One of the great aspects of eating a plant-based diet is the desire to try a wide variety of produce and grains. For example, I’ve recently started trying sorghum instead of quinoa or rice in my salads, and I love it!
Sorghum grains are like cous cous pearls, but firmer and slightly nutty in flavor. They can be cooked like rice or other grains into a thick porridge or risotto, and their firmness allows them to stand up to heavy sauces and broths.
Sorghum is a great addition to your diet because it’s naturally gluten-free, non-GMO, locally grown (in the U.S.), high in fiber, antioxidants, potassium and protein, and rich in vitamins and minerals. You can buy it as a grain, syrup, flour, popcorn, or even sorghum beer!
To use it as a flour, try my shortbread cookie recipe!
For this warm salad recipe, I decided to add cooked sorghum to caramelized cauliflower, onions, wilted kale, and toasted pine nuts. The result was a colorful side dish with a delightful variety of textures and flavors!
I served this dish for dinner last week, and couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. All of the ingredients in this warm salad make it a nutrient powerhouse that’s filling and perfect for people who are trying to lose weight!
- ½ cup sorghum grain
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 1 small cauliflower, chopped small
- 2 T. balsamic vinegar
- ½ to 1 bunch kale, depending on how big it is (you can never have too much kale!)
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted until golden in an oven or in a pan on the stove
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Cook sorghum grains according to package instructions, in vegetable broth or water.
- In a medium saucepan, sauté the cauliflower and onions in a splash of water over medium heat until tender, 5-7 minutes. When most of the water has evaporated, add the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until the vegetables are caramelized, about 5 more minutes.
- While the cauliflower and onions cook, wash and de-stem your kale. Tear or chop it into small pieces.
- When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the kale to the pot and cover to steam about 2 minutes. Stir and recover until wilted.
- Turn off the heat and add the sorghum, pine nuts, and salt & pepper.
- Serve with extra pine nuts sprinkled on top, if desired.
I love all of the flavors in this dish — the nutty flavor of the sorghum, the sweet tang of the balsamic vinegar and red onions, the savory pine nuts, and the mild taste of the kale and cauliflower!
This side dish will be a perfect addition to Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t wait to share it with my family!
Leave a Reply