My. Favorite. Salad. Ever. You’ll be addicted to it like me in no time. I’m so excited to finally post the recipe for this lamb’s lettuce with oranges and grains. You know why? Because this salad is DREAMY. I do not exaggerate – and once you’ve tried this salad, aka only the best salad ever, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

I’ll do a pro and cons list about this salad for you and you can decide whether it’s worth giving it a try. Ok?

So, obviously let’s start with the pros since I love this salad so much.

PROS

1. It reminds me of all the hip places in Cambridge and Boston where you can get all kinds of variations of grain salads and salad bowls. Yum. Now, living in Vienna, I really miss the variety.
2. Layers and texture. This salad combines a lot of different textures: Soft lamb’s lettuce, hearty bulgur (or whatever grain you pick), juicy orange, crisp cabbage, and crunchy toasted almonds and coconut flakes. Yes! Toasted coconut flakes are incredibly delicious in this salad. Don’t omit them!
3. A celebration for the taste buds. This salad is a mix of well-tuned flavors. Basil-fresh bulgur meets slightly bitter red cabbage, meets sweet-tangy oranges, meets salty feta, and the peppery taste of micro greens.
4. It keeps you full. Very often, salads for lunch have one large downside: They make you full for a minute and then leave you craving something else. I added some filling carbs that keep you full for a quite some time. Bye, bye chocolate in my desk drawer.
5. The perfect to-go salad. Have you ever been pondering what you could eat at work for lunch without having to spend a lot of money or having a sad desk lunch? Well, this is it. Simply put the ingredients in a large glass jar in the following order: Bulgur, orange slices, cabbage, lamb’s lettuce, feta, nuts/seed/coconut flakes. Keeping the vinaigrette in a separate small jar will avoid the lettuce to wilt. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
6. Adaptable & versatile. You don’t have bulgur at home? No worries. Simply use brown rice, barley, couscous or any other grain. I often omit the red cabbage if I don’t have any at home as well. Only a small amount is needed, so I don’t bother to buy it just to make this salad. Ditto for the microgreens. I often substitute a not-too-sweet granola (like this) or any other toasted seeds for the toasted almonds and coconut.
7. A perfectly balanced mix. This salad is a combination of my favorite flavors and textures. All the different ingredients supply you with vitamins and nutrients and at the same time keep you full. You get the whole package.
8. It’s a feel good salad. This salad is right in between these skinny, leafy salads that don’t keep you full at all and those heavy mayo-laden pasta or potato salads. After enjoying it, you are full, and you feel healthy and energized. Simply good.

CONS

If you don’t like lamb’s lettuce: Watch out, this salad contains lamb’s lettuce! Sorry for the bad joke. I couldn’t think of any cons.

I hope that I’m able to convince you to try out the recipe. Enjoy!

Lamb’s lettuce with oranges and grains

Serving Size: 2 servings

This filling feel-good salad impresses with all its different textures and flavors. It is very adaptable and versatile. You can substitute brown rice, barley, couscous or any other grains for bulgur. I sometimes omit the red cabbage if I don’t have any at home. Since there is only a small amount needed, I don’t bother to buy it just to make this salad. Ditto for the microgreens. I often substitute a not-too-sweet granola (like this) or any other toasted seeds for the toasted almonds and coconut.

It's also a perfect salad to bring to work the next day for lunch (see note).

Recipe: Ursula | lilvienna.com

Ingredients

• 3 oz / 85 g lamb’s lettuce
• 1.5 to 2 cups (280 g) cooked bulgur, see note
• 3 teaspoons basil pesto (use your favorite brand)
• 2 (blood) oranges
Crisp red cabbage slaw (optional):
• 1/3 cup finely sliced red cabbage
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar (or honey), or more to taste
• Pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
Vinaigrette:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• Pinch salt and black pepper
Topping:
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta
• 2 tablespoons large coconut flakes, toasted
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon microgreens of your choice (optional)
  >> To mix it up, use sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chopped walnuts (all toasted) or top with a moderately sweet granola, like this sunflower and pumpkin seed granola.

Instructions

1. If you don’t have any pre-cooked bulgur on hand, the first step is to cook it (see note). Mix cooked bulgur with basil pesto and set aside.
2. Rinse the salad and shake off water or spin it dry.
3. Toast coconut flakes, nuts and seeds (all separately) in a small pan without oil over medium heat until fragrant and golden, stirring often. Do not throw them in all at once since they have different cooking times. Coconut flakes only take a minute while nuts take a little longer.
4. Cut off the two ends of the orange and run a sharp knife down from one end to the other to peel the orange. Slice the orange into rounds and cut them in half or quarters if you like. I do not bother to fillet the oranges, but of course you can do so.
5. Mix finely sliced cabbage with salt and sugar and knead for about 1 minute. It should soften but not get too soft. Knead shorter for a crunchier bite. Stir in lemon juice and add a pinch of sugar or honey if it is too bitter for your taste.
6. Put all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small jar with lid, close tightly, and shake vigorously until honey is dissolved.
7. Serve salad either mixed (all ingredients and vinaigrette) or layer the ingredients, drizzle the vinaigrette, and top with the topping-ingredients. Enjoy!

Notes

Bulgur: For a regular size salad, I add 3/4 cup cooked bulgur per serving (1.5 cups for 2 servings). For a large salad or when I am really hungry, I add 1 cup cooked bulgur for each salad serving. If you don’t have cooked bulgur on hand, follow the cooking instructions below.

Instructions for cooking bulgur (makes 1.5 - 2 cups, 280 g): Heat a scant cup water (200 ml) with 1/4 teaspoon fine salt and add 1/2 cup (100 g) bulgur. Cook covered for 8 minutes (check the water in the saucepan, if it evaporates under 8 mins, add a little more). Take the saucepan from the heat and let rest covered for 5-10 minutes. Transfer bulgur to a bowl and let cool. Bulgur comes in different sizes, so also check the packaging instructions.

To-go: This salad makes a fantastic lunch at work or and it packs well for a picnic or potluck. Simply put the ingredients in a large glass jar in the following order: Bulgur, orange slices, cabbage, lamb’s lettuce, feta, nuts/seed/coconut flakes. Keeping the vinaigrette in a separate small jar will avoid the lettuce to wilt. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

3.1

https://www.lilvienna.com/lambs-lettuce-oranges-grains/

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