Servings: 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup wild rice

3 cups water or broth

1/2 cup red quinoa (or other colour)

1 cup water or broth

6 cups kale, ribs removed and sliced finely

1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded or diced

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

2 carrots, shredded or julienned

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, sliced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1 shallot, finely diced

1 clove garlic, pressed

1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup asiago or parmesan, grated

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1: Bring the wild rice and water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 45 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 3: Meanwhile, prep the veggies for the salad and slice the mushrooms, onions, etc.

Step 4: Melt the butter and heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquids, the liquid has evaporated and they start to caramelized and turn golden brown, about 15-20 minutes, before adding the garlic and thyme, cooking until fragrant, about a minute, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and setting aside.

Step 5: Add the butter to the pan, let it melt, add the shallot, cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes, add the garlic, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, add the wine, deglaze the pan, add the broth, cream and cheese and simmer until the sauce thickens to a dressing like consistency, about 3-5 minutes, before adding the mustard and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6: Assemble the salad with the kale topped with the wild rice, red quinoa, chicken, mushrooms, celery, carrots and green onions and toss in the creamy pan sauce dressing.

Step 7: Note: In order to save on pots you can cook the wild rice in all of the water and add the quinoa after 30 minutes. I prefer to cook them separately in case the wild rice needs a bit longer since I do not want my quinoa to be overcooked and mushy. This salad is great when served with the grains, mushrooms and pan sauce/dressing are all still warm but it is also good with everything cooled downOption: Add bacon!Option: For vegetarian replace the chicken with beans or chickpeas, etc and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.