It is summer time here in Australia, which means it’s salad season! Aussie Christmas’ are typically filled with an array of mouth watering salads and this year I have the perfect one for you. I have been eating this salad for lunches the past few weeks and I can attest, it is absolutely, jaw droppingly delicious. Creamy, but not heavy, zesty and fresh, wholesome, healthy with a touch of crunch that will leave you wanting more. This salad has everything you could ask and is perfect for every tummy.
Gluten free, vegan and guilt free, this salad is perfect for your next BBQ but even better for weekday lunches.
Roasted Pumpkin, Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing
A healthy, fresh and creamy salad perfect for your Christmas table or your weekly lunches. Packed full of goodness and flavour!
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Servings: 6 people
Calories: 361kcal
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1/2 small pumpkin roughly 800grams
- 1 small cauliflower
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 red onion
- 1 head of butter lettuce
- 200 grams fresh spinach
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tbsp nutmeg
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Seeded Bark
- 2 tbsp pepita seeds
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- ½ tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp brown sugar/coconut sugar
- 3-4 tbsp water
- salt and pepper
Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup greek yoghurt/coconut yoghurt
- 2 tsp seeded mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Juice of 1 lemon, rind of ½ lemon
- water to thin out dressing optional
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 180° celicus and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Place the cinnamon, nutmeg and olive oil into a large mixing bowl and mix to combine.
- Cut the pumpkin and red onion into thin slices and cut the florets off the cauliflower. Place into the mixing bowl and mix well to coat the vegetables in the cinnamon/nutmeg/oil. Note: I keep the skin on the pumpkin but you can remove it if you would prefer.
- Spread the vegetables and onion out onto the lined baking tray and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden and crispy on the edges. Allow the vegetables to cool.
For the seeded bark:
- Place all of the seeds, sugar, cinnamon and water into a small bowl. The water will release the gelatinous qualities of the chia seeds that will bind this seeded bark. You want the mixture to be gluggy but not too runny. If you have added a bit too much water, don’t worry, just let the mixture sit for a few minutes and the chia seeds will swell and help the mixture come together.
- Roll the seed mixture out between two sheets of baking paper until it is nice and thin. Peel the top piece of baking paper off and place the other sheet of baking paper with your bark onto a baking tray. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bark is golden and dried out completely. This is perfect to do while your pumpkin is cooking. Allow the bark to cool completely once cooked.
For the dressing:
- Combine all of the ingredients into a small jar and shake well to combine. I add water to this dressing to thin it out slightly and make it easier to coat your salad. This is preference so add water slowly until it gets to a thickness you are happy with. I recommend about 2-3 tbs.
Serving the salad:
- Chop up the lettuce and spread this and the fresh spinach leaves down first on your serving platter. Top with your pumpkin, cauliflower, onion and chickpeas. Drizzle the sauce over the salad, crunch up the seeded bark and sprinkle this over the salad.
- Tip if you are making this salad for lunches keep the seeded bark and dressing stored separately and put these on your salad just before serving. This will keep the lettuce/spinach fresh and not wilted and will keep the bark crunchy.
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.4g | Protein: 9.6g | Fat: 19g | Fiber: 6.3g | Sugar: 16.3g
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