Wild Rice and Caramelized Roasted Veggie Salad w/Sriracha Maple Vinagrette

I wanted to make something that screamed winter yumminess, but could be served cold for a post hike tailgate. I've been obsessed with caramelized roasted vegetables as of late. There was no doubt they needed to be a HUGE part of the plan. Those beautiful vegetables paired with earthy wild rice and a balance of spicy and sweet vinaigrette and chopped pecans definitely hit the winter salad mark. It was the perfect way to replenish our bodies after enjoying a gorgeous winter desert hike!

Each of the components can be made ahead of time and tossed together at your convenience. Honestly, the caramelized veggies are amazing on their own. I kept eating them as I was assembling the salad. Same with the dressing. It would be a delicious addition to other salads and dishes.
But when you put it all together, it is a beautiful symphony of deliciousness!

Wild Rice and Caramelized Roasted Veggie Salad 

8 servings

1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained

2 cups vegetable broth

2 lbs diced butternut squash (about 2 1/2 cups)

3 cups brussel sprouts, halved. For larger sprouts quartered.

6 tablespoons vegan butter, separated

2 tablespoons brown sugar, separated

1 teaspoon salt, separated

Black pepper to taste

1 large leek, white and lighter green portions, cut in half length wise and then again width wise

1 head garlic*

1 recipe Smoky Sriracha-Maple Vinaigrette (recipe below)

1 bunch kale, deveined and torn into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans

*head of garlic can be roasted separately if you decide to make the vinaigrette ahead of time. 

Preheat oven to 450

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Add butternut squash to large bowl. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in small saucepan or sauté pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar until mostly dissolved. Toss butter mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper  in bowl with butternut squash until squash is evenly coated. Spread squash in single layer on prepared baking sheet. 

Remove the papery outer layers of the had of garlic Slice about 1/4 inch off of the top of the garlic head to slightly expose the cloves. Brush cut leeks and head of garlic with olive oil and place on baking sheet with squash. 

Add sliced Brussel sprouts to large bowl (you can use the same bowl used for the squash and save yourself another dish to wash). Melt 3 tablespoons butter in small saucepan or sauté pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar until mostly dissolved. Toss butter mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper  in bowl Brussel sprouts until is evenly coated. Spread Brussels in single layer on prepared baking sheet cut side down. 

Place both baking sheets in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn squash, Brussels and leaks. Bake for 15-20 more minutes checking at 15 minutes to make sure Brussels are not burning. Also check leeks and head of garlic for doneness. If they are done, transfer leeks and garlic to pan with Brussels and remove from the oven. The butternut squash tends to take longer to roast. You will know the squash is done when it is a beautiful golden caramel color. That's the time to pull them out of the oven. Let all of the vegetables cool to room temperature. Reserve the head of roasted garlic for the dressing. 

While the vegetables are baking, add the wild rice and broth to a medium sized saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Simmer for 45-50 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice grains have popped open - the rice will be a bit chewy - kind of al dente. Let sit with lid on for 10 minutes, the fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature. I like to put the rice in a larger bowl to encourage quicker cooling. 

Once the vegetables have cooled, thinly slice the roasted leeks and add to the large bowl from the roasted vegetable tossing. Add the kale to the bowl along with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette. Massage the kale leek mixture to break down the kale fibers. Toss in the cooled roasted vegetable, cooled wild rice and chopped pecans until evenly coated with the vinaigrette. Add more vinaigrette to taste. Can be served immediately, but is even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. 

Smoky Sriracha Maple Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

1/2 head of roasted garlic cloves*

1 teaspoon granulated onion

2 tablespoons sriracha

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/3 cup olive oil

*If you are plan to make the dressing ahead of time the garlic can be roasted separately from the roasted vegetables above. 

For the roasted garlic:

Preheat oven to 425. Remove papery outer layers of garlic. Slice 1/4 inch of the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Brush the entire outside of the garlic head with olive oil. Place garlic either on a baking dish or wrap in aluminum foil. Bake for about 30-35 minutes until garlic is soft. Let cool to room temperature. The soft cloves should now be easy to remove from the skin.

For the dressing:

For what it is worth, I prefer method 2 for that beautiful silky texture

Method 1

Add all ingredients to magic bullet or other small blender and blend until emulsified.

Method 2

Add all ingredients except olive oil to a 1 cup measuring cup. Blend using an immersion blender. Slower drizzle in olive oil in while the immersion blender is running. This will result in a beautiful emulsion. 

Can be served immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container. It is even better after a day or two in the fridge. Will keep up to 1 week. 

Tonapah Rob's Vegetable Farm and Bonus Recipe

The one thing I love about having a blog is that you can really write about whatever you want and whatever you love. Sometimes I write about things I think other people will like, sometimes I find some cool new restaurant, ingredient or cooking technique. This post is about something that makes me feel good about so many things: clean local food, environmentally friendliness and just good people.

A couple of weeks ago Fred, some of our friends and I took a drive out to Tonapah Rob's Farm located about 50 miles outside of Phoenix. My dear friend Jackie (who is my kindred spirit when it comes to cooking awesome food) booked a tour of the farm for our little group. She knows how passionate I am about organic and truly natural food, so she knew this field trip would make me a little giddy.

We arrived early so we could by some of the super freshly picked, pesticide, herbicide and GMO free vegetables from Rob's farm stand. There were beautiful carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, greens, onions and more. After hanging out for a while, we were ready for the tour. Rob started this farm about 18 years ago. It was originally 5 acres, but he has been able to recently purchase 4 more acres. He is passionate about growing chemical free and in synch with the local climate and critters. He is an advocate of continual learning and teaching on the farm. Nature is an incredible teacher. Over the years he has learned how to work with everything from beneficial bugs to crop rotation to the typical wind patterns of the area.

As we toured the property, I noticed that he is also big into repurposing. He found an old abandoned washing machine which now served as a salad/greens spinner!

He has unique methods of composting. He showed us a new technique he has learned over the past few years (compost tea). He showed us a comparison of artichoke plants living near the compost tea run off and farther away. The plants getting the compost tea were huge! It was amazing as you can see below.

He has green houses where he starts many of his plants. Which brings me to another very important part of his method. All of his employees must be drug and tobacco free. He is adamant about this policy. He also insists that visitors to the farm stand that are smokers not tour the property. He doesn't do this to be a hard-core anti-smoking guy. He has lost crops to the quick spreading tobacco mosaic virus because someone he hired lied about their smoking habits.

Many of us have heard the claims from biotech companies that genetically modified and pesticide laden crops are the only way to feed the world. Apparently, they haven't met the likes of Tonapah Rob and his dedicated crew. His farm has a sizable CSA following and he brings a lot of produce to a few selected markets in Phoenix. He has produced well over 1500 pounds of produce in weekend before he expanded to 9 acres without genetically modifying or using any chemicals, so I am sure the yield is even higher now. I'm thrilled to see the success of his crops, his farm stand and his CSA. Below are some shots of the healthy plants growing. The cabbage heads were amazing!!!

Our little group had lots of questions as we all do some of our own organic gardening. Rob took extra time to answer our questions and to provide some great advice to help our gardens flourish. We were grateful for his time and knowledge.

His website has all the details on his CSA (which is a great deal), the markets where you can find his produce, the farm stand and a little history about Rob and the farm. The home page lists the upcoming week's food offereings. There are also some recipes in case you need ideas on how to use all of those spectacular veggies. Speaking of recipes, I created a recipe using the veggies I bought on my last trip to the farm. It's a nutrient rich and toothsome dish that is great for dinner or reheated for lunch. The fresh fennel gives the tempeh that "Italian sausage" flavor.

Wild Rice with Roasted Vegetables and Tempeh Sausage Crumbles

6 -8 servings as a side dish 4 main dish servings

1 cup wild rice, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups fresh cauliflower florets
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
4 oz. small whole cremini mushrooms (or large ones halved)
3 cloves garlic, crushed (do not mince, keep clove intact)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper

8 oz. package non-gmo tempeh, crumbled
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup fresh fennel, bulb only sliced thinly
1/2 cup sliced oil packed sun dried tomatoes (or rehydrated non-oil packed)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Bragg's liquid amino or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium sized saucepan over med-high heat, add wild rice and broth. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pan and let simmer for 45-50 minutes until wild rice puffs open. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes the fluff with fork.

While rice is cooking, prepare roasted vegetables and "sausage".

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms and garlic cloves on sheet. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Add olive oil and toss to coat. Roast mixture for 15 minutes.

In large iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat, sauté crumbled tempeh in olive oil until slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add fresh fennel and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté until fennel is softened, about 10-15 minutes. If mixture becomes to dry, add a touch of water. Add crushed red pepper and salt. Saute for about 1 more minute. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine tomato paste, water, Bragg's liquid amines and liquid smoke. Pour mixture into pan. Cook until liquid is gone and mixture is almost dry. Stir in cooked wild rice and roasted vegetables. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Reheats very well!

I have been eating lots of the veggies raw with some hummus as a snack too. Look how beautiful that purple cauliflower is!

Below is information on the Farm Stand and location of the farm (information directly from www.tohapahrob.com)

Make sure to go to the website www.tonapahrob.com for more detailed information on the CSA. Going to the farm and taking the tour is a lot of fun for a group of people or a family…very educational.

Note to my vegan readers: the farm is not vegan.

Tonopah Rob’s Vegetable Farm

Address: 35838 W. Buckeye Rd.  Tonopah, AZ 85354

Market hours:  Open every Saturday from 8 to noon.  Summer hours: 7 to 11 a.m.  The farm stand opens November 2, 2013.

To visit Tonopah Rob’s Vegetable Farm and if you are coming from the Phoenix area:

The Farm Stand will open the first weekend of November 3, 2013.

• Take Interstate 10 west to exit 103 – 339th Avenue
• Turn left – heading south
• Drive 1.9 miles
• To Buckeye Road
• Turn right – heading west
• Drive 2.3 miles – you will pass through a stop sign at 355th Ave (about one half mile west of 355th Ave.)
• Farm Stand is on the right – look for the big yellow sign

View Larger Map

Address is: 35838 W. Buckeye Rd. Tonopah, Arizona

My farm is only about 30 minutes from the I-10 and 101 Loop intersection. Be careful following online mapping services including Google, Yahoo Maps, and Map quest as they often direct you to turn on Van Buren – this is a mistake that will have you on the wrong street with no easy access to my farm! Telephone: 623-386-3033