Roasted Strawberry Salad with Black Rice and Avocado

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This roasted strawberry salad is the perfect blend of beautiful, fresh ingredients with roasted balsamic strawberries, white beans, nutty black rice, avocado, and a hearty arugula/kale blend. Everything is topped off with a creamy roasted strawberry vinaigrette. On the table in under 30 minutes, this nutrient packed salad is perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner or a quick colorful appetizer.

I’ve been doing a lot of baking lately and consequently, A LOT of taste testing. Because you know, I have to make sure it’s perfect, right? And who knows maybe that cookie wasn’t a true representation of them all so BETTER HAVE ANOTHER.

Anyway, I thought I’d share a recipe that’s a little healthier but still delivers on the flavor. It’s got a hearty blend of winter kale and baby arugula, black rice (aka forbidden rice) and some simple cannellini beans tossed in olive oil and thyme for a little protein. Of course the real star of this roasted strawberry salad is obviously the roasted strawberries. I was skeptical at first, worried that the strawberries might dry out or just melt completely. It turns out that a quick 15 minutes in the oven actually concentrates the flavor and even plumps the up a bit making for the perfect bit of sweetness in a savory salad. .

How to roast strawberries

Roasted strawberries are super easy to make, all you need is a sheet pan, some fresh strawberries and a little balsamic and sugar. Just toss that all together and bake for about 15 minutes and the strawberries will become super soft and sweet. I had a hard time pulling myself away from them, they’re a little addictive. Don’t eat them all though, because you need about a half cup for the roasted strawberry vinaigrette.

I love this recipe because the roasted strawberries serve both as a topping for the salad and the main ingredient for the dressing. They’re blended with a little balsamic vinegar and oil until smooth and creamy. I accidentally made way too much the first time around, so keep in mind that a few roasted strawberries will go a long way.