First, let me begin by saying that this cilantro-lime dressing was such a big hit, I’ve made it about a million times since! In fact, I created this dressing for the first time while visiting my family in NC and I was BEGGED to make ” a gallon or so” for them to have on hand, just in case! Side note: If you are new to the whole “super green” fad, let me be the first to tell you, they are incredible! While I’m not to the point of eating raw kale on its own, I love mixing it with shredded Brussels sprouts and arugula. Not only do they pack a serious nutritional punch, but they are super filling! For this recipe, I decided to go all out and made a roasted veggie salad, topped with a beet burger (for lots of added protein)!
Now, don’t get freaked out at the idea of a beet burger. I was a little hesitant at first as well but, after these guys won over my meat-loving brothers, I knew I had found a winner.
My absolute, favorite part of this meal is the simple cilantro-lime dressing. When I say this dressing is easy, I mean it! It only has three ingredients, and all you have to do is throw them into a food processor for a few minutes. I mean, seriously. So easy. Don’t skip the dressing.
- //Beet Burger//
- 3 T. grapeseed/extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, very roughly chopped
- 1 cup cashews
- ½ cup craisins
- 1 cup grated beets
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- ½ cup cooked green lentils
- 1 egg
- 2 cups cooked short grain brown (or white) rice
- 1 bag of Kale (to serve)
- //Grilled Veggies//
- 1 Zucchini
- 1 Summer Squash (or yellow squash of your choosing)
- 4-5 Peppers
- 6 Small Tomatoes
- // feta spread //
- 1 cup/ 8 oz. feta cheese
- ¼ cup whole milk greek yogurt ( I used Lebneh)
- squeeze of lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- few grinds fresh ground pepper
- //Cilantro-Lime Dressing
- 1 cup whole fat Greek Yogurt (again, I used Lebneh)
- The juice of one lime
- ½ bunch of cilantro
- I. Beet Patties
- In a medium sautée pan, add the oil and allow to heat. Next, add the onions and cook until soft and translucent (about 10 minutes). Add the cashews, craisins, shredded beets, garlic and paprika and cook another 10 minutes (stirring often). Allow the mix to cool slightly, then transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse a few times until chunky. Once done, add the mixture to a large bowl, along with half of the lentils, and season with salt and pepper. In the same food processor (it's ok if it's dirty) pulse together the other half of the lentils, rice, and egg until it forms a coarse purée. Combine the rice and onion mixture. To cook, I used a large ice cream scoop and a skillet( over medium-high heat) to get a nice sear on the patties (about 4-5 minutes on each side).
- II. Crazy Feta:
- Add the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl, mixing well, and set aside.
- III.Cilantro-Lime Dressing:
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor. If the mixture is too thick, add a touch more lime juice. If too thin, add more yogurt!
- IV.Grilled Veggies:
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Add your veggies of choice onto a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper to be safe). Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper, then toss together to make sure they are evenly coated. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Be sure to keep an eye on the veggies, especially during the last 5 minutes.
- V. To serve: I used Kale as my base, but you can use any greens you like, then layer each component and top with the Crazy Feta and Cilantro-Lime dressing!
