Brown rice • Bell peppers • Cherry tomatoes • Radishes • Roasted chickpeas • Avocado, habanero dressing
By Appetite for Change Youth and chef coach Mecca Bos from House of Gristle
Hot Power Hitter by Appetite for Change Youth
This is no sissy salad.
Tyvone, Grace, Leonna and Arieana joined Chef Mecca Bos with House of Gristle to create what they call a “not so Minnesota nice” hot-happening salad. Brown rice, peppers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, carrots seem tame. Fold in serrano peppers and an avocado habanero dressing, and the heat is on. Their red pepper-flaked roasted chickpea topper cranks it up – just a tad more. Power up!
Hot Power Hitter
with Avocado, habanero dressing
Makes 8 (generous 1-cup) servings
Salad Ingredients
- ¾ cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup chopped radishes
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1 cup shredded kale
- ¾ cup whole kernel corn (sliced from the cob or frozen & thawed)
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- 8 cups mixed baby salad greens
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted & peeled
- 1 small clove garlic, halved
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ medium habanero chile, seeded & chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. honey
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
Directions
- Cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat; let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 450-degrees. Blot drained garbanzo beans with a paper towel until dry. Season with pepper flakes and salt. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until very crisp. Let cool and set aside.
- Toss all the salad ingredients (except for the roasted beans, salad greens and cheese) in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked rice.
- To make the dressing, process the avocado, garlic, lemon juice, water, chile, mustard, honey, oregano, salt, and smoked paprika in a blender until smooth.
- Spoon the rice-veggie mixture over the greens. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with cheese and the roasted garbanzo beans.
Future and Career Planning
89% of Roots youth report gains in decision-making skills around their future.
Get Involved with Roots
Step up to the plate and become a ROOTS Youth, Supporter or Mentor.
Become a Roots Food Partner or Program Sponsor
Are you an Urban Farm or food supplier? Are you a retail business interested in selling ROOTS salads? Would you like to serve Roots salads at your next event?
Volunteer as a Youth Mentor or Chef Coach
Would you join one of our workshops to discuss your professional career experience and pathway? Are you a chef who would share your talent by guiding ROOTS youth as they create their salad recipes?
Donate
Simply put, money makes many experiences more attainable. Roots for the Home Team does everything in its power to clear pathways to success for our youth. Will you join our team to make these bright futures all the easier to reach?
Become a ROOTS Youth
All Roots for the Home Team participants connect with our organization through Minneapolis and St. Paul urban farms. Are you a teen interested in joining Roots for the Home Team? Check out our youth Garden Program partners.