grapefruit Vinaigrette

1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 big fat Tbls of mustard, whole grain or dijon

Juice from half of grapefruit

Juice from half of lemon

Shy of a quarter cup of olive oil
Fat pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 and lay out mushrooms and chickpeas on a cookie sheet. Leave the smaller mushrooms whole since they cook down. Mushrooms are like sponges! Don't rinse them in water, brush with a towel. Add oil and some salt right before they go into the oven because it will seep right into the mushroom. You want them to roast, not steam, which is why you have to be careful about not overcrowding the pan and not rinsing in water. Roast for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile assemble the salad. Combine lettuce, spinach, cranberries, pecans, red pepper, red onion and avocado. Toss with dressing and put into bowls. Once mushroom and beans are roasted add on top of salad. Hope you like this winter salad as much as we did!