I’m not one to not cater to my cravings. If I’m in the mood for ice cream, I usually eat it. If I’m in the mood for a hot dog, I have one. I try not to have too many of the indulgent things I crave, but I satisfy my cravings all the time.

This recipe was created from a craving…and this time it was for something surprisingly healthy. That doesn’t always happen. But when it does I get really excited. I’ve been eating terribly for the last couple of weeks; doughnuts here, ice cream there and lots and lots of tacos. I realized yesterday, as I was eating a plate of chicken wings, that I hadn’t had a vegetable in a while and I missed them. I missed healthy grains, too.

This recipe is refreshing, light and filling all at the same time. It’s the type of salad you want to eat for dinner, and then save a portion of it so you can have the rest for lunch the next day. It’s resilient to sitting in the fridge for a day or so. The flavors are familiar but also interesting. A little kick from the ginger and Sriracha make it fun, while the lime juice and mint make it really refreshing.

It’s a feel-good salad, because sometimes that’s what you’re craving.

Cabbage Salad with Kamut and Lime Ginger Dressing

Drizzle lime ginger dressing over cabbage salad for a colorful dish. (Recipe Courtesy of Adrianna Adarme of the Fresh Tastes blog)

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 3/4 cup kamut
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha
• Juice from 1 1/2 limes (about 3 tablespoons)
• Sea salt
• 6-7 mint leaves, minced

Directions

1. Preheat broiler. Spread the sliced cabbage onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Toss until thoroughly coated. Transfer the baking sheet to the broiler for 2 minutes, just until the cabbage appears slightly softened and turns a very bright purple. Place the cabbage in a large bowl.
2. In a saucepan, set over medium heat, combine the kamut with 2 cups water. Allow to simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated and the kamut is tender. Transfer the kamut to a colander and rinse under cold water. Place the kamut in the bowl with the cabbage.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, shallot, ginger, sugar, lime juice, Sriracha and a few generous pinches of salt. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and kamut; toss until combined. Add the mint leaves and toss once more. Give it a taste and adjust the salt according to taste. Serve warm or cold. If you’d like the salad to be cold, transfer to the fridge for 1 hour to chill.

Yield: 4 servings, as a salad appetizer

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.