Since going to uni I have fallen head over heels in love with warm salads. I know that for some of you this may just conjure up images of a slightly limp iceberg lettuce with mushed up tomatoes and suspicious looking cucumber- but this is on another level entirely.
Salad, I tell you, is not just for summer time; this recipe uses ingredients available to you at the close of year. This makes it a cheaper salad than those you have to buy out of season ingredients for. You can eat salads all year round, but you have to know your vegetables and work with what's available.
I guarantee that his recipe will appeal to any die hard salad fan out there; sweet, crunchy carrot, tart cranberries, earthy chickpeas, and flavourful spices...What's even better about this salad is that it requires minimal effort, and tastes great as leftovers the next day. Having chosen to serve this as a side dish one night, I then had a large portion left to eat for lunch the following day- which is really the only reason that I cook for my family: the leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, all the leaves removed, and chopped into florets.
- 3 medium carrots, chopped into circles (I leave the peel on; just be sure to wash them well if you do)
- 3 small brown onions, chopped into wedges
- 2-3 handfuls of cranberries
- 400g can of chickpeas, drained
- 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2-1tsp chilli flakes (I used the hot kind, but feel free to adjust the type and amount you use to your own personal taste)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Method
- Begin by preheating the oven to 190*c. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray, or brush with a little vegetable oil.
- In a large, microwavable dish place the cauliflower, along with 2tbsp water. Cover the dish and place it into the microwave, cooking on full power. Once the cauliflower is tender remove it from the dish and transfer to the baking tray.
- To the same baking tray add the onion, carrot, and cranberries. Sprinkle all of the spices on to the vegetables and toss to coat them. Finally, empty the drained chickpeas onto the tray and mix with the vegetables.
- Place into the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the carrot and onions are sufficiently roasted and the kitchen smells amazing.
That's it! Salad completed. Once the vegetables are in the oven they really do look after themselves, leaving you free to do whatever you like. I hope that you enjoy making, and eating, this recipe...
Labels: carrot, cauliflower, cranberries, Food, healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, healthy lunch, healthy meals, salad, savoury, side dish, warm salad
