![Warm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds [21 Day Fix friendly] - This healthy and filling salad is anything but boring! Creamy goat cheese, fresh kale, soft brown rice, and crunchy almonds all topped off with a tangy balsamic and dijon vinaigrette - you will be in love! #glutenfree #21dayfix TheGarlicDiaries.com](https://i2.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_9403.jpg?ssl=1)
Do you ever go through food phases? For example, you are in a sandwich phase, so you end up craving and eating a sandwich at least a few times a week. A Qdoba phase (my life) where you end up eating a burrito at least once a week? Basically, by food phase, I mean any time that there is one particular food or food group that you feel like you’re CONSTANTLY craving.
When Seth and I were still living in North Carolina for a few months after we got married, we were in a Jimmy John’s phase. Do you have those where you live? It’s just a sandwich place. Correction…the most delicious sandwich place EVA.
Anyway, we ate there literally every single day for weeks if not months.
So, what does any of this have to do with kale salad? Well, people, I will tell you. I am in a food phase right now. A kale phase. I am literally obsessed with kale right now. I eat it every single day. Whether it’s a kale salad for lunch, a kale salad for dinner, sautéed kale with sausage, or kale soup, I just CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF IT.
I guess there are worse food phases to be in, right?
![Warm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds [21 Day Fix friendly] - This healthy and filling salad is anything but boring! Creamy goat cheese, fresh kale, soft brown rice, and crunchy almonds all topped off with a tangy balsamic and dijon vinaigrette - you will be in love! #glutenfree #21dayfix TheGarlicDiaries.com](https://i1.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_9441.jpg?ssl=1)
I mean, at least it’s healthy. At least I’m not craving Taco Bell every day or something (been there). So whenever I go to the grocery store these days, I end up walking out with at least two bunches of kale – enough to last me for a week.
This week’s recipe? Brown rice and kale salad with goat cheese and almonds ???.
There is just something so hearty and satisfying about this salad. You get the fresh, crisp kale, the creamy goat cheese, the soft brown rice, the crunchy almonds, and the perfectly tangy balsamic dijon vinaigrette.
Everything just goes together so wonderfully. This is definitely not your average “light salad that fills you up for twenty minutes” situation. This bowl of healthy goodness will keep you full and satisfied for hours. And you will feel awesome! Like you can go conquer the world. Like you can do a hundred pushups. Like you can clean your whole house.
Maybe not the cleaning the house one. I’m not sure any food or drink on this planet could make that an enjoyable task. If you are one of those people that love cleaning, come find me and make me like you. Please. I’ll feed you kale in return.
![Warm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds [21 Day Fix friendly] - This healthy and filling salad is anything but boring! Creamy goat cheese, fresh kale, soft brown rice, and crunchy almonds all topped off with a tangy balsamic and dijon vinaigrette - you will be in love! #glutenfree #21dayfix TheGarlicDiaries.com](https://i0.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_9431.jpg?ssl=1)
Want to know what my favorite part of making this recipe was? When I spilled the entire cup of balsamic dijon dressing on myself right as I was about to start photographing. Had the props set up, the salad set up, the camera set up, and was about to start taking “pour shots” when – BAM – cup of dressing spilled all over my boots and all over my floor.
It’s a lot of dressing, too. AND it was about to get dark outside. I was already pushing my ability to use the natural light from the window before the spill. So by the time I had to scrub off my boot, wipe off the kitchen floor, and REMAKE a new batch of dressing, it was a little dark outside, which made the photography of this yummy salad pretty challenging.
DARN YOU DELICIOUS BALSAMIC DIJON DRESSING. Ugh.
So. In conclusion. Recommended? Making this delicious warm brown rice and kale salad. Not recommended? Spilling a cup of dressing on your shoes right before you are ready to stuff your face with it.
![Warm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds [21 Day Fix friendly] - This healthy and filling salad is anything but boring! Creamy goat cheese, fresh kale, soft brown rice, and crunchy almonds all topped off with a tangy balsamic and dijon vinaigrette - you will be in love! #glutenfree #21dayfix TheGarlicDiaries.com](https://i1.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_9409.jpg?ssl=1)
So satisfying, healthy, and delicious ??????.
For you 21 Day Fix people, here are your container amounts:
- 1 green (kale)
- 1 yellow (brown rice)
- 1 blue (goat cheese and almonds)
- 1 orange (dressing)
Click here to see more 21 Day Fix recipes!
PrintWarm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale (1 bunch) (4 greens)
- 2 cups COOKED brown rice (4 yellows) (I recommend cooking in chicken or veggie stock)
- 1/2 cup goat cheese (2 blues)
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds (2 blues)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Instructions
- Cook your rice (I use the quick cooking kind to speed things up), or heat up your left over rice
- Remove your kale leaves from the tough, fibrous stems and pile onto your cutting board
- Massage the leaves (like you are kneading bread) for 3-5 minutes (this tenderizes the leaves significantly)
- To a bowl, add your kale and brown rice (still hot/warm from cooking or microwaving), letting them sit together so the hot rice further softens the kale a bit
- Meanwhile, make your dressing
- In a bowl, add your balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and a grated clove of garlic. Whisk until thoroughly combined and season to taste with salt and pepper
- Add the goat cheese, almonds, and salad dressing to your bowl with the kale and brown rice
- Toss until totally combined and until the dressing has coated everything evenly
- Season to taste with salt and pepper
*This recipe is gluten free*
![Warm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds [21 Day Fix friendly] - This healthy and filling salad is anything but boring! Creamy goat cheese, fresh kale, soft brown rice, and crunchy almonds all topped off with a tangy balsamic and dijon vinaigrette - you will be in love! #glutenfree #21dayfix TheGarlicDiaries.com](https://i0.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Untitled-1-8.jpg?ssl=1)
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!
In the mood for more yummy kale recipes? Check these out:
Kale and Turkey Sausage Saute with Parmesan [21 Day Fix]
Simple Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Crunchy Sesame Kale Salad [21 Day Fix]
I salute you for being in a kale phase. That’s much, much healthier than the pie phase I went through about a year ago. ? Seriously, I baked a different pie every week.
This is one gorgeous salad. I love the brown rice and goat cheese. This sounds so filling. I could eat and eat and eat this!!
Hahaha, you are right – kale is a little healthier than pie :). But, hey, pie has fruit in it, so we can call that healthy right? Thanks, Amanda!!
I totally have food phases, Annie… but I feel like I have the same few food phases over and over again. But when i was in college I totally had a JJ phase!!! I was obsessed with their sandwiches! We have JJ’s here and now that you reminded me of that place I kind of want to go get a sammie for old times sake. ;) Anyways, a kale food phase sounds pretty legit.. I mean it’s so healthy! There are much much much worse food phases to have, so I feel like you should revel in this phase. With THIS salad! Amazing, girlfriend! You totally packed this salad with all the yum! Kale, brown rice, goat cheese and almonds?! This is salad winning. For sure! Cheers, chicka!
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Yassss isn’t Jimmy John’s the BEST??? Their sandwiches are heaven. I love their bread. Great…now I’m craving it, too. You’re right – kale is a good food phase to be in because it’s so healthy. I should try to hold onto it for as long as possible! Thanks girl!
Oh yes, I most definitely do go through food phases as well! At the moment it’s veggie soup and anything with raw cacao (not in the same dish though, hehe!). Kale rates highly on my list too, though, and this salad looks incredibly delicious, Annie! :D
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry recently posted…Bits and Pieces: April 2016
Mmmm veggie soup. That sounds warm and comforting :). Thanks, Lisa!
I have only tried Kale once and really disliked it, but I definitely did not massage it. I mean, I hardly even massage my boyfriend, so never mind my leafy greens! That said, you have really sold me on this, and so I must try it! I’m grocery shopping for this tomorrow! Love your blog & thanks so much for 21 day fixing it all. You are the best!
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This comment had me laughing out loud ?! I hope the kale massage and other deliciousness going on in this salad changes your mind about kale :). Thank you so much, Jenny!!