Mixed Grain Salad with Creamy Garlic & Herb Dressing

This nutty, fresh salad would be perfect served as a main meal, or you can eat it as a side dish. It would also be great for a packed lunch or picnic. I got this grain mix from Trader Joes the last time I was visiting my partner in the US, it worked really well for this, but if it’s not available where you are, you can swap it for a mix of giant/pearl couscous, orzo and quinoa. Merchant Gourmet has a precooked mix of grains called Glorious Grains which would be ideal for this, it should be available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA or Morrisons

You’ll need;

420ml hot vegetable stock
One tablespoon of oil
225g mixed grains, I used a mix called Harvest Blend from Trader Joes, but otherwise a mixture of giant/pearl couscous, orzo and quinoa would work equally as well
100g radish, thinly sliced
One medium carrot, peeled and grated (roughly 120g)
One large stick of celery, diced (roughly 70g)
Three spring onions, thinly sliced (roughly 30g)
Two packed tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped (roughly 10g)

For the creamy dressing you’ll need;

One 300g block of silken tofu
One bulb of roasted garlic
One tablespoon of lemon juice
Two tablespoons of nutritional yeast
Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
One quarter of a teaspoon of dried basil
One quarter of a teaspoon of dried oregano
100ml dairy-free milk
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method;

Start by cooking the grains. Add the hot vegetable stock and one tablespoon of oil to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. When it’s boiling add in the grains and then lower the temperature to the lowest setting. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave the grains to simmer for 10 minutes
Once the grains are cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed, fluff the grains up with a fork and leave them uncovered to cool. When they cool to room temperature pop them in the fridge to chill
To roast the garlic, slice the bulb in half horizontally and loosely wrap in foil. Pop in the air fryer and roast at 200°C. Alternatively, roast in the oven at 200°C/180°C fan assisted for 40-45 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and golden
To make the salad dressing, simply add everything into a jug or blender, and then blend until completely smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge
When you’re ready to make the salad, add the grains, vegetables and parsley into a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Spoon the salad into bowls and drizzle over the dressing
This salad can be eaten alone, or as a side dish