Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing – a MUST for healthy, glowy eating! Roasted cauliflower, sweet potato, grains, and apples.
Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing
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We made this last night and it was SO good! A perfect way to get in the Fall spirit and feel healthy doing it. This will be in my regular rotation. Thanks for the recipe!!
Cara Pardo
Dear diary, I’m in love with a salad.
A non-green salad. That’s right – it has no greens and I’m finding that refreshing. But, like, the opposite of refreshing. Comforting? Like a big warm hug that radiates deliciously roasty glow-power straight into me. That kind of refreshing.
It’s got sweet potato, crispy apple, roasted cauliflower, fresh parsley, grains of choice (fully support flexibility here), autumn-y spices, and an appropriate zippy lemon dressing that brings everything together in a big and happy way.
You know those days that you just can’t… it’s not even… someone just please?… ugh.
That is the time for this salad.
Sometimes you’re just in a rut and you need to boost yourself out, and in that moment it all comes back to the Autumn Glow Salad.
You don’t have to love it – we could still be friends. But why wouldn’t you love this non-green, citrusy, grainy, satisfying and earthy-in-a-good way salad? This is the salad for salad and non-salad people alike. It’s the salad for the person who just likes good food.
And since it has that magical “glow salad” thing going on, this salad might say to you: hey, let’s get some proper nutrition after a week of poor (read: delicious but bad) eating. Let’s slow down, let’s set you back on your feet, let’s give you a little boost of glow power for an otherwise kinda gloomy day. Or week. Or whatever you’re working with.
Also – not saying you HAVE to, but it does have some awesome Thanksgiving vibes going on. Sweet potatoes, roasted cauli, apples, grains, warming spices, and lemony dressing? I can basically hear Silver Bells playing somewhere out there.
How To Make Our Autumn Glow Salad:
Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 as a meal, 8-10 as a side 1x
Description
Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing – a MUST for healthy, glowy eating! Roasted cauliflower, sweet potato, grains, and apples. Vegetarian and vegan.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Salad
- 1 cup freekeh or other grain (quinoa, bulgur, etc.)
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- a sprinkle of dried spices that you like, or a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary, etc.
- 1 large apple
For the Lemon Dressing
- 1 bunch parsley (about 1 cup), minced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- juice of one lemon (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon agave (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the grains and place in a rice cooker with the appropriate amount of broth or water (refer to package directions – it depends on the grain). Set on the white rice setting and prep the other stuff while it cooks.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Chop the cauliflower into small florets. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add a few sprigs of thyme or other dried spices if you have some that you like. Roast for 20 minutes, stir, and roast for another 10-15 minutes. When they are golden brown and soft, remove from oven and set aside.
- While the veggies are roasting, combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake to combine. Chop the apple and set aside.
- When the grains and vegetables are done, toss everything together. This can be done when everything is hot or when it’s cooled, although the texture will be different (heavier) when hot. Store leftovers separately (salad and dressing) if possible.
Notes
If you want some crunch, add a few handfuls of chopped nuts like cashews or pecans.
Nutrition facts are for 6 servings.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: autumn salad, fall salad, thanksgiving salad
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best healthy sweet potato recipes. Check it out!
Filed Under: All Recipes Cauliflower Dairy-Free Fall Healthy Lemon Quick and Easy Quinoa Salads Sugar-Free Sweet Potato Vegetarian
October 22, 2018
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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Love the name! Much better than just “roasted cauliflower…”. This salad sounds amazing and I think I’m going to have to make it for next week’s lunch! Also, I NEED to see pictures of Sage in that sweater!!!!
Thanks Sam! 🙂 Pictures on Snapchat and I just posted one on Instagram/Facebook too 🙂
I agree about the wonderful name of this dish. It drew me in and then, wow, it’s now a family favourite… which is hard to do when 1/4 is vegetarian and 1/4 is fussy about vegetables.
that’s a fancy name for a very good looking salad. Must try this since I am in a lookout for a good salad version.
Thanks Shobelyn! 🙂
I love this salad. I always swap green salad for more hearty ones when summer turns to autumn. And I love the parsley in the dressing.
Thanks Kristina! I am on a kick with parsley!
Love your stories behind all of your recipes! Can’t wait to try this salad… Grains in salads are my jam because they fill me up just a little bit more than the more green variety.
Thanks Megan! Me too! 🙂 Filling salads are the BEST kind of salads.
This is such a wonderful bowl of goodness!! Really love that dressing!
Thanks Katrina!
Lindsay, this looks fantastic! That roasted cauliflower totally has my heart. And I loved your story about slowing down to cook and find your groove. That’s exactly how I felt this weekend – I had zero plans or commitments so I let myself take as long as I wanted to, taking photos and playing with food in my kitchen. It was so nice and reminded me why I love recipe creation (and food blogging) so much. PS. Pleeeeease post a photo of Sage in the sweater with the fur hood! 🙂
Thanks Angela! So glad that you understand too – sometimes I feel like I might be the only one rushing around like a maniac all the time. It’s SO good to slow down! 🙂
This salad looks and sounds incredible. I love that you added grains and a lemon dressing. It sounds like an awesome “groove!” And I love the name, too! I’d rather eat a “Glow Salad” any day!
xx Sydney
Thanks Sydney! Glow salad for the win.
Story of my life! You totally nailed the food blogger internal battle, at least for me, and I probably couldn’t have articulated it that well. Perfect fall salad, too! I might go ahead and naughtily add a sprinkle of goat cheese.
Haha so glad I’m not alone on that Tessa! 🙂 Love the goat cheese idea.
Yes! You totally did the right thing by picking that name. If I had read “Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Salad” I would have been like ‘mehh.. I’ll pass’ and now I didn’t even think twice about clicking! Hands in the air and woohoo for your expert-name-choosing skills.
Anyway, definitely pinning this!
xx B
http://www.thisisb.be
Thanks Britt! Appreciate that!
This is my favorite! I seriously crave it. I brought it to work for lunch and couldn’t help but eat it on my break at like 9am!
I’m needing to get back in my groove as well, especially when it comes to healthy eating! This salad = healthy comfort food. I’m there.
Thanks Meghan! 🙂 Healthy comfort food is the best.
This sounds delicious and so healthy! So I can’t figure out–how did it tally up to 25 grams of fat per serving with just some olive oil in the dressing??? Is that correct?
Yeah, olive oil has 14 grams of fat per tablespoon, and there ends up being about 2 tablespoons of the oil in each serving. You could definitely sub some of the oil for water or even something like apple cider or vinegar that would give you the same overall volume but reduce the amount of fat.
Dogs in clothes are my favourite! Sadly my husband doesn’t agree and is pretty reluctant to let me dress up my dog… sigh . This sounds like such a delicious, hearty salad!
Yeah, Sage doesn’t love it so we don’t make her wear it very often, but we’re working on it. 🙂 haha. It’s just way too cute.
I first clicked on this because I saw “lemony dressing,” but the salad itself looks so good too! Hearty salads are usually so weighed down with mayo. I love how you changed it up here….I can see myself going through a a few bowls of this. Pinned!
Thanks Annie! hope you like it!
Haha, will you even believe that when I was reading this, I had forgotten the name of the post, and was secretly voting for Autumn Glow Salad to win?! I’m glad you went with that name; it just fits the recipe! And Sage running (? maybe walking is more true to form????) around in a sweater with a hood is too cute for words. I don’t like cooking, but you made me *almost* understand people like my sister, cousin and you, who find it relaxing. The scenario sounded so relaxing it made me want to jump in and join you! 😀
(P.S. I haven’t been getting your post notifications since last Monday…it might be on my end, though, because I’m having the same problem with another blog.)
Thanks Abbie! Appreciate that! And yes – we are having issues with email software, but we should be back in business within a few more days. Sorry for the delay!
No problem! I just wanted to let you know. <3
I have been on a grain salad kick lately, especially with this Gluten-Free Tabbouleh salad makinglifesweet.com/gluten-free-tabbouleh/. But THIS! I will definitely be making this next time I want a grain salad.
Thanks Lauren! Love the idea of the Tabbouleh!
Oooh this sounds delightful! I tried to slow down this weekend to, which translates to: my husband tried to get me to slow down. It is a work in progress 😉
Where is a picture of Sage is said sweater?!?!?!
On Instagram/Facebook for now! But full post coming soon. 🙂
How can I make this without a rice cooker?
Just cook the grains in a regular pot over the stove. 🙂
This salad had the potential to be something delicious but I feel like I went wrong with the dressing. I couldn’t find agave in my grocery store so I used a lil bit of honey instead but the dressing just tasted mostly like olive oil. Any suggestions on what to do next time?
Hi Meagan! Sorry to hear the dressing didn’t taste quite right. We’d suggest a bit more lemon juice next time. Let us know how round 2 goes!
I respectfully request photographic evidence of the fur-child in her sweater with a fur hood. HAVE TO SEE THAT!
The salad looks awesome, and I’m so glad you went with the Autumn Glow title. We eat with our eyes first and this title is the beginning of a beautiful journey! *I can tell these things* 😉
Happy Fall!
Thanks Tammy! 🙂 There will be pictures. Trust me, there will be pictures.
This looks amazing! I’m going to make it Friday night! What do you recommend I serve it with?
Honestly I just had it as a quick lunch salad on its own, but it would probably be good with some grilled chicken or pork! I also added spinach to mine a few times to give it more of a salad-y feel.
This salad is so beautiful–I love the idea of a comforting salad for fall and winter!
Thanks Sue!
I totally get that ☝ I decided to actually enjoy just cooking the other night. It was therapeutic and reminded me of why I loved cooking…we all need that sometimes have an awesome time this week …I’m just picturing sweet Sage in the back with her fur accessorized sweater staring out the window happy as a clam!!
Yes! She’s sleeping next to me now, happy as a clam indeed. 🙂 Thanks Brittany!
I need a healthy dose of this glow salad after a not so healthy couple of days.
Tell me about it. 🙂
Hilarious post Lindsay! And this salad….delish!! And for the record, I agree, we’re crazy!! Wouldn’t it be fun to enjoy a delicious meal we’ve whipped up and not think in the back of our heads that we should be photographing it instead of enjoying it??
There’s always something! The crazy life of food bloggers…
I’m really digging the vibes here! Your cooking/photographing groove sounds so perfect. I love playing music while I’m in the middle of bloggery. 😀
Thanks Sarah! Appreciate that!
Looks great!
Thanks Kelly!