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Purple Cauliflower and Barley Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
5 from 3 votes

Purple Cauliflower and Barley Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

As healthy as it comes, this delicious and vibrant Purple Cauliflower Barley Salad with a fresh and zesty Orange Vinaigrette, is surprisingly simple and looks stunning on any table.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 395kcal

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 1.5 cups quick-cook Barley - *
  • 1 purple cauliflower - head, riced
  • 1 cauliflower - regular small head, riced
  • Olive oil
  • 1 red onion - diced
  • ½ cup almonds - finely chopped
  • 1.5 cups parsley - minced
  • ½ cup mint - fresh, chiffonade
  • 2 oranges - zested, peeled, and chopped
  • 1 cup pomegranate - arils
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 watermelon radish - thinly sliced
  • Chopped beets and feta cheese - for the meal-prep bowls, if desired

For the Vinaigrette

Instructions

  • Cook barley according to package instructions. When cooked, remove from heat and drain. Allow barley to cool completely.
  • To make the cauliflower rice, chop each cauliflower into small florets. Transfer florets to a large food processor and process until rice-sized pieces are formed (you may need to do this in batches).
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons olive oil and the riced cauliflower to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for approximately 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently (the goal is not to fully cook the cauliflower- more like warm through). Remove cauliflower from the skillet and transfer to a large serving bowl.
  • To the cauliflower add the cooked barley, red onion, chopped almonds, parsley, mint, chopped oranges and orange zest, pomegranate arils, sunflower seeds, and watermelon radish. Toss to combine.
  • Prepare the vinaigrette. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Shake well to combine.
  • Drizzle salad with desired amount of vinaigrette and mix well to combine.

Notes

*I purchase my quick-cook (10 minute) barley from Trader Joe's. If this is not available to you, any pearled barley will work, simply cook according to package instructions. Barley may also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use- don't overcook. ---Prepare easy meal-prep lunch bowls by adding chopped beets and feta cheese, if desired. Grilled chicken breasts would also be a fantastic addition. Best eaten within 1-2 days max.
*I used these meal prep bowls from Amazon (affiliate link).

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 659mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1185IU | Vitamin C: 77.1mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 3.2mg
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