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This recipe was inspired by a salad trending on social media in the fall of 2024, but in true Featherstone Nutrition style, we wanted to make sure this meal hit our nutrition needs as a whole meal. What constitutes a whole meal? Color, carbs, protein, and fat are balanced to give your body what it needs. It is possible you may need more carbs and/or protein depending on your training, so don’t hesitate to add more to either the meal or on the side.

The base of this salad is all the greens—cucumbers, baby kale (or spinach), green onions, cilantro, and edamame. Feel free to mix it up and change the veggies to things you enjoy the most. All of these green veggies are hearty enough to hold up to a meal prep salad in the refrigerator for four days, which is key. Then, the real star of this salad is the crispy rice. Don’t skip out on this! It adds carbs, crunch, texture, and so much flavor. This salad has indeed risen to a favorite for me. It. Is. So. Delish.

The next star of this recipe is the homemade dressing. It really seals the deal on the deliciousness. Don’t be intimidated by homemade dressing. It’s super easy to throw it all into a jar, twist on that lid, and shake it up. And just like that, your homemade dressing is ready, and you are officially an all-star in the kitchen. This dressing is made with almond butter for some healthy fats and has just enough flavor and acid to bring it together. Just like the rice, I highly recommend not skipping the homemade dressing. It just works.

I highly recommend using this recipe for meal prep. Portion the salad and protein into four different 2 – 3 cup storage containers. Store in the refrigerator. Top with dressing right before eating. And, enjoy!

This recipe was created as part of the Run Your Way Cooking Classes, sponsored by New Balance. If you want to view the cooking class where we make this salad for tips and tricks and help ensure yours comes out just right, click here to watch.

Trendy Green Salad

Servings 4
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Ingredients
  

Crispy Rice

  • 10 oz bag frozen rice or 2 cups cooked rice
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • ½ Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp chili crisp or favorite hot sauce

Salad

  • 2 seedless cucumbers thinly sliced
  • 1 cup edamame
  • 5 oz baby kale and/or spinach
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • 16 oz cooked protein chicken, tofu, salmon, shrimp, steak, etc.
  • ½ cup peanuts chopped (save for the end)

Dressing

  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 garlic clove chopped
  • 1 Tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment.
  • Pour rice onto the baking sheet & mix in soy sauce, sesame oil and chili crisp or hot sauce. Spread thinly across the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until rice starts to brown. 
  • Meanwhile, add all salad ingredients, except peanuts, to a large mixing bowl.
  • Combine all dressing ingredients in a sealed container and shake to combine. Add more water if your dressing is too thick.
  • Once rice is done, allow to cool on a different plate or tray.
  • Combine rice, salad mix, and protein in a large bowl.
  • Place in 4 different bowls for the week. Put the dressing in 4 small containers and add before eating.
  • Add peanuts before eating. Add more chili crisp or hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy.

Notes

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 475 kcal | 25 g fat | 40 g carbs | 23 g protein (with tofu)
How-to-Use:
Athletes: A delicious way to get more veggies into your life in a delicious way. Feel free to double the rice or add more carbs on the side. If you need more protein, meat, poultry or fish would help. 
Healthy Eating: This is a great balance of macronutrients to keep you satisfied for hours. 
Kids: This recipe may be hit or miss with your kids. But if it’s a miss, more for you! 
Substitutions & Tips:
Protein: Use leftover protein like grilled chicken breast, pork tenderloin, salmon, or shrimp. Or, precooked tofu or rotisserie chicken. Make it easy on yourself.
Cucumbers: If you have a mandolin, use this to slice ⅛ inch thick slices. Very easy. Otherwise, just slice as thin as you safely can. 
Dressing: If you’re worried about the lettuce getting soggy, wait and put the dressing on right before eating. But you can add in the morning for lunch easily.