Lunchbox Grain Salad Recipe Matrix

Recipes by Natalia Stasenko, MS, RD, CDN

Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
Whole grains (such as wheat berries, quinoa, wild rice, buckwheat noodles, whole grain elbow pasta; use this guide from the Whole Grains Council)
Cooked protein (such as grilled or canned salmon, canned tuna, stir-fried or baked tofu, canned cooked beans, pieces of roasted chicken or cooked sausage)
Cooked vegetables (such as steamed edamame, broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, raw cucumbers or tomatoes).

Lemon Dressing
3 parts of olive oil
1 part of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Soy Sauce Dressing
3 parts  canola oil
1 part mirin
1 part of soy sauce

Balsamic Dressing
3 parts olive oil
1 part of balsamic vinegar
1 part of orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine ingredients and dressings in the following combinations:

1. Canned black beans, cooked wild rice and steamed green beans with lemon dressing
2. Cooked barley, steamed carrots and cooked hotdog sliced lengthwise and into small half moons with orange dressing
3. Cooked quinoa, grilled salmon, steamed carrots and edamame with orange dressing
4. Buckwheat noodles, stir fried tofu, green beans, broccoli and soy sauce
5. Whole grain elbow pasta, canned tuna, steamed green peas and carrots with lemon dressing