Image via We Heart It

 

Oh hell yes. File this one under “salads that make you go mmm”.

This recipe features some of my current favourite foodthings: chickpeas, roasted pumpkin and toasted pumpkin seeds. They come together to create a substantial salad that will fill you right up and get you charging towards the weekend.

If you love this salad as much as me, make sure to experiment with switching up the herbs you use. Try using regular parsley instead of Italian, a little lemon thyme, oregano, or Thai basil would be fun to play with, too. Changing the herbs you use is a great way to tweak the flavour of any dish.

One of the most amazing things about learning to cook from scratch has been discovering the sublime awesomeness of the herb universe. It is a diverse, delicious place – a place that I knew sweet fuck all about, until early this year, when we started rocking the windowsill garden that has been a total revolution: all access freshness. There is something innately satisfying about being able to harvest a handful of something rad whenever you need. It makes you feel closer to the essence of things.

As well as being boosted with a whole lot of herb-y goodness, the recipe includes a killer dressing that really goes POP. You’ll be whipping up a tangy, garlicky vinaigrette with a hint of lemon, that is not only delicious, but will also help you beat any change-of-season sniffles. Raw garlic is an uberfood if ever there was one.

There are a lot of flavours going on here, but they all come together in a perfect symphony of vibrant freshness. Enjoy!

Soundtrack:
The Contours – Do You Love Me
The Animals – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
The Zombies – She’s Not There
Alan Price – I Put a Spell on You
The Animals – House of the Rising Sun
Chubby Checker – The Twist
The Marcels – Blue Moon
The Crystals – Do Doo Ron Ron
Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode
Nancy Sinatra – These Boots are Made for Walking

 

Midweek Meltdown Roasted Pumpkin & Chickpea Salad

 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups bite-sized pumpkin pieces
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed thoroughly
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
small handful fresh Italian parsley
small handful fresh coriander or basil
sea salt & fresh black pepper (to taste)

Dressing:
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1/2 lemon

What to do:

Preheat oven to 190 C.

Put pumpkin pieces in a lidded container (or spare plastic bag!), add a swirl of oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, and shake until all pieces are lightly coated.

Place pumpkin on a foil lined baking tray and cook for 20 minutes or until pumpkin can be easily pierced with a fork, flipping the pieces once during the cooking time. When done, set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

While pumpkin is cooking, add all dressing ingredients to a small lidded jar*. Shake well and set aside.

Roughly chop the parsley and coriander/basil immediately before you move on to the next step.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, chickpeas, seeds and herbs. Add dressing and mix gently with a fork until very well combined. Season to taste with a little salt and fresh black pepper.

Any leftover salad will keep very well in the refrigerator for a few days.

Serves 2-4.

 

* If you don’t have a spare jar lying around, just whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl 🙂